NEW SCHOOLS POPPING UP LIKE DAISIES.

Byline: Sue Doyle Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - Screech. Erk. Ping. The sounds of growing pains have hit the William S. Hart Union High School District.

Three new high schools, more special-education facilities and additional alternative schools are in the works to accommodate student enrollment that has outgrown some older schools and is anticipated to grow in other parts of the valley.

Although enrollment isn't growing as fast as it did 15 years ago, the district is trying to keep pace with the steady flow of about 700 to 1,200 more students annually.

``We have students in relocatable classrooms, and we're trying to replace a large majority of those,'' said Rory Livingston, assistant superintendent for business services. ``As fast as we replace a relocatable building, it fills up.''

Meanwhile, some older high schools and junior highs are being expanded to hold more students. High schools, originally constructed to hold 1,500 students, are getting additional classrooms to hold up to 2,600. Junior highs are being enlarged to hold up to 900 students.

More classrooms are being built at Canyon High School, Saugus High School and Arroyo Seco Junior High. Next in line for construction are Hart High School, Sierra Vista Junior High and Placerita Junior High.

More special-education facilities are also under discussion for the district, because some older campuses were not designed for students with these needs, Livingston said.

He said the district is also reviewing more alternative schools, including continuation schools such as Bowman High School and middle colleges such as Academy of the Canyons, for students who have needs that can't be met in traditional high school settings.

The three new high schools are expected to open in the next 10 years and will serve Castaic, the east valley near Sand Canyon and the Newhall Ranch community to the west. The housing development is expected to bring about 21,000 single-family homes, apartments and condominiums west of Interstate 5 and south of state Route 126.

Opening first is the high school to serve Castaic where class is expected to start by fall 2009. The new school will be located in the 3,900-unit Northlake housing development being built along Castaic Lake's northern bluffs.

Right now, most teenagers from Castaic attend West Ranch High School.

Housing projects around Castaic are expected to bring 2,500 to 3,000 more students by 2012 to the Castaic Union School District, said James Gibson, assistant superintendent of business and administrative services.

Today about 3,600 children attend the district, which is preparing to build up to four new elementary schools for their rising population.

``We've been planning for the better part of the year how to adjust from being a relatively small district to a larger district,'' Gibson said.

Any enrollment changes to the Castaic area ultimately affect the Hart District, since students from those schools ultimately attend the high school district.

Sue Doyle, [phone]

sue.doyle(at)dailynews.com