Great news! the Roosevelt Elementary Playground is set to reopen after hours "in about a week"!  

Superintendent Dr McLaughlin was very supportive of getting the park reopen so kids can play again after hours.  He is going to work with the city manager this Thursday to discuss how to increase enforcement and restrictions of dogs at the playground, those details are still TBD and as soon as I know I will let you all know!

Thank you all so much for signing this petition and spreading the word, the city definitely heard, and was able to take swift action.  I have no doubt our collective voices made a difference and I appreciate you all for taking the time to sign the petition and for being active change makers in our community!  It did make all the difference!

I've learned a lot in the last 5 days and I thought I'd put my notes below if anyone is curious about what I learned or how to navigate the city processes in order to manage Roosevelt closures or any other school/city issues in the future.  I'm no pro with city stuff, and please don't use what I say below as gold standard, but it is my current understanding, which is very open to be corrected.  Feel free to email me at james.mcb.san.leandro@gmail.com if you want me to correct anything I miswrite about:

So who makes the decision when it comes to closing the playground anyway?

It looks like it's actually the School District that makes the overall call.  I'm not sure how much the PTA, School Site Council, and Principal have influence, but the School District is the ultimate decider, and the Superintendent is the boss of the school district and works directly with School Board members, and those individuals are all elected officials.

Why would the district even want to open up Roosevelt to the public again in the first place?

First off, there seemed to be a very clear agreement that kids in the neighborhood should have access to play.  Period.  My understanding is every one at the school board and district want to make sure kids can play, probably to create a healthier community for our city and our schools.

Secondly, the city and schools collaborate a lot, as they should!  Both San Leandro's 2035 General Plan and most likely the upcoming Parks and Rec Master Plan talk about joint-use agreements between playgrounds and the city, probably as an acknowledgment to the severe lack of playgrounds in our communities.  According to the 2035 General Plan, "A Committee on City/School Relations comprised of San Leandro City Council members and Board members from the two school districts meets periodically to address issues of mutual concern, including joint use agreements."  

Thank you to the internet sleuths who put this on my radar!

Does Roosevelt have a joint use agreement?

No one has been able to say definitively if there is a paper stating that, or no one can find it, but Roosevelt playground has historically been open to the public after hours, so it's basically precedent.  I assume as the 2035 General Plan and upcoming Parks and Rec Master Plan are taken as guidance, something more concrete will be created to ensure access to the playground after hours.

What can I do if this happens again?

Given everything I've learned, there are a few options that seem effective:

• Email the superintendent and board members directly (they are responsive)
• Show up at a board meeting meeting and address them directly (you get 90 - 180 seconds)
• Send an email before the board meeting for public record and make sure to write you wish it to be read on your behalf or else they won't (you don't even need to show up)
• Email your city council member (they are in charge of the joint use agreements)

So what's next?

Well let's wait and see, but I have faith they will deliver.   I hope to get a response from the superintendent on Thursday and I'm also meeting with Council Member Xouhoa Bowen on Friday to talk about the joint use agreements and the process that the city council manages to ensure the park stays open.