WCCUSD 7-11 Committee looking into possible uses of Portola, Adams, Seaview, and Harmon Knolls

The WCCUSD 7-11 Committee that toured the former site of Portola Middle School June 22 was convened by the school district to come up with recommendations for possible uses of four closed school sites.

The properties are the former Portola Middle School site below Navellier between Portola and Moeser in El Cerrito, Adams Middle School at 5000 Patterson Circle in East Richmond Heights, the Harmon Knolls site in Richmond, and the Seaview site in Tara Hills.

The Portola site being studied by the committee does not include the flat portion at the bottom.

The school district originally wanted to build a new middle school on the Portola site, but because of slide danger the state said it was not safe to rebuild there. Instead, the district moved the Portola students temporarily to portable buildings on what had been the school’s playfield, closed Castro Elementary School, and built a new middle school there. The middle school is now called Korematsu Middle School.

The portable buildings on the lower Portola site later temporarily housed Kensington Elementary School students and Michelle Obama Elementary School students while work was done on their campuses, and is now home to Invictus Charter School.

The old Portola Middle School was demolished in 2012 and the land has largely been a vacant field since then. A group called Pacific Oaks Community Garden uses a small portion of the site.

According to the agenda packet materials from the June 22 committee meeting, the duties of the committee are:

(a) Review the projected school enrollment and other data provided by the District to determine the amount of surplus space and real property.

(b) Establish a priority list of uses for surplus space and real property that will be acceptable to the community.

(c) Circulate the priority list throughout the attendance area and provide for community hearings regarding acceptable uses, including sale or lease for child care development purposes pursuant to Education Code Section 17458.

(d) Make a final determination of limits of tolerance of use.

(e) Provide a written report to the Board recommending a determination of whether real property is surplus and recommending uses of surplus space and real property.

Committee Report Should Include:

• A determination regarding the highest and best use of the property.

• (Optional) Information based on a District-obtained appraisal of the property to assist in determining the most profitable use and fair market value.

• (Optional) Information based on a District-obtained title report to evaluate the effect of any restrictions, covenants, or reversionary clauses.

Board Action:

The Board should consider the recommendations of the 7-11 Committee and adopt a resolution regarding the intended disposition of real property, if any.

Lessons from another school district’s 7-11 experiences

More about the site tours and committee meeting from the Grandview Independent 

7-11 Committee webpage on the West Contra Costa Unified School District website

Photo: 7-11 Committee members, district staff, WCCUSD board members, and community members toured the former site of Portola Middle School on June 22, 2026. Superintendent Cheryl Cotton is just left of center in a black shirt and jacket and floral skirt