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Ribbon cutting at the new MLK Middle School
The new Martin Luther King Middle School officially opened today in a ribbon cutting ceremony hosted by Mayor Jones and attended by a bevy of local government officials and members of Richmond Public Schools administration.
Making good an idea which has been around in some fashion since at least 2007, the $40 million project represents the first new middle school built in the city since Lucille Brown in 1998, and the first new school in the East End since Chimborazo Elementary in 1968.
Mayor Jones and Dr. Dana Bedden
Next up, the old school building will be demolished to make way for a new parking lot and an auxiliary gymnasium. During the summer of 2014, construction of a new pre-K facility and a dental clinic on the southern end of the campus will start.
Mayor Jones announced at the ceremony that he will be giving his annual state of the city speech in the auditorium of the new school later this month.
Among those attending this morning were School Board members, Shonda Harris-Muhammed, Donald Coleman, and Jeffrey Bourne, 6th District City Council Representative Ellen F. Robertson, the new RPS Superintendent Dr. Dana Bedden, Interim Superintendent Dr. Jonathan Lewis, and Sheriff Woody.
The new MLK Middle School is the 3rd of 4 new schools that make up the Mayor’s “Building the Best Richmond” program. The new Broad Rock Elementary School and the new Oak Grove-Bellemeade Elementary School opened in January 2013, and the new Huguenot High School is scheduled to open in January 2015.
The old MLK building was constructed in 1964, and initially served grades k-8.
A full set of photos are available on Flickr.
Entrance to the old MLK Middle School
A grand tax-payer reward for some of Richmond’s very finest students.
…and you can see these fine student stats here – a record to be proud of!
http://www.schooldigger.com/go/VA/schools/0324001385/school.aspx
Ann, your sarcasm is out of place here. Please go troll somewhere else.
Ann’s sarcasm might not be wanted here, but the School Digger website sure does tell the story. Hopefully Mr. Coleman can help MLK and Richmond improve upon their dismal statistics. I thought it was bad, but not that bad!
Karen, I concur. Ann is obviously out of touch and out of place in this forum and community. I’m sure if she was raised in Mosby, Giplin, Whitcomb or Creighton court, she would have trouble making it to school and getting school work done. I don’t thinking growing up off nine mile rd, 25th st, or deep mechanicsville trpk can compare with living across from Short pump town center or off River Rd.
I am glad though you chose to live in an area of Richmonds Very finest students- or at least frequent a website inwhich they are from. If you aren’t happy with the area and where the tax dollars are going, im sure the Short pump area has some housing to rent. I’m beting you are most likely a renter, not a home owner with your mentality.
Mike,
What area do you think would have worst school scores than a school surrounded by Mosby, Giplin, Whitcomb or Creighton court? If you didn’t think it was “that bad”, where is another place that you would think would be worst? Those Hanover and westend kids seem pretty Underprivileged- I was thinking they would have worst scores….
I hope this new environment inspires all the students to higher achievements.
Mike, I agree that the data for MLK is concerning and the education of our children is something in which we should all be engaged. My point, though, is that ann could have expressed her views without the sarcasm. I, too, went out and looked at her link. Hopefully, as Kentucky fried stated, this new environment will show these kids that there is an interest in their achievement and will encourage more to succeed.
I, too, hope that the kids will understand a heightened interest in their success.
I also hope that competent leaders who have a heart for children and a record for rebuilding schools are put at the helms of MLK Middle.