RECENT COMMENTS
last night’s conversation on our schools
About 25 people turned out for a “community conversation on building new schools” last night at EDI. The meeting began with a presentation (PDF) by Torey Edmunds on the recently released Master Facility Plan Update (PDF) as it impacts the East End, followed by a lively back and forth on the issues raised.
Present were Wade Elligood president of the REA, Tichi Pinkney-Epps (President of Richmond Council of PTAs), 7th District School Board Representaitve Keith West, Torey Edmonds, Reggie Malone, and citizens from Church Hill, Oakwood, Fairmount, and particularly strong representation from Fulton. The evening was framed as a conversation about the facilities plan, with the additional question of “Do we just talk about buildings; should the conversation also speak to what other priorities do we want to be considered when planning for our schools?” (a direct referenct to the School Boards’s “New Direction” plan).
West explained that a new school for Fulton had been dropped to end of list by the folks that put the plan together, but that the Board is acutely aware of community desire for a school. He said that Fulton is the only community with this kind of advocacy activity. Towards possibly moving the Fulton school up the list, West is proposing a site study for Fulton in Phase 1 of the move to plan and construct the new schools. The site study would determine of there are enough school-aged children to warrent a school and if there is land available. He stated that elementary schools are at capacity in the East End.
Edmunds’ presentation gives an overview of the rational for the plan for renovation and rebuildng (eg the schools are old), and delves into the differences between major/moderate/minor renovation, and what the proposed plans for renovating/closing/building schools in East End.
- QUESTION: Looking at the projected number of students for each school, does this mean that public housing as we know it is assumed to continue?
ANSWER: The plan does not assume any growth or changes.
- “Compared to census data, there are a lot of kids missing”, most dense populations are in the housing communities, in the northern end of the district.
- Parents say: “Improve the school system in this immediate area”, that they feel like they have to send their kids to out of zone or to private school to get a good education, schools need to be better equipped.
- Parents say: There are certain challenges in the area. Parents not treated so great in schools, by schools. Schools need to open arms to all parents, that they only hear from school when there is a complaint about a student.
- Tichi Pinkney-Epps: The PTA is a vehicle to addressing school issues, a great vehicle for parental and community involvement in the schools. A way to make the system work, “we get to demand what the system looks like”. Promises have been made about building schools since 2001. BUILD SCHOOLS NOW.
I can’t believe Bellevue is still on the list to be closed! With the population growing in this area, it seems that such an EXCELLENT school that seems to be at a full enrollment should NOT be on the chopping block!
I spoke to Keith West and he says he does not support the closure of Bellevue. Who is it then that is gunning for it?
It is hard not to be cynical. I am sure it would cost money to make renovations and add accessibility. Could it be that someone somewhere thinks it might make more money as condos? (Think: Patrick Henry)
Do we really want to close all of our NEIGHBORHOOD schools? Honestly, if I had to send my children to a school in a different neighborhood, I would probably consider private school.
I agree that the RPS needs to begin building the schools in the near future. Besides George Mason, all of the schools in the East End that are on the list to be renovated or built will not be accomplished until around 2018. Who has that much time to wait? My wife is a teacher at Chimborazo ES and the student enrollment is at near capacity. They are at the brink of breaking the law by the amount of students they are allowing, which is up to around 19 students in each of the classes. It is time to build the school in Fulton so that we can create a smaller student to teacher ratio.
As far as the quality that is displayed at the schools…
I do not blame parents for being concerned about sending their kids to a school in the East End. I am not saying that the schools are not qualified. The teachers probably work harder in these schools than schools outside the city (they have to in order to survive). Where the quality has diminished has been in the amount of technology the schools receive. My wife’s class has one computer that functions every once in a while. When it works she is able sit 6 children in front of the computer screen so that they can get extra help in reading and math. Unlike many of the newer schools in the Richmond Public School system (Holton, Blackwell) my wife’s school does not have a video projector, she has an old school projector and a screen that doesn’t work.
It is imperative for the East End to receive new school buildings very soon. But there are many more problems going on in the education system (schools) that need adjustment than just buildings.