Kindall backs down

MNPS BOE member Ed Kindall (District 7-Downtown-Glencliff) backed way down from the harsher rhetoric of NAACP members, his former Board colleague George Thompson and himself earlier this year by offering a motion for the board to establish a date for a study session (maybe four hours) in next two weeks to deal with elements of implementation of the student assignment plan to include transportation for non-contiguous zones, additional resources, choice options and communication with parents. This in an effort clearly establish parameters with the administration according to him. Kindall also stated he has a huge concern to maximize and maintain diversity.

Here's the 13 minute video of that portion of last night's meeting.*



Karen Johnson seconds the motion. Comments from:

MNPS BOE member Steve Glover (District 4-Donelson-Hermitage) wants to know how the date will be established.

Sharon Gentry (District 1) asks for specifics before the meeting so BOE members aren't walking into this meeting cold.

Acting-superintendent Chris Henson says they've got a working group in place looking at implementation and two weeks would be enough time to prepare. He does make clear that some things won't be known until they actually begin working the plan.

Kindall amends his motion to include capitol expenses.

Gentry finishes her request for further information.

MNPS BOE member Gracie Porter (District 5-East Nashville) piggybacks on the capitol expenditure and mentions the current gasoline situation.

Alan Coverstone (District 9-Bellevue) is pleased with the tenor of the current discussion and thinks it's 'great Mr. Kendall has put the motion this way'.

Karen Johnson appeals for quick communication regarding the dates as her calendar, like everyone's, will fill quickly.

MNPS BOE Chairman David Fox (District 8-Hillsboro-West End) calls for the vote and the motion carries unanimously.

Here's the City Paper's coverage and here's the Tennessean's where their Jaime Sarrio gets it exactly right.

Kindall doesn't have enough support on the board to get the rezoning plan reversed, and he abandoned plans to make a motion at Tuesday's meeting to rescind parts of the plan because he feared it would be denied.

Before the election Kindall was all bluster raising the spector of segregation of old. Now, safely ensconced in his seat for another four years he suddenly becomes more reasonable. I don't have a problem with the BOE asking Acting-Superintendent Chris Henson for details about how this will work but for goodness sake, let the man do his job and then judge it by its fruit.

Why wasn't the BOE so watchful and demanding of action plans while Garcia was frittering away the lives and well-being of students for 7 years?

And, just in case anyone has forgotten forcing diversity does not equal a good education. I don't think it's all that successful as a social engineering tool either. Focus on ensuring that students get the educational delivery system that suits their learning style (check with their parents about that) and I believe the rest will take care of itself.



*YouTube only takes 10 minutes of video, Google Video receives it but I keep getting an error message saying it's unavailable. Let's see if Blip.tv can do better.

MNPS zoning changes

From the MNPS press release just released comes this summary of the changed approved by the MNPS BOE at last evening's meeting.

Here is a summary of changes, by cluster:

Antioch Cluster:

Kelley: The fifth grade was added to Kelley for the 07-08 school year only, in order to keep students from having to change schools 3 consecutive years. In 2008-09, the fifth grade will be removed from Kelley since Marshall will open with grades 5-8. Kelley is reassigned from the Antioch Cluster to the Cane Ridge Cluster.

Maxwell: The fifth grade was added to Maxwell for the 07-08 school year only, in order to keep students from having to change schools two consecutive years. In 2008-09, the fifth grade will be removed from Maxwell since Marshall will open with grades 5-8. Maxwell will move from the Antioch Cluster to the Cane Ridge Cluster.

Mt. View: Reassign 5th graders in map area 1-A from Mt. View to Marshall. Students in grades K-4 who live in area 1-B will remain zoned to Mt. View, even though students in middle and high school from this area will go to Marshall and Cane Ridge. Kelley does not have the space to reassign these students from Mt. View. Since MNPS has land in 1-B to build an elementary school in the future, it is not desirable to rezone children in 1-B now to Kelley, and then rezone them again to the new school in 3 to 5 years.

Antioch MS: Areas 1-B, 1-C, and 1-D are reassigned from Antioch MS to Marshall. Current students rising to grades 7 and 8 have the voluntary grandfather option and may apply to remain at Antioch MS, without transportation being provided. Antioch MS is reassigned from the Antioch Cluster to the Cane Ridge Cluster.

Kennedy: Kennedy moves from the Marshall building back to the original location on Hobson Pike. Students in grades 6-8 in map area 1-A are reassigned from Kennedy to Marshall. Current students rising to grades 7 and 8 have the voluntary grandfather option and may apply to remain at Kennedy, without transportation being provided.

Antioch HS: The 9th Grade Academy at Antioch will relocate to the main campus.

Students rising to the 9th and 10th grades in 08-09 who reside in areas 1-A, 1-B, 1-C, 1-D and 1-E are reassigned from Antioch HS to Cane Ridge.

Hunters Lane Cluster:

Currently, students leaving Gateway after the 4th grade are split between Goodlettsville Middle School and Brick Church Middle School. This feeder pattern violates one of the 2 immutable zoning factors which the Board approved in 1998 (consistent feeder pattern). Until a permanent determination is made regarding Gateway, students from Gateway feed into Goodlettsville Middle School beginning with the 2008-09 school year. Less than 30 students are affected by this change.

McGavock Cluster:

Students in map area 7-A are reassigned from the McGavock Cluster to the Hillsboro Cluster for the 2008-09 school year. This area involves no elementary or middle school students. Only 1 high school student will be affected. The intent is to use I-40 as the boundary between the 2 clusters, which makes the boundary more easily identifiable. The one student affected by this recommendation will be allowed the grandfather option to remain at McGavock.

Pearl-Cohn Cluster:

Students in map area 9-A are reassigned from Cockrill to Park Avenue beginning with the 2008-09 school year. In addition to relieving the overcrowding conditions at Cockrill, this will create space for one or two additional pre-kindergarten classes at Cockrill. Approximately 130 students will be affected by this change.

Stratford Cluster:

Dalewood will be made available for other instructional uses for the 2008-09 school year, as originally proposed. Since Maplewood is scheduled to be renovated next year, space is needed at Dalewood for the relocation of Maplewood’s 9th Grade Academy.

Bailey: Area 10-E is reassigned from Litton to Bailey while 10-F is reassigned from Dalewood to Bailey.

Dalewood: Dalewood is being made available as a temporary location for Maplewood’s 9th Grade Academy while the Maplewood facility is renovated during the 2008-09 school year. Areas 10-A and 10-B are reassigned from Dalewood to Litton.

Isaac Litton: Area 10-E is reassigned from Litton to Bailey in order to make space available at Litton for areas 10-A, 10-B, and 10-G. Area 10-G is reassigned from Dalewood to Litton.

Dan Mills: Areas 10-A and 10-B are reassigned to Dan Mills from Inglewood. Current students rising to grades 3 and 4 have the voluntary grandfather option and may apply to remain at Inglewood, without transportation being provided. Area 10-D is reassigned from Dan Mills to Inglewood. Current students rising to grades 3 and 4 have the voluntary grandfather option and may apply to remain at Dan Mills, without transportation being provided.

Inglewood: Areas 10-A and 10-B are reassigned from Inglewood to Dan Mills. Current students rising to grades 3 and 4 have the voluntary grandfather option and may apply to remain at Inglewood, without transportation being provided. Area 10-D is reassigned from Dan Mills to Inglewood. Current students rising to grades 3 and 4 have the voluntary grandfather option and may apply to remain at Dan Mills, without transportation being provided.

Cluster maps showing the areas will be available for review at www.mnps.org. Information letters will be going to the homes of all students affected by these changes; those letters will be mailed from MNPS in late January or early February.