My dream for every public school student in District 150: A world class education in beautiful, well maintained facilities. However, I can't help but to mention that the dichotomy of what is happening North of War Memorial in District 150 and South of War Memorial in District 150 is simply astounding.How wonderful for the children and their parents North of War Memorial that their school system appears to be working like a well oiled machine. Is this a different school system or something? What is it called - District #150(a)? The continuity that these students receive in their education, no doubt puts them leaps and bounds ahead of the majority of the children South of War Memorial Drive. The District Report Card is telling.
South of War Memorial in District 150:
Four schools to close
District 150 corrects report of Irving's closure
What happens next for Woodruff?
Board members want option of closing Peoria High
Kingman, Tyng closed and stripped down
South of War Memorial in District 150:
Four schools to close
District 150 corrects report of Irving's closure
What happens next for Woodruff?
Board members want option of closing Peoria High
Kingman, Tyng closed and stripped down
Manual undergoing federally mandated reorganization
North of War Memorial in District 150:
Tours of Lindbergh, Kellar schools will be Thursday
The total $11 million capital project, which also included work on Richwoods High School, created new rooms, secure entry ways and administrative offices at Lindbergh. About $2.1 million was spent at Kellar on new classrooms and windows. Richwoods had nearly $5 million in renovations which updated the security system, added some classrooms and renovated the restrooms. Work on that project should be finished by the end of the month.
North of War Memorial in District 150:
Tours of Lindbergh, Kellar schools will be Thursday
The total $11 million capital project, which also included work on Richwoods High School, created new rooms, secure entry ways and administrative offices at Lindbergh. About $2.1 million was spent at Kellar on new classrooms and windows. Richwoods had nearly $5 million in renovations which updated the security system, added some classrooms and renovated the restrooms. Work on that project should be finished by the end of the month.
Another school included in the project was Northmoor Edison Primary School, which saw about $2.1 million in work that largely mirrored work done at Lindbergh. In addition, a new cafeteria was constructed.
Source: pjstar.com
9 comments:
Sad..... but true...
You failed to mention a couple of very large school projects south of War Memorial Drive: Glen Oak School and Harrison School.
Though I most often agree with you Emerge, from my perspective the lion's share of the $$ spent by the District have been south of War Memorial, as C.J. noted. Also included should be the revamping of Manual, which was a costly expenditure as well.
My take on the upgrades to Richwoods and Kellar is that they were in anticipation of the closing of a high school and the resulting redistricting. If they redistrict an area, won't it result in all school age children in said area being placed in a different attendance zone?
Finally, I agree with you that the District report card is telling. But to be fair, you have to look at all the columns on the report. Compare the mobility rate of schools south of war memorial to north. Look also at attendance/truancy stats (not sure this is on report card). Some factor affecting performance are out of the District's control.
Emerge - I can attest to the fact that both the Glen Oak and Harrison were in the planning and design phases well before any of the RHS attendance area projects. Those were actually the last projects planned for out of that particular PBC underwriting allotment.The Glen Oak project had its' own drama, while Harrison was delayed over issues surrounding PHA processes and inter-governmental agreements. I would encourage you to request recent drawings of both facilities. They will be exceptional. I look forward to engaged students applying themselves to the fullest, with family and community support providing the structure for success. Wish you were there at Trewyn last Friday. Dr. Wynn from Methodist, Carl Cannon and his CHOICES students, along with 8 Bradley Basketball players worked with First Federated Church and South-West Kiwanis to serve and talk to almost 600 students. Many are committed to providing for those throughout our city. Thank you for all your efforts!
I did not forget Manual, Glen Oak, or the Harrison School project.
The condition of the buildings at Glen Oak and Harrison were at the point that the District had no choice but to rebuild, they were beyond repair.
The work being done north of War Memorial is maintenance and improvement.
The mobility rate issue will hopefully be addressed when the Woodruff campus becomes a community center type of school (like Valeska).
But whatever motivation, the District has made considerable investment south of War Memorial.
With the program designs the District has laid out for Glen Oak and Harrison, i.e. education offerings beginning at birth and longer school days and year, again, it would seem that these schools will continue to receive more than their fair share of the budget dollars.
Is it your position that because more students are meeting or exceeding standards, say at a school such as Kellar, that these students and parents should not expect any improvements to their facilities or curriculum? That is exactly the mentality and thinking that got the District in the place it is in today.
Because a school like Kellar is not failing does not mean they are enticing students to walk through the doors. While my children attended Kellar, several families with economic choice, left for Peoria Academy. Many others in my neighborhood, less than a mile away from the school, opted to send their children to parochial school and gave Kellar little or no real consideration.
Because schools north of War Memorial are performing better, for the most part, than those to the South does not mean the Board should not be considering program changes and enhancements to these schools as well.
"The condition of the buildings at Glen Oak and Harrison were at the point that the District had no choice but to rebuild, they were beyond repair."
I do not know about Harrison, but this is simply not true of Glen Oak building.
I don't begrudge the people N of WM the schools or the grades. My student is thriving in a school N of WM. The District is doing a good job out there making sure those students and parents have what they need consistently.
I have been to Harrison School and it is in awful condition due to its' age, even though I feel the District did the best it could to keep the place clean, etc.
I cannot imagine anyway this building could have been refurbished.
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