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COMMENTS FROM Paden Community –
November 28, 2005 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM 15 parents, 5 staff, 1
Board Member, representing 22 students Facilitated by Ardella
Dailey / Dave Dierking Recorded by Donna
Fletcher ·
Huge
unfair burden on families with 3 school consolidation plan ·
Doesn’t
give many options to deal with any contingencies (could always close another
school in the future) ·
What
is the source of declining enrollment? o
East
end schools grew o
West
end schools declines o
Lots
of rentals unoccupied o
·
How
does tax base of new houses work? o
AUSD
doesn’t get increase, only development fees for construction ·
Paden
is unique because it has geographical diversity and this is a strength and we
need to consider preserving it ·
Paden
was a choice over private because of principal, staff, diversity – don’t want
to lose identity of Paden, academy ·
6-8
Academy adds to richness of school, choices for parents, multi-age environment ·
Too
much consolidation limits choices, may create sameness ·
Impact
of losing inter-districts from Longfellow – how many would stay in ·
Impact
of closing or limiting academy on enrollment; how many will stay? Immigration to private schools is real and
could grow if choices are limited ·
Can
redistricting solve East end over-enrollment? COMMENTS FROM Longfellow Community –
November 29, 2005 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM 44 parents, 12 staff,
1 community member/alumni representing 59 students Facilitated by Ardella
Dailey / Dave Dierking Recorded by Donna
Fletcher ·
Would
combining 3 schools be a problem for control?
More complicated to manage? ·
Smaller
classes means teachers know their students better ·
Combining
schools means more pressure on kids and more crowding ·
Bigger
schools mean more pressure on teachers ·
Will
kids get lost in shuffle? Will SDC class
get larger? Will SDCX teacher get the
support she needs? o
Yes,
supports for SDC class will follow students ·
Transportation,
safe school routes, crossing busy streets, will there be crossing guards? o
Yes,
there will be crossing guards ·
More
disruptions for Longfellow in Miller/Longfellow/Woodstock option ·
·
Need
to place more weight on academics and student achievement, not money ·
Emotional
impact to kids; what if they lose their teachers? They have great teachers? ·
Longfellow
is considered for distinguished school! Why close it? ·
Value
of inter-district students to AUSD $ may lose if transfer to another school ·
Consider
closing only one school at a time ·
Longfellow
nurtures my students and helps them excel ·
Longfellow
works for us; it has close community feeling ·
Longfellow’s
diversity is a strength – don’t lose it ·
Please
consider allowing inter-district students to stay if schools combine COMMENTS FROM Miller Community –
November 30, 2005 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM 6 parents, 2 staff, 1
representing 11 students Facilitated by Ardella
Dailey / Dave Dierking Recorded by Donna
Fletcher ·
Get
display boards and hand-outs on the new ·
Miller
parents want new name for new school that combines schools ·
Miller
parents need same info and same opportunities as ·
What
will happen to new playground structure that Miller parents fund-raised for ·
Consider
using Miller play structure to new school or creating park for community at old
Miller ·
Suggestions
for new name: Bayport Elementary ·
Honor
needs of McKinney-Vento homeless families.
Make sure they know they can attend new school ·
Parents
would want to know who the new principal is ·
New
name is new start and new reputation ·
New
school would need new mascot ·
Get
list of mascots already in use to Miller parents |