Chronology of School Site Struggle

A history of major actions taken by the Lynwood Unified School District to build its new high school:

October, 1983--State Allocation Board grants $34 million to the district for a new high school.

November, 1983--District is awarded $325,982 from the state for a feasibility study for a new high school.

April, 1984--Board of Education votes unanimously to build the new school on the site that includes Ham Park, triggering more than a year of fighting between the school board and the City Council, which opposes the site.

July, 1984--Architectural rendering of proposed high school on the Ham Park site is presented to the school board.

August, 1985--Supt. Charlie Mae Knight, who advocated the Ham Park site, resigns.

March, 1986--School district decides to drop efforts to acquire Ham Park and votes to start process to acquire Sterik Co. property, which includes a closed Zody’s department store, and Seventh-day Adventist property.

August, 1986--Board votes 4 to 1 to condemn 12 acres of Sterik Co. property. Board member Joe Battle dissents.

December, 1986--Board votes 5 to 0 to condemn 20 acres of the Lynwood Adventist Academy property.

June, 1987--Adventist group starts community protest to save academy. Board member Thelma Williams withdraws her vote to condemn academy property.

August, 1987--City Council declares Adventist Academy a local historical landmark as part of effort to stymie development.