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On Halloween, Mark Roosevelt, Superintendent of Pittsburgh Public Schools, announced that he's attempting again to close Schenley High School and move its students out of Oakland into existing Middle School buildings in East Liberty and the Hill District
 
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11-13-07 School Board Testimony -- Brewton

 
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Barbara Brewton



Joined: 19 Nov 2007
Posts: 1

PostPosted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 3:03 pm    Post subject: 11-13-07 School Board Testimony -- Brewton Reply with quote

Good evening. I speak tonight on behalf of my family, my husband David, and our children who have benefited from the Pittsburgh Public Schools. Our oldest son, Peter, a fourth-year student at the University of Virginia, is a 2004 IB graduate of Schenley High School and our daughter, Anna, is currently a junior at Schenley, also in the IB program. Our son, Joel, graduated from the wonderful CAPA, and we have a son, Thomas in 6th grade, currently enrolled in private school.

I would like to focus my comments on concerns related to tomorrow�s scheduled vote on the District Improvement Plan, specifically Section E, �Continue to Plan and Phase in High School Reform,� and Section F, �Parent and Community Engagement.� This plan, 207 pages in length, was made available to the public less than two weeks ago.

Let me begin by saying that we share common ground: Superintendent Roosevelt, the Board and parents desire �Excellence for All�, and I appreciate the great lengths that it will take to get there. We know that we can not have diversity in sports and musicals at the expense of robust academic achievement for all of our students.

Tonight, however, I wish to express serious concerns about the District�s plans for High School Reform including closing Schenley High School, dismantling the Schenley school community and the proposed grade 6 to 12 configuration for new schools. But most significantly, I wish to express my shock and disappointment that we, as parents, have had so little time to digest, analyze and provide feedback to the district on such a historic and comprehensive agenda.

Page 57 under Section F of the District Improvement Plan related to Parent and Community Engagement reads, �Improved public confidence and strong parent/community engagement remains a core goal of the District�s Education Reform agenda � Exellence for All.� This goal is in direct conflict with the actions of the last two weeks. My confidence in the process is waning, and I am beginning to wonder if the district really wants parents to have a voice.

I therefore urge the Board to postpone tomorrow�s vote on the District Improvement Plan, or at least the portions related to Schenley High School and the appropriation of funds related to this action, until there has been sufficient opportunity for parents to review the information on the condition of Schenley High School, to discuss options with the Board and to express our opinions. This action by the Board will help to restore confidence in the process and give substantive meaning to the goal of parent and community engagement.
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