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Quiet public forum clarifies options for Chandler students
04/20/2009 5:57 PM by John M
Two scenarios of how the Chandler MS students might be distributed were presented at a public forum before the RPS School Board this evening. Both plans split the children between Martin Luther King MS and Henderson MS, and possibly Binford MS.
The meeting in the school board conference room took place with all 9 members of the school board, Superintendent Brandon, and a crowd of about 25. Half of the crowd look like media or seemed to be RPS affiliated in some way.
Two scenerios were presented:
SCENARIO 1
| SCHOOL | CAPACITY NUMBER |
09/10 W/OUT CHANDLER |
CH.5th GRADE AFFECTED |
CH.6th GRADE AFFECTED |
CH.7th GRADE AFFECTED |
# MOVING | 09/10 WITH | CAPACITY PERCENT |
| MLK | 1000 | 655 | 74 | 35 | 62 | 171 | 826 | 83% |
| HENDERSON | 880 | 519 | 96 | 43 | 56 | 195 | 714 | 81% |
SCENARIO 2
| SCHOOL | CAPACITY NUMBER |
09/10 W/OUT CHANDLER |
CH.5th GRADE AFFECTED |
CH.6th GRADE AFFECTED |
CH.7th GRADE AFFECTED |
# MOVING | 09/10 WITH | CAPACITY PERCENT |
| MLK | 1000 | 655 | 67 | 29 | 52 | 148 | 803 | 80% |
| HENDERSON | 880 | 542 | 70 | 29 | 42 | 141 | 683 | 78% |
| BINFORD | 540 | 386 | 26 | 19 | 16 | 77 | 463 | 86% |
CURRENT BOUNDARIES
SCENARIO #1
SCENARIO #2
After the presentation, time was offered for public questions and response. Here are the main points of the speakers:
- Increasing capacity at Henderson threatens having the ability to offer an IB program in the future.
- Will Community High be moving to Chandler? 6ht District Rep. Smith – We are “moving forward with that plan.”
- Man has 2 kids zoned for Boushall, wants to get kids into Hill or Binford as Boushall is not accredited. Worries that these schools will be even more unvailable as options now.
- Chandler parent. Doesn’t want student to go to MLK or Henderson, is concerned about “overcrowding”, would like student to go to Binford.
- Parent whose daughter is in 5th grade at Fisher Elementery, new homeowner on Overbrook. Was countin on NCLB to get girl out of Chandler, does not want to sent her to MLK or Henderson.
- Art Burton (community activist) – Support of Scenerio #1, concerend about dividing communities. The closing of Chandler offers the opportunity to provide resources to MLK. This stems declining enrollment. Has concerns about the condition of the facility, lack of parental involvement.
Very grim. I understand why the school was closed, but the closing of this school certainly impacts a large number of middle schoolers.
The school board voted for scenario #1, splitting the students between Henderson and MLK, and leaving Binford out of the equation.
Its unfortunate, the negative things that parents are saying about Henderson. Henderson is a wonderful middle school and could benefit from more parents sending their children and becoming involved. I should know, I teach there.
Even with the students from Chandler, Henderson will still be under 80% full.
Parent’s need not worry about that.
As a teacher and community member, one can hope, that the loss of the open enrollment and move to a lotto system, will require more parents to send their children to the public schools, as opposed to opting for private. One can hope they will, in turn, become more involved in changing the system for the better so that all children, not just the ones who can afford other options, will have the best education possible.
The children at Henderson are already benefiting from the wonderful education they are receiving, but no one can deny that more students from diverse backgrounds makes for an even more enriching education for everyone involved.
There is an open house this Saturday at Henderson from 2pm until 4pm. I hope parents will come out and see first hand the quality school we have.
I do not understand your reasoning here: “As a teacher and community member, one can hope, that the loss of the open enrollment and move to a lotto system, will require more parents to send their children to the public schools, as opposed to opting for private.” Do you mean it will require parents send their children to their zone public school rather than opting for an out-of-zone school?
now that students can no longer opt out of their zone school, yes, they can apply to the lotto, but if they are not chosen (and it is a very small number that is…think lottery style…rolling a bingo thing with actual ball and pulling them one at a time) the only option is their zone school (unless it is not accredited) or they can go to private school.
They can longer just apply to an out of zone school, as they could before.
I guess to clarify further…I can only hope that parents will choose to send their children to their zone schools and work for positive changes, instead of pulling them out.