Re: Board Meeting - Conversation about TIDE

Hi, Crystal. I hope you're doing well. It's lovely to hear from you, although -- as you note -- the reason that you're reaching out is not the happiest.

Although I would be delighted to meet with you -- if for no other reason than to say hello and catch up :) -- I'd be grateful if you could provide some additional insights on the purposes of such a meeting. As a threshold matter, it would be very helpful to know if the Board has, in fact, decided to close TIDE, or if it has made a more tentative decision to consider the pros and cons of such a closure. If it's the former, it's not clear what a meeting would accomplish. We did not close any schools during my time on the Board, so I don't have any particular insights to share about how to do that.

If it's the latter, i.e., if District leadership is interested in reflecting on the original goals of establishing TIDE and assessing how its current performance (both academic and financial) either reflects, or doesn't reflect, those goals, I would be happy to meet with you to discuss the situation.

Thanks, and stay well --
Allen

From: Crystal Leach <cleach@seq.org>
Sent: Wednesday, November 12, 2025 8:21 PM
To: Alan Sarver; Christopher Thomsen <cthomsen@stanford.edu>; Carrie Du Bois <carrie.dubois@ggsir.com>; Allen S. Weiner <aweiner@stanford.edu>; Jim Lianides
Subject: Board Meeting - Conversation about TIDE

Hi Alan, Chris, Sarver, Carrie, and Jim,

I hate that I'm writing to you under these circumstances, but I wanted to bring you into the conversation if you are interested. You were the brains and the muscle behind the creation of TIDE, and your insight and perspective are invaluable as we navigate what comes next. At tonight’s board meeting on November 12, a Board Committee reported on its review of enrollment, programs, and long-term fiscal considerations related to TIDE Academy. Following that report, the Board directed me to develop a plan for how the District would discuss a possible closure of TIDE Academy. Board members spoke about their responsibility to look at how we are using limited resources across the District. One of the concerns they raised is that, because TIDE is such a small school, continuing to operate it at its current size can, over time, result in fewer classes, electives, and program options for TIDE students than we can responsibly offer when resources are better aligned across the District. At the same time, we fully recognize that TIDE is a close-knit community and that even considering the possibility of closure is deeply upsetting. I wanted to share this information directly with you and offer time to meet if you would like to ask questions or talk through what this means. I can also continue sharing updates as more information becomes available. Please let me know if you are interested in a meeting and we can get something scheduled. C- Crystal Leach, Superintendent Sequoia Union High School District 480 James Avenue Redwood City, California 94062 (650) 369-1411