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| Madison Metropolitan School District Madison, Wisconsin Art Rainwater, Superintendent | ||
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| BOARD OF EDUCATION Minutes for Community Partnerships November 18, 2003 |
Doyle Administration Building 545 West Dayton Street, Room 103 Madison, Wisconsin |
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The Partnerships Committee meeting was called to order by Chair Ray Allen at 7:07 p.m.
BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Ray Allen, Carol Carstensen, Ruth Robarts
CITIZEN MEMBERS PRESENT: Mary Ellen Johnson, Don Severson
BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT: None
CITIZEN MEMBERS ABSENT: None
OTHER BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Bill Clingan, Bill Keys, Shwaw Vang
STAFF PRESENT: Roger Price, Ken Syke, Barbara Lehman-Recording Secretary
Mr. Allen indicated that the Partnerships Committee would be meeting on Monday, November 24, to more thoroughly review the proposal and to receive further information from the administration. No action would be taken at this hearing. He gave instructions as to how the meeting would be conducted.
1. Approval of Minutes
2. Public Appearances
(See Item #4)
3. Announcements
Bill Keys noted that he would not be able to attend next Monday's meeting but had requested that it be tape recorded so he could listen at a later time.
4. Public Hearing regarding Wexford Ridge Proposed Neighborhood Center
(Packets included a copy of the proposal and is attached to the original of these minutes.)
Paul Terranova, Executive Director of the Wexford Ridge Neighborhood Center gave a short presentation about the current organization and on the proposal. Doug Kozel, architect for the proposed Wexford Community Center, also described the facility and showed the different options for placing the structure on the district's Memorial/Jefferson property.
Tim Harder, Madison Police and Wexford Neighborhood Officer, supported the proposed center. He noted that police are not called to other similar centers in the city. He could only see positives coming from the center that could serve the entire west side.
Kevin Baird, member of the Madison Christian Community, supported building a new community center in partnership with the Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD). He elaborated on some of the benefits that would result from such a partnership, including improved learning, removing the barriers to continuous education, national funding sources, and pairing community centers and schools (a copy of his statement is attached to the original of these minutes).
Beverly Nelson, Co-coordinator of the Wexford Food Pantry, west side resident and parent of Memorial graduates, has been with the center for 27 years and also worked in other areas. She added that the center is getting stronger and is core to establishing kids' ties with school and community. She supported the new center and its work to help people have strong, more successful lives.
Linda Sykes, volunteer at Wexford Ridge, talked about how the activities are crowded into small spaces and how discipline becomes more acute as a result. She sees how the center builds a positive image of school for the kids. The most valuable program is the homework club. A bigger facility would help and allow for more activities for the community.
Fran Grugel spoke of the good communication between the current center and the Tamarack Trails Community Condominium Association. She supported the much-needed partnership and all the opportunities and benefits it could provide, including building a stronger community (a copy of her statement is attached to the original of these minutes).
Janet Kuhnen, neighborhood resident, spoke of the honorable mission of the center but had major questions that prevented her from supporting it being built on school grounds. Her questions arose from a letter sent out by the center talking about "statutory and legal barriers" that caused a change of direction in plans in February 2003 She wanted to know how they were resolved, what statutes specifically permit building on leased school grounds, how this construction would impact possible expansion of Jefferson, Memorial, and/or Muir schools, and about continued financial support if funding becomes scarce. She questioned it legally and thought it set a dangerous precedent.
Marcia Pollock, neighbor to Memorial and Jefferson schools (parent) and to Wexford Ridge for 20 years, described them both as very good neighbors. She thought it important that all kids in Madison have a place to be safe and get the help they need. She supported this venture and her only concern about placement was that she would hate to see the sledding hill go.
Jack Hafner, resident of Tamarack Trails, favored the partnership proposal. As a clinical psychologist, noted that neighborhood centers with comparable programs have been found to be a noteworthy focus for the prevention of problems and the promotion of healthy lifestyles.
Michael Bell agreed with the programming and thought the proposal was a wonderful concept but disagreed with the location. Stated that having the center on school property raises the question that the schools have a closed campus. A public facility invites problems in having people on that space and he was not sure that could be controlled. If the committee disagreed, he asked that the Parkwood Neighborhood be respected and that the center be put in the least intrusive area near the baseball diamond keeping it removed to some degree from the schools.
Shanekqa Hayes and Tay House, children who are members of the Wexford Ridge Center, said they needed a safe environment and a bigger place. There are only two apartments and there are many kids. Open houses are very crowded.
Carla Nordness, teacher at Muir Elementary and Sauk Creek resident, said that visiting the current center was compelling for her. She and her fellow teachers value the neighborhood center because they call and help follow through with kids that need it the most. The current space is so small that kids are on top of each other. Research shows that one of the primary things that help reduce risky behavior is community values and schools. Supporting the new center would make a strong statement that the community does value its youth and would truly be a neighborhood center on the land with the schools.
Barb Olsen, neighbor for 26 years, said she was one of many private citizens who enthusiastically support the efforts of everyone involved with the neighborhood center. She added that the center has strong and stable programs and very effective management despite its many challenges, including cramped quarters. It is a model for cooperation and caring for the city and beyond and could erase barriers that all too often divide people.
John Olson, neighbor for 26 years and president of the Madison West Towne-Middleton Rotary Club, strongly supported the project for all the same reasons but added that the location is perfect. He favored partnerships like this. The Rotary is already partnering with the center and with the schools in many ways. The proposed center could serve as a model. He hoped that none of the trees would have to cut down but that the site was excellent with plenty of room, access, and visibility.
Mark Wiley, parent of Jefferson and Memorial graduates, stated that he was very happy with the school district. As a member of the St. Thomas Aquinas parish, they are very involved with Wexford Ridge and work with the food pantry. They donated more than can fit in the pantry and need more space. He endorsed this proposal.
Debra Martinez, neighbor and mother of a 7th grader, said that her son notices the difference with kids who have resources like computers. She has seen first-hand what a community center like this can be; makes a huge difference. She was thrilled to support this and happy to see so many of her neighbors in support as well. It would be a big plus for the schools and the community.
Don Katz, resident of Walnut Grove and parent, stated that to provide the best education, schools need to maximize interaction with the community and neighborhood; not always easy to do. It would allow everyone to interact and increase the sense of community across all groups. It would draw children from all west side neighborhoods and create a better foundation of a large community to support all these children.
Libby Hofsteen, Learning Coordinator at Jefferson Middle School, supported the proposal. Stated that safety is something people feared. She was excited about having a close, safe place for the children, otherwise they would be hanging about. The schools cannot be kept safe without a place for the kids to go and would really increase communication for the parents. Gammon Road is a chasm and a center would invite people into the space and send a huge message. She strongly urged the committee's support.
Bernard Malueg, neighborhood resident for about 30 years, was opposed to building a community center on school grounds saying that it would add a lot of problems for traffic and would have different people (adults) interfering with Jefferson Middle School. He stated that some time down the line there would be problems with people coming in contact with the kids and he foresaw that along with drugs and other things. He wanted the center built in a different place.
Sylvia Malueg, resident for 30 years, was not against the center but against having it on school grounds. She and her husband have had some experience with the police. She added that this would not be free for the center and that they should be built in small pockets throughout the city, not all in one place.
Angelita Price was a member of the current center along with many of her friends. Stated that a bigger space was needed and more programming. There are tons of volunteers. She did not understand the fear of crime and violence because the kids are already there on school property.
Written registrations included 36 in support, one in opposition, and one who was observing for another neighborhood organization.
5. Wexford Ridge Proposed Neighborhood Center
Mr. Allen noted that the Partnerships Committee would be meeting on Monday, November 24, at 5 p.m., to get answers to questions submitted to the administration. The committee would then be deliberating and would make a recommendation at that time either to vote to go to the full board or that it would die in committee. Carol Carstensen stated that once the board has acted, it would not be the end of the process. If the board approves it, there would be a number of committees at the city level that would still have to approve the proposal and that would be a separate process. Mr. Allen indicated that he had invited people from the city to come to the next meeting. Shwaw Vang asked that copies of the transparencies be included in the packet.
6. Other Business
There was no other business.
7. Adjournment
It was moved by Ruth Robarts and seconded by Mary Ellen Johnson to adjourn the meeting at 8:22 p.m. Motion unanimously carried.
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