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Mayor: ‘Nail In Our Coffin’ As School Board Moves To Close School
January 21, 2009
“They put the nail in our coffin tonight.”
That’s how Century Mayor Freddie McCall reacted to the Escambia County School Board voting Tuesday night to redistrict, and effectively close, Carver/Century K-8 School.
“We all knew it was going to happen,” Brenda Spencer, a member of the town’s Blue Ribbon Committee to save the school, said. “At least Bill Slayton did what he said he was going to do.” District 5 board member Bill Slayton was one of the two votes against Superintendent Malcolm Thomas’ proposal.
Redrawing Carver/Century’s attendance zone to send the students to Bratt Elementary and Ernest Ward Middle School must, according to law, be advertised 28 days in advance. The school board extended that time to their March 17 meeting.
“I remain open to possibilities between now and then,” Thomas said. He has previously said that he would accept a guaranteed $400,000 a year funding source to keep the school open.
While not required, Thomas said the board would consider holding a public hearing in Century to allow area citizens the chance to offer their input on the attendance zones.
“We would explain the data and what it says, and I’m sure we would listen to the emotional arguments,” he said. “But make no mistake, voting for this idea is putting students first. It’s not about a brick and mortar building; it is about the students.”
“I hope their next step will be to come to Century and all sit down in a city meeting,” McCall said.
“I hope we can convince them to rezone more students to go to Carver/Century,” the mayor said. He hopes that the district will consider redrawing district lines to send some number of current Bratt and Ernest Ward students to Century.
“They are not wanting to do that,” McCall said of the school board. “They are wanting to shut us down.”
Pictured top: Century Mayor Freddie McCall addresses the Escambia County School Board Tuesday night. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Comments
8 Responses to “Mayor: ‘Nail In Our Coffin’ As School Board Moves To Close School”
There is no “fuzzy math” in the Carver/Century school grade. The grade blurred a bit when the middle school was combined with the elementary school a few years ago because a new school name assigned and thus a clean slate given for AYP and FCAT. However, since then, the school has consistently earned a below standard grade all on its own (F or D). The only “fuzzy math” is the “B” grade that was assigned last year, which allowed teacher bonuses to be paid for unearned higher performance
Closing Carver-Century is a continuation of Mr. Paul’s plan, pure and simple! Being Superintendent for less than two months is not ample time to conduct feasibility studies and gather the facts! My recommendation to the School District is to use the Competing Values Framework (Cameron and Quinn) to align the ever-changing environment of this School District. Perhaps the projected Carver-Century student population may not attend Bratt/Ernest Ward or Escambia County Schools next school year–shortsightedness of the school board members. Voters must no longer be complacent and choose real change at both the School Board and District. The TOYS are too expensive for Escambia County citizens. The focus should be on “STUDENT RESOURCES” not on portable classrooms and transportation which cost more than schools operations during the same timeframe. Perhaps the Florida Department of Education should intervene in this situation and investigate how federal, state, local, and grant funds are spent by the School District–appears to be fuzzy math! Simply cut wasteful spending habits such as blackberries, cell phones, corporate welfare, community services (whatever that means), and scrutinize all lease agreements to maximize monetary benefits for schools. The focus must return to educating children and reducing the Hall Center and School District empires. QUESTION: Why do we retain an attorney for the Superintendent? We can no longer afford the luxury of private attorneys. Use the same attorney for the School Board and School District for legal issues. Rethink the Assistant Superintendent and equivalent positions, effectiveness, and knowledge–do the job efficiently and precisely should be the order of the day!! CUT THE WASTE!!
Freddy… the town has been nailing the coffin lid shut for twenty years. The school board is just offering a eulogy. Please don’t blame the school board for council’s shortcomings.
Jay,
Don’t be disappointed in the way Mr. Slayton’s voted….it’s Politics….Appointed School District positions are what this County needs, because politics don’t come in to play! Mr. Slayton’s remembers “ALL” to well what happened to Mr. Pete Gindl, why do you think he’s in Office today? The problem here is Mr Slayton, youself, the Taxpayers and me all know Closing Century is the right thing to do! But he has to be support His District..Soooo….He votes “NOT” to do the right, thus preserving a chance for Re:election. Really no Surprise…normal Daily Operating Procedures by the School board members.
Guaranteed $400,000? Why not require the full $650,000, Mr. Thomas? Don’t continue to throw more of our good tax dollars after the ones already wasted. If the school district is hurting for funds as bad as you say, don’t take a $250,000 loss; make those who want to keep the school pay for the full package. I’m really disappointed in Mr. Slayton’s vote. He should have voted for what was best for the overall health of the school district and not went back on his word. That’s right, he told me in person prior to the election that he was for closing the failing and inefficient Carver/Century school because in the long run it would be best for the students.
Do the people against closing the school even have children that go there? It’s not the same as it was ten years ago.
Redrawing the district lines to send more Bratt kids would be a waste of time and money. The parents could immediately send the kids back to Bratt because carver does not make AYP. So there were still be few kids at Carver. The end is near for Carver.
I’m surprised by McCall’s statement:
“I hope we can convince them to rezone more students to go to Carver/Century,” the mayor said. He hopes that the district will consider redrawing district lines to send some number of current Bratt and Ernest Ward students to Century.
How would that ever be fair?!? Take a student out of a high performing school that meets AYPs and place them in a failing school. If I were a parent in on the edge of the district lines I would not be happy with McCall….but we all know that this would never happen. Anyone can see that ths would not be a good idea.