Triangle Neighborhood Association

Monday, October 25, 2007

 

1.             The special meeting of the Triangle Neighborhood Association was held on October 25, 2007 in the library of Salesianum School.  It began a 6:33 PM.   There were 60 persons present.  Five persons joined the meeting in progress.

 

2.             Howard Sholl, president of the Triangle Neighborhood Association, addressed the group:

·      The purpose of tonight’s meeting is for individuals to give reports.

·      Representatives of the Red Clay School District are present.

·      The plan is to have Prestige Academy representatives to report followed by reports from representatives of the Red Clay School District.  Once the reports are delivered our visitors will leave and members of the Triangle Neighborhood Association will remain to discuss the reports.  Consideration will be given to the placement of Prestige Academy at Warner Elementary School.  TNA will be in executive session.

·      After discussion period, a vote will be taken.

·       The meeting is expected to last about one and one-half hours.

·      Question: Are provisions in place for absentee voting? Answer: The TNA By-laws do not provide for an absentee voting procedure.  To amend the by-laws, the proposed change must be considered at two consecutive meetings.  Anyone wishing to amend the By-laws should present a recommendation to a member of the TNA Board.

·      Motion from the floor: The TNA would benefit from a period of 15 minutes to discuss the Prestige Academy request prior to the presentation of reports. The motion was seconded.

·      Vote on the suggestion: 17 were in favor, and 10 were opposed.  The motion carried.

3.             Representatives of Prestige Academy and the Red Clay School District left the room.

4.             The subsequent Neighborhood meeting considered several points.  Where possible Howard supplied the details.

·      Clarification offered: Prestige Academy would be an all boys’ school grades 5 through 8.  When at full enrollment, there would be 432 students.  One hundred and eight students would start in the fall 2008.

·      TNA has been offered a seat on the Prestige Board.

·      Question: When did the TNA Board know of the Prestige request? Answer: Even though Prestige made a presentation to TNA in May 2007, it was not until August 2007 that the request was presented to the TNA Board.  At the September TNA meeting, Prestige presented its request.  A TNA committee was formed to consider the request, list issues and gain information.

·      Comment from the floor: There seems to be a rush to a decision.

·      Reports will consider traffic and space allocation at Warner.

·      Comment from the floor: Issues of security are important.

·      Question from the floor: What kind of students will be served by Prestige?

·      Red Clay will not oppose the recommendation of TNA.

·      Question: Is this vote an endorsement of a future middle school at Warner?  Answer: The issue before us is the presence of Prestige Academy.

·      Question: Can we change our minds? Answer: No.

 

5.             Representatives of Prestige Academy and the Red Clay School District returned to the meeting.

6.             Representative from Prestige Academy were: Jack Perry, Rod Merriweather, Vincent Oliver, Don Mell, Vane Hampton and Dr. Rita Vasta.

7.             Representatives of Red Clay were:  Debbie Hooper, Director of Elementary Education, and Ms Mary Norris. Assistant Superintendent for School Services.

8.             Don Mell, Board Chair of Prestige Academy, addressed the group about parking and traffic:

·      A meeting was held with volunteers from TNA.

·      We have walked and drove around the Warner building

·      Ideas were sketched and presented to the City.

·      Red Clay School District has not raised problem with parking and traffic.

·      The Department of Homeland Security was consulted.

·      Buses must pick up on 18th street.

·      “No Bus” signs will be installed at 18th and Franklin, and other necessary areas.

·      Unrestricted parking would become restricted to 2 hour parking

·      Pick up and drop off zones for after school programs would be along Van Buren

·      Three proposals for faculty are viable:

o     Parking along 18th Street during school hours,

o     Satellite parking at Baynard stadium,

o     Expansion of the lot dirt currently used by Salesianum.

·      Question from the floor: How many spots have you found?  Answer:

o     36 to 40 capacity after 4 years

o     12 in the first year

o     Changes may be made based on experience

·      Comment: The TNA committee does not support street parking. In addition, the 11 spots at Baynard Stadium are currently used.

·      Question from the floor: Will the 19th Street entrance be closed?  Answer: No. It is an emergency exit, and is used for deliveries.  For safety reasons, the door cannot be alarmed.

·      Question from Norm Griffiths: Did we allow 18th Street parking with Highland was at Warner? Answer: Yes, but it was a difficult situation.

·      Question: How many students will be bused? Answer: 75% of kids will use busing.

·      Comment: Consideration of coordination with Salesianum, especially with respect to athletic programs must be considered.  There is only so much street space.

·      Observation: Parents often violate parking regulations. Answer: The City police are in charge of enforcing traffic laws.

·      25 % of the students will be walking through the school through the neighborhood.

·      Comment from Prestige: There will be accountability through a code of conduct from door to door.  The students will wear uniforms.  A phone call to Prestige Academy administration is a way to bring resolution to issues.

9.             Debbie Hooper, Red Clay School District, Director of Elementary Education, addressed the group.

·      Capacity issue must be considered. Currently, 633 students are enrolled at Warner.   About 300 to 400 students come to Warner students from the local neighborhood.  Only 51 of the students come from out of the district.

·      The building’s capacity indicated that 557 children can be added.

·      One classroom is used for kindergarten.

·      Busing of students in the past has worked.

·      It is hard to find another facility with 14 classrooms, library, gym and cafeteria.

·      Shared space has worked at Wilmington Charter and Cab Calloway School of the Arts.

·      Comment from the floor: There is a current distrust with the Red Clay School District. The hostility is toward Red Clay, not with Prestige. There has been deception in the past.

·      A school population closer to capacity will help defray costs.

·      A map of Warner Elementary School was distributed.

·      Comment from the floor: A middle school is trying to slip in here.  Why is a population of older students being proposed?

·      Question: Has Warner ever been at full capacity?  Answer: Yes, in 1990-1993.

·      A population of 700 is good for an elementary school.

·      The Certificate of Occupancy is close to 1230.

·      Question: What is the level of commitment, if the Prestige request is not passed?

·      Question: What plans does Red Clay have, if the Prestige request is not approved?  Answer: There is not plan for a middle school at Warner.

 

10.         Howard opened the floor for questions.

·      Question addressed to Jack Perry: What is the target population?  Answer: Black and Latino males.  If there are too many applicants, then a lottery is used.

·      Question: Please explain the term “at risk students”?  Answer: The term does not mean student with felonies. It is not an alternative school.  Rather, it is a college prep school.  Prestige will be a school for poor urban youth.  It will not be a school for students with behavioral issues.

·      There would be at least one representative from the Triangle Neighborhood Association on the Prestige Board.

·      Prestige wants to transform the kids, even when parental cooperation is lacking.

·      Question from the floor: Is Prestige a form of re-segregation? Answer: Prestige will provide for multicultural environment.

·      Remark from the floor: People picking up students will not abide by the traffic rules.  

·      Nativity Prep has a religious mission. Prestige will not have a religious affiliation.

·      Prestige will have a strict code of conduct.

11.         Motion from the floor was made to take a vote.  The motion was seconded and passed.

12.         Red Clay and Prestige representatives were asked to leave the meeting.

13.         Mr. Allen addressed the group.

·      He gave his background as one who has worked in urban public policy. 

·      He encouraged the Association to support the placement of Prestige Academy in Warner Elementary School.

14.         A discussion of the issues follow:

·      Transportation of the students by buses remains a concern.

·      There is no “out” clause, if things do not work out.

·      Confidence in the school district is lacking.

·      The model is a good one, but the leaders are not proven administrators.

·      The vote comes down to faith.  Whom do we trust?

·      Why are we being rushed to a decision?

·      Vote: 16 in favor, 36 opposed and 1 abstained

15.         A motion was made to have the Association write in support of the Prestige model.  A voice vote affirmed the motion.

16.         Howard Sholl offered to post the letter to the news group.

17.         Representative of Red Clay and Prestige Academy were invited back.  

18.         Howard Sholl delivered the results of the vote.

19.         The meeting was adjourned.

 

Compiled by J. Dalton

November 26, 2007