Parent Feedback

Below is the feedback provided by parents and community members who attended the September 30 and October 1 meetings regarding school consolidation and repurposing.

Consolidating Jefferson and Fort Howard Schools

Benefits

Higher enrollment
Separate negative behaviors
Solutions
- Encourage family activities in Jefferson community
- Relook at boundaries
- Promote Jefferson
- See what worked for other schools that were in the same situation
More services with consolidation
More resources
Good for a budget
A merged staff share experiences
More efficient to only have to heat and light one building
Increased opportunities for social stimulation
Increased access to services
Resource Center
Additional diversity
Larger student body
Utilization of space staffing
Recent success academically under state support

Challenges

Cost for safety
Transportation availability and funding
Different demographic
Supply and demand is higher
Higher bullying rate
Large classroom
Not enough 1-on-1
Children who struggle in areas may be lost
Transitioning to a new school for Jefferson students
Transportation
Having to learn new routines for getting to Fort Howard
Ensuring a mix of children with respect to diversity
Communication between students and teachers
Student crossing on Velp Avenue (busy traffic in the morning, especially when Tower bridge closed)
Fort Howard resources to drive grade up
How do the other school’s parents feel about this consolidation?
Complaint driven
Vague - better place
Relationship building trust, communication, and 1-on-1 attention
Resources?
Complaints from family
Data to show students are struggling with socially lamenting
Some jobs may be lost by this
Potentially separating friendships and teacher/student relationships
Bullying at Fort Howard is not tolerated
Fort Howard has poor supervisions
Lack of relationships are common at Fort Howard along with poor behavior
A lot of lost jobs for office and staff
Fort Howard has poor test scores which made them go longer days
Adopter role?
Contributions (donations) to follow students
Jefferson's parents are involved. How long would it take them to feel comfortable at Fort Howard?
Safety for traveling and more commercial property to walk/bike past
Police calls are more frequent
Possible class size issues
Will Adopters be there? They provide equity and access
Transportation - crossing Velp is dangerous.
Families will move and take their children elsewhere
Moving Jefferson students will be difficult, especially those who have experienced trauma in transition
What happens to the Jefferson neighborhood students’ mentality when being told to leave?
Where will Jefferson I.D. program transition to?

Remaining Jefferson K-5

Remaining Jefferson K - 5

Benefits

Smaller class sizes
Small school, better relationship
Small town feel in the big city
Some children count on this school for stability
Children will be allowed to grow in the same schools
Good for the kids
Solicit volunteers to help with kids behavior in class and after school programs by volunteers to work with kids on behavioral success
Kids in the neighborhood don’t have to travel
Feels like home
Adopters
Principal and teachers are very well-liked
Special education actually focuses on the child
Limited need for bussing
Family involvement
Consistency and stability
Deep history with roots of students, families, and staff
Develop social and emotional skills that set them up for success in High School
Equity can be delivered because of more individualized care
The integrated ID program is housed here and the community embraces it!
Inclusion!
Good for the families in the neighborhood
After-school program
Family traditions
A smaller number of students are safer to supervise
It was the family’s choice to go into Jefferson in the first place
Personal care that staff know families

Challenges

Enough resources
Low enrollment
Let organizations such as churches know there is a need for help with social behaviors and emotional issues to get free assistance in those areas
If Jefferson doesn’t remain, children will be pulled from the District.
State test scores for Jefferson will drop if they go to Fort Howard
Jefferson staff will lose their jobs
Limited student and staff services
Parent engagement
Enrollment is not up
Community space for all seasons - relationships
Employee + family morale
Lack of flexibility to place students in different classes. Only 1 grade per level

GBAPS

Parent Feedback

Consolidating Jefferson and Fort Howard Schools

Consolidating Jefferson and Fort Howard Schools

Remaining Jefferson K-5

Remaining Jefferson K - 5