Sequoia Union High School District

Corrected 2/15/26: The original version of this webpage incorrectly referred to the formation of a ‘Board Committee.’ As per the minutes from the September 10 board meeting, item 16.5, the Committee should have been referred to as a ‘Temporary Superintendent’s Committee’

SUHSD Board Votes to Move TIDE Academy to Woodside High School Beginning in the 2026-27 School Year

On February 4, the Sequoia Union High School District (SUHSD) Board of Trustees voted to close TIDE Academy on June 30, 2026, and move the academic program to Woodside High School starting in the 2026-27 school year. The decision follows a deliberative process that began at the November 12 Board meeting, when a Temporary Superintendent’s Committee composed of Trustees Rich Ginn and Mary Beth Thompson provided a report-out on its review of enrollment, program offerings, and the long-term fiscal health of the District.

Speaking on behalf of the Committee at the November 12 meeting, Trustee Thompson reported that because TIDE Academy is such a small school, it requires a disproportionate amount of resources to operate over time, and recommended that the Board direct the superintendent to develop and bring forward a clear plan to discuss and consider a possible closure of TIDE Academy at the December 10, 2025, board meeting. Since that time, the district has conducted numerous question and answer sessions with parents and staff, provided answers via a written FAQ, held data and information sessions, including a Board study session on January 26, according to a plan that was presented to the Board on December 10, 2025.

Last night, Superintendent Crystal Leach presented three options to the Board, explaining that her recommendation was developed according to these guiding principles and considerations: program viability, fiscal sustainability, student experience, and feasibility within operational constraints:

Close TIDE Academy June 30, 2026, and move the academic program to Woodside High School starting in the 26/27 school year.

Close TIDE Academy June 30, 2027, and move the academic program to Woodside High School starting in the 27/28 school year.

Close TIDE Academy June 30, 2029, allowing the three remaining classes to graduate from TIDE Academy.

“The Board made a very difficult decision last night," said Superintendent Leach. “We heard from students, parents and staff that TIDE has become a safe and comfortable place for them, and yet we still had to address the long-term sustainability issues that are the responsibility of a School Board to ensure that we can serve all students across the District. The option the Board chose will ensure that current students have the option to stay together, and will allocate future resources to serve students across the District. Now we begin the next phase: working with each and every TIDE student and staff member to ensure a smooth transition.”

Leach noted that while Sequoia Union High School District is relatively well funded compared to some neighboring districts, the District’s resources are not unlimited. “We face increasing pressures to offer competitive compensation in a high-cost region to attract and retain high-quality educators, while simultaneously responding to the growing mental health and social-emotional needs of students at every school site.”

TIDE Academy opened in August 2019 (2019–20) as a small public high school serving grades 9–12. It was developed as an additional District high school option, with a program that includes STEAM/CTE pathways and dual enrollment, and was also intended to help address anticipated enrollment pressure in the District at that time, including at Menlo-Atherton High School.

The anticipated increase in enrollment projected in 2016 never materialized, and enrollment is projected to continue declining. At its January 14 board meeting, the District received a Demographic Analysis & Enrollment Projections Study from King Consulting that showed a loss in enrollment of 16 percent for the elementary feeder districts that matriculate into SUHSD between 2016-17 and 2025-26, and a decline in birth rates in San Mateo County of 31 percent since 2001, consistent with statewide trends.

The District will establish a transition planning team that will return to the Board with a complete implementation package later this year.

Enrollment Information

In light of the recent Board decision to relocate the TIDE academic program to Woodside High School beginning in the 2026-27 school year, we are re-opening and extending the Open Enrollment process until March 9 for current TIDE students, and incoming 9th graders who selected TIDE. Open Enrollment gives your family the opportunity to explore schools and programs across the district and select the best fit for the 2026–27 school year; details are included on the form.
If current TIDE students and students who applied to TIDE as incoming 9th graders select Woodside on the request form, they will have a spot at Woodside. If you choose Woodside, you will be cohorted with other TIDE students, you will have the ability to remain in the dual enrollment and CTE pathway you pursued at TIDE, AND you will have the opportunity to take other classes available at Woodside.

If you prefer a different SUHSD school, you will need to indicate that selection on the form.
Once you make your selection, the school of choice will be in contact with you after March 9th.

If you did not receive an email with the enrollment form, please check all parent emails that were provided when you enrolled your child in SUHSD. If you do not find the email, please contact studentservices@seq.org and we will make sure you receive the form. Please submit the form by March 9. If no selection is made, students will return to their assigned home school for the 2026–27 school year. If you have questions or would like support completing the form, please contact your counselor or the TIDE office.

Background

At the November 12 Board meeting, a Temporary Superintendent’s Committee composed of Trustees Rich Ginn and Mary Beth Thompson provided a report-out on its review of enrollment, program offerings, and the long-term fiscal health of the District. Speaking on behalf of the Committee, Trustee Thompson reported that because TIDE Academy is such a small school, it requires a disproportionate amount of resources to operate over time, and recommended that the Board ask the superintendent to develop and bring forward a clear plan to discuss and consider a possible closure of TIDE Academy at the December 10 board meeting.

The Committee recommended that the plan outlines how and when the District will communicate with students, families and staff, how the community will be informed and invited into the conversation, and what information and data will be presented to the board. The Committee also requested that the plan include an opportunity for input from students, parents, employees and community members, as well as clear communication to all stakeholders about what the potential impacts on each of them will be if a decision to close TIDE Academy is made. The Committee recommended that the Board ask the Superintendent to present a proposed process at the December 10 meeting that would enable the board to make a decision by the end of February about whether to close TIDE Academy after this academic year.

The process of determining the future of TIDE Academy, a small, innovative high school whose vision is to inspire students to grow academically and socially through core programs such as dual enrollment, CTE pathways, and Nucleus (the advisory program), is part of the District’s broader effort to realign resources, address enrollment shifts, and ensure long-term sustainability across all school sites. As the District continues to face a structural deficit, it is the organization’s responsibility, carried out through the Superintendent, to ensure that all schools and programs remain both thriving and financially sustainable so that students across the District continue to receive a high-quality education. A Temporary Superintendent's Committee was formed at the September 10, 2025, board meeting to examine District property and enrollment trends, both rising and declining. According to the 2024-25 School Accountability Report Card (SARC), approximately $39,000 is spent per student at TIDE, compared to an average of $22,467 per student at the district’s other high schools. The District will conduct a deeper analysis of these figures in January.

This plan is designed to ensure that TIDE students, parents, and staff are fully informed and have a clear understanding of the process for determining the future of TIDE Academy. It outlines the information that will be gathered, how it will be analyzed, and how communication will occur before, during, and after key decision points.

The plan includes six sections, including:

Summary of actions to date.
Community feedback from November.
Areas of Analysis and Framework for Evaluation. Data, information and factors that will be considered and provided to the Board for making their decision.
A communication and community engagement strategy, including opportunities for the community to engage through inclusive, well-facilitated forums that allow for listening, feedback, and follow-up, that provide opportunities for input and dialogue before any final decisions are made, and a webpage containing current materials, including recaps of notes and questions from the staff and parent meetings already held, answers to frequently asked questions, and copies of any presentations made.
Timeline: Includes the Superintendent’s recommendation and the Board’s final decision.
Conclusions.

Goal of the Plan:

The plan defines the information we will gather, how it will be analyzed, and how we will provide transparent and consistent communication before, during, and after key decision points.

You can read the full plan here.

Please feel free to share questions and comments here.

Upcoming Dates

January 13 and 15: Second round of community meetings to share updated information and data, reflect back themes from earlier engagement, and collect additional feedback on options and potential transition supports. Spanish interpretation will be available for both meetings. Time and Zoom links are below.

Tuesday, January 13:

TIDE Data and Information – Part 1
6:00–7:30 p.m.
Location: https://seq-org.zoom.us/j/99226600107

- Financial Information, Part 1
- Enrollment
- Demographics
- TIDE Academic Program, Part 1

Thursday, January 15:

TIDE Data and Information – Part 2
6:00–7:30 p.m.
Location: https://seq-org.zoom.us/j/99226600107

- - TIDE Academic Program, Part 2
  - Financial Information, Part 2
  - Marketing & Recruitment
  - Recap of Process & Next Steps

January 26: Board Study Session. Present a synthesis of community input, enrollment and fiscal analysis.
February 4: Board meeting presenting findings and data, and considering a vote. Present a synthesis of community input, enrollment and fiscal analysis, and recommended next steps; the Board may vote on closure or direct staff to bring back additional information.

Develop post–early February communication outlining the Board’s decision (or additional steps requested), key implications for students, staff, and families, and how the District will support next steps.
Provide follow-up communications through late February to ensure smooth transition planning or continued engagement, as directed by the Board.