Fall Creek PTA

Albany Petition for Education

Jim Semp (jimsemp@yahoo.com) is spearheading the following petition which will be delivered to Rep. Barbara Lifton, Senator Winner and the Governor.  You can help by downloading the petition here and collecting signatures.  The text reads as follows:

We, the undersigned, demand that the drastic cuts to New York state aid to schools in the Ithaca City School District, and to schools throughout the Tompkins, Seneca and Tioga county areas, be stopped.  Restore funding to our schools !!!  Also, we demand that unfunded mandates for our schools be reduced and eliminated to the highest degree possible in 2010, so that our school districts can balance their budgets, but not on the backs of our students and teachers. without restoration of aid and reductions in unfunded mandates, schools will close, teachers will be fired, class sizes will balloon, and course offerings will plummet: all combining to severely reduce the quality of primary and secondary education in our communities.

Fall Creek will remain open for 2010-11!

Hello Fall Creek Community Members,

Good news tonight: The school board voted 5-4 tonight to take the closing of Fall Creek off the table. At least for this coming school year.

Voting for this resolution were: Jay True, Beth Kunz, Brad Grainger, Rob Ainslie and Scott Perez.

Against were: Eldred Harris, Josh Bornstein, Seth Peacock, and Sean Eversley-Bradwell.

So it was a close vote – and with assurances from several board members that this may be considered in the 2011-12 year.

The superintendent finally presented the cost savings associated with this proposal. And while at the bottom of the sheet she said this would reduce the school budget by $1 million, her itemized figures listed only about $900,000 in savings. Also, as board members pointed out, without this plan, the superintendent had planned to reduce three teachers (two at BJM and one at FC) by combining classes. So that while closing FC would eliminate 6 teachers, that is a net of only 3. That means the cost savings under the plan would be $730,000 compared to not closing it.

During this discussion, some of the things that mattered to board members were that the combined school (BJM and FC) would have about 500 students. That’s just too big, Beth Kunz said. Also, board members were concerned that redistricting will be required in two to three years – so you would be making major shifts in kids within a couple of years.

Look for more details coming up on our web site in the coming days. And for now, enjoy the kids and the atmosphere at Fall Creek, which is all the more precious to many of us after considering its possible loss. Thank you everyone for your time and energy put into saving Fall Creek and please consider sustaining your work to both keep Fall Creek open for the long run and to help the district find creative ways to cut its budget and work toward the goals of equity and excellence.

Rebecca James
Fall Creek PTA President

Board of Ed. Agenda

Here’s the agenda for the upcoming Board of Education meeting on March 9. Note that “Fall Creek Closure” is officially on the agenda for the first time.

Budget Documents

The following documents are handouts from the March 2 Board of Eduction Budget Workshop

Elementary Enrollments showing possible cuts – Jan 2010
Contingent Budget Worksheet 2-17-10
Proposed Usage of Reserves Fund Balances 2-17-10
2010-11 Increases Early Projection 3-2-10

Meeting Minutes

(Updated March 4)

Thu, Mar 4 – PTA Council Meeting

PTA Council minutes – March 4 courtesy of Chris Mize and Sara Culotta

Tue, Mar 2 – BoE Budget Workshop

BoE Budget Workshop minutes – March 2 courtesy of Derek Cheng
BoE Budget Workshop minutes – March 2 (additional) courtesy of Carol Warshawsky and Sara Culotta

Mon, Mar 1 – BoE Finance Committee

BoE Finance Committee – March 1 courtesy of Aaron Buechel and Michael Culotta (update: this new file combines the previous two separate documents)

Mon, Mar 1 – PTA General Meeting

PTA Meeting minutes – March 1, 2010
For past meeting minutes, see the PTA minutes page.

Proposed Common Council Resolution

At the last meeting of the Planning and Economic Development Meeting, a subcommittee of the Ithaca Common Council, Rob Steuteville spoke on behalf of keeping Fall Creek open, and it was decided to take the unusual step of commenting on the ICSD’s proposal of closing Fall Creek.  5th Ward Aldersperson Dan Cogan agreed to write a proposed resolution to submit for Common Council’s approval at their regular meeting on March 3.

The text of the proposed resolution is available here.

Walking School Bus Photos

Thanks to Fall Creek Seana Wallace for providing pictures of Tuesday’s “Walking School Bus” protest march!

Latest Media Coverage

Here is the latest round of media coverage related to the proposal to close Fall Creek:

Ithaca Journal:

• Feb 23 Article: Fall Creek Elementary School’s supporters march to prevent closure
• Feb 19 Commentary: Save Fall Creek
• Feb 15 Commentary: Keep Fall Creek Open

News 10 Now: Feb 23 Video: Group looks to keep school open

Ithaca Independent: Feb 21: Fall Creek Parents Plan School Protest March

BJM principal answers parents’ questions

BJM Principal Denise Gomber has been fielding many questions from parents at both BJM and Fall Creek. She compiled her answers in the following list:

• Change is upon us in many ways and every aspect of budget and programming is under research and review. My focus is on teaching and learning while preparing to adjust our community without a merge and with one. We do have opportunities with these times as well as challenges. Priorities during times like this relate to academic, social, physical and cultural safety. BJM has been through this and we evolve in positive paths for developing our learning community.
• There are multiple options being researched for Fall Creek. I am not aware of all of them.
• Up to 500 students is a large elementary school. I do not believe that the board is thinking that high a number. It the decision is made to merge the two schools will come together as very strong community schools becoming one and setting everyone up for success. It will be a process and one that will access internal supports, families, community partners and central office systemic support.
• Playground recess times will be staggered and not all attached to lunch which will help with the numbers
• Cafeteria needs will be further investigated.
• Open enrolled students and those redistricted have been with us through some very challenging times and stayed. The children and families have been part of the new school culture and should not be asked to leave. I do not know the status of FC open enrolled families.
• More Fall Creek students would need to be transported if outside the .4 mile criteria.
• Students with academic supports and special education needs would continue based on staffing and budget that is currently under review.
• Class sizes are increasing with or without a merge. We are scheduled for a reduction of 3 sections.
• The prek and autism programs would be moved. It is not certain where the autism programs would go and there would need to be accomodations for the programs.
• There are two other classrooms right now that could be accessed with changes.
• We will look at the possiblity of our math and science lab as well as our computer lab.
• Specialists schedules are under review now based on the most recent projections for sections as well as a review for an adjusted merge.

I think this captures what we discussed. I will be at the board meeting tonight. Karen and I are staying connected and will do whatever it takes to support and respond to the work ahead of us.

Thanks,
Denise

Push for Tuesday

It’s time for our BIG PUSH to get the message to the school board that our school should stay open! If you can get the word out throughout the neighborhood and beyond, it will let the board know that not only are parents concerned, but many people in Ithaca value the school’s presence. Ready to help out?  Here’s what you can do – go door to door and distribute the following:

• A map showing the Protest March/Walking School Bus for Tuesday – Please distribute as widely as possible!
• A flyer updating the issue and encouraging people to contact the school board.
• Sample letter to the board geared toward people in the neighborhood & beyond.  Additional sample letters can be downloaded here and here
• Our petition

You can also pick up all of this material at the SOS Coffee in the school lobby Monday and Tuesday morning at the start of the school day. Please join us! T-shirts will be for sale and buttons and/or stickers will be available.