Yesterday's School Board election in Great Falls saw a victory by those seeking a reversal of the School Board decision to close East Middle School. The system works as it is designed, and the majority will rule.
As I have mentioned before, I do not have a dog in this fight. My kids will have to go on a bus no matter which school is closed. Paris is 25 blocks away and East is 45. Doesn't much matter to me which building they will attend. I was, and am, against spending too much time and effort on this decision, as more difficult decisions lie around the corner.
East will stay open. What next? Great Falls schools are still seeing declining enrollment. This year's kindergarten class will be the smallest in 35 years. After investing so much time and effort into this one issue, what will we do to ensure that our remaining schools remain institutions of excellence?
Also, and not inconsequentially, who will be Whittier's principal next year? East's current principal is scheduled to come to Whittier this Fall. If East remains open, will she stay at East? The Whittier students, staff and parents (of which I am one) deserve to know.
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6 comments:
Heh...my daughter (PGMS) is hoping against hope that the board will vote to close North. I told that it just ain't gonna happen, but she keeps hoping!
I don't think that the district's original investment in North is even fully depreciated yet! Also, there are too many kids on the West side that need to be a reasonable distance from their Middle school.
Also, it is worth remembering that the last Junior High that was closed in Great Falls was a West side school (West Jr. High, now West Elementary). Since they closed West (disclosure; I am a West Jr. High 'alum') all those kids in Riverview, Fox Farm, Black Eagle, etc. have had to either go to North or schlepp to Paris.
There is no way that North is on the table.
The staff reassignments from the original plan are to remain in place. The pricipal from Paris will go to East. (I wish it were someone else I don't care for her much)
It's funny in all the debates no one mentioned that Paris was the ONLY middle school in GF to make AYP under the NCLB guidelines. So moving to the East building they will loose that statis & be a failing school.
Too bad
*MHO*
Sanity;
The voters spoke, and the new board listened. It was mentioned that Paris was the only school that met the guidelines--the voting block that wanted to keep East open considered other issues more important.
The principal from East will be coming to my kids school, Whittier. I wish her good luck.
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