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NOVA ACADEMY <br />EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL <br />Ms. Maria Huizar <br />The City of Santa Ana Clerk of the Council <br />20 Civic Center Plaza <br />Santa Ana, CA 92701 <br />Dear Ms. Huizar: <br />1010 OCT 10 A" 9, 0 4 <br />CITY Q SANTA AI4Aa <br />CLERK 4f (;OUP4U1 <br />October 2, 2018 <br />I am again contacting you with an urgent plea to consider the safety of 450+ students and faculty at <br />NOVA Academy Early College High School who are at risk due to the projected route of the OC <br />Streetcar. <br />NOVA Academy is proud to be part of Downtown Santa Ana and we are excited about the new <br />opportunities the Streetcar will afford. We are also committed to keeping our students safe and want to <br />work with you to ensure their well-being. <br />While I am in support of the Streetcar and the many benefits it will provide our community, the impact it <br />could have on children's lives is undeniable. <br />The planned route of the Streetcar shows it traveling right past NOVA Academy, mere steps from our <br />front door. This will greatly impact the ingress to and egress from our campus. And in the event of an <br />emergency, such as an earthquake, fire, or gas leak, the effects could be catastrophic. <br />Should a fire or other emergency occur, there are only three ways out of the building. The primary <br />evacuation routes exit directly into the path of the Streetcar. Navigating the passing of the Streetcar <br />during an evacuation would only further endanger our students. This is evidenced by the enclosed <br />photos taken during a recent fire drill. <br />To show you the gravity of my concerns, d am inviting you to come to our campus when NOVA <br />Academy conducts an evacuation drill on Tuesday, October 16, at 10:00 AM. We will have the area <br />dedicated for the Streetcar taped off to show just how little space will be allowed for students and <br />faculty evacuating the building. <br />The priority of NOVA Academy's board of directors, parents, teachers, and staff is the safety of <br />students. We believe the OCTA also wants to prioritize the safety of children and that we should <br />eliminate potential risks before the project advances any further. I am again respectfully urging you to <br />please take one more look at the route and consider the security of our students and faculty, along with <br />other members of the community, who frequent this space. <br />500 W. Santa Ana Blvd., Santa Ana, CA 92701 1 714-569-0948 1 www.nova-academy.org <br />Proudly serving students grades 9-12 in Santa Ana and Coachella, CA <br />