Carver/Century Closure: School Board Members React
May 15, 2008
Escambia County School Board members were notified by email Wednesday that Superintendent Jim Paul would present a closure and consolidation plan for Carver/Century K-8 School on Thursday. That proposal is expected to recommend closing the school before the 2008-2009 school year begins in August.
District 3 School Board Member Claudia Brown-Curry said the email did not contain any specifics of Paul’s proposal; those details, she said, were to be presented to board members sometime Thursday morning prior to the 11:30 board workshop meeting.
“It’s really not fair for us to get that information in the morning when the meeting is at 11:30,” Brown-Curry said. “Why would they bring the proposal so fast? There has not even been a town hall meeting or anything. It’s awful; I’m so upset about it.”
Associate Superintendent Ronnie Arnold said that no vote would be taken Thursday; the earliest the proposal could be voted on would likely be at the board’s July meeting.
“Closing and consolidation is not always a good idea,” Brown-Curry told NorthEscambia.com in an exclusive interview. “It can be a detriment to the students and to the community. It’s more than just saving a few dollars.”
“Before I support a closure and consolidation, I want to know that we have done all else we can do,” she said.
“It doesn’t look good,” District 5 School Board Member Pete Gindl told NorthEscambia.com from his home Wednesday night. “We’ve got to make a decision on which way to save money without hurting the children.”
“It comes a time sometimes when you have to do what you have to do,” he continued, “like when we voted to close Woodham High School a few years ago. But I’m not saying anyone’s mind is already made up about Century. We just have to look at how we are going to save money to meet the state requirements.”
NorthEscambia.com was the first media to break the Carver/Century closure proposal story Wednesday afternoon, and we will have complete coverage today. Click any story title below to read more of today’s coverage:
- Carver/Century Closure: Students Would Likely Move To Bratt, Ernest Ward; Possibly Even Molino Park
- School Board To Discuss Closing Carver/Century K-8
- Carver/Century Closure: School Reaction
- Carver/Century Closure: You Can Attend The School Board Meetings
Carver/Century Closure: Students Would Likely Move To Bratt, Ernest Ward; Possibly Even Molino Park
May 15, 2008
If the Escambia School Board eventually votes to close Carver/Century K-8 School, the students could be split between three other North Escambia schools.
Superintendent Jim Paul is expected to present his plan for Carver/Century’s closure and consolidation Thursday.
Currently, Carver/Century has about 150 students in Pre-K to fifth grade, and about 80 students in middle school.
If the school is closed before the next school year, where will the students go?
“In all likelihood, they would go to Bratt Elementary and Ernest Ward Middle School,” Associate Superintendent Ronnie Arnold told NorthEscambia.com in an exclusive interview. “There has been some discussion that the students from the bottom part of the Century district might go to Molino Park; that is an option as well.”
“We don’t have the room for them right now today,” Ernest Ward Middle School Principal Nancy Gindl-Perry said. “We would have to move portables in, but that could be done quickly. We have 90 acres.”
Ernest Ward currently has about 480 students. But if the 80 Carver/Century middle school students should get moved to Ernest Ward, Gindl-Perry said, the school would be ready to receive them.
“All kids have the same opportunity to learn at Ernest Ward, no matter what the school board decides,” she said.
NorthEscambia.com was the first media to break the Carver/Century closure proposal story Wednesday afternoon, and we will have complete coverage this today. Click any story title below to read more of today’s coverage:
- School Board To Discuss Closing Carver/Century K-8
- Carver/Century Closure: School Board Members React
- Carver/Century Closure: School Reaction
- Carver/Century Closure: You Can Attend The School Board Meetings
Carver/Century Closure: School Reaction
May 15, 2008
Wednesday was a tough day for Carver/Century K-8 Principal Jeff Garthwaite. He went through his day with a terrible secret…his school would be facing closure…but he was unable to share that secret until after school Wednesday.
“I received the word about the possible closure yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon,” Garthwaite told NorthEscambia.com Wednesday afternoon shortly after he met with his faculty and staff. “This afternoon was the first opportunity I had to bring the entire faculty together to discuss the issue.”
“My immediate boss, Wayne Odom, offered to come up as we addressed the faculty before it became public,” he said.”I told him I would like to be the one to reveal to the faculty that the superintendent would be bringing the proposal.”
Garthwaite said that when he made the announcement, there was a wide range of emotions, including disbelief and many tears. After the announcement, questions were asked.
“They wanted to know what would happen to the students, and what would happen to them,” he said. “I assured them that no one would lose their job, but they would be displaced and possibly assigned to a different job.”
Many faculty members have resolved to fight the closure, and that fight needs to be based on facts, not emotions, he said.
“From downtown’s standpoint, this is a very objective process. Closing a school in a rural area like this has much more impact, a greater impact, than closing one in an area like Pensacola. Emotions can run high, but we must remain very rational.”
“It is gloom and doom,” Garthwaite said. “but it is not yet the end.”
“I continue to celebrate this school and my faculty; we are making progress,” he said of the school, currently rated as an “F” school by the state. “I am still looking forward to another year here and a positive chance to continue to improve.”
Closing the school prior to the start of the next school year would be a daunting task.
“The response time to deal with the logistics involved with closing a school and moving the students by next school year would be a pretty awesome task,” he said.
While Garthwaite does not want to see his school close, he knows the battle to keep it open will be a tough one. Not only is the school rated as an “F” school, enrollment is down and the school’s recently release fourth and eight grade FCAT writing scores were dismal, ranking as the county’s worst.
“I feel like the writing scores were the straw thrown on the camel’s back,” he said, referring to the adage about the “straw that broke the camel’s back” being the final action that leads to an event.
“But we are going to do as we have to do,” Garthwaite said. “This school is a vital part of this community. And there are a lot of people that invested their lives in this school and in Century.
NorthEscambia.com was the first media to break the Carver/Century closure proposal story Wednesday afternoon, and we will have complete coverage today. Click any story title below to read more of today’s coverage:
- School Board To Discuss Closing Carver/Century K-8
- Carver/Century Closure: Students Would Likely Move To Bratt, Ernest Ward; Possibly Even Molino Park
- Carver/Century Closure: School Board Members React
- Carver/Century Closure: You Can Attend The School Board Meetings
Carver/Century Closure: You Can Attend The School Board Meetings
May 15, 2008
Several officials are calling for Century area residents to pack upcoming meetings of the Escambia County School Board to show support for saving Carver/Century K-8 School. Superintendent Jim Paul is expected to present a proposal to close Carver/Century K-8 School at a Thursday school board workshop.
“Century needs to be there at that meeting so they can hear what he (Paul) has to say,” School Board Member Claudia Brown-Curry said. “Century needs to speak out. There are public forums at regular board meetings where Century can speak and be heard.”
“The meeting Thursday will give him time to get a feel where he is with the proposal. If he gets a vibe that he can get the three votes that he needs, he will probably try at Friday’s meeting to put it on the agenda for next week’s meeting. That’s too fast.”
“But if there is a large turnout from Century, he might get a bad vibe about the whole thing,” she added.
“Everybody from Century that can go to the meetings needs to go to the meetings and show their support for the school,” Century Mayor Freddie McCall said. “That school is important to our town, and we need to fight to keep it.”
Carver/Century principal Jeff Garthwaite agreed that Century residents should attend the meetings to support the school, and they should remain calm.
“I ask everyone to attend, and ask that we remain very rational about the whole thing,” Garthwaite said. “This can be very emotional, but they (the school board) thinks in very logical ways, not emotional ways. We need to vent our emotions in very logical ways.
The Escambia County School Board is meeting at 11:30 Thursday in a special workshop session where Superintendent Jim Paul is expected to present his plan to close Carver/Century. Another regular workshop session is scheduled for 9:00 Friday morning, and the next regular meeting of the school board is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon at 5:30.
All meetings are held in Room 160 of the J.E. Hall Center at 30 East Texar Drive in Pensacola.
To get to the Hall Center from the Century area, take Highway 29 south into Pensacola. Continue on Highway 29 past the “Y” where Pace Boulevard veers off to the right, and continue past Fairfield Drive. The next traffic light will be Texar Drive. Turn left onto Texar Drive. The Hall Center is on the left about three tenths of a mile ahead. There is parking in front of the building and to the left of the complex. It is about a 40 mile trip from Century, which should take about an hour.
For Google Map to the Hall Center, click here.
NorthEscambia.com was the first media to break the Carver/Century closure proposal story Wednesday afternoon, and will we have complete coverage today. Click any story title below to read more of today’s coverage:
- School Board To Discuss Closing Carver/Century K-8
- Carver/Century Closure: Students Would Likely Move To Bratt, Ernest Ward; Possibly Even Molino Park
- Carver/Century Closure: School Board Members React
- Carver/Century Closure: School Reaction
Week Long Open House Continues At Century Care Center
May 15, 2008
A week long open house continues today at Century Care Center to celebrate National Nursing Home Week.
Today will be “Field Day” with BBQ, games, a bake sale. There will also be a dunking booth with Administrator Don Ripley and Greg Brock. A pie-in-the-face booth will feature Doris Jackson, Florida’s nurse administrator of the year.
Friday’s activities will include a special performance by Canticle, featuring music for the harp, woodwinds and voice.
School Board To Discuss Closure Of Carver/Century K-8 School Thursday
May 14, 2008
NorthEscambia.com has learned that the Escambia County School Board will discuss the closure and consolidation of Carver/Century K-8 School Thursday morning.
“The superintendent will bring up a proposal to close and consolidate Carver/Century School at the meeting,” Board Member Claudia Brown-Curry told NorthEscambia.com Wednesday afternoon. “I received an email that he would be bringing it up.”
“Century needs to be there at that meeting so they can hear what he has to say,” Brown-Curry said. The meeting is at 11:30 at the Hall Center in Pensacola.
NorthEscambia.com has confirmed with Assistant Superintendent Ronnie Arnold that the proposal will be discussed at the Thursday morning meeting. Arnold said that no vote would be taken at the meeting.
Carver/Century Principal Jeff Garthwaite told his faculty and staff of the meeting and proposal at a faculty meeting Wednesday afternoon.
“There was a wide range of emotions, from disbelief, to disenchantment, to strong emotions,” he said. “There were many tears in the crowd.”
NorthEscambia.com is working on this developing story. More details will be posted here on NorthEscambia.com later today, and a complete story will be posted Thursday morning. We will also post a map and directions to the Hall Center for those who wish to attend the meeting.
Looking For Something To Do? Need To Tell People About Your Event?
May 14, 2008
If you want to know what is going on in the North Escambia area, visit our community events calendar listing. There are currently about two dozen reader submitted events in the next few weeks listed on the page.
To see the community events page, simply click “EVENTS” in the bar near the top of the page, or click here.
We will be happy to run your church, civic or other non-profit community event taking place in North Escambia at no charge. Please submit your event(s) as early as possible prior to the event date to news@northescambia.com or click here for our contact form.
FHP Plans Checkpoints
May 14, 2008
The Florida Highway Patrol will be conducting driver license and vehicle inspection checkpoints this week in Escambia County at the locations listed below.
Checkpoints will be setup on:
- State Road 97 northern Escambia County
- Johnson Avenue east of Davis Highway
- Massachusetts Avenue west of Hollywood Blvd.
- Tonawanda Drive east of 61st Avenue
- Border Street at SR10A overpass
- Avery Street west of “W” Street
- Hancock Road east of Old Palafox Highway
- Pipeline Road south of Rambler Drive
- Jernigan Road south of Nine Mile Road
- Patricia Drive north of Fairfield Drive
Recognizing the danger presented to the public by defective vehicle equipment, troopers will concentrate their efforts on vehicles being operated with defects such as bad brakes, worn tires and defective lighting equipment. In addition, attention will be directed to drivers who would violate the driver license laws of Florida.
The patrol has found these checkpoints to be an effective means of enforcing the equipment and driver license laws of Florida while ensuring the protection of all motorists.
Northview NJROTC Students Take To The Seas
May 14, 2008
Northview High School’s NJROTC recently left the classroom and took to the waters around Pensacola on the USCGC Bonito.
Twenty four cadets were underway for two hours observing the operations of the 87′ Coast Guard coastal patrol boat from Pensacola NAS. They spent time on the bridge, in the engine room, in the ship’s galley and on deck.
The NHS students manned the helm and handled lines upon returning to port. They also participated in a simulated man overboard situation.
The Officer in Charge of the Bonito is BMCM Przybylski, and it has a crew of 10. The USCGC Bonito is capable of a number of missions, but its primary role on the Gulf Coast is search and rescue, combating smuggling and illegal immigration.
For a complete photo gallery, click here.
Pictured above: Northview NJRTOC students on the USCGC Bonito. Pictured below, kneeling (L-R): Deniece Jordan; Ashia Brown; Anna Baker; Thomas Walston; Tyler Garrrett; Dan Jordan; Zach Byers; Colton Kawamuara. Standing: Zach Lamb; John Waters; Willie Davis; Katie Mann; Josh Chavers; Aaron Hammond; Monica Mclain; Ryan Busbee; Charles Rolin; Will Conway; Tyler Hunter; Brantley Gardner; Jessica Bloodsworth; Miranda Scott; Clint Davis. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
PER Seeks Home For Young Colt
May 14, 2008
Panhandle Equine Rescue is seeking foster care or a permanent adoption home for a nine month old colt.
“He is very sweet and is currently in obedience training. He’ll be gelded next week,” PER President Diane Lowery said. “We need to place him in a safe and loving home after that. His trainer says he is going to make someone a very nice gelding.”
Panhandle Equine Rescue’s mission is to rescue, rehabilitate and provide adoption services for abused, neglected and abandoned equines. It is authorized by the Escambia County court system to investigate equine reports in the county.
For more information, call 587-2754.