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Ridgetop Community Meeting- Facilities Master Plan Update for Cluster #16Wed, January 18th, 5:30pm NOTESDebrief and Quick Review of Info to date (review of CAC Special Mtg notes above)Small Group Activity: Discussion of “option” provided for Cluster #16: ?Cluster 16Original (Nov 29, 2016)Version 2 (Dec 15, 2016)PriorityDriverOptionTime framePriorityDriverNoteTime frameReilly ES1Poor FCAFull modernization with addition to 522 and receive students from RidgetopYrs: 1-6Ridgetop ES2Avg FCAConsolidate ito Reilly due to site constraintsYrs: 12-25Site constraintsYrs: 1-12Lee ES3Avg FCARenovation with reconfiguration to 418Yrs: 12-25(for more detailed info- look at resources below on Austin ISD FABPAC website)Pros & Cons (yellow/green)PROS to Ridgetop/Reilly consolidation:Provide a more equitable and diverse program if wall-to-wall 2W Dual Language which is the essence of the program.? More English Language Learners (ELL’s) and diversity of SES.How do we best honor and preserve our school culture as we change geographically?Modernizing buildings is definitely a pro.Low student mobilizing rate at Ridgetop.World Language sounds great!Community does not always = neighborhood school / geographic distance as we noticed by what has been created at Ridgetop. Philosophical ideologies--how do we view this?Larger school has more divisions of labor among staff and more resources.Majority of students at Ridgetop are already transfer students; so easy to transfer if program stays the same; or continues to get better (incorporate Chinese)Many neighborhood families feel 'forced' into DL program; this will allow the small # of neighborhood families to have a choice between Reilly (DL) & Lee (non-DL); and Lee can be modernized to also hold 522 rather than just 418.Expansion of a wonderful program to be offered to more families/studentsIf done correctly, given that the consolidated school will likely have numerous ELLs and other students/families of different cultures, the community could have a very strong dual language programCONS to Ridgetop/Reilly consolidation:Concerned about a programmatic change/switch.Cost-effectiveness does not necessarily equal better for kids.Ridgetop is over enrolled, yet on the list?? Doesn’t make sense.Is there only ONE option?Ridgetop is in better shape than the other 2 in the cluster.First 2Way DL program in Austin getting shut down??Ridgetop has low portables compared to other schools but a great program.? Doesn’t make sense to mix the school. ??FABPAC looks at %age of population in portables.If Allan shuts down and all kids go to Reilly, what then?By the time we get to Reilly will it be overcrowded?? Population Projections.How do you maximize the use of current facilities while honoring other schools with too many students?Recommendation does not seem well thought through. ?Criteria doesn’t value small schools and community.Seems like Reilly will be undersized by the time we get there---thus portables.Program is UNIQUE---shouldn’t be lost due to transfers & size.Distance of Reilly from homes---are transfer families willing to go further?How will this impact administration & teachers?Is Reilly staff receptive too to change?Neighborhood kids will no longer be able to walk to school.Questions, Concerns, & Ideas (pink)Why did the time frame change?What does it mean that the driver to the time frame were “site constraints”??Has the merger or consolidation of two schools ever worked?? Give us some data. ?Older building higher efficiency due to older construction & noise pollution insulationLock in some neighboring apartments as public housingDemographic projections do not include Airport Redevelopment, 53rd St, Travis County, & Highland Mall redevelopment & Crestview growth.What about the ACC & apartments built-out near Reilly?Can parking at Ridgetop Baptist Church can it be normalized?? Is it considered in the plan?Is it possible to build on the site?? Look at plans of architect that could get school closer to 500. ?Is the point to remove all portables?? Why?Why are small schools considered “bad”? ?What is the research regarding impact of school size on student learning?Can we see data that shows that Ridgetop/small schools are more expensive?Has district looked at teacher turnover rate at small schools vs. larger schools?What do the faculty & staff offer as opinions and concerns re: a consolidation from both campuses?Ideal to have 3-5 classes at each grade level.? Ridgetop has classes of 3 per grade level.Overcrowding argument doesn't’ make sense-vague.What makes 500+ an ideal school size?What is the research on teacher/employee & student happiness & well-being at small vs. medium vs. large schools?The size of the proposed consolidated school will diminish the close-knit nature of our school Are there enough elementary schools to accommodate the capacity being brought by Mueller?? Blanton & Maplewood?We were told that the fact that RT has an abundance of transfer students made us a target for consolidation.? Are there other high transfer schools which are being considered for consolidation for this same reason?What if small # of DL students at Maplewood come to Ridgetop and relieve pressure from overcrowding that will happen eventually at Maplewood & Blanton?Would be interesting to see a geo map attendees to Ridgetop (to see where they are coming from).Students came to Ridgetop because their “neighborhood school” did not have an offering that was being gained by going to Ridgetop.? If families are then being asked to leave Ridgetop, they may then turn to go to another school OUTSIDE of AISD.? Choice of academics & school size may trump Austin ISD public school option.Of the families that chose to attend RIdgetop, how many had private & charter on their option as well?Will all transfers currently being honored @ Ridgetop be honored at Reilly?? We see now how transferred Ridgetop families are being affected from Lamar and are not being honored (i.e. even siblings, etc.).Pease & Mathews are transfer- only schools and that is not an issue of concern but raised as a critique at Ridgetop?How did boundary lines originally get drawn?? It has been said that changing boundary lines does not help with diversity and equity, but choice can.? Schools closer to neighborhood? - Segregating forces of original boundaries?How does the future of TA Brown effect all of this? ?(Sts at Reilly are from Brown too)How is the district addressing facilities and programs in terms of equity of programming and access to these schools?? Beyond boundaries and “neighborhood school” concept...choice schools, evenly dispersed throughout the city?In terms of the district's Equity Study and “Reinvention of the Urban School District”--with some efforts and focus on providing this option more open to ELL & families on FRL or lower SES, Ridgetop could be considered a model in terms of diversity, size, and innovative programmatics and best practices (i.e. 2W dual language in whole school, project based learning, multicultural curriculum).Maintain uniqueness of this campus- a model like Pease.? A unique “urban school experience”.An equity driven program--potentially similar to Ann Richards, but closely looked at because application schools are typically in and of itself inequitable.Big positive of Ridgetop is that 2Way DL is WHOLE SCHOOL.? No other school in the district provides this.Ridgetop has SUCCEEDED by being overenrolled, yet now this success will undergo drastic change if consolidated.? Doesn’t seem to make sense.What if Ridgetop ceased at being a “neighborhood school” and became a 2W DL academy?? Neighborhood kids home school would be either Lee or Reilly and would have the same process of applying to Ridgetop as all transfers keeping in mind terms of equity?The dual language program at RT is considered a success by many.? Is Reilly leadership willing to incorporate these practices into their school culture?We've heard numerous reasons why the buildings needs to be merged, but we've heard very little about what it would look like to have a dual/world language program at Reilly. ??Are there conversations with current communities happening to discuss the actual programming which would make up the language program? ?What other schools are on the schedule to have their program consolidated? <check “other resources” below---there are 10 schools listed>What is the connection between the Facilities Master Plan & the Board of Trustees making the decisions?Bond is the implementation of the vision?What bond cycle would this cluster be aligned with?? What if bond 2017 is approved, but 2020 is not?Does the board/district know approximately how much is the bond ask going to be?What if bond does not pass?? What happens to Ridgetop?Can a more appropriate and realistic timeframe be outlined in the proposal? ?1-12 years is a large span of time.? If it were said that in “7 years the transition would begin”, then ALL our current students, ?PK students would be done at Ridgetop and subsequent families & staff at both schools would know coming in, and be actively involved in a thoughtful transition process.How will parents & community be actively involved in the transition?How many years are we realistically talking about for the consolidation to happen?? What's the earliest possible school year?Are these conversations going to be on-going, given that the needs of the community will likely change ? ?Groups report out/discussion ?(see notes above)Conclusions & Next steps- email FABPAC opinions/ideas, attend follow-up community engagement sessions--BELOW...HOW YOU CAN HELP: Effective ways to communicate your opinion to FABPAC:Email feedback: ?future@, FABPAC Meetings: ?2 minute citizens communication prior to each meeting- of Facilities 512.414.9595 ?“Community Engagement Sessions” via the vertical teams (dates below)FABPAC Upcoming Timeline:Early January- Preliminary recommendations will be provided to the Board of Trustees “Community Engagement Sessions” To provide 2 minute testimony:Jan. 24: ?6 to 8 p.m. at McCallum High School; Jan. 25: 6 to 8 p.m. at Crockett High, Jan. 26: 6 to 8 p.m. at Garcia YMLA, Jan. 31: 6 to 8 p.m. at Martin Middle, Feb. 1: 6 to 8 p.m. at Burnet MiddleFeb 13th: ?Refinement of FMP Draft of Recommendations.March 27th: ?Board of Trustees Regular Meeting will approve the FMP update“Community Engagement Sessions”Food and refreshments will be provided. Interpretation services will be available upon request. To request modifications or interpretation services, please call 512-414-9595 or email future@.AISD will offer childcare with Maker Kids Lab, a district partner .Arrive early as there will be limited space for children to participate in the small group activity.Other Resources:Documents, Data, & Presentations: ? Minutes/Notes: ? ................
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