July 4, 200618 yr From the 7/4/06 Enquirer: City schools might scale back again 9 fewer sites included in plan BY JENNIFER MROZOWSKI | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER Nine schools could be cut from the Cincinnati Public School District's $1 billion construction plan if board members approve a proposal submitted Monday by Superintendent Rosa Blackwell to reduce the project's scope. Blackwell proposed building and renovating 55 schools instead of 64 because of declining enrollment and rising construction costs. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060704/NEWS0102/607040352/-1/rss
July 6, 200618 yr From the 7/6/06 Enquirer: Fewer new schools needed But CPS board, Blackwell disagree on number to cut from plan BY JENNIFER MROZOWSKI | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER A majority on the board of education for Cincinnati Public Schools want more than nine schools cut from the district's $1 billion building plan. Four members on the seven-member board said Superintendent Rosa Blackwell's plan to cut nine buildings from the 64-school project likely does not go far enough based on enrollment projections by demographic experts. The district has not said which schools would be cut. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060706/NEWS0102/607060351/-1/rss
July 11, 200618 yr CPS to discuss building cuts BY JENNIFER MROZOWSKI | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER A majority of Cincinnati school board members on Monday didn't even want to hear Superintendent Rosa Blackwell's proposal to cut schools from the district's $1 billion construction project. Instead, board members said they plan to continue discussion next week on what factors should be used to decide how many fewer schools to build because of declining enrollment. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060711/NEWS0102/607110337
July 11, 200618 yr Here's a story that appeared in yesterday's Enquirer about local communities' fight to hold CPS to its commitment for community-based schools. Communities fight for schools Idea of cutting 9 or more buildings fires up groups BY JENNIFER MROZOWSKI | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER Community groups have begun lobbying Cincinnati Public Schools to save their neighborhood schools as the district considers cutting nine or more from its nearly $1 billion construction project. District officials aren't saying which schools could be cut from the 64-school plan, but a majority of board members said they want Superintendent Rosa Blackwell to consider more trimming because of declining enrollment. The administration last week proposed 55 schools for 34,865 students by 2011. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060710/NEWS0102/607100332/-1/rss
July 12, 200618 yr Can't they just build smaller schools instead of cutting schools altogether? What hope does CPS have of regaining enrollment if each elementary has to draw from such a large area that it loses its community feeling and connection?
July 18, 200618 yr From the 7/18/06 Enquirer: CPS estimated pupil count reduced Cincinnati board now plans on 31,550 by 2010-11 BY DENISE SMITH AMOS | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER Cincinnati School board members took steps Monday night that might result in fewer schools being built or renovated under the district's $1 billion facilities plan. A board majority voted to reduce the enrollment projections that are the basis for the district's planned construction program. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060718/NEWS0102/607180343/-1/rss
July 19, 200618 yr So the Academy of World Languages, Fairview K-8 and Kilgour K-8 are all scheduled to be finished in a year, but none of them even have finalized designs yet...doesn't that seem a little...I don't know...ambitious?
July 20, 200618 yr Yeah, it sounds WAY ambitious. Keep in mind that CPS hasn't updated their facilities master plan page since February. I bet the update probably pushes them back a year.
July 20, 200618 yr The Fairview German language site has a hole dug for the foundations. I think the plans are finalized and it could easily open for the next school year.
July 24, 200618 yr From the 7/24/06 Enquirer: Demolition begins at Carson THE ENQUIRER WEST PRICE HILL - Demolition begins today on the 25-year-old addition to Cincinnati Public Schools' Carson Neighborhood Elementary School. Principal Claire Kubiak and others are planning to take a sledgehammer to the walls to mark the beginning of demolition. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060724/NEWS01/607240340/1056
August 10, 200618 yr From the 8/9/06 Enquirer: School proposal still under wraps Public records request goes unanswered by school board BY JENNIFER MROZOWSKI | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER The public may never get a chance to see what cuts Superintendent Rosa Blackwell envisioned for the district's $1 billion construction project. The school system has not answered a public records request The Enquirer made more than three weeks ago for a copy of the proposal, which the school board refused to allow her to present last month. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060809/NEWS0102/608090373/1058/NEWS01
August 10, 200618 yr From the 8/10/06 Enquirer: Clifton School won't reopen THE ENQUIRER Clifton School will not reopen this school year because of low enrollment. The school, which had been slated for eventual closure under Cincinnati Public Schools' $1 billion construction plan, had about 100 students enrolled, said district spokeswoman Janet Walsh. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060810/NEWS0102/608100385/1058/NEWS01
August 11, 200618 yr So if your kids were in Clifton, and you opted to take vouchers, and then they close Clifton and send kids to schools that aren't as low-scoring, do you lose your vouchers?
August 11, 200618 yr ^ Great question. I don't know much about the voucher program but I think you are probably right. I am sure that will piss many people off...
August 12, 200618 yr ^^^ I don't know, but it's quite possible that Rockdale students also qualify for vouchers. As for the future of the Clifton School, the board hasn't said anything about that. I wouldn't be surprised if they sell it, possibly to a charter school. From the 8/12/06 Enquirer: School plan may shrink CPS building proposal faces additional revisions BY JENNIFER MROZOWSKI | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER Over the past several months, Cincinnati schools Superintendent Rosa Blackwell developed a proposal to cut nine schools from the district's $1 billion construction plan, but even more might be trimmed based on revised recommendations to be discussed Monday. But before Blackwell could propose her changes publicly, the board told her to create a plan that includes deeper cuts. The Enquirer obtained a copy of Blackwell's original proposal after filing an Open Records request. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060812/NEWS0102/608120348/-1/rss
August 15, 200618 yr CPS capacity equation unsolved Superintendent, board mull seat and building reductions BY JENNIFER MROZOWSKI | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER Cincinnati Public Schools Superintendent Rosa Blackwell hopes to blunt the cuts to the $1 billion construction project by reducing the size of some of the schools being built or renovated throughout the city, as well as removing some schools from the plan. Blackwell on Monday offered that option to board members, who are wrestling with how to cut the project because of declining enrollment and cost overruns. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060815/NEWS0102/608150340
August 24, 200618 yr From the 8/23/06 Enquirer: PHOTO: A student walks the front stairs at the new Woodward Career Technical High School Tuesday, the first day of its use. At $41.4 million, the new Woodward is the most expensive new school in Cincinnati's rebuilding project so far. THE ENQUIRER / GARY LANDERS PHOTO: Larry Ballew, principal of the new Woodward Career Technical High School, says the new school, while big, is designed to feel like a smaller setting because of the separate wings. THE ENQUIRER / GARY LANDERS Historic Woodward becomes tribute to the future BY JENNIFER MROZOWSKI | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER BOND HILL - One of the oldest public high schools in the country has been reborn. The new $41.4 million Woodward Career Technical High School, which opened the new school year Tuesday, is the first new high school built for Cincinnati Public Schools since Aiken High School opened in 1962. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060823/NEWS0102/608230366/1058/NEWS01 From the 8/23/06 Price Hill Press: PHOTO: Demolition crews from Spring Construction started razing the front segment of Carson School in preparation for the building of a new school on the site. Carson is open during construction. KURT BACKSCHEIDER/COMMUNITY PRESS STAFF Carson School open during construction BY KURT BACKSCHEIDER | COMMUNITY PRESS STAFF WRITER PRICE HILL -- Carson School may appear as though it's being torn down, but the school is open for business. The school office has been relocated inside the original two-story building and Carson, 4323 Glenway Ave., was open for students on the first day of school, Tuesday, Aug. 22. http://news.communitypress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060823/NEWS01/608230723/1140/Local
August 25, 200618 yr How old is the original Carson school???? If its an older, historic school, it will be a shame to lose it. =-0( If I remember correctly there's an extremely old building. When I was younger I took jazz and hiphop dance lessons there after school..it was fun. No wonder i'm so good at dancing to this day :] Edit: Theres a picture of the school on the link Grasscat gave in his post. I'm not sad at all to see it go. If you've seen Price Hill through the last 6 years like I have, you'd know that that area has barely changed, except for the worse and they really need to do new things in the area. I'm a big fan of mixing the old with the new. I don't think that school was really anything special and it would have probably been extremely expensive to fix and maintain.
August 28, 200618 yr i really am happy with a lot of these school designs ^Most of these school designs SUCK!! Sure they are new bldgs, but most are bunkers away from the neighborhood. I would have thought that CPS would have kept their elementary schools (at least) within walking distance to the majority of their students. There are only a few of the schools that actually look good, IMO. This is partially the fault of the state requiring huge swaths of land for school sites (something like 10 acres). It is rediculous, especially for urban school districts....just another policy that facilitates the fundamental elements of sprawl! So far I have been greatly dissapointed with the many of the final products that have come from the CPS construction plan. But I guess if I look at it as the glass is half full, then its nice to see that the students actually have sanitary/functional learning spaces now. :|
August 28, 200618 yr But I guess if I look at it as the glass is half full, then its nice to see that the students actually have sanitary/functional learning spaces now. :| If Riverview East Academy's interior is any indication of the thought and innovation that's gone into the other school, then no doubt, the learning spaces are phenomenal. But then Riverview Academy also has a very interesting exterior, and is definitely all-around a cool facility...
September 12, 200618 yr From the 9/7/06 Community Press: Grant to support learning The Greater Cincinnati Foundation has announced a $1 million grant in support of Cincinnati Public Schools' Community Learning Centers. In 2006-07, Community Learning Centers will be launched in nine pilot schools. The goal is to implement them in up to a third of Cincinnati Public Schools over five years. The goal of school-based Community Learning Centers is to help re-engage the broader community with the school to support student and family success. By providing a variety of academic and family support services and enrichment programs for children and families, teachers and principals can focus their attention on academics. http://news.communitypress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/C2/20060907/NEWS03/609070355/
September 22, 200618 yr CPS saves taxpayers cash BY JENNIFER MROZOWSKI | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER Cincinnati school officials say they have figured out a way to save district taxpayers $49 million. School officials announced Thursday that the district had refinanced $397 million in bonds that voters approved for the district's nearly $1 billion construction project. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060922/NEWS0102/609220371/1058/NEWS01
September 23, 200618 yr From the 9/21/06 Enquirer: Avondale parents fight for Burton School's advocates: Student achievement is improving BY JENNIFER MROZOWSKI | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER AVONDALE - A group of parents and community leaders are rallying to save a school from possible closure. They don't want to see Burton School go on the chopping block when Cincinnati Public Schools reduces the number of buildings planned for rehabilitation as part of its $1 billion construction project. Some schools may be cut because of cost overruns and declining enrollment. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060921/NEWS0102/609210363/1058/NEWS01
September 28, 200618 yr Both from the 9/26/06 Enquirer: Blackwell says 'talks' not a meeting BY JENNIFER MROZOWSKI | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER Some Cincinnati school board members on Monday questioned whether Superintendent Rosa Blackwell's plan to hold one-on-one private meetings with each member to discuss the district's $1 billion building project would be legal. Blackwell on Monday laid out a timeline for when she would unveil proposed changes to the project, but said she planned to meet with board members individually to get input and discuss her ideas before the formal public presentation on Nov. 13. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060926/NEWS0102/609260339/1058/NEWS01 PHOTO: Withrow High students leave school with the clock tower in the background. The tower, which has fallen into disrepair and become a safety hazard, will undergo restoration with the help of alumni donations. The Enquirer/Carrie Cochran Withrow set to renovate landmark clock tower Alumni contribute $35,000 for repairs BY JENNIFER MROZOWSKI | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER When people see the soaring brick clock tower next to the Georgian Revival-style school on Madison Road in Hyde Park, many wonder whether if it's part of a college campus or prestigious private school. But the tower actually is the centerpiece landmark of one of the city's oldest public high schools - Withrow High School. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060926/NEWS0102/609260345/1058/NEWS01
October 8, 200618 yr From the 10/4/06 Price Hill Press: Construction of new $15 million Carson School to start in March BY KURT BACKSCHEIDER | COMMUNITY PRESS STAFF WRITER PRICE HILL -- Students, parents and teachers at Carson School are getting excited -- architects are putting the finishing touches on the design of their new school. They can see the pictures on display in the main hallway and now they just have to wait in anticipation for their new community learning center to be completed. http://news.communitypress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061004/NEWS01/610040772/1140/Local
October 12, 200618 yr I wonder how we're gonna be able to reverse this trend to where the schools aren't as bad. Walnut Hills and SCPA take a huge chunk of the smart and creative kids. Catholic schools take a huge portion of middle class students and I think that's more of a status thing than anything else--"you send your kids to a Cincinnati public school? eww..." Not trying to be a pessimist but I just don't see a solution for turning us into a society that isn't status driven and I really think the school situation has a lot to do with that.
October 19, 200618 yr $20 million grant to aid math, science BY STEVE KEMME | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER October 19, 2006 PHOTO: Scott Donnelly, President and CEO, GE Aviation, announces GE's $20 million "College Bound" math and science focused grant to Cincinnati Public Schools at Hughes Center in University Heights Thursday October 19, 2006. The Enquirer / Gary Landers CLIFTON – With great fanfare, the General Electric Co. announced today at the Hughes Center auditorium a five-year, $20 million grant to strengthen Cincinnati Public Schools’ math and science program. The grant, which comes from the GE Foundation, is the largest non-governmental grant ever given to Cincinnati Public Schools. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061019/NEWS01/310190016
October 23, 200618 yr Cincinnati schools to share federal grant CINCINNATI ENQUIRER October 23, 2006 CINCINNATI - U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings announced in Cincinnati today that four Ohio school districts, including Cincinnati Public Schools, will share a $20 million grant to improve teaching and learning. The grant is supposed to go toward financial incentives for schools and teachers that raise achievement in high-poverty districts. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061023/NEWS01/310230026
October 25, 200618 yr ^You focus on prevention strategies and getting kids who can 1. Read at the appropriate grade level 2. Do grade level math 3. Display social literacy This is boilerplate. This requires good primary education that understands that when talking about the social context of pass/fail respects and demolishes the socio-economic parameters that stymie child development. On the related point it requires people to give a crap about the well being of other families and the kids that they produce.
October 25, 200618 yr Photos updated October 24, 2006. All of these shots were taken October 13-19, 2006. New photos: Bond Hill Douglass Hays Millvale Mt. Airy Roberts Shroder The status of each school was updated September, 2006. Cost figures are building construction costs. These have been updated for September 2006. Completed projects, however, have not been updated. A full update with photos and renderings is available here. The text portion of the facilities "update" hasn't been updated since February, but the photos are current: http://www.cps-k12.org/general/facilities/Schools/FMPSchools.htm Schools Opened Rockdale K-8 (Avondale) (new construction, $16.8M) STATUS: Opened January 2005 Rockdale photo archive Midway K-8 (Westwood) (new construction, $18.4M) STATUS: Opened August 2005 Midway photo archive Roll Hill K-8 (North Fairmount) (new construction, $12.9M) STATUS: Opened August 2005 Roll Hill photo archive Winton Hills K-8 (Winton Hills) (new construction, $11.7M) STATUS: Opened August 2005 Winton Hills photo archive Pleasant Hill K-8 (College Hill) (new construction, $13.2M) STATUS: Opened November 2005 Pleasant Hill photo archive Riverview East Academy K-12 (East End) (new construction, $22.7M) STATUS: Opened January 2006 Riverview East Academy photo archive See RiverViewer's open house photo thread Woodward HS (Bond Hill) (new construction, $47.8M) STATUS: Opened August 2006 Woodward photo archive Cheviot K-8 (Cheviot) (renovation, $16.4M) STATUS: Opened August 2006 Cheviot photo archive Rees E. Price Academy K-8 (Price Hill) (new construction, $13.2M) STATUS: Opened August 2006. Temporary home of Whittier School. Rees E. Price photo archive Schools Opening Soon Millvale K-8 (Millvale/South Cumminsville) (new construction, $10.5M) STATUS: Exterior completed, interior finishes and parking lots remain. Completion November 2006. OPENS: January 2007. Millvale photo archive Shroder 7-12 (Madisonville) (new construction, $15.1M) STATUS: Exterior completed, interior finishes remain. Completion January 2007. OPENS: Likely January 2007. Shroder photo archive Roberts K-8 (Price Hill) (new construction, $15.8M) STATUS: Precast exterior and interior walls going up. Completion March 2007. OPENS: Likely after Spring Break 2007. Roberts photo archive Schools Under Construction Withrow HS (Hyde Park) (renovation, $38.1M) STATUS: Gym, kitchen and cafeteria completed. Withrow International moved into south wings April 2006. Withrow University moves into north wings Spring Break 2007. Demolition of vocational building, renovation of stadium, construction finishes summer 2007. OPENS: Remains open. Completed summer 2007. Withrow photo archive Douglass K-8 (Walnut Hills) (new construction, $12.7M) STATUS: Exterior walls and structural framing. Completion fall 2007. OPENS: Fall 2007. Douglass photo archive Hays K-8 (West End) (new construction, $12.7M) STATUS: Exterior walls and structural framing. Completion fall 2007. OPENS: Likely fall 2007. Hays photo archive Schools Up Next Academy of World Languages (Walnut Hills/Evanston) (new construction, $14.3M) STATUS: Foundation work underway. Completed January 2008. Bond Hill K-8 (Bond Hill) (new construction, $11.9M) STATUS: Site cleared and bids awarded. Construction begins soon. Completion spring 2008. Bond Hill photo archive Site Plans and Elevations Mt. Airy K-8 (Mt. Airy) (new construction, $13.8M) STATUS: Bids awarded, demolition completed. Construction begins soon after. Completion spring 2008. Mt. Airy photo archive Fairview K-8 (Fairview/Clifton Hts.) (new construction, $13.4M) STATUS: Site cleared and bids awarded. Construction begins soon. Completion spring 2008. Kilgour K-8 (Hyde Park) (renovation, $11.2M) STATUS: Project to be bid soon. Renovation begins October 2006. Completion spring 2008. South Avondale K-8 (Avondale) (new construction, $13.7M) STATUS: Project out for bid, site cleared. Construction to begin after bids awarded. Completion spring 2008. Pleasant Ridge K-8 (Pleasant Ridge) (new construction, $13.4M) STATUS: Project out for bid, site cleared. Construction begins November 2006. Completion summer 2008. Covedale K-8 (Price Hill) (new construction, $11.7M) STATUS: Demolition occurring. Construction begins spring 2007. Completion fall 2008. Whittier K-8 (East Price Hill) (new construction, $13.5M) STATUS: Demolition begins early 2007. Construction begins spring 2007. Completion fall 2008. Carson K-8 (Price Hill) (new construction, $11.4M) STATUS: Partially demolished. Construction begins spring 2007. Completion December 2008. Parker K-8 (Madisonville) (new construction, $12.2M) STATUS: Design still in progress. Project bid in summer 2007. Completion summer 2009. Hughes Center HS (University Hts.) (renovation, $44.9M) STATUS: Design still in progress. Construction begins summer 2007, done in phases. Completion summer 2009. Roselawn Condon (Roselawn) K-8 (renovation, $7.1M) STATUS: Design in progress. Construction begins fall 2007. Completion summer 2009. SCPA/Schiel K-12 (Over-the-Rhine) (new construction, $70.4M) STATUS: Final design still in progress. Construction begins spring 2007. Completion fall 2009. Sands Montessori K-8 (new construction, $12.6M) STATUS: Design underway. Construction begins late 2007. Completion fall 2009. Future Projects Hoffman School STATUS: Time frame pushed back due to indecision on school site...also awaiting a partnership with Xavier University Jacobs Center K-8 (Winton Hills) (new construction, $16.5M) STATUS: Students to moved to Aiken...no timetable for construction New Montessori High School (Heinold site) STATUS: Pending CPS review Oyler K-8 (Lower Price Hill) (renovation, $15.1M) STATUS: No timetable for beginning, may become a K-12 school instead...students move to building on Poplar St. during construction, complete summer 2007 Rothenberg K-8 (Mt. Auburn) (renovation, $10.8M) STATUS: Was supposed to begin fall 2005...students move to Vine school building during construction, complete spring 2007...Vine then closed Washington Park K-8 (Over-the-Rhine) (new construction, $13.2M) STATUS: in limbo Central Fairmount K-8 (South Fairmount) (renovation, $12.1M) Academy of Multilingual Immersion Studies (AMIS) K-8 Aiken HS (College Hill) Bloom K-8 (West End) Burton K-8 (Avondale) Bramble K-8 (Madisonville) Chase K-8 (Northside) Clark Montessori K-8 College Hill K-8 (College Hill) Dater High 7-12 (Westwood) Dater Montessori K-6 (Westwood) Gamble K-8 (Westwood) Hartwell K-8 (Hartwell) Hyde Park K-8 (Hyde Park) Losantiville K-8 (Roselawn/Golf Manor) Military Academy Mt. Washington K-8 (Mt. Washington) North Avondale K-8 (North Avondale) Parham K-8 (Evanston) Porter K-8 (West End) Quebec Heights K-8 (East Price Hill) Sayler Park K-8 (Sayler Park) Schwab K-8 (Northside) Silverton K-8 (Silverton) Taft High (West End) Taft K-8 (Mt. Auburn) Walnut Hills HS (Walnut Hills) Western Hills HS (Price Hill) Westwood K-8 (Westwood) Woodford K-8 (Kennedy Hts.)
October 30, 200618 yr From the 10/24/06 Enquirer: Don't move school, Winton parents ask BY JENNIFER MROZOWSKI | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER More than two dozen supporters of Winton Montessori turned out at the Cincinnati Public Schools board meeting Monday to ask the district to keep the school in Winton Place. A new school to house the program is slated to be built in Northside, where Schwab School is now. But parents and Winton Place residents, including Cincinnati Councilman Chris Monzel, said the school should stay where it is. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061024/NEWS0102/610240345/1058/NEWS01
November 6, 200618 yr CPS construction project changing THE ENQUIRER Recommended changes to Cincinnati Public Schools' $1 billion construction project are expected to be presented to the board Wednesday at 4 p.m. The changes, prompted by declining enrollment and cost overruns, originally had been scheduled to be presented to the board of education Nov. 13. The presentation will be at the district's headquarters, at 2651 Burnet Ave. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061106/NEWS0102/611060351
November 6, 200618 yr Parents try to save school THE ENQUIRER Parents and residents who want Carthage Paideia Academy to remain open are planning to rally at Cincinnati Public Schools' Board of Education meeting at 7 p.m. today. Carthage Paideia is slated to close as part of the district's $1 billion construction plan. The school's supporters plan to meet at Carthage Paideia, 125 W. North Bend Road, at 5 p.m. to arrange carpooling to the district's headquarters. If you need transportation, call Valerie Roberts at 513-283-4213. The district's headquarters is at 2651 Burnet Ave. in Corryville. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061106/NEWS01/611060380/1056/COL02
November 17, 200618 yr Walnut Hills opposes CPS proposal Supporters protest plans for downsizing prestigious school BY JENNIFER MROZOWSKI | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER Walnut Hills High School parents and alumni are rallying around their prestigious school, which is recommended for downsizing under a new administration belt-tightening plan. Supporters have launched a letter-writing campaign to urge Cincinnati Public Schools to reconsider downsizing the building when officials revise the district's building program. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061117/NEWS0102/611170369/1077/COL02
November 17, 200618 yr So what exactly are the parents demanding here? That the School Board create children or something? Maybe bus them across town to fill in the ranks of students? Or maybe there's plenty of kids, and they'd rather see someone else's neighborhood school closed down and the kids sent to Walnut Hills? Seems to me that planning your facility capacity around the expected size of the student body would hardly "decimate" anything. I'd be interested to know the thinking involved from someone who believes otherwise - anyone out there familiar with the other side of this argument?
November 17, 200618 yr Here's the body of an e-mail that's making the rounds on the subject: Date: November 15, 2006 To: The Cincinnati Board of Education From: Walnut Hills High School Local School Decision-Making Committee (LSDMC) Walnut Hills High School Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) Walnut Hills High School Alumni Foundation Walnut Hills High School Association (Parent Board) cc: Rosa Blackwell, Superintendent of Schools Re: Revised Facilities Master Plan proposal As devoted supporters of Walnut Hills High School and Cincinnati Public Schools, we are stunned with disbelief regarding recent developments affecting CPS and our school¯a center of excellence that is lauded as the top public high school by the Ohio Board of Education and is rated the 65th best one of the top 50 out of 24,000 public high schools in the nation by Newsweek magazine. It is appalling that our principal, Marvin Koenig,without previous consultation, received a phone call stating that our current enrollment base of 1800+ is to be reduced by 465 students. We are truly alarmed that the superintendent would submit to the school board a proposal that would school board would consider decimate this fine institution of learning and achievement. We understand the need to "right-size" the school district and the Facilities Master Plan (FMP) because of declining district enrollment. It is an egregious mistake not to back your winners versus applying a statistical base, which does not reflect the reality of our situation. Slashing Walnut Hills by 25 percent (465 students in a current enrollment of 1,800+) would not be logical or justified. Such cuts would represent, in reality, a declaration that the Board of Education has decided to terminate one of the most successful high schools in America. Please consider the following: 1) Walnut Hills has succeeded more than any other CPS school in attracting children into the district. We have fought the trend of the district's declining enrollment by spending our own money to market Walnut Hills, to attract more students and to help retain more of those students through graduation. Currently more than half of Walnut's students never attended another Cincinnati Public school prior to enrolling in Walnut Hills. Our long history of and current academic excellence has attracted almost 1,000 new parochial, private, charter, and out- of- district children. This translates to approximately $6.5 million in revenue for the district. We truly believe that with reasonable, equitable support and encouragement from the board and district administration, we can stabilize our numbers and maintain the academics that make Walnut Hills a stellar citywide school. 2) This newest FMP proposal would force the school to shrink its curriculum to a point where it would be virtually indistinguishable from other public high schools. For certain, Walnut Hills no longer could offer the acclaimed academic program that attracts students and their families. 3) We are told this revised proposal is meant to be equitable, to spread the pain evenly throughout the school system. The sacrifices spelled out for the secondary schools come nowhere close to the extreme reduction proposed for Walnut Hills. What is equitable about targeting only five secondary schools for enrollment cuts, and making the most successful one of all suffer 32 percent of the 1,465 total reduction for those five schools? Success should be applauded, not penalized. 4) Is this only about projected future enrollment for all Cincinnati Public Schools, or is it also about the costs of the total Facilities Master Plan? It appears that the schools that fell into Phases III and IV of the FMP are being made to suffer because of cost overruns in Phases I and II. We understand that higher costs in building materials were beyond the district's control. There is ample evidence that better management could have controlled some of those delays and project overruns. The answer to shortcomings in administration and oversight is not to devastate the system's best schools. 5) Remember the law of unintended consequences. In recent years, closing or downsizing schools has resulted in net enrollment losses that far exceeded the reduction targets that were sought. Just days after our successful November 5 open house, which attracted over 400 families, we were notified of this radical downsizing. Prospective families contact us on a daily basis as they waiver about their school choice for next year. This has become a marketing nightmare, causing more damage than one can imagine. Perceptions become reality. We understand that CPS wants to send a message to the community that the school board is being financially responsible. The community is hearing a different message: CPS penalizes success. This message will further erode the image of Cincinnati Public Schools. The board plans to meet this Friday, November 17, to discuss this revised FMP, and to take action on Nov. 27. We respectfully request that: The current plan be rejected. There is no justification in implementing this enrollment reduction. The board reconsiders the Superintendent's original recommendation that called for no reductions at Walnut Hills. The Walnut Hills community have ample opportunity to gather information and interact with both the administration and the board before action is taken. As evidence of good will for the public school system and our own Walnut Hills High School, alumni and parents have invested over $25 million in the past ten years dollars for various improvements and enhancements to maintain our program of excellence. An agreement was signed with CPS on November 16, 1994, which indicated "when and if the Cincinnati Public School District raised the needed capital improvement revenues, Walnut Hills would still get its fair share from those revenues." We are confident that CPS will uphold their end of the bargain. We believe the sound financial management of the school system and its FMP do not require dismantling the school that is commonly called the "crown jewel" of Cincinnati. Respectfully submitted, Trip Wolf, Chair LSDMC Paul Filio, Chair ILT Neil Bortz, President WHHS Alumni Foundation Marcia Scacchetti, President WHHS Association (Parent Board)
November 17, 200618 yr OK, that makes a hell of a lot more sense than the quotes in the article. From the sound of the article, the argument was, "you want to shut Walnut Hills down because we're successful." Obviously that's bullshit - nobody would argue that. And then it was further buffered by talking about just how good they are - which doesn't address the point. But the email is more thorough. It asserts that there's a tipping point between 1400 and 1800 students - it can offer programs and classes and services at 1800 students that it cannot offer at 1400. I wish they'd have fleshed that argument out a little more thoroughly, because that is a crux here - in the email, it's just asserted; I'd love to see some numbers and examples to back it up. And secondly, it seems to say that Walnut Hills is losing more students than the other targeted schools. Of course, I can't tell from this email if that's because it was bigger to begin with - like, if 32% of the students in those five schools currently go to Walnut Hills, then WH losing 32% of the enrollment is not an unfair targeting at all. It may be unwise policy, but it's not unfair, as implied. And thirdly, it explains that Walnut Hills is getting the short end of the stick because it happened to be in a later phase of the CPS master plan; now, since there's obviously no going back and revising Phases I and II, I'm not sure that this is a strong argument for anything other than holding those responsible for poor judgement accountable at the next round of elections - I mean, we are where we are today either way - but still, it's a logical explanation for how we got here. Do you (or does anyone) know any details/examples about how 1400 is radically different from 1800, or about the other schools that are getting coddled at Walnut Hills' expense? Or am I all wet here?
November 17, 200618 yr Please excuse me for posting a lot of these old stories, but I believe they are worth reading. I am currently working on a scientific formula that will allow me to stretch the length of a day to 30 hours, which will give me time to actually keep up with the news! :D From the 11/6/06 Enquirer: City schools agree to payment delay to help Hamilton County with budget BY KIMBALL PERRY | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER Cincinnati Public Schools are giving up $40 million during the next four years to get $54 million a generation from now - partly to help out Hamilton County and its attempt to stave off a stadium deficit. Cincinnati Public Schools will forego for four years the $10.5 million it receives from the county as part of the 1996 agreement that was part of Hamilton County building stadiums for the Bengals and Reds. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061106/NEWS01/611060387/1056/COL02 From the 11/3/06 Western Hills Press: Students, staff enjoy benefits of Cheviot School renovation 'When they opened the building, I remember walking in and thinking, ' This is surreal. '" BY JENNIFER MROZOWSKI | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER Teachers, students and staff couldn't be happier now that the $12 million renovation of Cheviot School is complete after nearly three years of work. "I think it's a lot better," said eighth-grader Chris Coleman, 14. "There's a lot more space." http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061103/NEWS0102/611030353/1058/NEWS01
November 17, 200618 yr From the 11/9/06 Enquirer: CPS could lop off 13 schools $1B construction plan would drop to 51 schools BY JENNIFER MROZOWSKI | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER Cincinnati Public School officials on Wednesday recommended cutting 13 schools from the district's $1 billion construction project, which could affect neighborhoods from East Price Hill to Hyde Park. The cuts, if approved by the school board, would be the most drastic changes made to date to the 2002 building plan. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061109/NEWS0102/611090397/1058/NEWS01
November 17, 200618 yr From the 11/11/06 Enquirer: CPS critics aghast at latest cuts Shrink Walnut Hills? Drop plan for a new Montessori? BY JENNIFER MROZOWSKI | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER Cutting some schools from Cincinnati Public Schools' $1 billion construction project because of declining enrollment seemed like a no-brainer. But few people expected that buildings like the highly selective Walnut Hills High School and Montessori schools would be renovated or built to accommodate fewer students than they do now. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061111/NEWS0102/611110355/1058/NEWS01
November 17, 200618 yr From the 11/15/06 Enquirer: School board, council meet jointly Truancy, bus routes, security among items on agenda BY JENNIFER MROZOWSKI | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER Cincinnati City Council and the Cincinnati Public Schools Board of Education held their first joint meeting in two years Tuesday, and the group was a little rusty. School board member Florence Newell wasn't even sure how to be recognized to speak at the City Hall get-together, which was convened to discuss issues that affect both entities. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20061115/NEWS0102/611150352/
November 17, 200618 yr "This is a revenue-neutral agreement," Walsh agreed. How do you take $40MM today, and have it only turn into $54MM in 22-16 years? That's revenue neutral? I'm sorry, only if your cost of capital is somewhere around 1.5%. Which it ain't. If the CPS had to pay 5% for its money, it could take the first two year's worth of $10.5MM payments, blow it all on puppies and flowers, and then it would be a break-even deal. Or it could build itself a $21MM jail and charge the county to house its own truants there! the school district wanted to be a good neighbor but also because the district hopes the agreement will pave the way for future agreements allowing the schools to use the county-owned stadiums - possibly for sporting, band or other events ...I wish I had neighbors who would loan me millions of dollars at 1.5% interest, I can tell you that much...
November 18, 200618 yr Top schools spared CPS cuts Superintendent ordered to revise plan to consider academic ratings BY JENNIFER MROZOWSKI | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER Walnut Hills High School and other high-achieving Cincinnati public schools would not be downsized under a revised construction proposal to be developed in the next 10 days by Superintendent Rosa Blackwell. School Board President Susan Cranley asked Blackwell during a board meeting Friday to reconsider proposed changes to the $1 billion construction project. Cranley wants a plan in which schools with the two highest of five state achievement rankings do not lose student capacity when they are renovated or rebuilt. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061118/NEWS0102/611180363
November 28, 200618 yr 13 CPS schools being cut Board saves capacity of Walnut Hills, others BY JENNIFER MROZOWSKI | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER Thirteen schools are being eliminated from Cincinnati Public Schools' $1 billion construction project, but the enrollment capacity in the district's most successful programs will be preserved. At the end of a 3½-hour meeting Monday, the board voted 4-2 to scale back the districtwide facilities project to 51 schools accommodating 32,315 students. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061128/NEWS0102/611280352
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