Franklin Elementary Discussion???
Moderator: Jim O'Bryan
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Phil Florian
- Posts: 538
- Joined: Fri Jan 20, 2006 4:24 pm
Franklin Elementary Discussion???
I was surprised seeing the story in the Observer and in the PD today about the proposed early closing of Franklin Elementary but no discussion of it on the Deck. Any thoughts on it? Good, bad or ugly?
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Jeff Endress
- Posts: 858
- Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2005 11:13 am
- Location: Lakewood
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Mike Deneen
- Posts: 245
- Joined: Sun May 08, 2005 12:02 pm
I agree, Phil....I'm very surprised there is so little discussion of this topic.
But it's hard to tell which topics tickle the Deck's fancy...one would think that a school closing is a bigger deal than shopping carts or newspaper cartoons.
It seems to me the school closing is a logical step. If enrollment is down, it is smart to close early.
But it's hard to tell which topics tickle the Deck's fancy...one would think that a school closing is a bigger deal than shopping carts or newspaper cartoons.
It seems to me the school closing is a logical step. If enrollment is down, it is smart to close early.
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Kenneth Warren
- Posts: 489
- Joined: Sat Mar 26, 2005 7:17 pm
Mike:
I would say that nobody here feels especially compelled to stir the pot on this matter, most likely because as represented in the PD and Sun Post the case for closing makes painful business sense.
We have not heard from any protesters or school supporters on the issue.
My hesitancy to say anything is I that I have only read about it in the PD and the Sun Post.
I did not attend any meetings, protests, or speak with anyone in the know about the matter.
While the early closing is certainly disruptive to neighborhood families with expectations and plans, and the families noted in reports are big supporters of the schools, PTA, doers in the community, the best our city has in neighbors, people whose position I would not dismiss quickly and whose commitment to Lakewood is compelling, the feedback I am hearing from conversations among people not in that particular school is: We can't have it both ways - restrained spending and lost opportunities to save money. For these people, the school district is responding to the general message tax resources are tight and that the plan to move ahead of schedule and save money makes sense. Bottom line is: Lakewood Schools are facing the tough choices that inevitably emerge when resources are tight.
I certainly regret that people effected by the closing may well feel disenchantment and quite possibly betrayed by the change. Perhaps if they made a strong case on the LO Deck, we would have a better sense of the matter.
Please correct me, if I am over-reaching here. But the most interesting element in the story, from the media and community relations perspective, involves how the message was disseminated to the press and how the smoke signal of closing wafted to the Franklin homies.
Kenneth Warren
I would say that nobody here feels especially compelled to stir the pot on this matter, most likely because as represented in the PD and Sun Post the case for closing makes painful business sense.
We have not heard from any protesters or school supporters on the issue.
My hesitancy to say anything is I that I have only read about it in the PD and the Sun Post.
I did not attend any meetings, protests, or speak with anyone in the know about the matter.
While the early closing is certainly disruptive to neighborhood families with expectations and plans, and the families noted in reports are big supporters of the schools, PTA, doers in the community, the best our city has in neighbors, people whose position I would not dismiss quickly and whose commitment to Lakewood is compelling, the feedback I am hearing from conversations among people not in that particular school is: We can't have it both ways - restrained spending and lost opportunities to save money. For these people, the school district is responding to the general message tax resources are tight and that the plan to move ahead of schedule and save money makes sense. Bottom line is: Lakewood Schools are facing the tough choices that inevitably emerge when resources are tight.
I certainly regret that people effected by the closing may well feel disenchantment and quite possibly betrayed by the change. Perhaps if they made a strong case on the LO Deck, we would have a better sense of the matter.
Please correct me, if I am over-reaching here. But the most interesting element in the story, from the media and community relations perspective, involves how the message was disseminated to the press and how the smoke signal of closing wafted to the Franklin homies.
Kenneth Warren