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First Step In Closure: Rezone Carver/Century Students To Other Schools
August 20, 2008
The Escambia County School Board did not vote to close Carver/Century K-8 School Tuesday night, but they did vote to begin the process of deciding where to send students once the school closes.
The board voted 4-1 to have the School Attendance Zone Advisory Committee (SAZAC) rezone the Carver/Century school zone to send the children to other North Escambia schools including Bratt Elementary and Ernest Ward Middle School. Board member Claudia Brown-Curry cast the lone no vote.
“This is not closing the school”, board member Patty Hightower said. “This is just a step to take us there.”
She, along with Superintendent Jim Paul, said the only hope to save the school would be an increased enrollment. “You have time to build up your enrollment,” Hightower told the two dozen or so Carver/Century supporters at Tuesday night’s board meeting.
As of Tuesday, there were 125 enrolled in the elementary at Carver/Century, six more than the district had projected. There were 95 students in middle school, 18 more than the district’s projected enrollment.
A K-8 school with just over 200 students, now that’s inefficient,” board member Jeff Bergosh said.
“This is not an easy decision,” Bergosh said. “I think the students will have more opportunities,” he said, adding that he believes Carver/Century students will improve once they are exposed to more opportunities at top rated Bratt Elementary and Ernest Ward Middle.
Bergosh commented that closing Carver/Century would not really be closing the last school in Century. “I believe Bratt Elementary has a Century address,” he said. Bratt Elementary does have a Century mailing address, according to the school’s website, but it is nine miles outside the Century town limits.
“We have to be more efficient,” Bergosh said. “Those children (at Carver/Century) don’t have the opportunities that they will have at Ernest Ward.”
“I feel like closing that school is taking the life out of that community,” board member Claudia Brown-Curry said.
“I gave them another year,” Paul said. “Those students can come back on their own choice. I’m still hoping to see that. There are enough students in Century to bring that school back.”
Several Century residents attended the board’s meeting in Pensacola Tuesday evening, and a few addressed the board.
“Give us a chance, please don’t close our school tonight,” Century Mayor Freddie McCall told the school board members.
“Does this seem like prejudice to you?” Century resident Annie Savage asked. “We are not happy at the north end of the county because you show us no respect.”
Savage said she owns four pieces of property in Century ,and she pays school tax on each. But if the board closes Carver/Century, she plans to refuse to pay those taxes.
Century Council President Anne Brooks told the school board that they had changed their reason for closing the school several times. First, she said, the board was going to close the school because it was an “F” school. But, she said, that changed after the school’s grade improved to a “B”. Then, she said, Century residents were told the school was closing due to money.
But then, she said, the district was discovered to be paying tens of thousands of dollars of utility bills on a building leased for $1 per year to New Life Baptist Church. She called that “gross mismanagement” of district funds.
Then, Brooks said, the reason became low enrollment. “The county and the state allowed them to go elsewhere,” she said. “The answer is to send the students back to the school where they came from.”
“You are going to destroy our town,” Brooks told the board.
Century businessman Jack Moran told the board that closing the school would take away the only approved hurricane shelter in the area, presenting a potential problem for the community.
The process toward closing the school begins with SAZAC creating the new school attendance zones. Hightower said that at least one of the upcoming SAZAC meetings should be held in Century to allow area residents to attend the meeting. If the board is to eventually vote to close the school, she said that at least one school board meeting should also be held in Century to allow public input.
Pictured top: School Superintendent Jim Paul (left) listens as Century Mayor Freddie McCall pleads Tuesday night with the Escambia School Board to save Carver/Century K-8 School. Pictured middle: Century resident Annie Savage address the school board in support of Century’s school. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
14 Responses to “First Step In Closure: Rezone Carver/Century Students To Other Schools”
I’m astonished to see so many voice OPINIONS. I will accept these only after they visit the school yourself, sit in a classroom, watch the teachers prepare, watch the children learn, only then will you know what goes on at that school. Please, know that the teachers at Carver/Century are highly qualified, just like any other teacher in the county. Know that these teachers put in the time and effort needed to teach these students. Know that even coaches put in extra time at the end of the day to take children home, because parents can’t get there to pick a child up, due to lack of everyday items, like the cars all of you take for granted. Know that these children are taking SO much pride in the fact that they earned a B this year and they came in class this year excited about it! Know that you all are tearing them down because quite frankly, you don’t care. Know that the children are not happy to ride at least an hour and a half a day on a bus. Know that this is time they could be spending at home, like more privileged children. Know that children at Bratt and Earnest Ward have better and richer home lives, leading to better grades and behaviors. Are these schools ready to “deal” with these students? Are they ready to spend the one on one time these “carver students” need? Not just on an education standpoint, but on a personal one. Are they ready to take these children home after practices to their homes close to 20 miles or more away? I really don’t think so. I know students at these other schools. These students have a sense of superiority over “Carver students.” I’m afraid they’re being taught this. This message board confirms that. What I’m hearing is that this is a great way to save money. But that’s the easy way out. The School Board should take some time, do some research, and save it somewhere else. This school is priceless to the underprivileged children who live in Century. If only you could live one day in their shoes. Are you prepared?
I cannot believe that everyone in Century did not see this coming after the closing of Century High School, did anyone really think that Century Elementary and Carver would last that long? As someone who attended Byrneville Elementary, Carver, and Century High School, it saddens me to see Century continue to go down to nothing, and the surrounding communities with it. I am glad I no longer live there, but UNTIL everyone in in Century, Byrneville, Bluff Springs, McDavid, Bogia, Walnut Hill, and Molino stand together, nothing will change.
One last comment on this issue. Century has had schools for a hundred years. And for most of that time the citizens of Century stood back and watched and uttered not a peep. Contrary to the poor me – poor me lamenting of people on this blog and at the school board meetings Century has always gotten far more than than the children of Pensacola have received: more teachers, more computers and more administrative support. according to the records I have been able to access. You chose to live in a rural area, so please stop whining about what you don’t have. Show a little dignity, fix your problem as any real community would do. Oh, I forgot, you don’t have a community anymore, Jim Paul and the School Board took it away. Will the last one out please turn out the lights.
There is no room at Bratt or Ernest Ward for anymore kids! We R already dealing with Atmore kids. I don’t understand what is going on! Someone needs to do alot of back ground ck on where all the Atmore kids live. The question is “Do they live in FLA. or ALA.” And R they using someones address in FLA.. Think about it!!!!!
I wonder when the last time some of you that are doing all the complaining about Century/Carver visited the school to see exactly what is happening there. Advanced technology, well trained teachers that are very devoted and dedicated to teaching their students. What school doesn’t have discipline problems, but the times I have spent at the school you see very little problems with the students. All these students and teachers want is a chance to prove themselves, and what better place to do that then in your home town school with the people that care about you. They have worked very hard to improve there FCAT score and have done a wonderful job and should be very proud of themselves. I believe if some of the school board members, Mr. Bergosh, our own representative Mr. Gindl and most important Mr. Paul, they would see what damage they will be doing not only to our students but also our community. The school is the heart of any community and we should be very proud of ours.
Has anyone considered the problems,this will bring.
Transportation for the students. Already have a problem with this .
All the Teachers and facility being put out of a job. Really ,when will it get
better for the north end of Escambia county. Where is our commissioner at
Anyone heard anything Jim Paul or Mr.White have done ,that is a positive thing lately ?ummmmmmmmmm When will our turn come , some are still living on dirt roads in the area, that get a monthly grading , closing this school is going to cause problems on top of problems ….
SOUNDS LIKE ANOTHER NAIL IN JIM PAUL’S COFFIN. BUT I THOUGHT HE DIDN’T HAVE ANY LEFT. MUST HAVE BORROWED ONE FROM OUR FINE COUNTY ADMINSTRATORS. REALLY NEEDS TO ADDRESS THE ELEMENTARY CHILDREN GETTING ON THE BUS AT SUCH A EARLY TIME. I THINK 6:05 AM IS EARLY FOR KINDERGARDENERS ON SCHOOL BUSES .AND HAVING TO RIDE WITH HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO BOOT .
BUT THAT IS A OPINION. HE’S DOING NOTHING FOR NORTHESCAMBIA .
( CONCERNED)
Mr. Drysdale:
It seems you have no idea how important a school is to a rural community. You must have never lived in a truly rural area. Schools are important for many reasons and that should not have to be explained to you.
It seems that recently almost daily services are cut to the Century area. Many, many programs from schools, Escarosa Workforce, WIC, the county health department, etc. receive grant monies by using the “underserved” numbers from this area to receive the grants. Now those very programs are reducing services. It is a bit infuriating to the people who reside here, own businesses here, etc. to see.
I do agree that it is not the role of the government is not to provide a sense of community, etc. This will be a long process for the folks of Century. This is a town of generation after generation of welfare recipients, then you also have the likes of people like Mr. Barnes and Mr. Moran who have made quite a bit of money applying for grants based on the “underserved” and “poor” quotient. Neither of these men have fostered a culture of community. Century residents need to learn how to be employed, how to be business owners, etc. not just recipients of handouts.
I digress, local schools are incredibly important for fostering a sense of community.
thank you
Anne Brooks seems to be a wee bit odd. Why in heavens name does she think that the tax payers of Escambia County who pay taxes to suppport schools have a responcibility to support her community. The job of the school board is to provide my children with a quality education, not to build or preserve your community. If you are dependent on the government to create community spirit and a sence of community you should join our friends in Cuba just a70 min les off our coast. If Century is destroyed because their school is closed as she says. The citizens of Century need to throw her out of office and elect someone that will stop whinning and get to work. The said truth is as long as Century has the likes of Benny Barnes and Anne Brooks acting as their advocates the city will remain a town lost in time.
Well, if all the kids would keep moving from alabama to florida to go to school. Maybe we would have the funds to keep this school open!
I went to Carver, my oldest went to Century Elementary and then Carver. I will not send my other children to this school.The problem is that there is no discipline .
Parents don’t back the teachers and then the children don’t respect the teachers.
This leads to more teachers trying to control the classroom instead of teaching it.
My children deserve better than that. Keep it open and replace the entire staff and then you might get somewhere.
As a former Pensacolian, I’ll be the first to testify the Pensacola cares about Pensacola. When they talk about the “north end” usually they are referring to Ensley or Cantonment. Anything north of Quintette Rd just doesn’t exist. That explains the PNJ. They don’t care that a five year old child will have to get up at 5am to get ready for school, catch his 6am bus, then ride the bus for an hour or more. He’d be exhausted before school even started; He can’t learn like that.
As for Annie Savage, her logic is flawed. Our family pays taxes and home schools two of our children. We are explicitly told that we can’t even borrow a book or use a school media center. Does that mean I have to pay property taxes? I am not exempt just because the dice doesn’t roll my way. The school may not be provided according to her liking, but there’s still a school available.
Jack Moran has a good point about the hurricane shelter. Is Pensacola going to send ECAT up here to evacuate everyone to a storm shelter? I wouldn’t look for that to happen.
Where are you gonna put these kids when you close this school when Ernest Ward is crowded with Alabama kids. Great Job Mrs. Brooks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“Anne Brooks”
But then, she said, the district was discovered to be paying tens of thousands of dollars of utility bills on a building leased for $1 per year to New Life Baptist Church. She called that “gross mismanagement” of district funds.
Again Great Job Mrs. Brooks!!!!!!!!!! I’m really surprised not to see the PNJ making some kind of report on this issue. Their Head-Line story for today is” When bar foods unite” sad days for Pensacola.