Huberman removes Marconi and Prescott from Hit List at very last minute
Forceful and powerful lobbying by parents, students and teacher combined with the support of two outspoken aldermen brought joy to two Chicago elementary schools the evening before the February 24 meeting of the Chicago Board of Education: Marconi, a school serving all black children in one of Chicago's poorest neighborhoods, and Prescott, which is growing as the area west of Lincoln Park becomes more gentrified, were both removed from the 2010 Hit List at the last minute.
People at both schools thanked their own extensive organizing and the hard work of their aldermen (Ed Smith and Scott Waugespack) for their schools' reprieve.
Chicago Schools CEO Ron Huberman announced late on February 23, 2010, the day before the Board of Education meeting, that Marconi and Prescott elementary schools were being removed from the 2010 Hit List. Both schools had been slated for "closing", although in the case of Marconi what was actually proposed was to keep the Marconi building open, but give the school to Tilton Elementary School, which is being pushed out of its own building.
The following is the press release CPS sent out:
For more information contact:
Monique Bond
CPS Office of Communications
Phone: 773-553-1620
Fax: 773-553-1622
Website: http://www.cps.edu
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
February 23, 2010
Huberman Pulls Two Schools Off of Actions List
That Goes Before Chicago Board of Education Tomorrow
Chicago Public Schools Chief Executive Officer Ron Huberman announced today that he is removing William H. Prescott Elementary School, 1632 W. Wrightwood, from the school actions list that is to be submitted to the Chicago Board of Education tomorrow,
Huberman also said he is also suspending a proposal regarding the consolidation of Guglielmo Marconi Elementary School, 230 N Kolmar.
Huberman said CPS officials have received substantial input from the Prescott School community regarding plans to increase the school’s enrollment for the next school year. Prescott was proposed for closing because of under-enrollment. The school has less than 200 students and a design capacity to accommodate 600.
“The school community at Prescott has put forth a variety of plans on how they would improve enrollment, and we are going to give them the opportunity to do that,” Huberman said. The success of those efforts will be reviewed this fall, he said.
Marconi was proposed to be consolidated with George W. Tilton School, also because of under-enrollment. Marconi currently has an enrollment of 236 students with a design capacity of almost 800.
Huberman said he is suspending, for now, any proposed action involving Marconi while CPS officials work with the school community on alternative options.
Chicago Public Schools serves approximately 408,000 students in more than 670 schools. It is the third-largest school district in the nation.
