REGULAR BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING

Tesla Educational Opportunity Center
2560 International Circle
Colorado Springs, CO 80910

December 10, 2008
Call to Order at 5:30 p.m., followed by Executive Session.
The regular meeting begins at 6:30 p.m.

View the agenda online

Directions to the center

Please reply to the group email if you’d like to carpool to the meeting.

If you would like to speak at the meeting, please arrive early to sign up for
citizen comments.

I had an informative conversation with Charlie Bobbitt this evening.
It seems that we already have Bob Null and Charlie Bobbitt on our
side. The next board member we need to focus on is Tom Strand, who
happens to live a few blocks from Buena Vista (1200 block of Kiowa).

After that, he thinks that Jan Tanner and Tami Hasling would be the
next to focus on. We just need 4 board members for a majority vote.

Please join us for the PTA meeting tomorrow night in the library at 6:00 PM.

One of the topics will be more strategies for the Save the School effort.

We need more volunteers to help with the door knocking piece of the “Save BV Campaign”

Kasey Ross has done a fantastic job coordinating this effort.

The hope is that the entire home school area for BV can be blanketed this weekend to rally support for the school.

Our concentrated times of blanketing the neighborhood will take place on Saturday, December 6.  We will meet at the school at 9:45 AM to start knocking on doors at 10:00 AM.

At 12:00 Noon, we will regroup to share information, progress, and experiences at 1555 Manitou Blvd.  Hot chocolate and coffee will be available.  There will be a second wave from 1:00 – 3:00 PM to ensure that as much of the neighborhood as possible is visited.  Please plan to stop back by 1555 Manitou Blvd. afterwards to share your information.

The neighborhood has been divided into 21 sections of approximately 6 blocks each.  We still have about 9-10 sections that need coverage.  See the map below (click to enlarge)

If you are unable to canvas at the specified day/times, you can also do it another time – please contact Kacey Ross for the materials.

If you haven’t signed up yet, please join our Google Group to receive emails about the efforts to save our school and find out how you can help!

There is a meeting to discuss the progress of the Save the School efforts after school today (Thursday).

I think the intention was to have it in the playground, but if it’s too cold it will be in the school gym.

Please join the Buena Vista Elementary Google Group if you would like to receive emails about the efforts to save the school

Subscribe to Buena Vista Elementary

Email:

Visit this group

It was discussed at the PTA meeting that letters should also be sent to the District Administrators that are developing the plan to address the report’s recommendations. Administrators that will be working on this plan include:

Michael Poore, Deputy Superintendent/CIO: poorema@d11.org
Christian Cutter, Executive Director Student Achievement: cuttec@d11.org
Mary Thurman, Deputy Superintendent Operations: thurmme@d11.org
Glenn Gustafson, Deputy Superintendent Chief Financial Officer: gustage@d11.org
Terry Bishop, Superintendent: bishotn@d11.org

 
Send email to all board members and district administrators
 
Send email to all district administrators
 

Sign the online petition to keep Buena Vista Elementary a Montessori elementary school.

Sunny Murphy and Maida Scott would like to invite interested parties to meet in the school yard after morning drop off on Thursday morning (November 20th) around 8:05 AM to further discuss efforts to save Buena Vista.

If there is someone available who can attend both daytime and evening meetings, that would help in coordinating our efforts.

School of Choice Permit Application Window
November 3 through February 1

Don’t forget to file your school of choice permit application for next year. You must turn one in for each child for each school year of enrollment.

Download the choice application and bring it to the school office.

More information about School of Choice Permit Applications

Encourage your friends who are considering Buena Vista for their children to file their choice applications now as well. This will give the district a better picture of our future enrollment.

Lobbying to save schools begins

November 12, 2008 – 11:26PM
SUE McMILLIN
THE GAZETTE

The lobbying to keep schools open in Colorado Springs School District 11 has begun.

A couple dozen parents of Buena Vista Elementary School students shot their hands in the air at a board meeting Wednesday when another parent asked for a show of support for the school that was recommended for closure by a consultant.

Read the rest of this entry »