East Side Public Education Coalition
ESPEC was formed to preserve Nathan Bishop Middle School and promote public education. Our immediate goal is to see 6th-8th grade education restored to the East Side. All Providence school children deserve strong public schools. We wish to work with individuals and groups from across Providence to advocate for high-quality public schools in all neighborhoods. Contact us at ESPEC@Earthlink.net or visit www.EastSideEd.org.
ANY PUBLIC SCHOOL ON THE EAST SIDE WOULD BE ETHNICALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DIVERSE.
•The East Side includes six neighborhoods: Hope (Summit), Mount Hope, Blackstone, Fox Point, Wayland, and College Hill.
•25% of the East Side is other than non-Hispanic white. Mount Hope is majority non-white.
• Martin Luther King Jr. and Vartan Gregorian, the two East Side elementary schools that would feed Nathan Bishop, are already highly diverse.
A HIGH-QUALITY PUBLIC SCHOOL WOULD SERVE CHILDREN FROM ACROSS PROVIDENCE.
•At least 25% of Bishop’s students would come from outside the East Side according to School District policy.
•Similar to Nathanael Greene, advanced academic programs at Bishop would serve children from throughout the system. Greene works, we support it and wish to emulate it- not to move its advanced academic program.
•There are more than enough academically advanced children in Providence to fill two programs. The current admissions process does not meet current demand and artificially suppresses demand.
HAVING MORE EAST SIDERS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS WOULD BENEFIT ALL THE CITY’S CHILDREN.
•A 2001 Brown University survey found 68% of private school parents of private school children said that changes would bring them back to public schools. 58% of those mentioned advanced academic programs.
•Engaged East Siders would increase expectations for the entire system. They would seek to improve the system instead of complaining about their taxes paying for “other people’s children”.
LIKE ALL PARENTS, EAST SIDERS WANT GOOD PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR THEIR CHILDREN.
•There are nearly 2,300 children in grades K-8 in the 6 neighborhoods of the East Side. Nearly half are already in public schools. Many more parents would like to have their children in a good quality public school.
EAST SIDE CHILDREN DESERVE GOOD PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
•Providing quality public education is the City’s duty to all citizens.•For years, Nathan Bishop has been the worst-performing middle school in Providence. East-Siders don’t deserve better than everyone else, but they don’t deserve the worst.
•Now that Bishop is closed, there is no 6th-8th grade education at all east of I-95.
A HIGH-QUALITY SCHOOL NEED NOT COST A LOT OR TAKE RESOURCES FROM OTHER SCHOOLS.
•Greene spends $8,743 per pupil (2002). This was second-lowest among middle schools.
•Renovation/rebuilding would cost no more than is being spent on the Adelaide/Harrison school.
THE TAX-PAYING PUBLIC STRONGLY SUPPORTS PUBLIC EDUCATION.
•A 2004 Public Education Network survey shows preserving education is taxpayers’ highest priority.
•A majority were willing to accept tax increases if they are tied to protecting education.
Could someone explain to me the reason why they tore up all the good concrete sidewalks and entryways to the school? With money so tight, why waste it on redoing work that does not need to be redone? Who approved that part of the rebuild and is there going to be more waste and redundancy throughout the project? I have to ask the question: whose friend/family member owns the concrete company that got that job? When are we going to get away from the cronyism and simony that is ruining this state? I have no proof that this was part of this project, but it makes me wonder.
Christopher,
Your comment was left long ago, and I’m sorry I missed it until now. If you’re still around, here’s my best answer.
The construction manager and construction company are both excellent and well-respected. The architects are first rate and highly professional. As you say, there is no proof that “cronyism” had anything to do with this project, and I don’t really think it’s fair to suggest so unless there’s reason to think so. The entry ways had to be torn up to make the building handicap accessible. Rather than just tack on ramps, they redesigned the entire entry. No doubt that’s more expensive, but, f you’ve seen the drawings, it should look great.
If you really would like me to contact the people in charge for a more specific answer regarding the entry ways, I’ll try to get one.