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CAPSMEMBER-Glad to see you back. I have a few questions.
Can you elaborate on this statement from CAPS' latest update? What information was gained from Discovery?
"Based on information gained from Discovery as well as the continuing supply of information and documentation we are receiving from fellow parents, we believe we have a very strong case."
Also, your FAQ section says:
"Are you trying to sue the BOE and UCPS for money? Is this a class action suit?
No, and no. We are simply trying to get the BOE to do what they were required to do in the first place; to fully utilize the CRITERIA FOR PUPIL ASSIGNMENTS listed in the UC BOE Policy Manual, section 4-13."
Is CAPS' case based on the fact that the BOE did not follow their policy manual?
Last edited by BubbaHelms; 05-28-2014 at 09:19 PM..
If they build it will be interesting to see where. They need to improve existing immediately. But, the extreme NW corner is an issue - Rea and Marvin ES are way underutilized. Even smaller classes coming in. Cuthbertson needs another ES - almost makes sense to send over SRES as part of Cuthbertson (if you can avert your eyes as you pass by MRHS)... or they build another ES... which could end up just like Rea and Marvin.
I don't see the BOE owning any land over at Waxhaw-Marvin and 75. I heard this rumor recently - UCPS owns a good sized plot of land over by the airport (on Goldmine). The idea is to sell the land where Sun Valley HS is located, and build the new school over by the airport. The BOE does own 2 good sized plots of land south of Goldmine Rd by the airport.
I have heard the sun valley/airport scenario too, and that makes some sense. If there is ever money for new schools, I would just like to see them spread out a little bit. If we keep putting schools in the same place, the same students on the edges will keep getting redistricted. Plus, development tends to gravitate towards the schools too. Chicken and egg kind of thing.
Bubba, you'll see the legal case soon. It comes from sifting through all of the info related to this mess, some from discovery and some public (and some gathered from parents and residents). What we hope to show is violation of both policy and law. It's very convincing to me, but the courts are a different matter. My opinion, it's about as strong as case as you can have given the very broad discretion of the BOE in redistricting.
I would like to see a new MS and HS built for Wesley Chapel, which had UC first HS that opened in 1901. Many of the students being redistricted live in that area. I realize that it's not an option right now but just wishful thinking.
I don't see the BOE owning any land over at Waxhaw-Marvin and 75. I heard this rumor recently - UCPS owns a good sized plot of land over by the airport (on Goldmine). The idea is to sell the land where Sun Valley HS is located, and build the new school over by the airport. The BOE does own 2 good sized plots of land south of Goldmine Rd by the airport.
I think others were suggesting it may be Waxhaw-Marvin and 75... Time will tell. The semi-irony of that area is that it's much closer to where CuthMSHS was supposed to be built. Where it is now with its proximity to MR and Wedd plays into the NW corner issue. It was a mistake from previous BOE.
I don't think we have to consider only what they own right now. What's to stop Lennar from donating land right next to Cuthbertson HS to build an ES? They're clearing it as we type this... UC gives nice building perks related to density if they do something like that.
I heard the BoE and certain new candidates would support Waxhaw getting its own HS cluster if Wesley Chapel got the Cuthbertson cluster back and didn't have to be in Sun Valley and Parkwood.
5, 4, 3, 2, 1...
I don't know what BOE members you are referring to. At least one, the grand poobah, would never go for that.
I suggested new schools might make the most sense in Wesley Chapel or Mineral Springs too, if they are ever an option. Puts them in between the West and East population centers right now so they can take crowding from both. If we keep building them in the same place, we will eventually be tearing buildings down. If you look at Meck Co, they actually spread their schools out pretty well (shocker).
I had no idea who you were nor that you were planning to run for an elected office. It's not important or relevant to this discussion. Lots of people say they are going to do things, but often little comes of it.
For the record, now that that I know, I have indeed asked you several questions here. You have chosen to avoid answering any of them so as I said earlier I see no point in asking further.
Waldokitty, I try to answer all questions to the best of my abilities about the BOE and redistricting as well as other BOE related subjects. If I missed questions you posed, my apologies, feel free to ask again.
I heard the BoE and certain new candidates would support Waxhaw getting its own HS cluster if Wesley Chapel got the Cuthbertson cluster back and didn't have to be in Sun Valley and Parkwood.
5, 4, 3, 2, 1...
Never heard anything about such a plan or idea for Waxhaw, I have heard about the airport rd idea as well as somewhere in mineral Springs.
IMO, the school system may need an ES or two along with better utilization of other ES and not be so concerned with the number of ES feeding into MS/HS. We do need to renovate the aging schools as top priority, and as part of those renovations add on the those schools if present need or projected future growth warrants it. After that and ONLY after that should newer schools be added on to (IF) if is shown that present or future growth warrants it. I do not agree that brand new clusters need to be developed, not at this time or foreseeable future. There are 9 MS/HS clusters in this County. The newer schools should have been built larger to accommodate future (predicted) growth when they were originally designed. The aging schools were built to the needed size at the time but should be enlarged a bit to accommodate present and future growth. I understand the philosophy behind those who designed the newer schools as they are (smaller, more open areas create better learning environments) - I just do not agree with it. 10 - 12 more classrooms (250-300 student capacity) and a slightly larger footprint for capacity areas (media, cafeteria etc..) would have greatly reduced the need for the current and/or future redistricting.
Aging schools should be given estimated renovations from top to bottom, including additional space if needed. If the renovations would be more costly then building new, then and only then should a new facility be completely constructed for the cluster(s) in question. With regard to the newer schools, all of them would have a less expensive financial budget, if they had small additions put in place (over time) to combat future growth expectations. However, none of the newer schools should have work done until the aging schools are taken care of first. The only new facility (if any) construction that should take place would be that of ES that may be needed in areas around the County. A new HS cluster in Waxhaw would be expensive and unwarranted. Proper steps must be taken to reduce the knee jerk remedy to simply redistrict in the future. If facilities moving forward are corrected and future development handled properly then the redistricting issue could become a thing of the past with only minor movement at future times to handle immediate needs if they arise. Our School district has redistricted many times over the 12 years and if a new approach with different steps to handle growth are not adopted by this school district then we will be redistricting and continuously adding new schools every few years. If the UCPS Admin seriously thinks that is the way to go and we claim to have a District model, then they need to make every cluster on par with each other if they want a true district school system. I am not talking tests scores or demographics or socioeconomics, not at all. I am talking about academic courses, technology and extracurricular actives that should be available to each and all clusters across the County, currently that is not the case.
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