Research has also confirmed that public schools affect communities and their economic strength (Weiss 2004). Schools influence the reputation, quality of life, and vitality of neighborhoods. Conversely, the quality, vitality, and support of a neighborhood affects local schools. Because school facility improvements mean an influx of capital dollars into a neighborhood, there is great potential to positively impact that community. Evidence increasingly supports the following:
■ School quality has a direct and positive impact on residential property values (Kane et al. 2003);
■ School quality helps determine a localities' quality of life and can affect the ability of an area to attract businesses and workers (Salveson and Renski 2002);
■ Investments in the construction and maintenance of school facilities inject money into local economies through job creation and supply purchases (Economics Center for Education and Research 2003);
■ New or well-maintained school facilities can help revitalize distressed neighborhoods (Local Government Commission 2002);
■ The activities that occur in and around school buildings can help build neighborhood social capital and affect student achievement (Blank et al. 2003).
Page 8 Building Education Success Together -- BEST
http://www.edfacilities.org/pubs/GrowthandDisparity.pdf
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That's good stuff Kim. Good work! So are you speaking?
The points you make highlight one of the reasons that Gold Ridge was chosen for closure: Gold Ridge and La Fiesta comprise 82.7% of the district's capital improvement and deferred maintenance liabilities -- a total of $4.86 million dollars for those two schools alone. If Gold Ridge and La Fiesta remain open, where will that money come from?
We can not save schools and lose programs. We have already lost sports at the middle schools. How much more do you need to lose? If we lose H.S. sports, music, and our libraries more people will leave the district. Which will increase the number of schools that will eventually need to close to meet even further declining budgets and enrollment. Gold Ridge has known their were potential school closures for years, and none of you united to resolve the problem and actually ignored it for years. We need to save our enrichment programs, close a couple of schools and move on. Our children are resiliant - I am sure many of you have suffered far greater things (as children)than having to move to a new school with all of your old friends. Your children are better and stronger than you are giving them credit for. Let them show you how well they can problem solve. I think this is more of a parent issue than a child issue.
In response to "anonymous" and "realist", What are you talking about? No one that I know of involved in Saving our Schools wants to cut programs. We don't want increased class sizes, to cut sports or arts. We WANT our enrichment programs. The purpose of this blog is to share information on how it is in the kids' best interests to keep these schools open. There's clearly a lot of data to support this on this blogspot alone. We are supporting a bigger effort by the district and community to find ways to HELP the district and board keep the schools open. We know our kids could survive this, although there's trauma we'd like to spare them. However, why take away such a great thing, place, school community--whatever you want to call it--if you don't have to? And please don't point fingers at us saying we've "ignored the problem" and imply we didn't bother to unite because we didn't care. We have other lives aside from helping the district do their jobs--our kids , family, and own livelihoods. Perhaps with a little more direction from the district and board, we could have started this much sooner. Things were too vague. I was there at the meetings, I asked questions, but without guidance, I was overwhelmed.
I would have expected better behavior from you at the public forum.
I also would have expected better behavior from you at the public forum. We are on the same side, or at least we should be. To say, and I quote, "we need to close a couple of schools and move on" emphatically shows a lack of understanding in this situation.
In the interest of neighborhoods...
Isn't about 40% of GR families transferring out of their own neighborhoods? If you want to support stability in your neighborhoods, shouldn't you all start with your own backyard/neighborhood? I believe the number may be even greater of those transferring out of La Fiesta, they don't seem to care much about their own neighborhood's either. One more note do you realize that Cotati has only 1 school in the entire city, and only 200 children attend it? Their neighborhoods are doing just fine! The same way your neighborhood does just fine without you supporting it!
I know G section families whose children transfer out of DISTRICT entirely. They either wanted their neighborhood school, Gold Ridge, or another small popular school out of district where their kids' preschool classmates go. Out of the 3 families I know, they chose to go elsewhere based on the risk of Gold Ridge closing. So, how is this helping the district?
Cotati has 2 schools serving it--1/2 of them reside in the La Fiesta school district. I'm not sure what your point is regarding the neighborhoods in Cotati. Our goal is to help the district keep ALL schools open. Why do you have to turn it into a Gold Ridge issue? Yes, we love our school, as I hope the parents and kids at other schools love theirs, and want them to stay open. We're looking at alternatives-Please offer some constructive ideas.
Kelly,
You seem to have lumped me in with anonymous. I didn't say anything about cutting programs. I asked a simple question: given that Gold Ridge and La Fiesta comprise very nearly $5 million in capital and maintenance liabilities, if they remain open where will the money come from?
I also believe it is disingenuous to blame the school board for not telling you years ago that you needed to work to keep your school open. Isn't personal responsibility one of our lifeskills? We're all busy with life; if you chose to concentrate on other matters, don't blame the school board now for your inattention then.
Realist,
As I understand it, the money for school structures comes from a different fund altogether. The District is only liable for 1/2 the costs, the rest gets reimbursed by the state. So, the figures for any of the schools structural and "maintenance liabilities" and might not be reflective of the whole picture. We are trying to come up with ways to help the district, but their decision to close schools seems to be due to the lack of money projected for the "general fund". We are trying to educate ourselves in all the ins and outs in order to HELP the district. Please offer something constructive.
Also, I"m not placing "blame on the school board" for not letting us know about potential closures. I've been going to the district meetings regarding "possible school closures" for the past 2 years. I'm merely saying that it was unrealistic to expect viable answers to specific problems when the ins and outs of how the district works, gets their money, etc, is so convoluted. We did what we could then, we're doing what we can now. Please stop placing blame yourself, and see if you can be more constructive. I don't believe the board wants to close schools--maybe you can help?
Correct me if I am wrong "realist", but I was under the impression no specific school had been selected until the criteria matrix was designed and then schools were matched up to it. Although you appear to have firm beliefs you have chosen to be anonymous so I am assuming you are from somewhere other than La Fiesta and Gold Ridge. According to your logic and the district's continued enrollment projections perhaps you can share with us the measures you are taking now to make sure it is not your school in two or three years?
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