Dear Dana Families,
I want to thank those of you who have taken the time to blog your thoughts and ideas in response to the school closure recommendations announced last week. This is truly an emotional issue for many people and I understand the personal impact this has on all of us. As we move through the upcoming weeks we need to be true to our beliefs while coming together in a respectful and cooperative manner. I need your help with making this happen.
Today, many students came to school talking about next year and making references to decisions that have not yet been made. Our children are feeling scared and sad. We need to protect them by not engaging in these adult conversations in their presence at least until after final Board decisions have been made. We need to keep our children focused on learning and building friendships. Also, today after school, an anonymous person hung a banner on the Dana fence referencing Barnard. While I appreciate the passion and the sentiment, please refrain from posting signs on Dana campus. I encourage you to use the blog to post your comments.
Information is powerful, accurate information is critical. Many of you are aware of an ad hoc committee meeting that is scheduled for this Wednesday. Here is some information to clarify some misunderstanding that I believe exist:
- An ad hoc committee was formed to help coordinate next steps with district personnel
- The ad hoc committee is made up of the Point Loma Cluster Foundation representatives that were elected by parents and staff at each of the ten schools
- While Wednesday’s meeting is not closed to the public, only ad hoc committee members will engage in dialogue
- The purpose of Wednesday’s meeting is to share ideas, create a list of data/info needed from the district, and to schedule a date for a community forum
One great strategy for expressing your thoughts is by documenting them on the blog. I am a member of the ad hoc committee and I will summarize your postings and share them with the committee members at Wednesday’s meeting.
Let’s remain focused on our children. I appreciate your heartfelt support and encourage you to blog.
Respectfully,
Dana Middle School Principal
619-225-3897
I am a concerned Pt Loma parent with children in elementary school and Dana. I do support the idea of keeping 5th grade at our elementary schools, however I do not feel 6th graders should be at Correia. Lets all admit that Correia does not have a good reputation in our area and many families are choosing private school to avoid Correia. I also feel that a Pacific Rim Immersion program does not fit the needs of the Pt Loma community.
ReplyDeleteMy suggestions are:
1. Add 5th and 6th grades to the elementary schools , while closing Barnard and Cabrillo. This may mean less students from outside Pt Loma are able to attend but the changes that are being proposed greatly impact the Pt Loma community.
2. Change Dana to our middle school location for 7th and 8th grade. Dana should remain in the Pt Loma school system-it is OUR neighborhood school!! Students are able to walk and ride their bikes to Dana, and it is close to the high school.
3. Change Correia to a magnate for music/performing arts. Pt Loma students should be given priority for attending.
I really do hope that Dana does not close. It is a great school with great teachers and students. My son has excelled beyond our beliefs and to think that other incoming students will not have the opportunity to exceed in a great school is upsetting. I agree with anonymous, let's change Dana to benefit our 7th and 8th graders. Why not propose Correia to close instead or change to a magnate school. Dana is the only middle school in our neighborhood. Closing Dana is detrimental to our students, teachers and the community. I just don't understand why Dana is even considered to be close, being that it is the only middle school other than Correia. Please stress this is not a good move for the school district to do. We can't afford to lose Dana.
ReplyDeleteIt’s pretty shocking to me that the entire realignment committee can meet behind closed doors since January 2011 "attempting" to decide the fate of our schools. What’s even more shocking is that the board has had 9 months to come up with a plan to help save our district money. If this is truly the best option the committee has come up with, I question the intentions behind the decisions.
ReplyDeleteI echo the same thoughts about looking at the bigger picture here. Where do the children in this program go to high school if this were to happen? In 5 years will there be a proposal to build a Pacific Rim Academy High in Point Loma? Or is Point Loma High already targeted for that? By definition, “immersion” means that our kids will ultimately be expected to completely understand and speak the language in every single class, i.e. take a math test in Mandarin in addition to other classes all in Mandarin. How will the kids who have never had and Mandarin background going to survive in immersion classes where they have to do math homework in Mandarin? If kids are older than 2nd grade, they won’t be able to enter an immersion program like this because they won’t have enough background in the language to survive. They will then be turned away from this school thus causing our neighborhood families to choose outside schools. This presents a very big decision to those families who bought a home here specifically to go to Dana. There isn’t a huge demand for a magnet school for our cluster families otherwise we would all be sending our kids to Barnard.
I need to address one comment saying “we shouldn’t turn our noses up” to this. To the one person on this blog who disagrees with the PASSION we have for Dana staying the way it is, here’s my thought: It’s not about being a snob or turning our noses up to the idea. We welcome all cultures into our community and we are all fully capable of realizing the importance of learning other languages. This is extremely impactful to our community and to the educational options available to our kids. We didn’t choose to live in this neighborhood only to have our children be forced to be educated in another language.
I agree with the configuration of having K-5 at our remaining elementary schools and 6-8 at Dana. Having Correia turn into the sports facility platform is another great idea. Correia has come a long way and can benefit from more help to make it even better. I also think it’s a great idea to lease out Cabrillo to a Montessori School.
If Barnard wants to expand, they should go through the same steps all of our schools in the cluster need to take in order to get their needs met and there shouldn’t be any special favors. How is it that Barnard’s website stated they were moving to Dana before the decision has officially been made? We are supposed to be a cluster and help support all of our children in our community. It feels as though we are on the outside of this process and Barnard has only been privy to important information. If Barnard wants to expand, they should request to be given the space needed at their current location and use their Prop S funds that are allocated to that site, not try to take over Dana.
I think I found the reason why Bernard is being expanded:
ReplyDelete"Prop S funds that can be re-allocated to other schools (within the same cluster) for special or additional projects (approximately $2M-$8M per school). This makes the financial benefit to the district much greater than the initial $5M. Could be $35M or more."
Page 4 of this presentation: http://barnardelementary.com/ourpages/auto/2011/10/4/52921099/PtLoma_presentation.pdf
Is Bernard the "special project" that will receive these extra funds?
How about eliminate a ridiculous program like the mandarin program. We have enough trouble with the budget for our normal studies. It is insulting to have a program like the mandarin one come and take our schools. Start there by shutting it down. And Mrs.Ryan, our kids have a right to hear the district is trying to take their home away. I encourage all parents to tell their students what is happening and maybe someone will actually understand that we are messing with out kids lives. To the parent who attempted to post a banner at Dana, nice job. I was ready to come and sign it too!!
ReplyDeleteMy son is in the 7th grade at Correia, after several great years at Sunset View and Dana, and I'm still unclear why Correia has such a bad reputation. The teachers I've been communicating with are responsive and enthusiastic. My son is being challenged academically and is involved in many extra-curricular activities. What am I missing? Closing Dana may not be the best idea, but to argue that we can't close Dana because Correia is such a bad school, to my experience, doesn't seem to hold water.
ReplyDeleteAren't these immersion programs supposed to be located in schools that are in low income neighborhoods to increase the diversity of their student bodies? Isn't that why they were created in the first place? I don't think Dana has a problem drawing a variety of students. After spending years donating and fundraising to improve the Dana campus for our neighborhood kids (the newly restored auditorium is one example)it's a shame that local kids won't be using it. Also, our community has worked very hard over the years to raise tens of thousands of dollars for our exceptional music program. I am saddened that it may be wasted. I know many families who have opted not to go to private or charter schools because of Dana's wonderful music program. Dana is an excellent example of a community (bussinesses and parents and teachers) comming together to do good for our kids - many of whom can walk to school. Dana is an example of a successful neighborhood school, when considering school closure shouln't we start with schools that aren't working? I suspect this has something to do with money. Prop S funds??? Something else is going on here. This plan needs some scrutiny before anything is decided.
ReplyDeletePS My child just graduated from Correia and it's reputation is totally undeserved. It was an asolutely safe school with a strong culture of respect.
The proposed changes will have significant detrimental effects on the point Loma cluster music program. Mr. Flores has worked so hard to create an amazing instrumental program over many years. The successive levels of this program allow our students to be competitive against other schools on a national level and serve our community in various ways. Students at Correia have opportunities to work with nationally recognized musicians and consistently benefit from a high level/challenging instruction. Numerous research studies have proven the benefits of music education and it's effects on student test scores. My prediction is that student test scores will go down as a result of significantly lower student involvement in music. We must ask ourselves what is more important in this community an amazing band and orchestra and guitar ensembles that change the lives of hundreds of students every year or a Language program that only effects a few. If Dana music program is gone then Correia will have to start students at a very basic music level that will seriously limit their capabilities.
ReplyDeleteI think we all need to remember that Dana is just a building. The people -- both students, their families and teachers and administrators are what is most important. It isimportnat that our kids have another year at the very successful elmentary schools in PL and crucial that they have 3 years at just one middle school. Where that campus is located is just a logistical discussion, nothing more. As soon as the community unites to make that middle school our focus, it will become as successful as the elementary schools in our cluster that have high parent support. Out community deserves that!
ReplyDeleteIs this why the 6th graders this year are also not going to experience 6th grade camp? This is not fair, and there should be an option to pay for it, if they wanted to attend other schools at 6th grade camp this year.
ReplyDeleteWhoa....I had to take a deep breath and get back to loving you all as a community before typing. And shame on you who put an individual teacher's name in this forum. The damage that can cause is real and unfair.
ReplyDeleteIf we can overcome being individualistic and think like a community who cares about ALL kids and their education, not just the middle/upper class in our own neighborhood, we may start asking the right questions, in preparation for the meeting tomorrow night. Magnet schools create opportunities for ALL kids to receive a quality education, no matter what neighborhood you were born into. That's a wonderful thing. Is it so bad that your child may go to a fabulous school like Silvergate for 5th grade, or an equally great place like Correia in 6th grade? Let's consider the thoughtful questions that can be asked at the meeting tomorrow night. Will the teachers and administrator we love get priority to work at the schools our children will be moving to? No one has even commented about their JOBS...we're too worried about our middle/upper class families who might have to change "buildings" while these hardworking people may be fearing for their jobs. We could also ask, how will these closed schools be used for the betterment of our community? This could be a positive thing if those buildings are used as places of learning, gathering, arts and music, bringing people together, research and technology, etc.
Dana has closed once before. Those of us with older kids remember, and we did just fine.
Please, let's think more globally and recognize that our children should be taught right now that change happens, our economy is in a historically unique state, and model an attitude and behavior our children can benefit from. That is in addition to asking thoughtful, creative questions at the meeting about how we may be able to retain our buildings for great things that our families can utilize for good.
Dana is a wonderful school with wonderful programs and my son is excelling at Dana beyond our expectations. It saddens me that my other children may not get to have that same experience. If Cabrillo and Barnard need to close, so be it. There are so few students at both those schools that the neighborhood students can go to any of the other fine elementary schools in the area. But to close Dana middle school to make it a K-8 magnet school is crazy. Scrap the Mandarin program - it's obviously not that big of a draw if Barnard can not maintain high enough enrollment to stay open. Why would we keep it? Oh yes, the special funding option. It's not right to reconfigure neighborhood schools, uproot many students, to keep a program going that isn't working. It's time to admit defeat with that program, not act as if it is a big draw to the school.
ReplyDeleteTo have one middle school for the PL cluster is crazy. What we have now is working FOR THE STUDENTS. That needs to be the priority.
To have K-8 at such a large, understaffed school is crazy. It's an open invitation for bullying. K-8 works at small, often private schools because there is more adult supervision and stricter guidelines for the students to follow. But to have 6 yr olds at the same school as 12 yr olds, with few faculty and even fewer staff members, you are asking for trouble. As the parent of a 4 yr old that lives directly across the street from Dana, I would never send my child there if it were to house K-8 students. The convenience is not worth the detrimental experience it could become. I don't think it is an environment younger students will feel safe in. And, I think the older kids need to be around students that will raise their standards, not lower them. It's a bad idea all the way around.
ReplyDeleteI have had four children in the Point Loma School Cluster with children attending elementary,Dana,Corriea,and PLHS.I have seen major positive changes in these schools for the better during the last 10 years. You must know that as parents, we would not have let our children attend schools that were sub standard or considered "so bad." Most middle schools are 6-8 and Corriea is a wonderful opportunity for students. The teachers are creative and strong and the school is tech saavy. The students have daily television school news that they broadcast from their own studio. The kids can take swim class and there is a new gym and library. The high school has become so family oriented thanks to a great principal, people bring their children to the sports events. The schools in Point Loma are charging forward to meet the needs of our growing students.We have a Mandarin Chinese program! These are great changes for our children. Go with it!
ReplyDeleteAs a parent of a 5th grader at Dana and a 7th grader at Correia, I wouldn't mind having both kids at the same campus for 6th and 8th grades. However, both schools have wonderful teachers and extraordinary parent support which is the only reason I have not put my kids in private school. I personally donated hundreds of $$ to upgrade the Dana auditorium and have reaped its benefits by watching my children perform there.I believe in the PL cluster to make the right choices for our local students. As for Mandarin K-8, Barnard has a HUGE open field on the campus, put in some bungalows if needed. Obviously Correia had to!!Godspeed...
ReplyDeleteAs a second generation San Diego native I have watched Dana go through many changes. My mother attended Dana Middle but I remember it as an vacated buiding with broken windows and graffiti. They then put millions of dollars in a renovation for offices, only to turn around a couple years later to put more millions to accomodate a middle school. And now its proposed to put MORE millions to accomodate a struggling chinese language school K-8. Point Loma does not need another elementary school. Thats why two are proposed to close. I am not opposed to a language school, im just confused on why its going to take over Dana. I thought Dana was doing great, my son is happy and so am I. Its students, parents and staff are all (for the most part) happy and in great working relationships? If they close Barnard that campus will be open, why not use that space? I am all about change, but I am not about chaos. And this proposal sounds like chaos.
ReplyDeleteMy proposal:
Close Barnard, clean up and update the campus to prepare for a Pacific Rim language emersion charter.
Add a strong Spanish program to Dana, a language more useful for our demographics.
What we have now is working. My son had a wonderful experience at Dana, and I would like his brother to have that same opportunity. I also believe that keeping sixth graders away from eigth graders allows the younger kids to feel safer just being kids for one more precious year. The students from Barnard and Cabrillo should be absorbed by the other elementary schools and Dana should stay the way it is. No Mandarin program is as cool as Mr. Flores' music program.
ReplyDeleteUltimately this is another exercise of how to make do with less. According to the reports, ten schools in the SDUSD district need to be closed to help meet budget constraints. We must understand the reasoning behind SDUSD realignment committee’s draft decision in order to effectively propose viable alternatives to their recommendation of the closing of Dana. The committee presentations posted to date suggest that there is a clear, objective analysis process utilized, but none of that data supporting their recommendations has been posted. Without that data, the conclusions reached by SDUSD seem to unfairly impact the PL Cluster.
ReplyDeleteThe vast majority parents of students in PL Cluster overwhelmingly support the current configuration of Dana and Correia. Assuming the committee is willing to listen to alternatives, we must show the projected capacity utilization of students at Dana and Correia will remain high with the existing 5-6 and 7-8 grade configurations, as will the set of elementary schools proposed to remain open with K-4 configuration at a cost per student lower than the district average. Will the data support this conclusion? If so, we must craft an articulate response to the realignment committee.
Clearly SDUSD wants the Pacific Rim immersion program to grow beyond Barnard’s Mandarin; a suitable location needs to be identified. If not Dana, where? Some of the suggestions in this blog call for locating the facility in a more centralized location seem to make sense. Assuming that makes sense, PL Cluster elementary schools could be consolidated from 7 to 5 schools, giving 2 properties from PL cluster to the SDUSD solution. If other clusters “share the pain” with consolidation as well, the appropriate amount of closures could be achieved while maintaining both Dana and Correia. Without benefit of the data, it is difficult to understand how SDUSD committee reached the conclusion that no schools in University City, Madison, Mira Mesa, and other clusters should be closed.
The committee presentation indicates that this is the period for community discussion. But this seems like a situation similar to NFL replay; I would assume it takes incontrovertible evidence to overturn the decision. This means we must push beyond emotion to objective, compelling evidence of viable alternate approaches. Let’s ensure we have sufficient opportunity to review the data to develop these solutions.
I am very upset with these proposed changes. I have a 4th and a 6th grader in the cluster and a few years ago would have been all for the younger ones staying in elementary. That is until I had one at Dana. Even a well supported and funded elemetary like Sunset View cannot offer what my older girl has gotten at Dana. It is not just the incredible electives, my daughter is in Musical theater or the band program which has won several awards in the past years against "Jr Highs", art, literature and on and on it is also the sence of independencs she has gained there and the preparation to move to a Jr high and high school environment where she will already know the other children.
ReplyDeleteIf we are forced to go back to 5th in the elementary schools, which by the way we were told was not possible as the elementary schools could not handle it only a few years ago, and it is because we have small expensive schools then close those schools. Unfortunately Cabrillo and Barnard are those schools. Do not spend even more money, cause traffic nightmares as the students are not from Pt Loma, and disrupt a good system for an experiment and a hope that with a K-8 we will fill the school. There are only 275 children now. I understand that the people from Barnard have been at the school district since Aug pushing this without telling the other schools in the cluster. I know that they want to save their jobs but the desires of the few should not overtake the needs of the many.
If it is a Jr high system that they want then it should be Dana. Correia is a great school academically and I would not want that to change but there are safety issues at the school particularly for young 6th graders. Dana is much more a neighborhood school. I understand that the district is saying there are not enough showers at Dana. Maybe we can use the Prop S money Barnard is trying to take to add showers and benefit the community. There have been so many improvements at Dana over the last few years which the community should benefit from as they are the ones who made it happen. It would be a shame to have this taken away.
Keep Dana open for Pt Loma students..great school and staff..I can't say enough about that. In a perfect world it would be nice to have programs like the Pacific Rim Language Immersion program but the reality of the situation is we cannot afford these "pet projects". Close Banard and Cabrillo but don't displace the majority for the minority.
ReplyDeleteI have only lived in Ocean beach for 1 year and have experienced a huge difference in the education my daughter has received in the San Diego school district.I am impressed with the districts staff. but am saddened by all the politics as well.The children have so much to adjust to all the time in this city.Dana's class sizes are twice as big which affects teaching and the students ability to learn/focus.Children having to be bussed in from another part of SD or too another school is also a hard adjustment for the students and has an impact on their studies.My daughter has already been through so much change just moving to this new area. I don't think the news of the school she is finally getting comfortable with shutting down is going to set well with her. Who knows where all of the new found friends she has struggled to make will go leaving her to start again with the whole process of meeting people again.The children of the neighborhood schools should be priority.We do pay for public education with cash, fund raisers, boxtops these donations are meant to support the LOCAL school. What is the point if Dana is going to close.Develop mentally I feel 5th and 6th grade is a perfect match. The older 8th grade students put much more peer pressure on the younger children and can give them problems such as bullying,cat fighting ect.This is all very hard on them which makes the education secondary,while trying to be cool and fit in becomes first priority.There is such a huge difference in maturity between 10, my daughters age and 13 or even 14 for some older 8th graders.I love the culture of Dana as well because it coincides wonderfully with how she was taught in Ocean Beach elementary school. The fundamental teachings should match or all of there training in behavior goes out the window. We have experienced this in our journey through California schools. Children become comfortable with a certain style of teaching, code of conduct, disciplinary action ect.Possibly changing the system that our children our accustomed to by switching schools would make me research a charter school.I want my daughter to have the balance she deserves.I want my daughter to build lasting bonds with her teachers, students and remember her education as a wonderful positive experience. So far it has been shuffling her around just trying to give her an education. Don't close Dana!
ReplyDeleteI would like to remind our viewers to share their thoughts while being respectful of all views and opinions. We value open communication but please refrain from accusations directed towards specific parents, staff, or community members.
ReplyDeleteYour patience and sense of good judgment are critical during these times.
Thank you for your support!
Scott Irwin
Vice Principal
Dana Middle
My third child is currently at Dana. Over the years that I've had children in attendance there, my family has donated an incredible amount of money and resources to Dana.
ReplyDeleteIf Dana is handed-over to the Barnard Mandarin Program, I want every cent that my family has donated to Dana immediately refunded.
I am a UCSD Faculty member who has recently bought a house in Point Loma; one of the reasons behind this decision to live so far from the UCSD campus was my family's love of the beach and the bay, but the another major factor was the excellent schools for my three children. Just months afterwards, SDUSD threaten to close one of the best middle schools on their entire district. It is nonsensical and infuriating.
ReplyDeleteI would love to see the data on which this proposal is based. Show us the numbers that make this plan look intelligent. Show us the traffic flow logic, the numbers of students that will be in each reconfigured school, the money we will save by closing each school, the money we will spend refitting each school (e.g. Dana will need to be refitted if little kids are going to go there), etc. There have to be other solutions to the current budget problem. Let's work towards the one that works, for our children and their future.
Giving Dana to the Barnard Mandarin Program is a BIG MISTAKE! This proposal NEGATIVELY affects EVERY child at ALL of our elementary schools AND Correia - to make it nice for less than 300 kids that are mostly from out of area for a special program? TO OVERCROWD EVERY other campus and have only 1/3 of Dana's capacity filled? What is the cost of re-configuring Dana for Kindergarten sized toilets and water fountains? New lower desks? and everything else to make it a K-8? and for 300 kids??? Also, traffic issues..more transportation coming in and more going out of Point Loma = traffic nightmare on Chatsworth! and yes...there will be more traffic going OFF the Point and the District will LOSE funds for the children who will OPT out of the District for other aleternative education programs if you do this to them! Has the District considered how much money they will LOSE when we all go elsewhere instead of sending our kids to an overcrowded elementary and middle school? If they need to close Barnard, move it out of the cluster to another school being closed in a neighborhood closer to where their population resides. Or, if the budget is as bad as they say, then they should CLOSE SPECIAL INTEREST PROGRAMS LIKE THE CHINESE MAGNET PROGRAM AND FOCUS ON BASIC EDUCATION FOR ALL - NOT JUST CATER TO SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS! I have paid property taxes since 1976 and never expected that when I finally had school-aged children that my neighborhood schools would be taken over by a small group with special interests from outside our area. Dana is for ALL our children, not just a select few! The District will NEVER have my suppoert again in any way if they do this to our children.
ReplyDeleteWhat else besides write on this blog can we do to stop this from happening? Would some kind of peaceful protest or picking session get the District's attention? I heard that Barnard is rallying their parents to the Wed. meeting, can we know where and when it is and show-up as well? Please tell us how to take effective action to SAVE DANA!
ReplyDeleteIt's too bad that the meeting is tomorrow from 10-11 am at Dana, according to Barnard's home page, which I just visited. This is right in the middle of the day for most of us working parents!! I for one will rally around keeping Dana THE WAY IT IS...even though my son is now at Correia. We loved our time there. I heartily agree with most of the posts in keeping things the way they are, closing Cabrillo as it's enrollment is down (sorry to those families :( but hopefully the other Elementary Schools can absorb the extra students AND the staff!) AND keeping Barnard where they are currently. Why do they need more space? Why change what is working?
ReplyDeleteEdward Park, the Principal at Barnard, has been secretly planning this Dana takeover since last January. I attended many Cluster meetings last year and he never mentioned this ONCE. Since I have nothing left to say that is considered 'nice', I'll just leave it at that for everyone here to digest.
ReplyDeleteI think it's interesting that when parents tried to bring back the fifth grade to elementary level six years ago, it was dismissed for lack of interest (yet Barnes Tennis Center was packed) and lack of space. Now all of a sudden thee is space available. I think the Veep students will have even less opportunity to balance our schools diversity now that it seems to have struck a balance. The magnet busses will now line only Narragansett Ave. with limits to our clusters ability to attend that facility. I think the ninth grade cud be better served at Correia if we can gain access to some of the funding to help with creating badly needed fields for all our students who will eventually be in high school. And what about our music program, a pride of our community, will be fractured. I don;t agree that banners and signs will help. I think we are a more sophisticated group. I won;t even need Dana for my kids but I want it for my friends who have yet to experience it's uniqueness.
ReplyDeletePt. Loma kids will still get to go to school with their Pt. Loma friends. In Pt. Loma. On the OTHER side of Pt. Loma. Their parents and their friends parents will STILL be "involved" Pt. Loma parents. Many of the same Pt. Loma teachers will still be Pt. Loma teachers. AND, for a bonus, Pt. Loma families will have ANOTHER option, a new option, a K-8 option, a learn-a-new-global-language option. Nothing is being taken away, just shifted around. I can't believe the hue and cry over these changes. I mean really, the "horrors" of mixing 6th with 8th? Hello, look around you? the "horrors" of walking to Correia, huh?. and the underlying message is clear: Keep THOSE kids away from MY kids. Nice. real nice "community" thinking.
ReplyDeleteEvery time I think this District can't get any worse, they surprise me. I am totally sick to my stomach. How many students in the Chinese Magnet Program even live in Pt. Loma? How can it be a possibility that our neighborhood school can be closed and a Chinese Immersion School remain funded. Is there an overwhelming majority of Pt. Loma residents who want this program because I know there is an overwhelming majority that want Dana to remain open. I too bought a home in this neighborhood because of the schools and the community. As a tax payer I am outraged that this can happen and as a parent I am discouraged in our whole education system. If this happens I will have a hard time supporting any Pt. Loma school and will look at other options for my children. And don't be fooled this will end up affecting Point Loma High in the future.
ReplyDeletePeople are having trouble posting to this blog!!
ReplyDeleteSave Dana Middle School on Facebook.
The issue IS Barnard vs. Dana!
ReplyDeleteBarnard at Dana's facility will use the same...
lights
janitor
heat
A/C
maintenance
gardener
The expense will be identical. However, Ann Tripp Jackson auditorium will look pretty empty with 270 kids sitting in it.
Dana has perhaps the best principal/vice principal team in the County. Fantastic electives. Great staff. And it's full to the brim. The ONLY reason to kill Dana? Someone's agenda. I am furious and will be intent on seeking an explanation for this nonsense. I am not putting up with this. If the BOE wants a fight, they'll get one.
Speaking for all us working moms, would appreciate a post about what happened at today's meeting. Thanks
ReplyDelete"Edward Park, the Principal at Barnard, has been secretly planning this Dana takeover since last January. I attended many Cluster meetings last year and he never mentioned this ONCE. Since I have nothing left to say that is considered 'nice', I'll just leave it at that for everyone here to digest."
ReplyDelete"The issue IS Barnard vs. Dana!"
"Also, today after school, an anonymous person hung a banner on the Dana fence referencing Barnard. "
This proposal wasn't the idea of anyone at Barnard. Ed Park never dreamed of doing anything like this. Nobody at Barnard is particularly thrilled at the prospect of taking Dana away from you all; if we had to move, we'd rather go someplace where we were welcome and treated as equals, rather than something stuck to the bottom of someone's shoe.
Lashing out the way many here have at Barnard's families is hurtful, inappropriate, and foul. It speaks volumes to the ballyhooed notion that Point Loma welcomes diversity. Hardly.
I bet most of you don't even know where Barnard is, let alone what has been accomplished at that school in four short years since the Mandarin program commenced. You know what? Don't bother finding out.
Take solace in your bigotry and condescension and your narrow perspective on what's going on. Keep on hatin'...
What a compliment to the principal of Barnard, that so many posters think he has that much influence and power. Likewise, what a dis on the Dana principal at the same time, because the correlary conclusion is that Dana's principal didnt have the influence and power. What a sad insult to the person so many claim to love and respect so highly.
ReplyDeleteCompliments to the Barnard website - it seems to be a useful source of information cluster-wide, based on the comments here.
Swapping Dana out of its current home seems an odd suggestion. Its happy with itself, and it is awkwardly placed.