Published: September 24, 2008 12:11 pm            

NA-FC school board and mayor join forces to tackle different tasks

Prosecuting parents of truant children, where the Little League teams should play and the position on whether to close Silver Street Elementary School all were topics of discussion at a meeting Tuesday between New Albany Mayor Doug England and the New Albany-Floyd County Consolidated School Corp. Board of School Trustees.

The meeting was a work session, designed so that the board members and mayor could discuss any issues they felt warranted teamwork between the city and school corporation, or at least increase understanding.



Use of school corporation property

Discussions about where to put the New Albany High School baseball field has led some members of the community to be concerned that they may lose the fields where their children play Little League baseball.

“We’re not going to kick them out,” said Neal Smith, board president.

However, England said representatives from Little League have gone to him, saying they are wanting to upgrade from those fields to a bigger area, such as building a fourplex.

Board members and England said there must be some confusion going on. To solve that — while figuring out what’s the best solution for everybody — they decided to form a subcommittee of the board.

England said he would give the board names of people from the city and Little League who will meet with school board members to help decide what to do.



Silver Street Elementary

Smith also talked about how the board feels about the Resources for Results committee, which has been considering options to better utilize the corporation’s resources, including possibly closing Silver Street Elementary.

“We’re waiting for input,” Smith said. “There is not a conspiracy to close Silver Street. The goal is to make sure resources are being used efficiently.

“We just want you to know how we feel on that.”

England, who has been quoted before in The Tribune as being a supporter of keeping the school open, held his stance.

“It’s hard for me as mayor to not be in line with what the citizens want,” he said.

England said it would be ideal to be on both sides, but that support for the school is “very, very strong” in the various community groups.

Talking about the walkability of the school led to a discussion on Green Valley Elementary School. Rebecca Gardenour, vice-president of the board, said that school used to be walkable too. However, zoning changes years ago eliminated much of the housing close to the school.

She said she wished that the board was able to talk with city officials then and asked the mayor about being involved in any future discussions that would change the socioeconomic aspect of a school.

He agreed, and the board appointed board secretary Patricia Badger-Byrd to be the liaison who will meet with city officials at least once a week to be updated on issues, such as potential zoning changes.



Cracking down on truancy

Board member Roger Whaley told England that he feels more parents need to be prosecuted for allowing their children to be excessively truant.

“It’s tough educating them when they’re out running the streets,” Whaley said.

England said Prosecutor Keith Henderson does a good job and is busy handling many cases. However, he said that it wouldn’t take many parents getting in trouble to get the point across.

England said he will talk with Henderson to see about getting that done.



Working on timing

The board also expressed concern of major police raids going on in neighborhoods near schools while students are either walking to or from school.

“We’re not asking to be in the loop on it,” Smith said. “Just to check the schedules, because we have hundreds of kids letting out [of schools] at the same time.”

England said he will discuss the timing issue with the drug task force.



Coordinating street repair schedules

England also said he will be in close touch with the corporation on future road repairs, since that will affect bus routes and other school traffic.

        

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