Lawyer Hopes To Change Decision To Close Carver Century
March 18, 2009
The Town of Century and the activist group Movement for Change may seek an injunction against the Escambia County School Board to prevent the closure of Carver/Century K-8 School.
Monday night, the Town of Century voted to spend thousands of dollars to hire Crestview attorney Jeffery Toney to potentially file the injunction after a presentation from Leroy Boyd of the activist group Movement for Change.
Toney told NorthEscambia.com following the school board’s vote that he will immediately begin work to keep the doors of the school open, but he would not specify the exact legal grounds on which a possible injunction might be filed, if an injunction is filed at all.
He said the first job would be to contact the school board’s attorney and see if the matter could be resolved out of court. Then, he said he would meet with the town and discuss “the issues” with them, but he would still look for opportunities to resolve the issue with the school board.
“We could probably resolve this, if the school stays open,” Toney said. He said he was retained by the town because of “lack of what they have been due diligence in resolving this.”
“The fight has just begun,” Boyd said. “This is not about Carver. This is about getting a new school for Ernest Ward.” When Boyd spoke to the Century council Monday night, he was asked by NorthEscambia.com what the basis for a possible injunction against the school board might be. Boyd simply replied that, “It won’t be race.”
“It is our position that the trucks won’t even get close to Highway 29,” Toney said about the trucks that will be used to move the contents of Carver/Century to Bratt Elementary and Ernest Ward Middle schools.
“You have students who have an opportunity to go to school in their city, and that’s where they need to be,” Toney said. “The school has been pretty much down, but they did go from an F to a B. The school board’s knee-jerk reaction was to close the school?”
Toney said he did not know when, or if, he might file for an injunction against the school in federal court.
Pictured above: (L-R) Century Mayor Freddie McCall meets with Leroy Boyd from Movement for Change and attorney Jeffery Toney Tuesday night while a meeting of the Escambia County School Board is conducted in the next room. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Board Approves Nearly $1 Million In Renovations At Bratt Elementary
March 18, 2009
The Escambia School District has approved $946,407 in renovations at Bratt Elementary School.
The renovations will take place in the front/west wing of the school and will include new windows, doors, and floors for the building that was constructed in 1980. It will also include the installation of a central heating and cooling system. The main portion of the renovation contract was $770,500.
The board approved additional renovations at the school, including:
- replace restroom fixtures in the west wing, $3,425
- replace lighting and ceilings in west wing, $36,500
- renovations in guidance and administration areas, $26,000
- replace air handling units in cafetorium, $82,600
- replace water meter and piping for increased water pressure, $27,382
The total bid of $946,407 was awarded to low bidder Morette Company of Pensacola. There were a total of nine bidders on the project, with five bids coming in at over $1 million.
School Superintendent Malcolm Thomas noted that the funds for this project were from funding sources that could not have been used to keep Carver/Century K-8 School open. The funding for the Bratt Elementary improvements was only available for building improvements, not salaries or educational materials.
Century To Join Activist Group To Seek Court Injunction To Stop Carver/Century Closure
March 17, 2009
The Century Town Council has voted to join forces with the Pensacola activist group Movement for Change in seeking a court order to block the closure of Carver/Century K-8 School.
The Escambia County School Board is expected to vote tonight to close the school at the end of this school year. Leroy Byrd, president of the group, told the Century Town Council Monday night that the courts were their only hope of saving the town’s only school.
“The school district has already made a decision without announcing that decision. The outcome is already known,” he said. “You will have to file a legal challenge; it will not make a difference what you say.”
During his presentation to the council, Boyd never specified on what grounds the group would seek the injunction, other than to mention that the school district has “no compassion for poverty”.
When NorthEscambia.com asked what the basis for the injunction would be, Boyd simply replied that, “It won’t be race.”
He estimated that it would cost the council $7,500 to $8,000 in legal fees to hire attorney Jeffery Toney to file the injunction, and he cautioned the council that there could be additional appeals filed regardless of which side prevailed in court that would result in additional costs.
After making his case to the council, Boyd left the meeting and was not present for the council’s discussion or vote.
“The only way we could have a possible chance is to file that injunction,” said council member Gary Riley. “I feel it is worth it.”
“Whatever we can do to save our school, I’m all for it,” council member Sharon Scott said. “We’ve got to do everything,” council member Nadine McCaw added.
“The injunction should get us out of this dog fight altogether,” council member Henry Hawkins said. But without support and programs for the school, he said “we are going to have the same fight next year.”
The council voted 5-0 in favor of joining Movement for Change to seek the injunction to block the closure of Carver/Century.
When Boyd began his presentation to the council on behalf of Movement for Change, he told the council that he wanted 100 percent support from the town to save the school.
“There are some in this community who do not want to save Century,” he said. “We think to save Century, you have to have a school.”
“We want to see one Century come together to save Century,” Boyd added. “Not a racial divide, but one Century.”
Century Mayor Freddie McCall acknowledged that a small group of people in the town may want to acquire a charter school, but the group is a very small minority working contrary to the efforts of the town and its Blue Ribbon Committee that was formed to look at ways to save Carver/Century. The town has not even discussed opening a charter school, the mayor said, and they will not until the school board has actually voted for the closure.
McCall said the small minority wanted a charter school in Century for “handicap school or something”, and “I wasn’t part of it.”
“The majority of Century is on board to save our school,” the mayor said.
Pictured above: Leroy Boyd from Movement for Change addresses the Century Town Council Monday night. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Preston Places Second For His Violin Sonata
March 15, 2009
A McDavid youth won second place in a violin contest Saturday in Pensacola.
Ben Preston placed second in the 30th annual Pensacola Music Teachers Association Sonata Contest in the Strings One division for violins.
Ben is the son of David and Ramona Preston. He is a student at Pensacola Christian Academy.
Educators Name February Students Of the Month
March 9, 2009
Students of the Month have been named in Escambia County for February.
The awards presented to two students from each participating school by the Escambia Association for Administrators in Education to spotlight outstanding students.
Students of the month at North Escambia area schools are:
Jim Allen Elementary: Jonas A. Johnson, kindergarten; Kiauna A. Watson, kindergarten;
Molino Park Elementary: Joshua M. Coonrod, kindergarten; Tayler L. Bridges, kindergarten.
Ernest Ward Middle: Anna E. Fischer, seventh grade; Hannah E. Ziglar, eighth grade.Ransom Middle: Naiya R. Valdes, eighth grade; Audrey L. Freeman, eighth grade.
Northview High: Olivia M. Nolen, 11th grade; Patrick R. Garrison, 11th grade.Pictured above: Northview’s Students of the Month for February Patrick R. Garrison and Olivia Nolen. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com.
Meeting Malcolm: Thomas Pays Surprise Visit To Northview High School
March 7, 2009
For a few minutes Friday morning, Escambia School Superintendent Malcolm Thomas was not focused on the 40,000 students in the district, but on Northview High School senior Timeka Marshall and an assigned paper.
“You’ve got to persuade people with what you write,” Thomas told Marshall in the school’s media center. She was working to prove in her paper that television is harmful to people.
“How can you prove that? How can we find information to prove it?” the superintendent asked.
“I’m looking up a lot of facts,” she said. “I’ve got a lot so far.”
Thomas, sitting at a Northview media center table and reading over Marshall’s notes, asked what she planned to do after high school.
“Probation officer,” she responded. “I’ve been accepted to Faulkner State, and I plan to apply to others.”
“Good plan,” Thomas said. “This girl has got it together. I’d be proud to call her my daughter.”
That’s the way Thomas spends many of his mornings…visiting one of the district’s schools or centers. He’s not talking to just the administrators, but to the teachers, staff and the students. Northview made 53 schools he has visited since taking office.
In the school office, he met senior Ashley Snow (pictured left) who works for the school under a cooperative education program. She also works at the Movie Gallery and is looking at a job at the Atmore YMCA.
“Work her hard so she’ll know what the real world is like,” Thomas said.
In the media center, Thomas also met senior Shaquaina Lewis. She was also working on a paper. The subject? Helping mentally ill patients recover without pills.
“They should be able to,” she told the superintendent. “And if they can’t, I’m going to be the one to figure out how to make them recover one day.”
The smile on Thomas’ face was apparent. Later, outside the media center, he said it was students like Lewis that inspired him.
“She has a goal,” he said. “She’s going to do her paper, and if she finds out that it can’t be done, her goal is figure out how to get it done. She has a real future.”
That is Thomas’ goal…to get it done. But in order to meet that goal, he believes his school visits will help understand the way to accomplish his goal of building the best school district that he can.
At each of the schools he visits, he asks at least two teachers or staff members three questions: “How’s your family?” “Do you have the tools you need to get your job done?” and “Give me the name of somebody that has helped you do your job better or has improved the school.”
When he gets home at night, he hand writes those helpful people a thank-you letter and mails it to their homes. He even buys the stamp.
In these days of budget cutbacks, school closures and money, money, money — Thomas is not about to make the district pay for his early morning trips to the schools in the district.
In fact, he won’t let the district pay for any of this travel, whether it be to Northview or Gainesville.
“That’s what you do when you lead,” he said. “In these hard times, you have to lead the way.”
Thomas said the school visits are one of the best parts of his job.
“Everything we do is about the people in the schools,” he said. “I enjoy meeting them face to face.
Pictured top and bottom: Escambia School Superintendent Malcolm Thomas helps Northview Senior Timeka Marshall with an assignment. Pictured middle: Thomas meets NHS senior Ashley Snow. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, click to enlarge.
Carver/Century Students Pocket Hundreds Of Dollars In FCAT Cash
March 7, 2009
Carver/Century K-8 held their FCAT Cash Grab Thursday and Friday. Students were awarded dollar coins and $2 bill for their gains on the FCAT practice test.
“Remember the FCAT is next week, and we are going to work to do our best,” Principal Jeff Garthwaite told the students Friday morning. “What level do we want?”
“Three!”
“Four!”
“Five!”
The students around the cafeteria yelled the score they thought they would make on the FCAT.
“Are we going to do our very best next week?” the principal asked.
“Yeah!” the students yelled.
The school handed out almost $400 in their FCAT Cash Grab.
The money for the school’s cash grab was from the Foundation for Excellence in Education, a non-profit corporation committed to enhancing the quality of public education in Escambia County by encouraging innovation and excellence in the classroom.
During Friday morning’s FCAT Cash Grab, third grader Zynaisha Davis, fifth grader Joshua Tyus, third grader Nyk Gransision and fourth grader Markayla Bradley were the randomly chosen students that got to grab as much cash as they could with one hand from a bowl filled with coins.
Click here for more photos from the Carver/Century FCAT Cash Grab.
Pictured above: Fifth grader Joshua Tyus grabs all the money he can during the Carver/Century FCAT Cash Grab Friday morning at the school. NorthEscambia.com photo.
Emotions Run High As School Board Discusses School Closure In Century
March 6, 2009
Emotions ran high Thursday night in Century as the Escambia County School Board met with Carver/Century supporters. One school supporter was even led away by a deputy when he refused to stop speaking in support of the school.
Over 100 people attended the school board forum held in the Carver/Century cafeteria to discuss the school’s closure with the board.
For a complete photo gallery from the meeting, click here.
“We are fighting for our town; we need this school to survive. We could save ourselves if we had the time,” Century Mayor Freddie McCall said, asking the board to keep Carver/Century K-8 School open for at least three years. The board is scheduled to vote on closing the school March 17, sending the current students to Bratt Elementary and Ernest Ward Middle School.
“What’s the next thing we will hear? You will spend millions building a new school over there,” McCall (pictured left) said. “You used your pencil to zone them out of this school; you can use your pencil to zone them back into this town. Think about the kids when y’all make your vote.”
The Black And The White
Racial differences between schools and differences between communities was a major issued raised by many Carver/Century supporters.
“We are not culturally represented,” Jessie McCants said of the current Northview High School, a school that includes students from Century and all of north Escambia County. “When we built Northview, we lost 50 percent of our children.”
“We are you sending us to a rat trap at Ernest Ward?” was the question presented by Annie Savage of Century. She said the aging Ernest Ward has a problem with snakes in the locker room. “I’ve seen the signs at Northview. “Nig**rs go home. We don’t need you here.”
She called the school closure discrimination, vowing that “we will do something about it”.
“It’s time we invest in the children,” Betty Johnson (pictured left) said, adding that the school board has historically closed more black schools. “You’ve got enough schools in Pensacola to close and never look back at Carver/Century. We are getting along here. We are standing together.”"It seems like Century is not part of Escambia County,” Mary Grice said. “We done gave. It’s time for us to take back something.”
“There are failing schools in Pensacola,” she told the school board. “I don’t see you getting on the news talking about them.”
Grandmother Elizabeth Lowery said she would not send her grandchildren to school out of Century. “My child can get reading, writing and arithmetic at home,” she said. “How are they going to interact over there?”
Another grandmother of a Carver/Century student, Sharon Scott said the school closure was going to be a a terrible mistake for her everyone, including her grandchild.
“If y’all move her way out to Bratt,” Scott said of her grandchild,” I don’t know what will become of her. “We can’t do this Bratt thing…this Walnut Hill thing.”
The Facts And Figures
The meeting began with Superintendent Malcolm Thomas (pictured left) presenting his facts and figures as to why he recommended the closure of Carver/Century. You can read his information here in pdf format.
The superintendent’s numbers show that the school needs 300 students to be viable. As of Thursday, there were 209 in grades K-8. The numbers also show the school is losing a million dollars per year.
“Every dollar I save, saves someone’s job,” Thomas said, adding that there are some Pensacola schools that will likely close this year as well.
“I don’t think it is fair that my child’s education should be a business decision,” Heather Findley, parent of a Carver/Century kindergarten student, said. “I feel the level of education is best here.”
“Did it take y’all seven, eight, nine years to realize that something was wrong?” asked Kim Peebles, referring to a graph presented by the superintendent showing that Carver/Century had lost money for several years.
Carver/Century employee Lillian Robertson (pictured left), accompanied to the podium by sixth grade student Olivia Richmond, said that the district had set the school up for failure.”When Byrneville opened, we had white flight,” she said. “You close Carver/Century and you are going to have white flight in another direction.”
“Some us feel like you have set us up for failure, Robertson said, adding that technology and tech support had been taken away from the school.
“I am one of the tech support,” she said, “and I can’t run a computer worth diddly-squat.”
Time’s Up
Century businessman Jack Moran told the board that he is a retired fraud examiner, and he also called himself a “forensic financial analyst”.
“The numbers here don’t add up,” Moran said of the superintendent’s financial information on Carver/Century. “This is bull, absolute bull.”
When a timer indicated that Moran’s two minutes to speak were up, he said “have the sheriff’s office remove me. I will stop when I am finished.”
Deputy James Moretz, one of two sheriff’s deputies at Thursday night’s meeting, quietly escorted Moran from the microphone (pictured above).
Other Thoughts
“All I know is memories here,” Leonard White said. “I am back here in Century because this is where my heart is.”
“When our kids needed help, they sent a resource officer instead of help,” said Cynthia Scott. “When you take the brain out of the community, the community dies.”
Other school supporters spoke of their memories at the school, and some questioned what would happen to the vacated school. Others questioned why middle school students would be sent from Carver/Century Middle built in 2003 to Ernest Ward where some buildings were built as early as 1945.
“The children are the most important,” Century Councilman Gary Riley said. “We need a school.”
Emotional Exit
Elizabeth Lowery, the grandmother that said her grandchildren could learn at home, did not leave quietly. She interrupted board members as they tried to tell their side of the story.
“Why did they come all the way out here if they already had their minds made up?” she yelled from the back of the cafeteria, waving her arms about (pictured left). “They’ve just made everyone frustrated.”
Many of the 20 speakers were interrupted during their comments. The crowd applauded, yelled and chanted words of encouragement for those that spoke in favor of keeping the school open. But as board members spoke about closing the school, they booed and yelled unfavorable remarks.
School Board Reaction
“My job is to make decisions, and a lot of them are not popular,” board member Jeff Bergosh (pictured left) said. “If there is a way to save the school, I will look you in the eye and I’ll do it.”
Bergosh denied allegations that the closure is racially motivated.
“I have never discriminated against anyone in my life,” he said. “These are tough decisions, and these are tough economic times.”
District 5 board member Bill Slayton said he is not in favor of closing Carver/Century.
“There is some consideration here. It is different,” he said, “because it is a community.”
“It is hard to accept that in a group this size, not one person wants to look at the fact that this could be a positive thing,” board member Gerald Boone said. “I want somebody in Century, Fla., to think this would turn out to be a positive thing.”
Linda Moultrie, the newest member of the Escambia County School Board, said that she attended a predominately black elementary school. Then, with integration, she was bused to an all-white middle school.
“Guess what? I made it,” Moultrie said. “Children adjust.”
“I don’t believe the school should be closed because it is the only school in the area, “she said.
“We are sending them to a good school,” board member Patty Hightower said. “I believe every child at this school can learn. They will learn wherever they are.”
For a complete photo gallery from the meeting, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
School Board Meeting Leaves Carver/Century Student In Tears
March 6, 2009
Keyvinana Johnson stood at the front of the school cafeteria crying when the Escambia County School Board’s public meeting in Century ended Thursday night.
The Carver/Century seventh grader was pretty sure that the meeting she had just heard was not good news for the school she loves.
“It’s the only place I know,” she said of her beloved Carver/Century K-8 School. “I don’t know what I will do when they close it.”
The school board is scheduled to make the final vote to close the school in just 12 days.
“I love this school. I love the teachers. They help and they understand; they give you more than one chance,” Keyvinana said as she sat down with NorthEscambia.com.
The Carver/Century Blackcats are her life. From track to cheerleading, she’s been involved at Carver/Century and that’s where she hopes to be next year.
But Keyvinana is realistic.
“I think they are going to close it,” she said.
If Carver/Century K-8 School closes, her mom Freedom Thomas says that she will not send Keyvinana to Ernest Ward Middle School.
Thomas works in Milton, and she said she plans to enroll Keyvinana and her siblings, grades six and two, into the Santa Rosa County school system if Carver/Century is closed.
“I work real hard with my children, and I want them to have a good education,” Thomas said. “They have learned more than you can imagine at Carver and have felt safer than you can imagine here.”
She expects that the situation at Ernest Ward would be different for her two middle school age children.
“I think my children would be subject to being rejects at Ernest Ward,” Thomas said. “I will not send my children to that school.”
“I want to stay here,” Keyvinana said. “I love it here.”
Pictured top: Freedom Thomas tried to comfort her daughter Keyvinana Johnson as she cries after a Thursday night school board meeting at Carver/Century K-8 School. Keyvinana was upset that her school will likely close. Pictured middle: Keyvinana wipes tears from her eyes. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Green Eggs And Ham…Bratt Celebrates Dr. Seuss Birthday
March 6, 2009
Students at Bratt Elementary School took part in the Read Across America and celebrated the 105th birthday of beloved children’s author Dr. Seuss this week.
In the first grade, students wore Cat In The Hat style hats. They also made edible hats, read stories and took part in other activities to celebrate the birthday of Theodore Geise, better known as Dr. Seuss.
On the morning announcements, first grade teacher Mrs. Trice, talked about Dr. Seuss and read passages from a variety of Dr. Seuss books. Librarian Mrs. Jeter introduced a biography about Dr. Seuss and a Cat In The Hat video that played over the school’s closed circuit television system.
Other classes wore Cat In The Hat paper hats and participated in a variety of activities to celebrate Dr. Seuss’ birthday and promote reading.
For more photos from Mrs. Trice’s class, Mrs. Gilmore’s class and Mrs. Perritt’s class, click here.
Pictured above: Mrs. Trice’s first grade class at Bratt Elementary School celebrates Dr. Seuss’ birthday. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com.