Saturday Update - The students speak AGAIN

4 views

Skip to first unread message

State High Vision

unread,

May 12, 2007, 6:12:26 AM5/12/07

to State-Hi...@googlegroups.com

Saturday Update

May 12, 2007

Listen: (verb) to hear something with thoughtful attention; give consideration

When will the SCASD board LISTEN to the residents of this community?

At the SCASD board “work session” held yesterday at the SCAHS-North Building, the results of the student survey were released to the board. Some history…the CURRENT students have been concerned that their voices have not been heard in this discourse. While some attempt was made to engage students years ago (while the students who will be under construction were in elementary or middle school), the SCASD has not actively engaged those students who the board proposes a high school experience which includes cranes, jackhammers and sinkholes. Last Fall, the student government invited those with varying positions to visit the student government meetings (SHV, the board, David Paterno, etc.) so that students could gain information. Recently, the student government lobbied to objectively survey the teachers and the current students to find out where they stand. After months of negotiating, the administration/board agreed to a student ONLY survey. We read in the CDT that board member Donna Queeney assisted in the development of the questions and that a “fact sheet” was attached to the survey (unbeknownst to the researcher who helped the students develop the survey process).

The results are in! (They will be posted on our website at www.statehighvision.org if you want to see specifics). Nearly 2/3 of the student body (margin of error 1% with 95% confidence) completed the survey and the results are interesting. The students clearly see distinct cultures between the 2 buildings and quite a few students reported that they felt that a combined lunch between all 4 grades would be intimidating. While quite a few students seemed to think that putting kids together under one roof might increase school spirit, they reported that they felt safe in the 2 building configuration. They had complaints about the heating and ventilation. It’s clear from the survey that these students have received most of their information from friends and parents and that there is a disconnect between students and administration/school board.

Approximately 63.9% of the students prefer the 2-building configuration that is STATE HIGH right now (9-10^th grades in one building; 11-12^th in another). 20% prefer one building and 15% don’t care.

Don’t forget…these results are significant given the slant that the board attempted to put on this by advising and assisting with the questions and distributing their fact sheet with the survey to skew results. EVEN WITH THAT, the students STILL OPPOSE THE PROJECT!!!!

What will the board do with this information?

Will they suggest that the students were pawns of their parents when they filled out the anonymous surveys…just as the board made accusations last week when the students walked out in protest?

Numbers DON’T LIE!

The majority of those who spoke out at the record breaking 10.5 hour ACT 34 hearing in July were opposed to the MEGA SCHOOL.
3576 people signed petitions asking the board to STOP and re-evaluate.
The projected cost of the project – including major packages bid by ONE contractor – put the project over estimates by $15 Million or almost 18% likely triggering either a referendum or a second ACT 34 hearing.
100-200 students WALK OUT of school, facing detention and academic consequences, in protest of the proposal.
Last year at the Teacher’s Union elections, teachers at the high school were surveyed and 67% of those who responded were opposed to this renovation project.
NOW, almost 64% of students are saying they like the high school AS IS.

It’s time to STOP and Re-Evaluate.

Make sure to check out the Harrisburg-Patriot News tomorrow either by picking up a copy or reading it on line at http://www.pennlive.com/patriotnews/.

Jan Murphy, Harrisburg Patriot News Capitol Bureau Chief and investigator who recently exposed the excesses at PHEAA has been interviewing those involved with the high school debate and plans to cover “A Town Divided” in the Sunday edition.