Nichols School Presentation Timed

Save the Nichols School : 

Save the Nichols School Presented By: Mississippi Center for Justice Save Our Schools Coalition

Schools Are Closing Across the Country....Why? : 

Schools Are Closing Across the Country....Why? Old and worn-out facilities Poor student achievement Budgetary concerns Low enrollment

Facilities At Nichols : 

Facilities At Nichols Voters approved bond in 1999 after being promised a new school State of the art building constructed at a cost of $10 million in 2004 Another $5 million invested after Hurricane Katrina

Achievement at Nichols : 

Achievement at Nichols Named a “Star School” in 2010, which is the highest possible state rating based on student performance Mississippi Teacher of the Year = Brad Shonk Teaches fourth grade Biloxi Public School District’s Parent of the Year = Meg Cordry Lives in D’Iberville, paid tuition for her son to attend Nichols This is a model for school reform, envied across the nation...

2010 Blue Ribbon School : 

2010 Blue Ribbon School 1 of only 4 schools in Mississippi to earn this national honor Criteria is high performance in both reading and math

Blue Ribbon Ceremony Held at Gorenflo Elementary After Closing : 

Blue Ribbon Ceremony Held at Gorenflo Elementary After Closing

Budget Concerns at Nichols : 

Budget Concerns at Nichols A financial review revealed the school district had a $10 million surplus in its budget $3.1 million of that was slated to build a new school Grants are available to keep the Nichols School open in the short-term, which gives us time to find a better solution Nichols provides the best education in the city and costs relatively the same to run as every other school in Biloxi

What Are You Saving? What Are You Losing? : 

What Are You Saving? What Are You Losing?

Enrollment at Nichols : 

Enrollment at Nichols Relatively steady increase in enrollment since Katrina This school year alone, enrollment in Biloxi schools increased by over 200 students (half of which are elementary) The Biloxi School District’s own Strategic Plan, adopted in 2006, set a goal of maintaining per pupil ratio of 16:1 Small class size is linked to student achievement—that is why the district originally committed itself to this goal

...Closing Creates a Problem : 

...Closing Creates a Problem

Concerned Citizen : 

Concerned Citizen “Nichols is the heart of the community. When you take the heart out, what do you have left?” Woman who lives in community

History of Nichols School : 

History of Nichols School Listen to the voice of Clemon Jimmerson, a Nichols Alumnus From 1904-1908, the Parent-Teacher Social Club raised money to buy the original land lot and gave it to the city of Biloxi... The city refused to pay for building so the community raised more, citing the value of an education and wanting one for their kids M.F. Nichols Fannie Nichols The Nichols’ Home

The Evolution of Nichols : 

The Evolution of Nichols Over the years, Nichols has been repeatedly reconfigured, moving from a high school into an elementary school The original school had been built atop the city dump, which is why the community was so proud of their new building Nichols Sr. & Jr. High School

The Closing of Nichols School : 

The Closing of Nichols School Closed and consolidated with Gorenflo Elementary due to low enrollment and budgetary concerns School Board Votes To Close Nichols School on April 20, 2010: Meetings occur on third Tuesday of every month at 5PM Dukate Building (Annex), 1445 Father Ryan Avenue

Bill Stallworth : 

Bill Stallworth “The community read about the Nichols closing on a Sunday. The school board met on Tuesday and it was a done deal. The community never got a chance to respond.” Ward 2 Councilman

The Situation Now : 

The Situation Now A complaint has been filed with the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights Numerous protests and community rallies have taken place involving advocates, religious leaders, and public officials The Nichols Schools is occupied by the Boys and Girls Club, but 77% of this state of the art facility still sits empty Taxpayers in East Biloxi are still paying on the 1999 bond that financed the building of the school

Rev. James Black : 

Rev. James Black “You would think you would want children to go to the best schools, and have the best faculty. But because of racism, you would rather see it closed down, and it is a disgrace.” Faith Tabernacle of Praise

Excuse #1 – We Can’t Afford It : 

Excuse #1 – We Can’t Afford It At the time Biloxi Public School District made the decision to close Nichols, it estimated the district would save $458,495.24 by closing the school

Solution: The Kellogg Grant : 

Solution: The Kellogg Grant $1.5 million over 3 years (approximately $450,000 per year) Leveraged funds would go to operating costs for Nichols only The funds are meant to create a permanent joint structure of governance made up of representatives from the East Biloxi community and the school system. A comprehensive sustainability plan would be developed and implemented over the course of the three-year grant period to ensure the Nichols School’s continued operation.

Greg Taylor : 

Greg Taylor “It’s a tragedy. Here you have the only 5-star school in the district, effective in educating black children and there’s no way the community and the school board could come together... It’s an example of a school system not taking into account the community it purports to serve. ” W.K. Kellogg Foundation

Excuse #2 – Shared Governance is Illegal : 

Excuse #2 – Shared Governance is Illegal Superintendent Tisdale and School Board President Holloway think a joint community board is illegal since their board already fulfills this function

Solution: Creation of Site Council : 

Solution: Creation of Site Council School Board previously asked for it The district’s own Strategic Plan, adopted in 2006, suggested the creation of “site councils” at each school... State law does not prevent it (actually encourages increased community involvement in schools)

We Want The Same Thing: Community Involvement : 

We Want The Same Thing: Community Involvement The council will consist of parents, administration, and community members who share a stake in Nichols School Meet monthly to to discuss items such as: Enrollment Projections Per-Student Operating Cost Uniqueness of Educational Program Housing/Transportation Options Sharing of Building Space (i.e. local conferences, professional development for school district) Such a model has been used in other states like California to help make responsible decisions about school closings

East Biloxi: Room to Grow : 

East Biloxi: Room to Grow The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has invested $35 million to rebuild in East Biloxi The HOPE VI Development, located across the street from Nichols Elementary, has 196 units of affordable housing Half of these units are already filled by families. The first question asked by new residents is, “How are the schools?”

Remember the Past, Plan for the Future : 

Remember the Past, Plan for the Future This historic school has been systematically dismantled over the years, all the while achieving at the highest level It is a pillar in the African American community of Biloxi that has been fought for before and will be again The Kellogg Grant only requires that the School Board create a community governance body similar to the “Site Council” that was proposed in the district’s own Strategic Plan Since Katrina, the population of East Biloxi has been rising and will only grow in the future (remember the 16:1 ratio) When a school is proven to work, why would the School Board shut it down before exhausting all other alternatives?

THANK YOU : 

THANK YOU “Talk to us, find a way. Take this money, let’s open this school. Let’s make a difference and do it the right way.” - Bill Stallworth, Save Our Schools Coalition Questions?