After strong start, the proposed Patrick Henry Charter School hits a speedbump. by Chris Dovi
A plan by the Patrick Henry School of Science and Arts to seek the city’s backing for a bond issuance has been scuttled before launch. The city administration says it won’t back the bonds for what is slated to become the city’s first charter school.
“The mayor is very supportive of charter schools,” says Tammy Hawley, a spokeswoman for Mayor Dwight C. Jones, but “we have to focus on the projects that are currently in our five-year [capital improvement] plan and we don’t have a paper from Patrick Henry that fits into [that] plan.”
Mayor Jones recently announced an aggressive $150 million school construction plan that includes demolishing and rebuilding Huguenot High School, as well as constructing two elementary schools and a middle school. An analysis by school officials indicates the cost of the mayor’s proposal to be closer to $175 million.
Patrick Henry’s founding board, primarily composed of parents from Forest Hill, now has far less money to with which to work as it struggles to prepare for its July opening. A million-dollar fundraising drive has netted only about $30,000. Though their 2009 goal is a more modest $175,000, school leaders have expressed frustration that large corporate donors haven’t stepped forward.
The school also has been approved for two major federal grants that total $571,800 over three years. In addition to aiding with teacher training and paying for an administrator’s salary for a few months, some of the money — about $22,000 — is earmarked to bring the school into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, though the school’s director of finance, Susan Martin, says that amount falls short of what’s needed to pay for all accessibility improvements.
Martin says the city-backed bond issuance was an opportunity to close the fundraising gap quickly. The interest-free bonds would have been issued as part of President Barack Obama’s broader package of economic stimulus initiatives.
“It would have been really great,” Martin says of the federal stimulus money, “but we’re moving forward.”
Money from the bond issuance primarily would have gone toward energy-efficiency improvements at the school, which is to be housed in the 80-year-old Patrick Henry Elementary School building on Semmes Avenue. The curriculum focus is on green initiatives and conservation, with a planned partnership with the city’s recreation department to develop programs using nearby Forest Hill Park.
The school will begin accepting enrollment applications from prospective pupils Dec. 3 and continuing through February. — C.D.
Monday, November 23, 2009 1:48:49 PM by Carol A.O. Wolf
I'm with you on this, Matt. How many other citizens do you suppose are out here who are willing to speak out?
Monday, November 23, 2009 1:17:59 PM by Matt
This Richmond citizen demands ADA-compliant OLD school buildings, not new ones. It may be expensive to retrofit buildings, but new construction quality, not to mention architectural appeal, is far inferior to what it used to be. Remember the last round of new school buildings in the early 2000s, and the problems with roof leaks that dragged on for years? We can no longer afford to throw away these older buildings like trash. They should be viewed as valuable assets that help give our city its character and that need reinvestment, not things to be ashamed of.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009 10:20:09 PM by Shame on Them
Making Whitcomb ADA compliant WOULD BE CHEAPER ....
Tuesday, November 17, 2009 10:16:14 PM by Shame on Them
Put it in the Whitcomb Court School. Making that building ADA compliant (it is all one story and not nearly as old and drafty). FYI: The School Board closed Whitcomb and then created overcrowded classrooms thoughout the East End. Putting 28-30 kids in elementary school classrooms is unacceptable. No matter how you look at it, kids and teachers should not have to deal with that.
They can find $81 million for a new Huguenot High School and they cant make the other schools ADA compliant or find any money to help PH. Shame on them all.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009 9:32:28 PM by G. A.
Richmond truly does have some beautiful old school buildings, the problem is, they are old. I admit I am not familiar with the interiors, but I am familiar with design and construction, and frankly, in most cases, adapting an old building to comply with ADA accessible guidelines, is very expensive. Additionally, you usually land up loosing a lot of square footage, and much of the buildings original characteristics. It can be done, but I do not think the City of Richmond has the pocketbook for it. Even when renovations are made to comply with ADA, the compromises are highly detectable. The City has neglected the school system for so long now that it will take time and hefty investments to get the school structures up to where they need to be. All schools should be 100% ADA compliant period! Children with physical challenges should not have to be left behind because of their challenges. Our school system needs to lead by example, or it is teaching preferential treatment much the same as segregation did. When will the apologies to the physically challenged come forward? City leaders must be told that the citizens demand new school buildings that are ADA compliant. Band aids on old energy sucking, asbestos filled buildings do not cut it.
Is it possible that this Charter School could be located in a different building that would not need as much work?
Tuesday, November 17, 2009 4:50:59 PM by Scott Burger
I wish Patrick Henry the best, but right now, right across the river in Oregon Hill, one of the best high schools in the country according to U.S. News and World Report, Open High, needs an elevator addition to be legal under federal ADA law.
Personally, I am all for ripping up the City's contract with the PRIVATE Center Stage and using the half million dollar PUBLIC subsidy from that to pay for some ADA improvements for our PUBLIC schools.
But hey, who am I but just another member of said PUBLIC.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009 4:43:58 PM by Jeff E.
Is the City afraid of discovering that its citizens can do a better job of teaching kids than they can?
