Will Schenley stay or close? Recommendation due Monday - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Roosevelt previously has suggested closing Schenley, citing the $64 million cost to fix asbestos problems and update the school's mechanical systems. But students, parents, alumni and other residents have opposed him because of the school's listing on the National Registry of Historic Places, its revered architecture and storied history. The school has produced such illustrious graduates as pop artist Andy Warhol and Clifford Shull, a Nobel Prize winner in physics.Roosevelt is closing Schenley because he wants to leave his mark on the district. That's it.
The money is a lie.
The asbestos is a lie.
As a dog walks down the street, it lifts its leg to piss on the post -- leaving a mark. That's Mark Roosevelt's motivation. The other reasons don't hold water.
The reporters have let Roosevelt get a pass, mostly.
The $64-million dollar amount has been discounted dozens of ways at dozens of meetings. It isn't even being used by those within Pittsburgh Public Schools -- since about December 2007. But the media still uses it.
To install air conditioning is not an update of the school's mechanical system.
Here is an idea. Fix the windows that were just installed five years ago. And, do these repairs under the terms of the warranty from the manufacturers. The windows don't work as they should. Windows can't open. They screwed them shut as a bastard fix. They (school administrators) didn't do the job they needed to do to keep the building running because they wanted to suck the blood from the building and use that as an excuse to sell it.
The $64-Million is inflated from about $30-M real price tag. And, they are now running up the tab to move programs (successful programs) to other buildings (crap buildings) at prices that are far greater than the $30-Million to fix up Schenley.
* The cost of Milliones is NOT being reported.
* The cost of a fix up to a once failed middle school, Reisenstein, (no windows now, valued property that is an easy sell) is in the dozens of millions. It was pitched at a cost of $300,000. Now the costs are 10-times greater and still rising.
* The cost of CAPA's expansion is not being factored in to the formula. Plus, those two successful schools are going to crash.
* The cost of moving robotics to Peabody is not being considered.
* The cost of moving the professional development from Reisenstein to West End's PCA/Gifted/Greenway is not in the mix.
* The cost of busing from the Hill to the east edge of town is not in the mix.
* The changes to Frick Middle School.
* The loss of student confidence.
* The acceleration of outward migration.
Fix Schenley.
Think again.
Think it through.
In the near future, the school boards of tomorrow will re-open Schenley anyway. The political promises have been made and this will occur. Mark Roosevelt has the helm for the short term, with the help of board president Issler, but that will end shortly. This entire move and crisis is a fabrication that won't wash in the long term and with the truth.
When everything is understood, looking at the forest and not the trees, it becomes clear that their reform moves are killing the school district and must be corrected.
Roosevelt had a hand-picked group spend more than a year on 'high school reform.' The entire body of work on that policy advising group went out the window in one meeting. Those that objected by asking questions were NEVER INVITED BACK to attend another meeting. The discussion for them ended. Roosevelt's own game of divide and conquest failed within the ranks of his own generals.
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Will Schenley stay or close? Recommendation due Monday
By Bill Zlatos
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Pittsburgh Public Schools Superintendent Mark Roosevelt on Monday is expected to recommend whether the district should permanently close Schenley High School or spend millions of dollars to renovate the historic building.
The school board is scheduled to vote on his plan June 25.
Schenley students, who protested last week in front of the Administration Building in Oakland, said they don't know what they'll do if Roosevelt again proposes shuttering their school.
It's difficult "to prepare ourselves for next year when we don't know what to prepare ourselves for," said sophomore Sara Rosenblum, 15, of Squirrel Hill.
Roosevelt previously has suggested closing Schenley, citing the $64 million cost to fix asbestos problems and update the school's mechanical systems. But students, parents, alumni and other residents have opposed him because of the school's listing on the National Registry of Historic Places, its revered architecture and storied history. The school has produced such illustrious graduates as pop artist Andy Warhol and Clifford Shull, a Nobel Prize winner in physics.
Originally, Roosevelt was adamant about closing the Oakland school and moving students now in grades 9-11 this fall to Reizenstein in East Liberty. Students starting ninth-grade this fall would be dispersed among other schools.
Roosevelt has backed off in the past few months so the district can study whether it is more cost-effective to renovate Schenley rather than other buildings such as Reizenstein. Even if Schenley were to be renovated, however, Roosevelt has said its students all must move during the work.
Renovating Schenley, however, would further increase the district's debt.
At a meeting Wednesday, Roosevelt said the debt has mushroomed from $180.7 million in 1997 to $475.6 million last year.
Members of Save Schenley, which wants to keep the school open, question some of the administration's repair estimates.
"We believe that the $64 million thrown out by Roosevelt is not true," said Jet Lafean, 56, of Schenley Farms. "It's really $35 million. The $64 million is a gold-plated repair of Schenley."
Jill Weiss of Highland Park is among the Save Schenley advocates. Her daughter, Emma, 16, is a junior at the school.
"I'm hoping that (Roosevelt) recommends to keep it as a school, and I'm hoping that he renovates, but at this point I don't know what's going to happen," Weiss said. "One day, I think one thing, and the next day I think another thing."
Schenley supporter Jen Lakin, 43, of Point Breeze, expected Roosevelt would push to close the school permanently after the superintendent delayed his recommendation until Monday and the board's subsequent vote in June.
"It's to take the heat off," she said. "He's going to wait till the kids aren't in school."
Even if Roosevelt recommends closing and selling the school, board members might not agree.
"I support keeping the school open and exploring all the options," said board member Mark Brentley Sr.
School director Jean Fink said she hopes Roosevelt recommends renovating the building.
"It's so centralized," she said. "It's historic. It's a good, solid building, and it's beautiful."
If the board permanently closes the school, Schenley supporters vow revenge at the polls.
"Regardless of the vote," Lafean said, "we're in a good position to vote them out of office the next time they come up for election. especially (board President William) Isler. He's up at the top of the list."
Isler was not available for comment.
Bill Zlatos can be reached at bzlatos@tribweb.com or 412-320-7828.
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