Latest Headlines
- Cantonment Man Charged With Sexual Battery, Molestation Of 5-Year-Old
- Two Newly Elected Escambia School Members Installed
- Matt Gaetz Withdraws From Attorney General Consideration
- Molino Dollar General Assistant Manager And Her Boyfriend Charged With Theft
- Century Town Hall Closed For Portions Of Next Two Business Days
- Troopers Say Semi Driver Fell Asleep Causing Crash That Block I-10 For Hours
- Free Dental, Vision and Medical Care Available At Weekend Clinic
- Farm Share Food Distributions Friday In Walnut Hill, Saturday In Cantonment
- ECUA Elects Board Officers, Appoints Advisory Committee
- One Injured In Highway 29 Crash
Public Meeting To Discuss Carver/Century Tonight
June 10, 2008
The public will get the chance to let a Century committee know their thoughts about the closing of Carver/Century K-8 School tonight.
The town’s blue ribbon committee to save the school will hold a public meeting in the school cafeteria at 6:30 tonight.
Parents and community members will have the opportunity to voice their opinions and their ideas for saving the school.
The committee met behind closed doors with Escambia School Superintendent Jim Paul on May 30. NorthEscambia.com was the only media at that meeting.
Paul began that May 30 meeting by telling the Carver/Century supporters that “this is not a decision making meeting,” and said again at the end of the meeting that his mind about a recommendation to close Carver/Century is not made up.
“I want to do what is right for the children of Century, Paul told Century Mayor Freddie Mcall; Blue Ribbon Committee members Laura Nelson, Rev. Willie Carter, Rev. Irvin Stallworth and Brenda Spencer; and Century resident Lina Showalter.
Facing millions in budget cuts, Paul said that the district must look at efficiency and the cost per student at every school. He said that with a principal, assistant principal, a curriculum coordinator and a declining enrollment, Carver/Century is expensive to operate.
“I’ve always been reluctant to close Carver/Century even though the numbers said to close it,” Paul said on May 30. “I continued to keep Carver/Century off the closure list. But when the first grades came out about a month ago, it now became a matter of what is best for the children.” Carver/Century’s FCAT Writing+ score released about a month ago were the worst in the county.
“There are members on the school board that feel strongly that the school should close,” he said. “The school board cannot shut down a school without my recommendation. My staff is recommending that I recommend that the school close. I am here to hear what you have to say before I decide.”
Pictured above: A prayer service for Carver/Century K-8 School was held May 3. Pictured below (L-R): Blue Ribbon Committee members Century Mayor Freddie McCall, Brenda Spencer, Lina Showalter and Rev. Willie Carter listen to Escambia School Superintendent Jim Paul at recent meeting at Northview High School. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, click to enlarge.
Comments