District purchases 49-acre site for second high school

The San Benito High School District recently acquired 49.68 acres for a second high school. 

The property is located south of Wright Road in northwest Hollister, and it meets many of the criteria for a new high school offered through feedback from the 60-member Facilities Needs Committee and community input provided over the past year, according to the SBHSD. 

The board of trustees approved the land purchase March 12. The acquisition is “designed to address needs our community has continuously referenced during town halls and committee meetings about the need for another campus as Hollister High School, the 10th largest high school by population in California, continues to be over-capacity,” says an announcement from SBHSD Superintendent Dr. Shawn Tennenbaum. 

These needs include proximity to the existing and future student populations, as well as close proximity to municipal services, transportation corridors and existing neighborhoods, according to the district. 

The Buena Vista corridor campus location also provides a walkable, bikeable campus that will help reduce traffic congestion and miles traveled for students and their families, the district added. 

With enrollment of 3,465 and a student body capacity of 3,400, Hollister High School is over capacity. Further expansion is not possible because the site is landlocked, says the district. A second high school is needed to provide all students with access to education in a safe environment for future generations. 

Hollister High School is currently the largest single, comprehensive high school district in the State of California and is the third largest school by enrollment in Northern California. Furthermore, Hollister High is located in the busiest part of town causing traffic congestion and safety concerns, added the district. 

Opportunities are limited to provide additional students with access to educational and Career Technical Education as well as extra-curricular and co-curricular programs, the district said. 

Recognizing these concerns, the district formed a Facilities Needs Committee to evaluate the need, potential programs and funding for a second high school. This process was undertaken during the 2022-23 school year.

The district continues to seek input on the design of and funding for a second high school, which will come from a combination of local and state funding, developer fees and a district contribution, Tennenbaum said. 

“We look forward to continued interactions with and feedback from our community this spring and summer as planning for the second high school continues,” Tennenbaum said in a press release. “Working toward a common goal as a community is an example that together we can, together we will, build a brighter future for our students.”