Does anyone have any news on the meeting on January 10 on boundary changes on the north side?
The rumor mill says that the administration offered a plan to close Lapham.
How could closing Lapham improve the situation on the north side?
3 thoughts on “News on boundary changes?”
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There were 6 “ideas” presented at the meeting last night. Consolidating Lapham/Marquette was included as a cost savings measure, having nothing to do with the Lakeview overcrowding situation. We were told that the “ideas” presented last night would be posted to the district’s website, so you should be able to see all the sketchy details there. Mary Gulbrandsen presented the material last night and emphasized several times that these are just “ideas” and they want to hear feedback. They said they would set up a website similar to last year where people can submit comments.
Jill, did any of the other “ideas” address issues other than the overcrowding at Lakeview?
Art Rainwater has been hostile toward Lapham for years, so it doesn’t surprise me that he’d seize at one more chance to close the school as one of his final acts.
The board should not let his personal quirks dictate the status of Lapham.
The board should consider the future of Lapham/Marquette only after a new superintendent replaces Art.
Thanks for the update, Jill.
p.s. For the few who don’t know, my wife works at Lapham.
Essentially the administration is saying that Lapham-Marquette will be “reunited”. Nowhere did they use the word “close”….certainly some view it as a closure. Completely unmentioned on paper is the obvious: Brearly Street’s alternative programs would move into Lapham. That was Steve Hartley’s preference last year if i recall. Mary G. DID mention that in her oral remarks. There are some cost savings by getting out of the rental space on Brearly. My personal opinion is that whatever goes down at Lapham-Marquette, it should be between the parents of those kids and the Board. That’s an old wound waiting to be reopened and the parents made it abundantly clear last year that they truly cherish those schools as a pair.
Jill’s right: Lapham-Marquette in no way figures into the overcrowding situation at Lakeview or any of the northside ideas to alleviate said overcrowding. I’m happy that Long Range Planning started this process in January instead of March or April and, like the Lapham-Marquette debate, I’ll defer to the parents at Lakeview as to their preference on how to alleviate their overcrowding- unless they choose a course that greatly affects the other northside elementary schools in a negative manner.