In North County, there is hope for affordable housing for some private school teachers.
The Grauer School in Encinitas received a $4.5 million grant from the Luddy Family Foundation. A large part of the grant is to be used for teacher housing.
“By owning the property 'lock-stock,' as we do through this amazing gift, we can adjust the amount of pay for these dwelling units," said Stuart Grauer, founder and Head of School Emeritus. "(The units) will not only be affordable for young starting teachers, but they will also enable them to save for two or three years, get established in the community, and then strike out on their own," said Grauer.
That housing will be included in the compensation teachers receive.
Ryan Stevens is about to start his second year as a computer science and engineering teacher at The Grauer School.
This week, students are taking part in summer enrichment camps learning from video games and creating ceramics. During the school year, the Grauer campus has a capacity of just 160 students in seventh and 12th grade. Twenty-five percent of them receive financial aid to pay the $28,000 annual tuition.
It’s a steep price in an exclusive area of North County.
Stevens had to consider whether he could afford to take the job and still meet his basic needs. Then came news from the administration about a long-term plan for sustainability.
“Just that sense of stability is a relief and makes it a lot easier. There’s a lot less stress when you’re going to work and trying to plan lessons, and you don’t have to worry about where am I going to be living in the next month," Stevens said.
The school has already purchased a nearby acre of land. It currently has a ranch-style house and a granny flat on it. Those will be reconstructed into three housing units with room for three more units by next year.
The Luddy Family Foundation grant is also funding solar power panels for the entire property, and endowments have been established to provide up to 50% of students with fully paid tuition sometime in the future.
