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Gordon Elementary on chopping block
The Coatesville Area School District is considering a plan that would reconfigure Gordon Elementary School, changing it from a traditional kindergarten-to-six facility to a district-wide special education center for grades six-through-12.
Students at Gordon will be spread out among the district's remaining six grade schools. No news yet how the district plans to divide up the city.
CASD's director of business administration, Ken Lupold, said the move will save the system more than $2 million a year. The plan is part of the district's proposed 2008-2009 budget, which the school board could pass preliminarily at its meeting on April 22.
The proposed budget also includes 3.11 percent tax increase.
From Thursday's story:
Students at Gordon will be spread out among the district's remaining six grade schools. No news yet how the district plans to divide up the city.
CASD's director of business administration, Ken Lupold, said the move will save the system more than $2 million a year. The plan is part of the district's proposed 2008-2009 budget, which the school board could pass preliminarily at its meeting on April 22.
The proposed budget also includes 3.11 percent tax increase.
From Thursday's story:
“I think the administration did a very good job of trying to balance what the district needs,” School Board President Donna Urban said, “and what the taxpayers are going to be looking for.”
posted by Daily Local at
1:46 PM
23 Comments:
I am really shocked that no one is writing about Gordon being on the chopping block.
Keep the school open, and transport the overcrowed school students here to Gordon.
The school is the city always get a bad bum rap.
I have two children one already went through the whole system and I now have one in Scott Middle School. Both of mine have been successful and I am GLAD they went to Gordon and Scott.
My children were/are being taught by the best educators who are dedicated to their jobs.
As the saying goes at Scott Middle School..."Chester County best kept secret." How true.
No offense, but I think people living around Coatesville would rather pay higher taxes to keep their kids out of the city than save a few bucks and have them educated in the city. The perception of the city is poor to awful (are there words worse than that)and as everyone knows, perception is reality. Just my two cents.
Ryan Smith
East Fallowfield
As a graduate of Coatesville Area Schools, and an attendee of Gordon while it was a middle school. I truly see no issue with bussing students from an over crowed school into the city for their education. I rode a bus from the outer boundary of the school district ( literally next to the Downingtown Sr. High ) into the city for my education in 8th grade. The only negative was the long bus ride. During this time I truly learned my family was blessed (though at the time I didn't recognize the lesson as I do today) During this time I learned acceptance, tolerance, and most importantly...people...no matter their address, their color, their whatever...are people. Maybe those people who would rather pay more taxes just to ensure their children go to their perceived better school should have been on that bus with me learning what I look back at now, and find to be some of the best lessons of my life.
Krista Carpenter
Krista,
I don't disagree with your comments, but perhaps your glasses are a bit rose colored. Those are valuable life lessons, but I am not sure that I want my elementary student learning them. The reality is that Coatesville is not a nice city. It has an awful drug problem, a substantial gang problem and generally crime is pretty high. I wouldn't consider that a safe environment. If my taxes go up a bit to keep my child out of this city at this age, well frankly I am ok with that. I also realize that no ones safety is guarenteed with regard to location. I guess bottom line, if given the choice, I would rather a tax increase than to bus my child to the city at this age. If it were middle school, then perhaps this is a different discussion.
Ryan Smith
East Fallofield
If the school dist, closed Gordon maybe the city could take advantage of that and try to make a deal to use the gym and the auditorium for recreational purposes to keep the kids busy during the cold months. I would hate to see that building just sit empty and go down hill. I went to school there also and had a great time!
I graduated from Coatesville as well, 20 years ago, and it was a little safer in that neighborhood at the time, not much but a little. I will not allow my children to go to Gordon. I will pay for private school rather than have them subjected to that area of Coatesville. The reason noone is writing about it is because they don't want their chidlren sent into Coatesville and I don't blame them. There are more parents who have children going to other schools out of the city to object than parents with children going to Gordon so there would be no point in trying to fight this plan.
I have a question for Ryan Smith of East Fallowfield. Why such an interest in the City of Coatesville when you live in East Fallowfield? There are some nice areas of the city. People still take pride in their neighborhoods and keep there homes in prestine condition so there are some places that should not be observed as poor to awful or worse and I'm sure there are people who are taking offense to that comment. I've been told that other townships have issues with the gangs and drugs being around so it's everywhere in the Coatesville are, not just the city.
Why such an interest in the City? That should be obvious when I live 10 minutes outside the city. I recognize that drugs and gangs, and dangerous activity in general, are everywhere. The reality is the section of the city that the school is in is not very nice. It is unkept and unsafe and I don't want my elementary school child going there. My concern lies with my elementary child and his safety, not whether an adult can handle me calling Coatesvile a dump. By the way, if you live in a nice section of town (and I know they exist), then does my statement apply to you?
In 1963 the Coatesville School Board was forced by law to integrate the school system. This meant that elementary school students attending Terry School (most of whom walked to school) would now be required to walk across Main St and back into the "hood" to go to James Adams School. James Adams was in what was perceived to be an unsafe area of town. So many folks sold their homes in Coatesville and moved to the "suburbs" of Coatesville. We moved just over the City line and I was bused to....East Fallowfield! Others went to Caln Elementary. Looks like now the reach of Coatesville's school district extends into busing students into an unsafe area of town. Given Gordon's proximity to the drug hole apartment complex and Ash Park, I would also be concerned for my elementary age children.
What drug hole apartment complex?
I think we should all be concerned about the welfare of the special education students in the coatesville school district. They will be taken from quality classrooms like the child development center and put in the Gordon School with "qualified" teachers, but little support of therapists and aids. It will only decrease the quality of education for our most needy students.
They deal drugs at Ash park apts. and maple ave. is also nearby, another hot spot for "sales". Actually, there isn't a street within the city limits that does not have at least one person living on it that "deals". I have rode around and seen for myself.
There are many streets with no drug activity.
Actually I live in East Fallowfield and I was just wondering. Not many people post where they live so no big deal, just a question.
April 16 3:17PM - Before you start tossing out misinformation, you should probably attend a school board meeting. I did. If you had, you would have heard that therapists and aides ARE being hired. The district can't do it any other way. It's obvious you weren't there. Sheesh, does all change have to be greeting with uniformed attacks in this city?
I am April 16 3:17. I have read the document posted on the CASD website and discussed the matter with the administrator in charge of special education at his Benner office. There will be reduced services, that's why only a select group of the students in other institutions will go to the Gordon facility. They will only take the students they will have the staffing for. Many of the services available at IU facilities will not be available at the Gordon school.
Unfortunately, little of this was made available at the school board meetings.
To 6:22 pm:
Not to be rude, but name a couple of streets WITHIN the city limits that don't have ANY drug dealers on them and I will check them out for myself. You have to know what to look for. dealers don't have a "today's special" sign hanging out front of their house. I'm not trying to make fun, but it IS like a cancer and has spread to every street.
I'm talking about from bridge to bridge and from elmwood gardens to Oak st. let me know.
And just for the record I am FIRMLY against drugs.
drugfree streets in coatesville?
westchester rd
country run dr
mayfield dr
millview dr
marquis dr
coldbrooke la
wesley la
south hill la
S 10th
S 11th
S 12th
S 13th
Oak (10th-13th)
Walnut (10th-13th)
Stirling (10th-13th)
Enough said?
To April 18, 2008 11:05 AM
Thank you very much, there are other drug free streets but you made your point and I am greatful. I don't know who some people think they are. Like they are the only ones not involved in drugs that know how to spot them.
To 11:05 AM:
Well the first 8 on your list were not in the boundaries that I mentioned. I know those streets are still fairly "clean". The next 7 are still fairly "clean" because there not too many rental properties on those streets YET. Give it time. Still it's sad that only a handful of streets in the city are still without drug activity out of 100 or more streets. Like I said, it spreads like cancer. Let's hope it can change!
whether or not they are within your limitations, they are WITHIN the city. you cant just pick and choose and make such broad and inaccurate lashes at the city that you obviously do not know much about.
And let's not forget that even if Millview is "clean" there is a drug infested housing complex just a few feet away. So you are never really too far from the criminal element around here.
I am not trying to put the city down I AM from Coatesville and was born here. And in my own small ways I am trying to make things better where I can. Have a good day!
Everyone that posts comments on here puts down Coatesville even if they live within the city limits. Most people must not mind the drug infested apartment complex in Millview either because they are selling like hotcakes up there. The people buying them are probably just uneducated about the complex. I live within the city limits and would rather be here than in Millview.
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