Is it that the bloggers are getting mad and word travels fast? Is it the rapid rise in crime in the area? Perhaps it's that the school district seems to think they're brilliant and wonderful managers. Either way, North Natomas is about to take another major hit over the head. This time, it's in the form of a community day school set on the same campus as a brand new elementary school.
That's right folks. The NUSD believes it can best serve the community by placing a group of students who need psychological services, have been expelled and have massive attendance problems right on your brand new elementary school! The Natomas Community Day School will, of course, be a heavily supervised well run program. Because we've seen the district is so good at that. (Can you taste the dripping sarcasm yet?)
For some unknown and unpublicized logic, the district is no longer interested in using the Sacramento County system of Community Day schools that are already established. They say they want to keep these students closer to home for easier reintegration. I believe it's a justification for a massive junior high school that will stand unused this year because of NUSD's poor financial management.
Despite what their information says, this is not "scare tactics." I have personally been the assistant vice principal at an alternative school where nearly all of my students had parole officers and had been in and out of juvenile hall. I'm not "scared" of these students and they deserve every opportunity to recover from years of bad parenting.
However, even I wouldn't be as bold and ignorant to put them on an elementary school campus and then promise the public that everything is fine because they'll be supervised. The things I've seen would shock any adult and not things you would ever want your adorable kindergarten son walking into in a boy's bathroom.
If you have a child who will attend Allen Hight Elementary or you live in the Creekside neighborhood or the far west side of Natomas Park, I suggest you get on the phone today and begin screaming and yelling about this decision. As best I can tell from old board agendas, the district waited until school was out to have a public hearing (on June 19th) and review the proposal. Their supposed "higher ratio" of teachers to students only includes a budget for one teacher and one social worker/administrator. That's a pretty bad ratio for a one room campus of troubled students.
I agree with the idea that Natomas students would be best served by a community school in our area. However, it makes the most sense to either put it on Natomas High's campus or locate it at Discovery High. Sharing resources and facilities with a school that is already equip to deal with older students makes the most sense. Instead, the district has chosen to do what it usually does- make a hasty last minute decision that is illogical and lacks vision.
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3 comments:
UGH! Who told these idiot decision makers they could do whatever they want with our community? Did I miss some meeting or something where we gave up all of our rights as a community and just handed it all over to the city council and natomas unified school district?? I mean FORGET THAT JUVENILE DELINQUENTS are already terrorizing our neighborhoods as I type WITHOUT the freakin' "day school" already. This community needs more delinquents like we need a hole in our head. Send them over to South Natomas in Fargo and Tretheway's neighborhood! And RECALL TRETHEWAY! RECALL TRETHEWAY! RECALL TRETHEWAY!
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One thing to remember about the accusations of NUSD financial mismanagement. Every school district in the state had to cut massive amounts out of their budgets with only 8 months warning. And NUSD is the only district in Northern California not to cut any teaching jobs. So they temporarily close a school...that is much better than laying off teachers. We can always open the school later, but where will we get experienced teachers from?
MikeinSac-
I'm guessing that you may be new to NUSD. Their financial woes date back to very bad land deals with AKT and also with accidentally counting senior-only housing in their head counts. The junior high staying closed has nearly nothing to do with this year's budget and everything to do with the past 10 years.
As for experienced teachers, it doesn't matter anyway- the district can't afford them.
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