Exploring the Relationship between Facility and Learning

A few thoughts on the impact of facility on the education process-

http://www.coe.uga.edu/sdpl/articlesandpapers/lyons.html

http://www2.ed.gov/offices/OESE/archives/inits/construction/impact2.html

http://www.ecoliteracy.org/essays/when-building-teacher

Phasing Update

To all concerned-

At its meeting on Monday night, the board requested the planning team to study construction of the high school ahead of the middle schools, and elementary schools.  We are reviewing and revising phasing of both concepts and do not as of yet have an updated phasing schedule.  The original phasing statements made by the District still stand “Children attending school in buildings that are closing will only move once, to their new building.”  These students will not be moved from their classrooms into modular classrooms as was indicated on the phasing board at the public meeting.

School Phasing

Many questions were asked Wednesday night about the phasing of the project.  The district is in the process of clarifying this information, and an updated phasing plan will be issued Monday.

Agenda for Wednesday’s Meeting

CH-UH Community Presentation #4
April 18^th, 2012
6:30 – 8:30pm
Agenda

  I.                  Welcome and Opening Remarks (5 minutes)

II.                  Information Sessions (40 minutes)

Nine stations will be set up throughout the room each focused on a particular aspect of the Facilities Master Plan.  Representatives from the District and the Master Planning team will be at each station to answer questions or take comments.

1. Superintendent – Talk with the Superintendent about the vision of the District
2. Idea C – Learn about the current idea for aligning the facilities with the educational program
3. Partnerships – Discuss ideas for partnering and community resources
4. Infrastructure – Learn about the existing facilities
5. Education – Talk with the Assistant Superintendent about education in CH-UH
6. Phasing – Learn how Idea C can be constructed and phased
7. Cost Projection – Discuss the estimated costs for Plan C
8. Pilots – Learn about the pilot student base learning centers that will be constructed this summer
9. Athletics – See how the Stadium and Pool at the High School can be transformed to better serve students and community members

III.                  Presentation (30 minutes)

A presentation about Idea C

IV.                  Open Mic Q&A (45 minutes)
 

Why Re-Purpose Gearity

The District’s proposed Facilities Master Plan — Idea “C”– is the latest version of a comprehensive facilities master plan to fully renovate and upgrade all of our buildings, reduce costly excess space, and align the facilities with the District’s vision for the future of education in our community

• Idea “C” includes the re-purposing of three elementary schools — Fairfax, Noble, and Gearity.

• Idea “C” would transform the high school into a state-of- the-art facility, create three comprehensive intermediate schools (grades four through eight) on the existing middle school sites — Wiley, Monticello, and Roxboro — and locate four primary schools (grades PK through three) on the remaining elementary school sites of  Roxboro, Canterbury, Oxford, and Boulevard.
• Idea “C” is the result of considerable community input, which came from numerous meetings and forums.

• Although Gearity will no longer be used as a school, Idea “C” does include many positive aspects for the City of University Heights.

1. A Cleveland Heights-University Heights school is maintained in University Heights.  The Wiley building will be fully renovated (an $18.5 million investment that will provide an estimated $225,000 in tax revenue to the city) and transformed into a state-of- the-art intermediate school that will include grades four through eight.  This building will educate more children than are currently being educated in University Heights.
2. Currently, 170 school-age children attend Gearity from the City of University Heights.  Under plan “C,” the 107 University Heights fourth andfifth graders from Gearity will attend Wiley Intermediate School.
3. The Board of Education offices and the Transportation and Maintenance Department operations will remain on the Wiley site, thereby preserving significant tax revenue for the City.
4. The John Carroll University Partnership will continue and expand to the new Canterbury Primary School and Wiley Intermediate School.
5. A solid plan to repurpose Gearity with a use that is compatible with, and supportive of, the surrounding neighborhood will be in place before voters are asked to approve funding for Idea “C.”

• It is well understood that families have a passion and pride in their schools and that any school closing is fraught with concerns and unknowns.  We believe that constructing state of the art facilities at Wiley and Canterbury, maintaining Gearity as a vital community hub, and continuing to build a strong educational reputation for the District will offset any potential negative impact to homeowners and the City of University Heights.

Idea C Fact Sheets

The link has been updated

http://www.chuh.org/news/detail/2012/4/5/ch-uh-facilities-planning-plan-c-fact-sheet

Neighborhood Public Meeting Dates