Board Meeting Comments

How do we trust anyone in EBR Schools when they continuously come up with solutions fix The Dufrocq School enrollment issues without actually addressing the causes of the enrollment declines? Hint, it’s not the principal, not programming, not the students… Parents are told one narrative and long esteemed alumni are told another. Children who weren’t being taught to read were villainized as, “elitist,” as staff went on fully funded expensive trips in the name of “improving programming.” And y’all want to give them more kids to fail? Vote no on this plan because as is, it’s going to cause further enrollment declines, which will be costly to the district in both academic outcomes and financial costs.

Good Evening School Board! Please reconsider until the communities are able to get the accurate information. The realignment website did not answer questions. Why is Belfair Elementary getting the special treatment ? They don’t practice Montessori in elementary and above have been funded for “expansion” multiple times ? Only a handful of kids in each grade after second? Does someone very powerful have a child there? Is there something about phase 2 that’s in the works? It just doesn’t make data sense to not combine it with Winbourne and give the hard working Winbourne staff and students the same resources as Belfair students? If lowering enrollment in the LEAP grades is the path to higher school performance scores then why aren’t we doing that elsewhere? Imagine if every school had only 5-20 kids in the ENTIRE grade? Small schools can work. Capital High could be reimagined in a highly resourced small school ? Please reconsider this plan and until you figure out a better situation

With such short notice given, it seems almost impossible that disrupted families would find spaces in magnet or alternative programs. Will these students be given priority when applying to magnet programs? Can a list of possible alternatives be given to these students? When phase II rolls out will more notice be given?

Will there be any opportunity for community building over the summer for the consolidated schools? Possibly a mini camp, field day, picnic, etc. so the transitioning students might feel welcomed to their new situation?

Feels like this is a done deal and has been for some time. Its disappointing there wasn’t more effort to make this a collaborative effort including some representation from teaching staff. At the bare minimum, it is hope if this is passed you are prepared to release the names of the new consolidated sites. Changing up theses teams with transparency with a new focus on student outcomes would help people make an informed decision to stay or go. Please don’t make people wait and let the new teams get to work forming a shared culture and mission. Please hold all these leaders/instructional support accountable for enrollment losses of enrollment and academic losses. Stop blaming classroom staff for administrative bungles, please.

Good evening. As an employee of Winbourne Elementary School, one of the schools being proposed to close, what will happen to the staff? I know that it has been said that teachers will have the option to move with their students, but what about the Front Office Staff? I've been here at Winbourne Elementary since 2008, and this school is a big part of who I am. I understand the reasoning behind the realignment, but I also think that more input from the public should have been used in making this grand decision.

Since Belfair was moved into a different building, replacing a school with higher enrollment, does that mean there are plans to grow Montessori or ultimately combine Dufrocq’s Montessori program with that of Belfair?

It's pretty obvious that you will pass this tonight, regardless of any public comments. But it's important to remember when this is passed, that the transition needs to be the most organized and well coordinated effort that this school team has ever pulled off. You will damage your credibility and any good will you still have if this consolidation of schools is not pulled off well. Keep in mind the dignity and worth of every student, family, and staff member as you do this quick turnaround. I don't have high hopes due to the history of this board and central office; but I hope for those impacted that you do it right.

The slide decks from the previous realignment meetings listed school capacity including t-buildings. Are there plans to use t-buildings at any of the combined schools? Student-teacher ratio is very concerning. Will there indeed be two teachers in the max capacity classrooms?

Realignment is touted as a way to provide better resources and situations so what enhanced resources may we expect? Will each school have full time nurses? With enhanced enrollment two social workers should be placed as well to meet all children’s needs? Will each school have more interventionists?

It’s really hard to see some of the impacted communities knowing stakeholders have put in concerns about the enrollment declines for YEARS , only to have staff ignore or reframe the problem in a way intended to fit their narrative for a solution they wanted anyway. What resources exactly will each consolidated school have? 2 social workers in every school, 2 school counselors, maybe a fully staffed nursing team on only assigned to one building, maybe enough staff so everyone can enjoy bathroom breaks and a duty free lunch? Is that too much to ask? Most research on consolidations show it’s the hardest on classroom staff. So how will EBR Schools really support staff? It may be easier to support this when it’s clear exactly what the benefits are. Right now according to the FAQ’s it’s looking like not much at all. Thank you.

Why was The Dufrocq School left of the list of impacted schools? It’s taking in another school so it clearly should have been on the list as it’s part of the consolidation plans.

Why was money spent to get Westminster Elementary a newly paved parking lot/driveway over the Easter holiday break if it is being proposed to be closed? Seems like a waste of money.

It's fascinating to witness the passionate advocacy now. I distinctly recall when the former superintendent faced immense pressure from many concerned alumni and community members about Capitol's future. Yet, one has to wonder, where was this same fervent energy when it came to actually boosting or encouraging enrollment at Capitol High? Let's be honest: no school, regardless of its cherished history, can feasibly operate at 10% enrollment capacity. The math simply wasn't mathing then to keep it open as it was, and it's certainly not mathing now if we ignore stark realities. Perhaps this necessary consolidation is the overdue consequence of that collective INACTION.

As a proud Capitol High alumna, I have to say — nostalgia is not in the best interest of students. I watched too many folks wring their hands about "saving the school" while doing absolutely nothing to boost enrollment. A school running below capacity isn’t a symbol of pride — it’s a financial sinkhole. Former Superintendent Dr. Narcisse should’ve made the hard call then, and frankly, delaying it has only made it harder. I love Capitol’s legacy, but if we’re serious about securing a future for our kids, not just preserving memories for adults, it’s time to move forward now!

I am in support of the realignment. Change is challenging, yet change is needed. As a veteran educator in EBR, a parent, and an active member of the community, I feel that this is needed for our children. I feel that this will help our teachers, relieve the stress of the teacher shortage, put certified teachers in all classrooms where the need is, and help the students in all schools. In addition, this will open finances which there has been needed for several years for teachers.

In a recent interview published this month school consolidation expert Manny Barbara when asked what would you say to School board looking at closing and consolidating schools in April? He said it’s too late.Outcome orientated leadership would not be trying to rush this through. Furthermore, he said the best practices for this field include not having the school board involved until the vote. But do having the community involved and making sure it’s representive. He also advised to give the community time to grieve and let the principal start leading right away. His opinions are further supported by recent research on School consolidations about Chicago, Illinois and Pennsylvania. Start early get the community involved in the fall and be direct , which is not a skill set most EBR Schools leadership value.LThe few meetings we had several people stood up and said most people don’t understand the word realignment yet the district refused to use more simple language? do better.

Thank you and your team for your dedication to enhancing our district's performance. The "Student First" plan is one of the most comprehensive and effective strategies I've encountered in my 20-year career. It is well-thought-out and provides actionable steps that will significantly improve both teacher and student outcomes, enabling us to thrive in the ever-evolving educational landscape.

Several failing schools are proposed to be closed, and their students are being transferred to higher-performing schools. How are these receiving schools expected to maintain or improve their performance scores with the influx of students from failing schools? What plans or resources will be provided to support the schools taking in new students?

I just want to thank our Superintendent and all EBR staff for all of the hard work they do every day, especially regarding the difficult decisions they are working with at this time. It’s clear Superintendent Cole and his staff spent several weeks pouring over data and asking all the pertinent questions before presenting this option to the public, and I believe this plan is in the best interest of serving our children based on the data they’ve presented.

I understand the need for realignment based on current enrollment. The bigger issue that this board needs to address is the operation of two school systems under the jurisdiction of this board. A dedicated magnet system that where high academic students are taught. This system cannot fail because when a student begins to struggle to meet the standards that student is dismissed from the dedicated magnet program. That system is more concerned about the magnet system than the students. The other system is traditional schools that continue to fail. What this board should do is merge both systems into one. Send all EBR students to neighborhood schools or as close to their neighborhood as possible.

Last October Dufrocq families received a letter EBR Schools needed to hire the former principal’s daughter and move out a principal during the school year, in order to address enrollment issues in Montessori programming. Since there will be no room to expand the program and Montessori has not improved will she be sent back to make room for for Bernard Terrace staff?