Carver/Century Students Visit Ernest Ward, Bratt For A Day

April 24, 2009

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Over the past three days, Carver/Century K-8 students have shadowed their Ernest Ward Middle or Bratt Elementary counterparts to learn more about what school life will be like next year.

The Escambia School Board has ordered Carver/Century closed and the students transferred next school year to Ernest Ward or Bratt. The Carver/Century students “shadowed” a Bratt or Ernest Ward student for a day, attending their classes and activities such as lunch. It was a hands on personal orientation to middle school life at EWMS or elementary life at Bratt.

“They had a great time, and many of them became best buddies,” said Ernest Ward Principal Nancy Gindl-Perry. “They are all looking forward to school next year.”

The plan to move the middle school students from Carver/Century K-8 School to Ernest Ward and Bratt Elementary has been put into motion. It’s a detailed 84 page document that details each aspect of the move, down to the last box.

The next part of the transition plan will take place on April 28 when the PTSA and School Advisory Council at Ernest Ward hosts a parents night for parents and guardians of incoming students from Carver/Century.

Then, on April 29, staff from Ernest Ward will travel to Carver/Century to personally hand-register each student one on one.

A full orientation night for the parents and guardians of all incoming Ernest Ward students will be held on May 7. Prior to that event, the teachers and staff at Ernest Ward will host a reception for the school’s new staff members that will be transferring from Carver/Century.

A modular building with five classrooms, two closets, and one 24 by 36 foot restroom facility will be installed sometime in May at Ernest Ward for a total cost of $543,391. Plans also call for five classrooms with included restrooms, five sinks and two closets to be installed at Bratt Elementary at a total cost of $440,006.

Once school is out, the physical move of property and supplies between the schools will begin.

Pictured above: Carver/Century student Grady Floyd and Ernest Ward student John Helmken talk after lunch Thursday in the Ernest Ward cafeteria.  NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.

Comments

10 Responses to “Carver/Century Students Visit Ernest Ward, Bratt For A Day”

  1. COCO on May 26th, 2009 2:08 pm

    ernest ward is awesome! georgia goetter

  2. Tax Payer on April 27th, 2009 3:29 pm

    I attended the meeting at the Hall Center and confirmed that Ernest Ward students will ride the bus with high school students to Northview and then be bused to Ernest Ward. Not sure how it will work out, but we’ve got to give it a chance. I will keep the below listed transportation contacts in my rolladex (just in case).

  3. Concerned on April 24th, 2009 9:33 pm

    This is what I call success……great job!!!

  4. why on April 24th, 2009 7:00 pm

    I have seen the people who will take care of the switch, bus drivers and teachers, they will handle it like professionals. They do some of it every school day now. Of course there will be some mistakes that may get headlines ,but they won’t be intentional.

  5. Concerned Parent on April 24th, 2009 4:31 pm

    Anon, you are absolutely right. Everything you said is right on track. There is still nothing wrong with voicing our concerns to the people in charge – but I agree that we should do it with class and grace, because our children are watching us all the time – especially in how we handle tougher situations.

  6. anon on April 24th, 2009 3:19 pm

    My daughter is on a bus for 1- 1/2 hours every afternoon. Her bus is not air conditioned. For that matter, I’ve never even heard of air conditioned school buses. I live here in the north end of the county, and yes, there are some things that we do get “shafted” on. But honestly, this is not one of them. These kids are going to be getting a top notch education. They are looking to their parents and other adults in Century for cues on how to handle this change. The attitude that our children see in us is likely to be the attitude that they will show. I really wish that everyone would adjust their attitudes on this and move on. The change is going to happen. Now, it is a matter of accepting it with class and with grace.

  7. Concerned Parent on April 24th, 2009 3:12 pm

    Yes, you are right, Citizen. I heard the same thing from a bus driver, so I am pretty sure it is true. How confusing is it going to be to have all the middle school kids getting off the bus at NHS – then searching for the right bus to take them to EWMS. As well as mixing young 6/7/8th graders with 9/10/11/12th graders. If you wonder what your younger kids are exposed to now – just wait! They will be on the bus for over an hour – only going possibly a 30 minute drive. The district keeps announcing and acting proud that our area has “A” schools – but our kids who achieved these “A’s” from their grades tend to get the low end and the left overs compared to all of the other schools.
    We, as parents, have to continue to stay involved in our childrens education and speak loudly to the people sitting behind their desks in downtown Pensacola – making changes for all of us 30 to 45 minutes away from them. Call or email Eric Fritz, Head of Transportation at EFRITZ@escambia.k12.fl.us or Malcom Thomas, Superintendent of Schools at MTHOMAS@escambia.k12.fl.us and voice your concerns.

  8. Patsy Green on April 24th, 2009 3:01 pm

    The buses in Pensacola are not all air conditioned. The newer buses are air conditioned and are assigned according to driver seniority or according to special needs of students.

  9. me on April 24th, 2009 7:57 am

    CITIZEN- you sound like a bus driver…LOL

  10. CITIZEN on April 24th, 2009 6:07 am

    I heard that all middle school student will be bused to Norhtview High and then
    transfer to other buses at Northview then shuttled back to Ernest Ward, how much confusion is this going to be for our students, does this make any sense,
    who is in charge of transportation? Im sure they dont live in the North End.
    They will be on buses alot longer now and of course with no ac. All the short
    routes in pensacola I hear have ac buses. North End gets the shaft again as
    always.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under FEATURE TOP STORY, Features, News