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Welcome to the community development in support of Silver Street Elementary. We are citizens concerned with keeping and maintaining this community anchor and historic landmark.
Please feel free to express your thoughts and opinions about ways to benefit our community school.
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19 comments:
It is my understanding that at the school board meetings, they open the floor to the public and each person has three minutes to give their "speech".
I think it would be a good idea to have 10-20 people (or more) from our committee stand up there and take their three minutes to talk about one specific topic. That way we can cover all the topics that we wish to present to them and we can take as long as we need (30-60 minutes or more) and still be within their guidelines.
The other thing I think is really important when we present to the school board is that we have a large group of people there (even if they do not get up to say anything) just so they know that we have a very large "support system". We need to fill that room with supporters!!!
That is a good idea, and we do need to have as many people there as possible. Is there a time limit for public discussion or can we just keep going?
I think one of the key points that should be presented is the fact that neighborhood schools are beneficial to the community and how closing the school could affect our neighborhood. It is important that we present documented research and include examples of other neighborhood schools that have been restored and brought up to code in order to keep the school open and the neighborhood intact. I have done some searching and found a couple of documents covering this topic and will look for more.
One article of interest is below:
“Why Johnny Can’t Walk to School”
http://www.preservationnation.org/issues/historic-schools/additional-resources/schools_why_johnny.pdf
I am completely open to waiting. The more we brainstorm the better. I'm taking notes on the RFR documents and getting some ideas.
Here is something I'm going to try to focus on for now.
This is from June 26, 2007 Resources For Results
The committee discussed the following response to when is closing a school the
appropriate thing to do:
• Low capacity
• Condition of facility-ADA standards
• How much money would be saved in closing a school?
• Community impact
• Demographics (shrinking population) drive closing
• Performance of students
• Reached “low” level (i.e. below 300)
• Public sentiment
The committee discussed that there is more capacity in the city schools than on the hill,
and that there is some conflicting information on enrollment trends. Fall enrollment
should provide up to date interesting information about enrollment trends.
I am attempting to come up with oppositions to each of these statements for presentation. If there is anything else anyone can think of that would be time better spent please let me know. We can do this!!!
Also, I may not be able to make it to the meeting tonight. Will anyone else be able to be there?
Michelle...I have the next school board meeting listed as next Monday (the 16th), and I am not aware of any meeting tonight. What meeting did you have down for tonight?
I don't have any meeting listed for tonight, either. I'm pretty sure Dr. Brooks is out-of-town (that's what his assistant, Pam Crump, told me).
Another "key point" they reference is that our school has only 700 sq. ft. rooms while "current standards" are that class rooms should be 900 sq. ft. Maybe standards need to be re-evaluated if that's what the rest of the schools have and we're out-performing them. I think keeping things "tight and cozy" may actually help, rather than hinder.
As for "reaching low levels" - we could easily take-on the children from the "Slate Run Bubble" and up our enrollment to 300. However, that would mean that we'd have to convert one of our in-use but potential two classrooms (currently used for the library, computer lab, reading recovery, or special ed), as well as hiring at least another teacher. They're "goal to save money" probably doesn't "fund" another teacher.
According to recent calculations, we flat-out do not have a shrinking population. I'm anxious to see the statistics from this Fall because I feel very confident they will show even more of a rise in "valley enrollments."
Also, considering that we've had increases in the entire New Albany-Floyd County school corporation for the last five years, I think that shows we need to hold-on to the "spare classrooms" we have. Otherwise, 5-10 years down the road, they will have to build another school because of over-crowding.
They say that about $350,000 annually would be saved in closing a school - well ten years down the road when they have to build another school, they'll not only be out the $350,000 (because they have to re-hire new staff) but also the cost of the school building materials, desks and furnishings, office equipment, computers, etc. I think that forecasting is seriously needed here.
Oops! Sorry, I had the days mixed up. That's a relief!!
There are so many flaws in wanting to close our school! If we keep working and get our ducks in a row we will have what it takes to show them why Dr. Brooks plan is setting our community up to fail! And why we are not willing to let that happen. We can do it!!!!
Is there anyone familiar with Mac's that can help me make charts when the time comes? It's something I haven't had to do since we got a Mac. Thanks!
Michele, we have a mac. Let me know if I can help.
I have seen and heard the figure of saving $350,000 by closing our school. That is one of the questions, that I would like to see addressed whether by Dr. Brooks or by the School Board. How will they acheive that dollar figure in savings? Where will that savings be seen? They say that the teachers will "follow" the students, that teachers will not be lost, they will need more support staff at the schools the students are sent to. Maybe they would not have places for both of our WONDERFUL office staff (would that not be a major loss to the school corporation), maybe they would or would not have a place for Mrs. Dukes (I don't know her extremely well, but certinally like what I have seen)the cafeteria staff might not be needed at the schools the kids are sent to (seems to me perhaps that is the reason they need to expand the cafeteria at Slate Run, to hold our kids?? Just my therory)Wilson and Lonnie, where they would go?? So maybe a few salaries would be saved, but $350,000, just don't see it. Then when you start to look at what they would have to pay to TRANSPORT our kids which for the most part they do not do now. That cost is extremely high. With the rising cost of disel, seems to me that would take an enormous bite out of their "proposed" savings. Several kids I know that ride the bus to and from other schools, their buses are packed. Will they have to buy more buses, hire more drivers, more insurance? Just don't see where it will be a GOOD RESULT FOR THE RESOURSE they have -- Which is a school that is performing VERY well!
At meetings i think we should point out that the president came to our school because we did well. Yet a few other schools became choice schools. If we must close a school why not one thats doing worse?
NA Zak~
The fact that the President chose our school out of all schools in the surrounding metro area (not just New Albany) is huge.
I'm really not so sure we "must" close any schools. I do think that we need to redistrict - but I think we need to evaluate what we have (in the entire corporation) and make it work positively for the entire city and county.
Exactly my point. But they say they're closing because of handicap accessibility. We could try to get a grant and maybe at least add a ramp for ground floor access. I've written a grant be for. It's not very hard. Hard part would be finding one. But I think we can get if we find one because we can state the reason as "Making a school handicap accessible ". I think that would put us pretty good on getting a grant.
*sense :o)
Absolutely! We are checking out the website
http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/nidrr/index.html
It's going to be a busy weekend, if anyone beats us to the information that would be o.k.! Otherwise we'll look into it ASAP. And of course there are the Caesar's grants. First we need an updated feasibility study I would think. Then get some quotes so we would know how much to apply for. Any additional ideas?
David mentioned that we might be able to get a grant for a feasibility study from the Historical Society? I don't know if that is the correct name of the organization, does anyone else know?
Thanks to Ed and Amy Clere we were able to hand every member of the School Board, Dr. Brooks, Dr. Amick and some members of the audience all copies of "Why Johnny Can't Walk to School". Within that read is every argument they will need to keep our school open. Let's hope they sleep with it under their pillows!
Oh that's great news, Michele! That is a GREAT read! I encourage everybody to click the link at the bottom of the main post and print it out and stick it in your bag to have with you to read when you're waiting in the line at the bank or at the doctor's office, etc. It really puts things into perspective!
Neighborhood schools are beneficial to the community - See Why Johnny Can't Walk to School
Closing the school could affect our neighborhood - with decline and property values
Enrollment trends - increasing overall; more in the valley than on the hill.
How many years of saving $350,000 will it take to build a new school? About 20.
Added cost of buses, drivers and diesel - 7 miles/gal. at $4.75/gal.
Performance of students
Morale of students
Room size: 700 sq. ft. vs. 900 sq. ft.
Exemplary = model school
Land locked NOT an issue - we're happy to live close.
Low building maintenance
ADA Compliance - get a grant
Why Johnny Can't Walk to School is an excellent study I encourage all of you to read! This describes how closing small, older schools has become a costly, detrimental epidemic.
I found an article regarding the shift in the trend of homebuyers moving into the urban areas. An excerpt from the article:
“Gas prices, which have shot up $1.07 this year, are magnifying demographic trends that show more younger buyers and empty-nest seniors are moving back to urban centers. If gas prices continue their ascent, this could have profound consequences over time on the future development of American cities and suburbs and modes of transportation.
Homes in cities and neighborhoods that require long commutes and don't provide enough public transportation alternatives are falling in value more quickly than more central locations, according to a May study by CEOs for Cities, a network of U.S. urban leaders.”
The whole story is at the link below.
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/WireStory?id=5194879&page=1
This is more evidence that families with school age children will not be moving out of “The Valley.” School enrollment in “The Valley” will be increasing in the coming years and people move back to the city.
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