Curtis in the news

Sallie Curtis has been in the news lately and we wanted to share the three links to where you can see what is being reported. And please vote if you haven't yet: CurtisVotes@yahoo.com!

Beaumont Enterprise Bayou blog - Hmmm, might we have another potential BISD tempest in the offing? A few weeks back, the BISD reached out the Curtis Elementary parents -- organizing a few town hall-style meetings. The district sought out parental input in the initial relocation/rebuild plan. For more of the blog writing, click here:

KBMT-12 story - Less than 48 hours until decision is made on Sallie Curtis. In less than 48 hours, parents at Sallie Curtis Elementary in Beaumont , will finally found out where their kids will go to class while a new school is being built. "If you want to see things happen, then you need to stand up and speak," said Paula Gresham who has two kids at Sallie Curtis. Click here to read the entire story.

KFDM-6 story - Sallie Curtis transition plan up for board consideration Thursday. In two days, the Beaumont ISD school board will consider where to send Sallie Curtis Elementary children when construction at their school begins. See the full story here.

Also, KBTV-4 will have a story tonight. We continue to keep you informed about the latest developments or information on the school construction status.

What do you think of the news coverage? Comment below!

Read more here

Vote not going home today

The Parents for a New Curtis Committee made a flyer to send out to students today. We were told yesterday by the principal that we could make a flyer so long as the information did not lean one way or the other.

The flyer was sent to the school this morning. They then forwarded it on to Mr. Terry Ingram for approval.

At 2:46 p.m., I received a call from Mr. Ingram. I asked if we could make any changes to the flyer to help make it suit their needs. He said he spoke with Dr. Thomas about the matter.

Ingram's response: "It will not be allowed to be passed out because it was not one of the two options presented at the meeting."

We still want to know what YOU want. Please email your vote with your name and address to us at CurtisVotes@yahoo.com.

They are:


___ Option 1 - Build portables behind Curtis

___ Option 2 - Use Howell portables once vacated

___ Alternative - Build portables at YMCA on Dishman

___ Doesn't matter



The school asked for our opinion. We would have liked to work with them to be able to give an accurate reflection of all parents at the school, not just the ones that can attend meetings or are active.

We will work on getting the information to the parents as best we can. Please check in to this blog for the latest information.
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Vote now!

All Curtis parents should be receiving a voting form in their child's backpack today along with information about the three options. These tallies will be presented to the board on Thursday in addition to about 60 votes that the school principal collected.

We want to give everyone a voice - not just the parents who attended the meeting. We would like to go with at least 75% of the parents participating (if not 100%) so we have a more accurate reflection of how our community would like to move forward.

If you would like your vote to be known, return the form by tomorrow or email your preference with your name and address to CurtisVotes@yahoo.com.

Previous blog posts have more information on each of these options. They are:


___ Option 1 - Build portables behind Curtis

___ Option 2 - Use Howell portables once vacated

___ Alternative - Build portables at YMCA on Dishman

___ Doesn't matter


Let's hear your voice!

Read more here

Board meeting Thursday (Sept 17)

If you want your voice to be heard or just want to show up in solidarity, please join Parents for a New Curtis at the board meeting:

Thursday, September 17
7:15 p.m.
Board Room of the Administration Building
3395 Harrison Avenue

Information on how to address the board is below. To contact the board members directly:



President Woodrow Reece - 839-8834

Vice President Janice Brassard - 866-8564

Secretary Terry D. Williams - 898-1997

Members:
Thomas Neild - 284-0518

Dr. William Nantz - 866-7498

Howard J. Trahan Jr. - 842-1104

Bishop Ollis E. Whitaker - 892-1776


Addressing the Board

The Superintendent and the Board President have the responsibility of coordinating preparation of the agenda for each meeting and determining items to be included.

Patrons wishing to address the Board should present their requests in writing to the secretary to the Board of Trustees at least 24 hours in advance of the regular monthly meeting. Requests should include the speaker's name, address, telephone number, organization represented (if any), and topic to be discussed. Speakers are asked to limit their remarks to three and one-half minutes.

Current Board practice also allows time during the monthly meeting for patrons to speak up to one and one-half minutes. Registration cards are provided for these individuals at the entrance of the Board Room and should be presented to the secretary to the Board of Trustees prior to the beginning of the meeting.

During special meetings and workshops, patrons may address the Board if this is indicated on the posted notice. At these times, speakers may discuss subjects listed on the posted agenda for up to one and one-half minutes.

To see more on the school board, click here: http://www.bmtisd.com/school-board/

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BISD Press Release on Curtis

Here is a press release that went out Aug. 31. Notice that they are asking to consider an option other than "current plans."

CURTIS ELEMENTARY – new options on the table

A community stakeholders’ meeting will be held at Curtis Elementary School at 6 p.m. Tuesday, September 1, 2009, in the school cafeteria, located at 6225 North Circuit Drive in Beaumont. Curtis is one nine new elementary schools to be built as part of the 2007 voter-approved $389 million school bond facilities projects.

Under current plans, which dictate building a new Curtis behind the school’s existing facility, the new Curtis would open Spring 2011.


Tuesday’s meeting is asking the Curtis community to consider an option which allows Curtis operations to move into the temporary Regina-Howell complex located off Major Drive in January 2011 (after Regina-Howell moves into their new school). This proposal would mean Curtis would move into its permanent new school by the summer of 2012 (a year and a half later than originally scheduled).

Project managers say the latter will provide for a safer, more seamless, cost-efficient and academically-prudent operation. The meeting is open to the public.

To read this press release for yourself, click on this link: http://www.bmtisd.com/en/art/119/

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Story on KBMT-12

KBMT had a story on their newscast last week about the meeting and the third option. The following link is just a text version of the story, but does not have the video.

Here is the link to the KBMT story: http://www.kbmt12.com/news/local/58774907.html

Read more here

Article in Beaumont Enterprise

Here is a copy of the story that ran in last week's Beaumont Enterprise. The story was not posted online otherwise we would have posted the link here.

Beaumont Enterprise 09/11/2009, Page A07
YMCA land a third option in Sallie Curtis fight
BEAUMONT
By Dee Dixon
DDixon@BeaumontEnterprise.com
(409) 880-0733

Although parents were given a slip of paper to choose one of two options previously outlined regarding student placement during construction of a new Sallie Curtis Elementary School, a third option emerged instead.

Jeff Moore, Beaumont Metropolitan YMCA chief executive officer, said it is a viable option for Sallie Curtis students to move into portable buildings on 12 acres adjacent to the new West End YMCA, a building scheduled to be completed in March.

Moore, whose children attend Sallie Curtis, told the parents that YMCA board members supported the option and that “innovative programming” might be a side benefit.



Thursday was the last of a series of town hall meetings on the subject.

Initially, the two options were: remain in the existing Sallie Curtis until the new Regina-Howell Elementary is finished, then move into the buildings those students have been using along Major Drive; or build the new school on the back portion of the property occupied by the present building.

The first would have delayed completion of Sallie Curtis until August 2012.

Amanda Sheldon, who has three children at Sallie Curtis, said she was leaning toward the YMCA option.

“The big frustration is all of this should have been decided a long time ago. We’re two months from building and we’re just now deciding where it’s supposed to go,” said Sheldon.

Tiffany Nickles, who has one child at Sallie Curtis, left the meeting after selecting her option.

“I’m leaning toward moving off-site and waiting until Regina-Howell moves out,” said Tiffany Nickles, who has one child in Sallie Curtis.

She expressed safety with a nearby construction zone. Last week, Superintendent Carrol A. Thomas said the district would make a decision based on the recommendation forwarded by Sallie Curtis Principal Susan Brown, according to Enterprise archives.

“I will relay there is a strong support for looking at a third option,” she said Thursday.

The Beaumont Independent School District board of trustees takes up the issue at its Sept. 17 meeting.

"I hope we take the time and do the research instead of voting right then," board member Tom Neild said. "I believe we have a responsibility to consider that and look at the details and see if it will help the overall decision and budget."

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