The Following Press Release was issued this morning by the parents of Hill City:
We, the parents and residents of Hill City, want to express our extreme disapproval of the so-called “Hill City Phase-In Plan for Normal Park” which was approved by the School Board last night. Despite our constant efforts to be kept informed and involved in the development of the phase-in plan, we were completely excluded from any discussion of this plan whatsoever. We were never notified that a plan had been developed and we never had a chance to review the completed plan. In fact, we only discovered that this plan for our community was on the school board agenda the night before the meeting.
And now, in the wake of that meeting we are left with so many questions. Why were we kept out of the discussion surrounding this plan? Why were HCDE administrators not able to send our community leaders a draft of the plan prior to the vote last night? Why was priority not placed on gaining input from Hill City parents about this issue that affects our community? If HCDE had planned to work with the newly formed Hill City Parents Group (as referenced by Ms. Riddle last night when volunteering Mr. Smith to assist with the distribution of the applications) why was the plan never presented to the group’s leaders? The lack of transparency and apparent purposeful exclusion of our community in this process is extremely troubling and is reminiscent of the poor handling of this issue in the past.
Having now had the opportunity to review the phase-in plan, we believe that it does not fulfill the School Board’s November 3rd, 2011 directive to work towards fully incorporating Hill City into the Normal Park Zone. Had we had even one week to review the plan prior to the School Board vote, we would have raised several questions and issues related to this plan. However, even after the vote, we feel that the following questions and issues MUST be addressed:
- As currently written, the Phase-In plan would NEVER allow Hill City to be fully zoned for Normal Park. The plan only allows for five kindergartners to be accepted through the magnet lottery process “per year.” How does this plan ultimately work to include Hill City in the zone for Normal Park, as per the School Board’s vote in November 2011?
- The Phase In Plan document states that based on 2011-2012 numbers they anticipate 35 additional in-zone Kindergarten students for 2012-2013 leaving only five seats for Hill City children. We would like to review the full data for ourselves. How many in-zone kindergarten students attended Normal Park in 2010-2011 and 2011-2012? If a total of 67 in-zone Kindergarten students do not enroll next August, will those additional Kindergarten spaces be allotted to Hill City students? In the board meeting Mr. Galloway expressed his desire to see additional seats prioritized to Hill City children however the plan, as presented by Ms. Riddle, was not amended to reflect that prioritization. What will be the oversight process that will guarantee that any more available slots in the Kindergarten class will be given to Hill City students? Is it five students or a minimum of five students?
- Why must Hill City students in grades 1-8 who wish to obtain entrance to Normal Park follow the regular magnet process? If the goal is to bring as many Hill City students into Normal Park as possible, in keeping with the goal of fully zoning Hill City, shouldn’t 1st-8th also be given priority.
- Of the 29 siblings of current magnet students, how many of those current magnet students obtained entrance to Normal Park by paying $5,000 for the pre-K program, which was effectively ended in 2011? Given the discriminatory nature of that paid pre-K program, no sibling of a student who paid to get into Normal Park should be given priority over any Hill City student who wishes to attend the school.
- How many upcoming Kindergartners live in Hill City? We estimate that the number is between 5 and 10. If there are no more than five upcoming Kindergartners in Hill City, then it would be more inline with the directive of the School Board to state that all Kindergartners in Hill City will be zoned for Normal Park now and forever. Thereby the phase-in of Hill City kindergartners is complete and then move to fully zone other grades as space allows. As currently written into record, "Five Hill City students per year will be given spots in the kindergarten at Normal Park."
- There is extreme confusion over exactly what the boundaries of the Bell/Spears area are. We have recently heard from residents in many different areas that believe they are now included in the zone for Normal Park. In 2010 when the board mailed out letters (surveys) to parents, what residents on what streets received letters? If Mr. Smith, as the elected leader of our community's parent coalition, is to assist Ms. Riddle get the word out about the special applications Hill City parents must submit, where exactly should he go to notify parents? Which streets? From where to where?
Last night the board passed the school calendar for 2012 and stated that setting the calendar so far ahead helps parents plan. There is nothing in the Hill City Phase In plan that will allow Hill City parents to plan. In fact, it creates more questions and more instability because it doesn't layout the full picture - there aren't any milestones and there isn't a completion date.
Futhermore, regarding the upcoming rezoning of East Hamilton, Superintendent Smith stated "It's a very emotional, personal issue for people," he said. "We can't keep the public out of the conversation."
We realize that, given the growth in enrollment at Normal Park, the full incorporation of Hill City into the zone will take several years. As we have stated before, we are and have always been willing to work with HCDE and Normal Park to develop a compromise that does not overcrowd the school. If there are truly only five spots available for Hill City Kindergartners next year, then we are willing to accept that. However, our issue with this plan, aside from the blatant attempt to push it through with zero input from Hill City parents, is that it would never fully accomplish our ultimate goal of having Hill City be zoned for Normal Park, as our community school.
While we have been extremely appreciative of the support of the School Board and their willingness to consider our zoning issue over the past year, we feel that the most recent vote to approve the Phase-In Plan is extremely detrimental to our cause. Instead of rushing to get a few Hill City students admitted to Normal Park, we feel that the School Board and especially our representative, Joe Galloway, should have taken the time to fully review this plan, ask questions, and gain vital input from Hill City parents. Instead, we now have a plan in place that, once again, does not fulfill the promise to include Hill City in the zone for Normal Park.
Sincerely,
Rhiannon Maynard
President Hill City Neighborhood Association
www.northchattanoogaschoolzoning. wordpress.com