Principal Fried to Chávez Parents and Staff

February 21, 2002

Dear Chávez Families and Staff:

As I visit our various host schools I am impressed by how our students and staff are clearly participating in the rhythms of school. I know there have been several field trips. I was in the audience this week along with two Crestwood classes as our second grade classes put on a President's day play and a few of our students at other schools gleefully told me they were going to be in their host school's talent show.

Here's what's in the works for our school:

This week I had a conversation with Sharon Bessa. She's the consultant who has been leading the investigation and remediation of our school. I asked her the question that I know many of you have thought, "Is there any possibility that we would not be back by time school begins next year." Her response was that she could not think of any scenario in which we would not be back. Jane Belmore is attaching a response to this question as it came up at our PTO meeting as well.
We are sending over desks to Orchard Ridge for two of our 3rd grade classes that are currently using tables.
We are reexamining our specials schedule-Art, Music, PE, REACH- to see if we can have more classes taught by teachers in their area of expertise. Currently, a staff member certified in the area of instruction teaches in about 70% of these classes.
To make sure that we have a sufficient number of books at various levels to engage our students we will be taking many of our books from our bookroom over to our host schools.
We have just hired a Bilingual Resource Specialist for our English Language Learning program and she should be able to start the week after next.
If any of you are interested we have funds available to hire bus attendants to ride with our students back and forth to our host schools. In the morning the bus can bring you back to Chávez to pick up your car but not in the afternoon if you would need leave your car at the host school. Even if you can only do it in the morning it would be a great help.
Please be mindful in the afternoon when you pick your child(ren) not to park or stop in the designated crosswalk, the white stripped area. We need to keep that area clear to allow for students to safely cross.
Kindergarten registration will be at Chávez on March 4, -1:00-4:00.

Reminder - No school tomorrow, 2/22. Enjoy the weekend.

Sincerely,
Howard Fried
Principal

Addendum To Chávez Letter to Families and Staff
February 21, 2002
From: Jane Belmore:

There are several items in response to your concerns about having a specific timeline for the reconstruction and move back to Chávez. I hope this information will be helpful for you.

The district will not be able to put together a specific timeline for returning to Chávez until the mold investigation and cause is completed. While we anticipate that the investigation and cause will be completed in time for a well-planned move back to Chávez, we can not give a specific date at this time.
If the uncertainty for you at this point warrants further action, you should submit an internal transfer request (to another school in MMSD) or an external transfer request (to a school outside of the MMSD). This would not guarantee that a seat would be available but would ensure that your child would have an opportunity to be a part of this process. Should your transfer be accepted and you change your mind, your child would always have a seat at Chávez. I have included information about these processes for you below. Please Note: The deadline for external requests is Friday, February 22, 2002. Because this process has been in effect for a few years, information is not routinely sent to parents.

The deadline for internal transfer requests is March 22.

EXTERNAL TRANSFER REQUESTS:

Forms are available in the school offices. IF YOU CAN NOT LOCATE ONE ON FRIDAY, YOU CAN COME DIRECTLY TO THE DOYLE BUILDING AND FILL OUT THE REQUEST.

By law ALL OPEN ENROLLMENT APPLICATION FORMS MUST BE IN THE REGISTRAR'S OFFICE (663-4954) NO LATER THAN this Friday, February 22, 2002 BY 4:00 P.M.

You should hand deliver the application form to the Registrar's Office, Room 100 in the Doyle Building. A postmark of February 22, 2002 is insufficient.
Forms are not available after February 22.

INTERNAL TRANSFER REQUESTS:

Forms are available in school offices.
Forms should be completed and returned to the school office by March 22.

Requests will be granted only if room is available. We can not tell you which schools have space at this time. You will be notified by April 5 of the acceptance or rejection of the request.

At some point, the district will determine if alternative plans such as finding an alternative site, assigning Chávez students in a different way, or another alternative to reopening Chávez in the Fall should be developed. We will do this in time to create a well-conceived plan. However, the district is presently not at the point of creating this plan.

We will let you know as soon as a more specific timeline is available.

Chávez Temporary School Plan Home Page