From the Youth’s Benefit Elementary School Parent Teachers Association:
Editor,
The Youth’s Benefit Elementary School PTA, an organization that represents over 760 families with more than 1,000 students, would like to express their appreciation to Superintendent Tomback and the Members of the Board of Education for acknowledging the need for a new school facility for Youth’s Benefit Elementary School by making it the first priority for replacement on the FY2014 Capital Project List.
The PTA and the community based organization, Build it Now, have worked over the last 18 months to bring attention to the many aging building issues, significant failing infrastructure issues and safety and security concerns that our multi-building facilities create for our students. Elementary school students are the most vulnerable and formative of our student population and it is our responsibility to ensure that they attend safe and secure school facilities that provide an optimal learning environment.
The Board listened patiently to our testimony and gave prudent review of our research and data and came to the right conclusion by making Youth’s Benefit the first priority for replacement in the County. We acknowledge that this is the first step in a long process, and we are committed to partnering with both state and local agencies to finish this project that has been sixteen years in the making.
We recognize that it was a difficult decision for the Board to depart from their prior decision to postpone the inclusion of major renovation projects in the Capital Project List pending the county-wide evaluation of all capital projects. It is our opinion that we must continue to build schools in Harford County, particularly in light of the fact that there is significant state funding available and local funds have been identified by the County Executive and the County Council. While an evaluation of all of our school projects is clearly needed, we cannot halt all projects in the interim. There are simply too many schools that need to be addressed.
We will continue to partner with Build It Now to advocate for the children of the aging multi-building elementary schools in the County and highlight their need for renovation or replacement.
Thank you for allowing the community to be a part of the decision making process and for your tireless efforts to improve our school system.
Laura Runyeon, President
Beth Poggioli, Vice President
Amy Lauer, Treasurer
Heather Johnson, Corresponding Secretary
Krissy Flatau, Recording Secretary
YBES – ok but HDG Senior? How big is the bed County Exec and BD of Ed share?
For anyone that has been watching this play out BELAIRMAN’s question gets to the heart of the matter. In Republican stronghold Harford County where many decry the strong-arm tactics of our Democrat governor it sure looks like Mr. Graig is more than willing employ the same tactics to get what he wants. Hopefully that bed will not include the County Council and those at the state level who should stop Mr. Graig’s abusive behavior. Mr. Craig will be gone from the County Executives office in two years. Lets hope that the taxpayers of Harford County are not saddled with the burden of higher taxes to pay for his gift to Havre de Grace.
In my humble opinion, both choices were right on target. Furthermore, there are other schools within the district that are in desperate need of renovating/demolition and new construction. I will never understand why it’s okay for our kids to endure faulty buildings/problematic environments versus we as adults that would sue any business entity that would allow similar conditions.
I have to agree with your statement. My child goes to a elementary school in the northern part of the county and we have been dealing with mold problems for years…everyone just turns a blind-eye.
When everyone in Harford County is ready to fork over an additional couple of thousand dollars every year in property/sales taxes and make developers pay for the extra burden their building puts on infrastructure then all the structural issues facing schools, libraries, police and fire, roads, etc. will be solved. But don’t hold you breath. So why is it that Havre de Grace gets a new high school before your school has its’ mold problem taken care of?
Everyone has the right to fight for there school to have it rebuilt if needed. The Board of Ed was suppose to have a “study” done to have the schools rank in order of “need” so you could take the politics out of the debate but, to date, that was not done. William Paca/Old Post was built in 1938, 74 years old and the Old Post part was built as a High School and is now used as a Elementary School. One only needs to tour this school and see what poor condition it is in and how it does not serve the needs of Elementary school children. So do we make the best policial decision or do we make the best decision for our children?
No chance that Guthrie wrote this post. It’s coherent and grammatically correct.
Plus he spoke in support of Joppatowne at the BOE meeting. Reason he didn’t speak up for WILLIAM PACA/OLD POST? He is part of the political problem.
Q – I found some errors so it is quite possible Guthrie did post that comment.
Wondering – While Guthrie did speak on behalf of JHS there sure wasn’t much enthusiasm in his pitch to the BoE. And you are correct that he never mentioned Wm Paca/Old Post during his remarks.
When the co council voted on the school construction budget submitted by the CE Guthrie and Lisanti were the only ones to vote to fund a new hs for HDG. Guthrie didn’t mention JHS or Wm Paca/Old Post then either.
Why is it always, kids, schools, police, fire and roads? I don’t buy that baloney anymore.
The answer to your last sentence is self evident. Society does not place a high enough value on our children. The proof is that voters continue put people in elected office who place a higher value on other things.
Like campaign contributions and getting re-elected.
I don’t know how much a superintendent impacts a school system or a board of education, really, but there always seems to be a “cloud” over the board meetings, at least when they are presented on HCN. It seems to me when you have a leader that was “home grown” in the system he/she leads there’s a more “we’re in this together” mentality. Not saying that is always perfect, but a person grounded by years of contacts with collegues and experience in the actual schools they lead has to come at the job at a different slant than “the expert” from outside.Possibly he/she would have a better gut instinct for where the true needs of the system exist (versus the political needs). Just wonder if Mrs Haas was still alive or even Mr Roberty were in charge, where the money for school building projects would have gone.