While we’re car-pooling kids, juggling sports, and trying to get through the last weeks of school, the district is finalizing a plan that closes a neighborhood school and pours our bond dollars into shiny new campuses up north. (And we have yet to see the actual costs to RUN these schools when they build/open them)
We’re simply asking for transparency. The district owes it to the communities to look at ALL of the options and provide all of the costs/savings/data to communities. We want to know what the actual “plan” is… Closing a school “just because we need to save money” isn’t a plan.
Administration told parents TUESDAY NIGHT that they were absolutely looking to close at least one elementary school in the south and/or central part of the district while building 2 new elementary schools AND an early childhood center in the northern portions of the district.
Their timeline:
- May 8 – Administration unveils its “Long-Range Plan update.” (NOTE: They formally disbanded the long-range plan committee last week, but effectively did so in January)
- May 29 – Board votes (after school is out, when half the community is on vacation).
If we don’t show up — vocal, organized, respectful, and with facts — we WILL lose. Here’s a Reader's Digest recap on what we need to do NOW
- Fill out this survey on ideas for repurposing ideas (partial and/or full)
- Block May 8 (and May 29th) on your calendar right now and plan to be at Cedar Park Middle School by 6:15PM
- If you want to speak, set a phone alarm for May 7 @ 11:55AM (Speaker-sign-up opens exactly at noon and closes 24 hours later. First come, first mic.)
- “Share” and tag three neighbors who care about schools and home equity. (There's more info here on some of the things we want to ask for in terms of financials, tax implications, alternative scenarios, etc.)
Together, we're better... Let's look out for what's best for our kids rather than making good on political promises!