Monday, April 25, 2005

Propel officials will outline renovation plans for school in Robinson

Propel officials will outline renovation plans for school - PittsburghLIVE.com Propel officials will outline renovation plans for school


Some comments about the article follow.

Seeing an investment into a building for adaptive reuse is great.

Commissioners Chairman Bill Blumling said his main concerns are losing taxes on the building. Well, how much has the building and property pain in taxes in the past years? Let's see a chart. And, let's also not the tax increases. And, note too as to how much in taxes go to the various sources, such as schools, county, municipal.

The worry of higher public safety costs is groundless. A school is not going to be a drain on public safety costs. If so, prove it with the numbers.

A city without any people has no worry about needing money for public safety. Nobody is there.

The cost and liability of having an empty building is greater than anything a school delivers.

Seeing that McMichael Road is already heavily traveled without the school makes good sense. You WANT to put schools are busy road. You don't want to put schools in neighborhoods on lightly used roads and wedged among homes.

In the city we have some empty school buildings. I want to take the buildings that are among the houses, in the neighborhoods, on lightly traveled roads, and turn those into senior housing or else condos. Put housing in among the other houses. Put schools into the properties that are heavy with travel and transit.

"With all the schools we have in the area, I don't know that a charter school could do anything more. Why do we need one?" Blumling said.

But that question isn't one commissioners are being asked to consider, said Propel Executive Director Jeremy Resnick.


Right on. But there is more to understand. You want this school for a number of reasons. The arrival of a charter school is going to increase the service and satisfaction among those who go to the traditional public school. Competition helps. The regular school is going to raise their levels of teaching and expectations.

Furthermore, with our educational system, we know that the square pegs don't fit well in the round holes. Some are not gonig to feel at home and thrive at some schools. Others are going to do well at other settings. We want diversity in the market place of schools. We want freedom, options, choices, and other places for those who are unhappy to move to. One size does NOT fit all in most situations.

If everyone is happy with the local public school, then there will not be any students at the charter school. Hence, the charter school will float away.

Perhaps some in Robinson will move to the charter school. Those same people might have left Robinson to move to USC, Mt. Lebo or the North Hills. With the school in Robinson, Robinson wins. The local homeowners have a choice.

Others might go to the school in Robinson from homes elsewhere in the area. A teacher hired for the school who lives in Plum or Baldwin might decide to buy a home in Robinson. Same too with a family that like the charter -- but doesn't like the drive. They might move into Robinson.

Montour School Board President Charles Snowden said he thinks Propel's purpose is a bit murky. Propel appears to be attempting to capitalize on Montour's "good name," he said.
Giggle.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

By Treshea N. Wade - TRIBUNE-REVIEW Monday, April 25, 2005

Propel School's plans to open a new charter facility in Robinson face a stiff test tonight, when school officials are to outline plans for $1.5 million in renovations to a former financial services building.

Opponents are expected to line up at the conditional use public hearing at 6:30 p.m. before township commissioners in the municipal complex. Propel officials hope to open to 280 students in August on McMichael Road.

Propel Schools is a nonprofit organization with headquarters on the South Side. Charter schools are independent public schools free from many state regulations. They receive per-pupil money from the districts whose students attend.

Commissioners Chairman Bill Blumling said his main concerns are losing taxes on the building and higher public safety costs.


"I don't know that we would get taxes off that building if a school moved in there," Blumling said. "And McMichael Road is already heavily traveled without the school. And what about the expense for the district? I just have a lot of questions."

"With all the schools we have in the area, I don't know that a charter school could do anything more. Why do we need one?" Blumling said.

But that question isn't one commissioners are being asked to consider, said Propel Executive Director Jeremy Resnick.

"We've already received the charter from the state. This is about whether this building can be used as a school, and we've met all the conditions," Resnick said. "But clearly, families have a desire for alternative. A lot of parents are looking forward to having their kids enrolled in Propel."

More than 200 students in kindergarten through sixth grade are enrolled for the fall. Full enrollment, or 280 children, is expected by the first day of classes. The children are coming in from at least nine school districts from the western and northern suburbs.

Propel plans to start classes Aug. 22 in the former Deluxe Financial Services building at 615 McMichael Road. The land behind the municipal complex and Community College of Allegheny County West is not currently zoned for use as a nonprofit elementary school.

NDC McMichael Road LLC plans more than $1.5 million in interior renovations to the building in time for the first day of classes. Propel will lease the site from NDC.

Montour School Board President Charles Snowden said he thinks Propel's purpose is a bit murky. Propel appears to be attempting to capitalize on Montour's "good name," he said.

"They didn't seem to be offering anything we didn't already have. Charter schools are usually set up to offer things where another school district may be lacking, but Propel didn't make a good case," Snowden said. "It would be different if they were a school for performing arts or something. The majority of the board believe Propel will not offer anything."

The state Charter School Appeal Board ruled in December that Propel Schools can open a charter school in Robinson, reversing a decision by the Montour School Board. It was the third time the appeal board has ruled in Propel's favor, with previous decisions coming in the Steel Valley and McKeesport school districts.

Propel expects later to add seventh and eighth grades and beef up enrollment to 360.

Treshea N. Wade can be reached at twade@tribweb.com or (412) 380-5631.