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By John Higgins
Beacon Journal staff writer
POSTED: 07:24 p.m. EST, Feb 09, 2009
Akron school board members this evening voted unanimously to close five schools.
Officials say the closings will help align the district's buildings with declining enrollment.
Schools that will be closed are:
— Erie Island, Lincoln and Stewart elementary schools; the Afrocentric magnet program at Stewart would be moved to Crouse Elementary.
— Goodrich and Riedinger middle schools.
James had said there would be closings this year during his State of the Schools address last week. The district faces a projected $37 million deficit as early as 2011 that could grow to a $153 million hole in 2013. ''We have too many schools, too many people, too many programs for a district our size,'' James said at the Akron Press Club event. ''It will be difficult, even painful, but before we go back to the voters, we will do everything we can to cut our costs through building closures, reducing administrative, teaching and support staffs, and reducing programs.''
The district has completed 11 schools in its $800 million program with the city to rebuild, renovate or close every building in the district. Ten more schools are under construction.
The district already has closed Heminger, Margaret Park, Jackson and Crosby (alternative academy) elementary schools. Central-Hower High School no longer exists, but the building is used as swing space to house students waiting for a new high school. The Betty Jane Annex was demolished in 2006.
Erie Island and Lincoln have been long slated for closing, according to the district's master facilities plan.
The Ohio School Facilities Commission, which oversees the state's 59 percent contribution to building costs, will not fund a school with a projected enrollment of fewer than 350 students. The commission's most recent draft report on Akron's enrollment, released in June, showed the district losing 4,598 students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade through the 2017-18 school year.
The district is divided into seven geographic clusters of elementary, middle school and high school buildings. Kenmore's cluster is projected to lose the greatest percentage of students by 2017, dropping 35.6 percent from last year's enrollment of about 3,200 students.
Garfield's cluster, which enrolled 4,646 students last year, is projected to lose 27.3 percent, and Buchtel, which had 2,941 students last year, is projected to lose 17.5 percent.
John Higgins can be reached at 330-996-3792 or jhiggins@thebeaconjournal.com.
Akron school board members this evening voted unanimously to close five schools.
Officials say the closings will help align the district's buildings with declining enrollment.
Schools that will be closed are:
— Erie Island, Lincoln and Stewart elementary schools; the Afrocentric magnet program at Stewart would be moved to Crouse Elementary.
— Goodrich and Riedinger middle schools.
James had said there would be closings this year during his State of the Schools address last week. The district faces a projected $37 million deficit as early as 2011 that could grow to a $153 million hole in 2013. ''We have too many schools, too many people, too many programs for a district our size,'' James said at the Akron Press Club event. ''It will be difficult, even painful, but before we go back to the voters, we will do everything we can to cut our costs through building closures, reducing administrative, teaching and support staffs, and reducing programs.''
The district has completed 11 schools in its $800 million program with the city to rebuild, renovate or close every building in the district. Ten more schools are under construction.
The district already has closed Heminger, Margaret Park, Jackson and Crosby (alternative academy) elementary schools. Central-Hower High School no longer exists, but the building is used as swing space to house students waiting for a new high school. The Betty Jane Annex was demolished in 2006.
Erie Island and Lincoln have been long slated for closing, according to the district's master facilities plan.
The Ohio School Facilities Commission, which oversees the state's 59 percent contribution to building costs, will not fund a school with a projected enrollment of fewer than 350 students. The commission's most recent draft report on Akron's enrollment, released in June, showed the district losing 4,598 students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade through the 2017-18 school year.
The district is divided into seven geographic clusters of elementary, middle school and high school buildings. Kenmore's cluster is projected to lose the greatest percentage of students by 2017, dropping 35.6 percent from last year's enrollment of about 3,200 students.
Garfield's cluster, which enrolled 4,646 students last year, is projected to lose 27.3 percent, and Buchtel, which had 2,941 students last year, is projected to lose 17.5 percent.
John Higgins can be reached at 330-996-3792 or jhiggins@thebeaconjournal.com.
Comments
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Akron, Ohio
Posted 08:09 PM, 02/09/2009
Close Garfield. That school is worthless. Kids fighting and smoking blunts during and after school. Property values in the area will go up if they would get rid of that Zoo! Good building for Akron U to buy since its close.
Akron, Oh
Posted 08:20 PM, 02/09/2009
Five? Is that All? Talk about tokenism. The board isn't being serious about the problem. No surprise there.
Akron, OH
Posted 08:46 PM, 02/09/2009
@Maximus, Garfield is not even close to UA.
akron, oh
Posted 08:58 PM, 02/09/2009
Maximus, do you mean Cental Hower/East??
Posted 09:24 PM, 02/09/2009
They're cutting schools but saving the "Afrocentric" school?
Is that supported by tax dollars or is it a private school?
Akron, Oh
Posted 09:26 PM, 02/09/2009
Great, Goodrich is going to spread their students to where?
Now that the 1/2 percent income tax to rebuild the schools being paid by the people still working in AKRON may not be needed it will go to "THE GENERAL FUND".. How convenient!!!!
Posted 09:53 PM, 02/09/2009
I can think of few more schools that need to be closed. Let me see ~ Buchtel High, Rankin Elementary, & Schumaucher. The school board could save a lot of money, but taking the construction money and build 1 or 2 high schools. 1 or 2 middle schools, and 1 or 2 high schools. There is no need for all the "new" schools being contructed for enrollment that won't be there.
Posted 09:54 PM, 02/09/2009
~ I meant to say 1 or 2 elementary schools instead of the duplication of 1 or 2 high schools.
stow, oh
Posted 09:57 PM, 02/09/2009
What the heck is the "Afrocentric magnet program."
Sounds racist to me.
The ABJ better investigate that program and expose it for the joke and waste of taxpayer money it is.
Akron, Oh
Posted 09:59 PM, 02/09/2009
The Afrocentric school is a regular elementary school in Akron Public it just follows a more Afro-centric curriculum.
Posted 10:05 PM, 02/09/2009
What the heck is the "Afrocentric magnet program"
Is it for those with median IQ of 85 perhaps?
Akron, OH
Posted 10:15 PM, 02/09/2009
@bilbo, that is 5 more schools to go with the 5 or they already closed.
Posted 10:16 PM, 02/09/2009
Max are you serious?
Garfield isin't close to AU.
And your saying Garfield is worse than Buchtel?
Property value would go up?
lol kool
Akron, OH
Posted 10:17 PM, 02/09/2009
Constructions funds CANNOT be converted to operating money. They are still rebuilding or renovating all exists schools. These actions save none of the construction related money.
Akron, Oh
Posted 10:21 PM, 02/09/2009
If you want to find out more about the Afrocentric idea here is a link to the school's website, it was too much to type.
http://www.akronschools.com/studentschools/schools_stewart.html
My Heart Is In K-Town, .
Posted 10:25 PM, 02/09/2009
So I guess Mr. James didn't take my advise to suggest merging with Summit County Schools, closing more Akron schools and spread these kids around. Get their pants pulled up, their intellect combined with others, and totally immerged in a different environment.
For Akron to survive there is no other choice.
Akron, Oh
Posted 10:28 PM, 02/09/2009
"The ABJ better investigate that program and expose it for the joke and waste of taxpayer money it is."
This school is not extra tax payers money...it is a regular school that was already open in a predominantly black neighborhood anyway. I'm thinking that there are white students that go there, but not sure.
Tepplin, DC
Posted 10:52 PM, 02/09/2009
PacMan, I agree with you. But I'm not sure that the time has come for everyone else to get on the consolidated Akron-Summit Public Schools bandwagon. Mostly everyone still thinks a recovery is around the corner and that these cuts will only be superficial and temporary. They think that we can somehow maintain the duplicated and costly administration of schools and the "city vs. suburbs" fractured government paradigm the way we have in the past.
The state of Ohio is pretty much bankrupt, and the federal govt. was already there several years ago. The bills are coming due, and there's no easy way out of them. When this realization hits mass consciousness, in about 2 or 3 years, and the crisis becomes apparent, maybe then we will be ready to try really innovative solutions such as this.
Akron, Oh
Posted 11:09 PM, 02/09/2009
HMMMMMM..How about merging the Afro-centric School with Miller South Performing Arts School. That way Miller South/Stewart would really be a diverse School and everyone would benefit. The schools are within a mile of each other and no one really walks to school anymore so the parents would provide transportation or use the existing set-up. Miller South is based on auditions and Im not sure about the criteria to be accepted at Stewart. There would be a lil outcry about Stewart's Namesake but Stewart/Miller South Performing Arts Afrocentric School has a nice little ring to it. With President Obama in office it would be a nice token in change. Akron City Schools would surely be leading the way. See...I was thinking positive!!!
Akron, Ohio
Posted 01:35 AM, 02/10/2009
Garfield is 1.6 miles from Akron U. So its close enough. Make it an adult vocational. At least it will be something useful besides learning to roll blunts!
akron, oh
Posted 08:13 AM, 02/10/2009
Isnt Stewart school racist against whites/mexicans/indians?
Can we start a white school and teach white stuff?
Call it the Angelo-Saxon education center.
akron, oh
Posted 09:25 AM, 02/10/2009
to MBA08--didn't you read the whole story--Rankin and Schumacher will the the buildings that will house the Erie Island students. you still have to educate the students.Hope that your blog name isn't your degree of education.
akron , oh
Posted 11:12 AM, 02/10/2009
akron only needs 4 school districts anyways. 35 to 40 in a classroom and actually make the teachers work for a living and we might save some money. the money grubbing teacher's union will never allow this kind of idea, just think of the money they would lose.
Akron, OH
Posted 11:20 AM, 02/10/2009
There will always be racism as long as you treat one race different than you others. As long as there are special schools for one race, you only teach one thing there: RACISM. A black man can aspire to be president, but we still have a black police union, special schools for blacks, and special govermnet programs for blacks. When can we say we are all equal? Not until we are all treated equal.
Posted 11:49 AM, 02/10/2009
@LAURA ~
Before you begin commenting on screen names and level of intellect you may want to proofread your comment.
Secondly, the first article didn't mention anything about "housing" students. The schools I mentioned are underperforming and need to be closed.
Lastly, my screen is representative of my education. I hope that you sentence structure doesn't represent your level of education or we have a real serious problem with the adults living in Akron ~ assuming that you are over the age of 18.
Posted 02:21 PM, 02/10/2009
The term Afrocentric school really scares some whites...this school is open to all races..and yes we do have Eurocentric schools it's called the American Education system which has shut out the accomplishments of other racial groups for decades and are Eurocentric by nature...thing is most of you who complain about Stewart don't even live in Akron. People sit around and whine about "inner city/ black" crime and when someone sets up programming ie( Stewart School) with an Afrocentric cirricullum with hopes of maybe instilling a little knowledge of self to people of African decent thus maybe educating them and maybe substracting from the number of youth who may become "disenfranchised" or criminal adults...you still whine...closet racist are all over the back woods of Summit county.
Posted 02:36 PM, 02/10/2009
I can't believe the ignorance here. The reason "black anything" evolved in America is because blacks were not allowed to learn along side whites. Blacks were not allowed in your schools, country clubs, theaters, restaurants and more. Seems like the folks posting here wish it was still the same. Racist Cowards hiding here. Even though we now have a black president, the sad reality(as evidenced here) is that there still are folks who hate blacks, have no clue about black history, don't think it is important and too ignorant to realize that everyone deserves to feel some pride in their history, culture. There is room for us all in America
Akron, OH
Posted 02:48 PM, 02/10/2009
@Coop1: Wow! I lived on Longview next to the cemetary and had to walk to Margret Park as a kindergartner. THe neigbor hood begged for a K-4 school to no avail. The racial mix of the neighborhood changes from white to black and bingo a new school! That is not racism, that is truth. I do have to admit, I have seen the best fights at the Stewart PTA meetings. Never read anything about that in the ABJ. The bottom line is that if you teach kids that one race is superior to another, you get rasists. My neighborhood is full of racists. All of them black.
akron , oh
Posted 04:35 PM, 02/10/2009
ms autry- you sound racist. what if someone started a white only school? you would be out in the streets calling them hateful things. now since we can all learn together in peace, people like you want to go back to segregation. just what do you think rev. M.L.K. would think of this behavior? to me, those schools show as much racism as would a rebel flag to you.
Akron, Oh
Posted 06:28 PM, 02/10/2009
Concerning Goodrich:
Why not move all the 6th graders into the elementary schools in the Garfield cluster serving formerly Goodrich and Roswell Kent middle schools (like they are doing in the Buchtel and East clusters, then make Roswell Kent the seventh and eighth grade building for the entire Garfield cluster.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Combining Lincoln and McEbright!!!!!
Stupid!!!!!! Kids walking across Main & Broadway streets between the two schools!! A disaster waiting to happen!!!
Akron, OH
Posted 07:59 PM, 02/10/2009
@Laura, comments on a newspaper article are not a "blog". This is not a "blog".
Posted 10:15 AM, 02/11/2009
??@Mark what is the correaltion between Afrocentric education and alleged racial superiorty. I dont make excuses for blacks who are racist(they are a pitful group also) nor does my original post lean towards such. Matter of fact your reply doesnt really address my post at all. Just because a school has an Afrocentric cirricullum ....learing about black history and black pride is DANGEROUS? This is directed to "Ouch" they do have all white private schools, the American Education system is Eurocentric...
