Tuesday, March 04, 2008

I give you Exhibit A: the City Business article detailing 47 RSD schools on the chopping block:

Thirty-four schools — Abrams, Alexander, Bienville, Bradley, Coghill, Gordon, Jordan, Little Woods, Osborne, Sherwood Forest, Arthur Ashe, Lafon, LaSalle, Fisk-Howard, Hoffman, Hynes, Morris F.X. Jeff, Terrell, Wheatley, Wilson, Edison, Edwards, Haley, Hardin, Lockett, Morial, Moton, Tubman, Hansberry, Langston Hughes, Shaw, Waters, Chester and Dunbar Elementary Schools - have all been slated for replacement.

Thirteen more schools — Gregory and Priestly junior high schools, Lake Forest Montessori and Parkview magnets, Woodson, Phillips, Lake Area and Augustine middle schools, L.B. Landry, Schwartz Alternative, Abramson, G.W. Carver and Lawless high schools — also face the wrecking ball if recommendations are finalized.

Exhibit B: from the New Orleans School Facilities Master Plan site:

March 4th, 2008

6 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Village de l'Est Elementary

5100 Cannes Street.
New Orleans, LA 70129

DISCUSSES THE FOLLOWING SCHOOL SITES:

Abrams Elementary School
Gaudet Elementary School
Jordan Elementary School
Lake Forest Montessori School
Little Woods Elementary School
Livingston Middle School
Morial Elementary School
Osborne Elementary School
Schaumburg Elementary School
Sherwood Forest Elementary School
Village de l’Est Elementary School
Fannie C. Williams Middle School

And, yes, March 4th is tonight.

Exhibit C: The Lake Forest Montessori School building summary:

Current Use: Vacant Building - Designated as “School Buildings Demolition Project”

CITYWIDE MEETING RESULTS
Community Considerations / Priority to Community
Size of the student pop. near the site.........................................60% = high
Demographic makeup of student pop........................................50% = high
Ability for the school to serve as catalyst for future repop.....60% = high
School is above flood elevation....................................................36% = high
36% = medium
Cultural significance of school building.......................................44% = medium
42% = high
Historic or architectural significance of school building...........49% = high
Potential for school building expansion on site.........................62% = high
Potential for expanding schools into new sites..........................55% = high
Availability for open space at or near school site......................66% = high
Availability of athletic fields at or near school site....................66% = high
Availability of large performance venue at/near school site...50% = high
School is within walking dist. of the neighborhood it serves....67% = high
School is near public transportation............................................67% = high
School is near libraries, health clinics or other comm. services..66% = high

Community use of school after hours and on weekends....very important (84%)
Maximum walking distance to elementary school......................1/2 mile (84%)
Maximum walking distance to high school................................ 1 mile (42.2%)
School construction with unlimited funds...............................new facility (44.5%)
cost effective (34.4 %)
Alternative school property uses...........................................community use (33%)

Exhibit D: Lake Forest Montessori School, March 4, 2008, approx. 2 PM:

The sign attached to the fence has an address for Lake Forest Elementary Charter, on Hayne Blvd, which leads us to...

Exhibit E:

Old Lake Forest Montessori to New Lake Forest Charter
Total Est. Distance: 3.57 miles

So now the folks who wanted quality schooling for their children in the area Lake Forest Montessori used to serve must now enroll their kids in private schools or get in a car and schlep to the lakefront.

I'm intrigued now. I wish I were able to attend tonight's meeting to see if anybody knows of this. What was the RSD's detailed "school buildings demolition project" all about? We know the buildings were flooded. We also know that the buildings can be knocked down - it's happening all over the city.

How did the RSD "finalize" their demolition plans if the community meeting was going on tonight? Did they use a time machine? Did they read minds?

Do they really care about what the community thinks?

Does the word "farce" come to mind?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

That's what I'm talking about.

Anonymous said...

This is a great use of blogging, Leigh.