The following December 21, 2010 email was sent to the Harford County Board of Education by Jarrettsville Elementary School parent Michael Meehan, as as a follow-up to his public comments on elementary school redistricting. A copy was provided to The Dagger for publication:
STAC & Board of Education,
I made two formal requests at last night’s Board of Education meeting.
1. I request that STAC and the Board of Education make more information available to the Harford County Community. More specifically, I’m requesting that maps and other information that are available to STAC and the Board of Education be made available to the public.
2. I request that STAC and the Board of Education “Stop the Swap” between Jarrettsville Elementary and North Bend Elementary. The current proposal will send 39 students from JVES to NBES and will send 33 students from NBES to JVES for a net change of six students. (Letter and request sent signed by 13 parents in the Madonna Manor Community dated November 19, 2010.) Additional proposal signed by families of both communities will be forthcoming. Please see related story.
Attached you will find a two maps. The first map “Original” was posted on the website for Fountain Green School. The second map “New” is now available on the website. The original map has dots generated most likely by the Geographical Information System (GIS) that show the streets and neighborhoods that students attending the school reside. The second map eliminates the dots and therefore leaves a significant gap in the information being made available to the community.
If the community wants to suggest alternate or modified proposals to STAC or to the Board of Education, we should have access to the same information as long as that information can easily be made available without disclosing private, personal information about specific families or students. This map (Original) does not provide any private or personal information that should prohibit STAC or the Board of Education from making it available for each of the 33 elementary schools in Harford County. If the project of making this information for all 33 schools is too difficult, please provide me wit this specific information (maps) for both the Jarrettsville and North Bend Elementary Schools.
I look forward to your prompt response to request # 1 and your future consideration and approval of request #2.
Michael Meehan
Fountain Green Elementary School Proposed (Original)
Fountain Green Elementary School Proposed (New)
Dan says
I have to say that the maps provide along with the redistricting proposal are absolutely horrible.
courtenay says
Michael, I wrote Re: the maps as well. Suddenly the dots dissapeared ! That was a snafu on Stac’s part at the presentation. One of the board members did ask why one of the maps had dots. Of course Licatta got flustered and said,” Oh those were the old maps the dots represent the kids” So give us those maps and let us count the dots!!!
Larry says
Just curious — did Mr. Meehan receive any response from HCPS either for mapping info or regarding the “stop the swap” idea?