Recapping the RSD’s Fourth Public Meeting on School Facility Assignments

On Tuesday, January 25, the Recovery School District (RSD) held its fourth public meeting on the proposed building assignments for school programs in New Orleans.  This meeting was held at Greater Gentilly High School, and focused on schools and communities in City Council District D.  Approximately 200 people attended, including State Senator J.P. Morrell, District D representative Cynthia Hedge-Morrell, and representatives from several schools and neighborhood organizations.

Senator Morrell opened the meeting by thanking the community members in attendance, saying it was a testament to their dedication that they were there.  He said he would take everyone’s questions with him to the Senate Education Committee.  He added his belief that for charter schools to succeed, their neighborhoods must support them.

Next, as in the previous three meetings, RSD Director of Capital Projects Lona Hankins gave a presentation on the history of the School Facilities Master Plan for Orleans Parish (SFMP) and an update on some aspects of the capital program.  (To see the presentation, click here).  The following are noteworthy points:

• The new demographic study shows that current enrollment is about 2,000 students higher than projected when the SFMP was adopted in 2008.
• The RSD has about 6,000 students in modular classrooms, and they are working to reduce that number, but will still have some in modulars at the end of Phase 1 of school construction, and possibly later.
• They have completed six projects, and seven more are underway.
• They are actively trying to remove blight.
• They have formed three working groups to study certain issues relevant the upcoming amendments to the SFMP – educational specifications, technical specifications, and possible renovations (click here to read more about the groups).  Once the RSD formulates the proposed amendments, it will hold meetings for public input.

Next, RSD Superintendent Paul Vallas spoke further on the process of amending the SFMP.  He said that this month the RSD will complete its five public meetings on facilities assignments, in February they will begin analyzing the new demographic data and drafting the amendments, and in April they will hold five meetings for public comment.  Next, in May they will submit final drafts of the amendments to the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) and the Orleans Parish School Board (OPSB), both of which must approve the amendments before they are adopted.  Superintendent Vallas then discussed school buildings designated as landbanked and landbanked-occupied.  He said there are a number of schools currently unassigned to buildings, and it will take time to decide which schools go where as facilities are built over the next few years.  Schools that are set for landbanking but are currently occupied will by kept in the inventory, and the RSD is currently evaluating the economic feasibility of renovating them.  To see the proposed assignments for District D, click here.

The public comment period followed.  Councilwoman Cynthia Hedge-Morrell spoke to welcome the crowd and say she was interested to hear what everyone had to say.   Greater Gentilly High School was the topic of much ensuing discussion, with many people voicing their opinions on a proposed merger between Greater Gentilly and Thurgood Marshall-UNO Early College High School.  Several parents of Greater Gentilly students said that they love their school as it is and do not want Marshall to be merged into it.  Many praised the school’s principal, Beverly Johnson, and its staff, teachers, technology and building, and oppose having the management of the school taken over by the UNO-Capital One Charter Network (UNO), as seems likely with the merger.  Some felt that UNO schools haven’t performed well and didn’t want Greater Gentilly’s positive trajectory disrupted by changing to UNO management.  A few parents also said that in the event of a merger, Greater Gentilly students and school culture should be prioritized in the merged school.  A number of Greater Gentilly students spoke as well.  One said she wants to stay with Principal Johnson, and told about how she was welcomed at Greater Gentilly upon returning from to New Orleans from evacuation, while another student read a poem about how much she likes the school.  Finally, a member of the Greater Gentilly Steering Committee said he felt that the RSD has not been receptive to the committee’s input regarding planning for the school.

On the other side of the issue, a representative from the Oak Park Civic Association spoke in favor of the merger and bringing UNO management to Greater Gentilly.  She said that her association had written the initial Quick Start application to the RSD to bring a high-tech school to the neighborhood, and that the RSD has not followed the planned curriculum for the school.  She said that communication with the RSD has been difficult, and her group as well as the Gentilly Civic Association support UNO/Marshall’s move to Greater Gentilly’s building.

In addition to the debate over Greater Gentilly and Marshall, community members spoke about several other schools.  Teachers from Coghill asserted their desire for the Parkview site.  A member of the Fairmount Park Association said they would like to have a school on the river side of Gentilly Boulevard, and asked about putting Capdau at the Bradley site.  Members of the John F. Kennedy Alumni Association said they would like a high school to have the JFK name.  A representative of the Ruby Bridges Foundation said that the foundation is working to apply for a school at the Frantz site and does not want to see Mays Prep get the site.  He noted that the Lockett site does not have a school program assigned, and the Desire neighborhood needs a school, and the foundation would support Mays going there.  Finally, a parent advocate expressed her frustration with the RSD’s process and plan for the Greater Gentilly-Marshall merger.  She feels that the RSD is chartering all schools and people don’t really have a choice, and added her belief that the law requires the RSD to charter all schools, which Superintendent Vallas later said was not the case.

After the comment period, Superintendent Vallas responded to the audience’s questions and concerns.  He explained the Greater Gentilly building is too big to house as few students as it currently does.  Its capacity is 800 students, and it needs at least 700 to be sustainable, but right now it has only 266.  Also, he said, Marshall students who are currently in modulars deserve a good space too.  He said the RSD is considering having two academies, one new-tech and one general, and that UNO must work with the community for a good merger.  He also voiced his support for Principal Johnson and his belief that she has implemented the new-tech curriculum well.  Vallas stressed that the students and faculty from both schools would remain, that the schools and communities must have an open dialogue about the merger, and that the combination would strengthen both schools.

Superintendent Vallas also stated that schools don’t have to be charter schools, and that test scores at both charters and direct-run schools are rising.  Regading Parkview, he said that Coghill is going to that site.  He said there will be a school in Lockett, and that if the Ruby Bridges Foundation wants a school in Frantz, which is currently being rebuilt, they would have to apply for a charter.  Finally, he welcomed the opportunity to talk with JFK alumni about maintaining the legacy of their school.

The meeting closed with a representative of the UNO Charter Network expressing his thoughts about the debate over Greater Gentilly.  He said it pained him to hear the negative opinions from Greater Gentilly supporters about UNO and its charter network.  He wants to establish a relationship with Greater Gentilly supporters, and said UNO is focused on helping students get college degrees.  He praised the courage of the students who spoke earlier,and hopes that UNO can be as courageous as they are.

The RSD has now completed four of their five planned meetings on school facility assignments.  The last meeting, for schools in City Council District E, is at 6 p.m. on January 27, at H.C. Schaumburg School, 9501 Grant St.  The Cowen Institute attend and report on the meeting.

For more on the meeting at Greater Gentilly, see this Times-Picayune article.  For more on the School Facilities Master Plan, see www.rebuildingnolaschools.com.  And to read our reports on the previous three meetings, click the following:  District A, District B, District C.