We had a good representation from the SW Education Committee present for this community conversation with the School Board.  I saw John Laing, Marian Boutet, DeWain Feller, Sarah Yaworsky, Bill Nichthauser but there may have been more.

The format of the meeting was excellent.  They had half a dozen tall tables in a circle at one end of the conference room and a Board member was at each table.  People could walk around to any of the tables to talk to the board member standing there.  At the tables I visited there generally were between 3 and 6 people involved in the conversations.  It was a great way to get to know the School Board members better, to explore ideas and concerns we had heard them mention at prior meetings, and to bring up our concerns to the table.

I think most of the 19th ward attendees stressed :

• The importance of bringing the School 16 students and staff back to the Post Avenue school this year.
• The fact the the urine odor in the boys room was the result of poor behavior and not plumbing flaws.  Properly cleaning, then sealing the tile grout is the known solution for that problem.  Better ventilation fans can also be helpful.
• The 19th Ward wants to keep the Expeditionary Learning program at School 10.
• We have enough students to fill all four schools that are in the ward if we run then as neighborhood schools.
• We want the schools as pK-6 with and all-day preschool.
• Institute neighborhood busing to promote neighborhood schools and avoid expensive cross town busing.
• Provide for early student drop-off as another way to promote neighborhood schools.
• Since the District would like to retire the building School 10 is in and we want to keep 10, I proposed we build the new #10 on the south part of the School 10 lot while kids still attend the old #10.  When the new school is ready, move the kids into the new building.
• Concern had been raised about moving School 16 back to the Post Avenue site because when money is available for replacing or refurbishing 16 the kids would have to be moved out of the 19th Ward again to permit the work.  I proposed the School 16 work be started as soon as the School 10 work is finished.   School 16 students and teachers can move in to  the the empty old School 10 building for the year or two that the School 16 work takes to do.  During that time it is still in the neighborhood and maintains its ties.