Thursday, July 19, 2007

The Challenge!

I was challenged by someone who supports WakeCares to dig deeper into the YR conversions.  I did and this is what I found.

Back when I first started blogging about how the conversions where affecting my family, I attracted a concerned parent who supported WakeCares.  We battled back and forth a couple of times with my side in support of the conversions for overcrowding reasons and the other side being fundamentally against it.  After several blog entries on both our parts, she challenged me.  She challenged me to dig deeper in the YR program.  To take a closer look.  I told her that with the access we have to information today that it would be easy to find items that both supported and undermined the YR program but that I would look anyway.  So I did.

I have poured over statistics and numbers trying to some how show those that believe that overcrowding is not an issue that it is.  I have read more articles in the last month or so than I can count.  I have spoken with school board members and asked many questions.  I am currently waiting for Chuck Delaney to email me back so that I can talk to him also.  I may have to email him again I guess. 

I have learned that the BOE does feel that most people don’t understand the WHOLE story.  I’m not sure I do, but I did learn that the conversions were originally intended to happen over 2 years instead of just one.  So when you see empty class rooms and tracks are being cancelled and people are being shifted its because they have converted these schools with 2 years worth of growth in mind.  Isn’t this what we needed anyway?  We needed more space but now people are complaining about empty classrooms.  There is no winning here.

I looked at each Elementary schools enrollment numbers and compared them with their capacity numbers with and without the mobile units in place.  That was eye opening.  Of the 19 Elementary schools converted 14 of them were over 100% capacity with trailers.  Some severely like Pleasant Union at 122% with no mobile units and Hodge Drive at 123% with 5 mobile units.  Most of them hovered around 105% on average.  There were also the schools that didn’t seem to need conversions with capacities lower like Lockhart that is only at 86% capacity with 16 mobile units.  Also Leesville at 91% with 19 mobile units.  (I’m   unclear if these are numbers for last year and projections put together but they were listed for the 2007-2008 school year.  And the numbers keep changing.  With track 4 starting in a week we should be able to get firmer numbers about this.)  While other schools weren’t converted with capacities at 120% like Hunter, Joyner, Cary, Dillard, Conn and Bugg. 

I have heard many rumors, all which I can’t confirm at this point, of tracks being closed at Rand Road and 1 grade on track 3 needing to be closed.  I would love to give you this information but my Principle won’t return my emails or calls.  I will continue to work on that. 

One thing that I find just wonderful at our school is the fact that the music teacher now actually has a room to teach music.  Before she was mobile pushing a cart from room to room to teach what I believe one of the most important things in school.  (Yes I was a band geek and I wouldn’t change it for the world)  I was completely unsettled by the whole mobile cart teaching and appalled that people don’t see that as an issue to be concerned about. 

One person asked if it was true that the conversions cost $6 million and only helped us gain 500 seats.  No, that would not be entirely true.  The conversion did cost $6 million with a seat gain projected at 3000.  Now,  it cost approximately $22 million to build a new Elementary school that seats 600-800 (they are now building them bigger, used to be 500)  I think $6 million is a bargain!  The seats acquired number changes from story to story.  The N&O reported only 500 seats were gained but we can’t be sure of that because not all tracks have actually started.  Also the BOE projected number of 3000 may have to be adjusted related to Judge Manning’s ruling.  We still have time to figure this one out.  Still seems to be a savings though.

What it boils down to is that most of our schools were over crowded and now with the conversions they are better.  Let’s give this conversion some more time.  Let’s see what happens in the coming year.

I welcome your comments and would love to hear from Rand Road families.  Where are you guys?

Thursday, June 21, 2007

Yeah for Year Round conversions

How do you feel about the YR conversions?  I totally support them and here is the reason why!

The Wake County school board has taken a lot of heat lately for their YR conversion plan.  And why not you say? Maybe they should get some of the blame
for the problem, but do they really deserve it.  I think not.  This area has been growing since the early 90’s with no end in site for the near future and all
those people coming here are predominantly of child bearing years and subsequently having children after they settle in.  Our Elementary Schools are

overloaded with children from grades K-5 and so are the middle schools grades 6-8.  These children are only going to get older and create a problem with

our High Schools in the near future.  Year round conversions are the only solution to this problem.  Why not use the schools we have in a more efficient

way while we plan on building more schools for our children.  Several bonds have been proposed in the last several years with one being turned down. 

One has to wonder that if that bond had passed if we would still be in this situation.  Hind sight is 20/20 they say.  Now the county commissioners want to

place a bond referendum on the ballot of a staggering amount of money this year.  I believe the amount is $1 BILLION.  These schools are needed but let’s

utilize the schools we already have before we start throwing money, OUR HARD EARNED MONEY, at the problem.  Utilization of what we have is key.  The

reason I voted for the last bond is because of the promise to utilize the schools in a better fashion.

Also, why do our children need to have 2 1/2 months off during the hottest part of the year.  Can’t go outside in the heat of the day so you stay inside,

watching TV, bored to tears after the first two weeks.  Used to be that children where out of school over the summer to work on the farm and help out the

family.  How much of that is actually still going on here in Wake County?  Others would argue that they need the time off to take vacations and to visit

family that live out of state.  I’m so glad that some of you are blessed enough to not have to work or are able to take 2 months off to visit family out of

state without the worry of how your going to pay your bills.  The other half are not that fortunate.  I’m sorry that your children won’t be forming any bonds

with their cousins but when you moved here maybe that was something that you should have given thought to.  We did when we moved here almost 10

years ago now.  Our children don’t have very close relationships with their cousins but the miles haven’t changed the fact that they are still family to us and

us to them.  My personal favorite was the comment that YR conversions would add to the child obesity problem.  WHAT?  Yeah, because children only

get exercise during summer vacation!  Along with a side of HEAT STROKE!  90+ degree days will do that to ya you know!  But seriously

lets get real.  My children are involved in activities all year long.  I would even suggest that 2 1/2 months worth of summer vacation might actually be

contributing to child obesity rates since they are bored to TEARS!  Oh, and afraid of HEAT STROKE!  I digress!

I’m just a working mother of three children affected by this conversion.  I am blogging so that you can get a first hand glimpse of how the conversion really

affects our family life from day to day.  I hope you enjoy and please give me some of your input!  Just as long as it’s NICE!  :)