Hi South High Supporters,
I just wanted to give you an update since many of you were at the South High Media Center meeting with MPS leaders, parents and students on October 26th, as well as South High Boosters. A special thank you to our District 3 MPS Board Director Siad Ali for getting that meeting set up! There are three parts to this update so you can read everything or just what you want. 1. Where we are now. 2. Calendar of MPS Board meeting dates 3. Recap of the SHS meeting with MPS leaders at the South High Media Center on October 26th (Thank you to Jennifer Bochman!) 4. Questions collected from those attending the October 26th SHS meeting. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- So, where are we now? Most importantly, we still have no long-term plan for South High School or the athletic fields. We were told by Superintendent Graff that the building on the land adjacent the South High fields is a “done deal”. The land is not being considered for South High. As was pointed out by a parent at the meeting, there is no signed construction contract at this time and both programs, T+ and ABE, have the ability to remain in their current buildings. T+ is currently in the Wilder Building and ABE is in the former Brown Institute building with six more years on the lease. That would give the District time, if just for a short time, to do what should have been done years ago in determining the long-term strategy for the South High Campus, its 1921 students, its 250 plus staff and the entire South High community and neighbors. This week, Mark Bollinger, MPS Director of Facilities, is presenting a feasibility study/proposal of what can be done with the current footprint of the SHS athletic field to Superintendent Graff and the MPS Board. The plan should be available at the end of this week after viewing by the Board. My understanding is that the field would be enlarged for soccer and lacrosse, the north stands would be removed, the track rebuilt (6 or 8 lanes not known) and a press box added. The grass athletic field and the grass practice field next to the school would be replaced with turf. There are no lights in the plan. An eight lane track would allow us to hold sectionals and state meets. This would allow us to invite other schools, other programs to our school and our city. Six lanes only lets South run conference meets. This does not address the problems with practice space or holding multiple games or night game opportunities. We still have the bussing issues the students and staff currently endure. South’s desire for a north/south field is not addressed, nor opportunities for softball, ultimate frisbee, homecoming, lighting etc. Whether the safety issues are addressed, ie. drainage grates and hard surfaces near field of play and track lanes due to lack of space, is unknown as well. The MPS Board will request funding from the Hennepin County Youth Sports Program and the NFL. On a side note Tuesday afternoon, Superintendent Graff was led around the athletic field and track by a South High varsity soccer and track team member. There he was shown the current state of disrepair, safety concerns and lack of space issues with the track and field. Seeing movement to improve South is good, but does this fit what is right for South for the next year, five years, 20 years, 40 years? We need a solid plan, after all, we are in basically the same building that was built 45 years ago. Change is slow. Improvements, land acquisition and planning are probably not going to happen again. This needs to be done correctly. MPS has two acres of land under the YWCA’s gym. Should that have been used for South? MPS just sold six acres of land to the County with the ABE building. MPS now owns two acres on the north side of the South field. Where is South, the largest school in MPS, in these discussions of any of these decisions on its doorsteps? Is 30 1/2 Street an option for space? Is 31st Street an option for space? Let’s think this through and do it as best we can. Right now, the District is still deciding what they are going to do at South without first including the South High administration, students and community. It would be best for that to change first and quickly before any opportunities are lost. There is an MPS Board meeting at the Davis Center, 1250 W. Broadway, Mpls on Tuesday, November 15th. There is public commentary from 5:30-6:15pm. The Board meeting begins at 6:15. If you would like to speak in the public comment section, you should sign up on the MPS website linked here. Our presence at the next Board meeting is important. I would love to have you join me there! Wear orange! http://board.mpls.k12.mn.us/public_comment.html There has also been a request from Brett McNeal to South High Booster parents to write a letter to the MPS Board members in favor of “turf, track, lights and bleachers” and to have MPS let us “be part of any decisions concerning South’s fields”. Anyone who would or could write a letter affirming the South High community to be included in the decision making process regarding the South High athletic fields and a long-term plan is greatly appreciated! If you would like to email the MPS Board members, they are linked here. http://board.mpls.k12.mn.us/ I am expecting more information from Richard Mammen (cc’d). He has been brought in by MPS to help bridge the lack of communication between MPS and the community. He is a former MPS Board Director and also a former member of the MPRB. Hopefully, he can also help us understand this summer’s signed agreement between MPS and MPRB over shared use of MPS athletic fields. Information that I receive will be passed along as best I can. Along those same lines, if you want to share this with others in the South community, please do. If you know others who want to be receiving this information please send that along as well. I have talked with Ray Aponte, Cecilia Sadler, Richard Mammen and others for a better, more efficient way for parents/caregivers to communicate to the South High community without the ability to use school resources, ie Tiger Pride, phone calls, etc. Please share your voice with MPS. Thank you, Scott Schluter [email protected] South High parent ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Calendar of MPS Board meetings There has been someone from the South High community who has spoken for South, for a safe and equitable athletic field and for a long-term plan for South at the past four MPS Board meetings. A special thank you to the students, parents and friends who have taken time out to speak up for South! Your voice, our voice, is important. Please remember these meetings if you can set aside your time and energy. I encourage you to come and say “hi” to me at the next Board meeting this coming Tuesday, November 15th. I’d like to meet another Tiger! It has also been brought to my attention, that the MPS Finance meetings are regularly attended by interested parties for the Southwest and Washburn High Schools. I was told it would be good for South to be represented. Please let me know if you have an interest with these meetings so we know we’re acknowledged. It is easy to sit on the sidelines, but really cold on aluminum bleachers all alone. Let’s do this together! MPS Board Meeting - Davis Center, 1250 W. Broadway Tuesday, November 15th, 5:30-6:15 public comment, 6:15 - 8:30 Board meeting Tuesday, December 13th Tuesday, January 10th MPS Finance Meetings - Davis Center Tuesday, December 6th, 4:30 - 6:00 Tuesday, January 3rd ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Recap of SHS October 26th meeting South High School Meeting with MPS Leaders for Long-term plan for SHS More than eighty South High School students and parents met with leaders from MPS over concerns that the proposed MPS building on the Lake Street block adjacent to the South High athletic fields will impact any possibilities of a safe and usable track and field. The fact that there is no long-term plan for the South High Campus is what South High advocates want to see before anything else is built. The meeting was held at the South High School Media Center from 5:30 - 6:30 on Wednesday October 26th to clarify information about the Transition Plus Program and Adult Basic Education joining the ‘South Campus’ in a new building on 19th and Lake Street, adjacent to the South High Athletic Field. Attending the meeting from MPS included; Superintendent Ed Graff, Asst. Superintendent (High Schools) Cecelia Sadler, Director of Facilities Mark Bollinger,Chief Academic Officer Susanne Griffin, Director of Special Ed Rochelle Cox, Director of Community Education Jack Tramble, Athletic Director Trent Tucker, Asst. Athletic Director Dave Wicker, Board Member Carla Bates and Board Member Siad Ali. Superintendent Graff communicated that he came to the meeting with numerous staff members as it is important for clarity. Parent Scott Schluter shared photos of the current state of the South High Athletic Field and track. He summarized the following perspectives from parents at South High School. “As parents we always thought there was a plan. What we thought was happening is not what is happening”....”As parents we want equity in facilities, we want a welcoming facility like other schools, we want safety, we want a regulation size field, we want lights which will build community…” . Scott also cited a recent interview given by Trent Tucker, District Director of Athletics, where Mr. Tucker was quoted as saying “Athletics is the front porch of a school”. Parents couldn’t agree with him more. Scott also cited statistics indicating the high correlation between students who participated in athletics, school attendance and academic performance. Superintendent Graff shared what the facilities on 19th and Lake Street will look like. He shared that ABE (Adult Basic Education) and Transition Plus are going to have a new building and it will be located on 19th and Lake Street. He commented on the opportunities this will bring to South High School, specifically discussing community service and mentorship opportunities for South students. Parents asked questions for clarification of what Adult Basic Education and Transition Plus are, as well as why the two programs are joining again in one building when approximately 11 years ago the programs coexisted at the Lehman Center and it was at that time, not a good match of programming. School staff responded that the two programs would be separated in the building and they were not aware of any previous concerns when the programs coexisted. A parent then redirected the meeting away from the above mentioned programs and towards the concerns about the Athletic Field as many of the parents, staff and Alumni were in attendance because they thought the recently purchased land was going to be used for an Athletic Field and they were unaware of district plans to build a building and relocate the said programs. Parents raised the concerns that the conversation surrounding the relocation of ABE and Transition Plus feels very tangential. Superintendent Graff stated that the District needs to do a better job of communication. He then shared the history of capital improvement. The priorities for Athletics was a primary focus on interior and secondary focus on Fields. He shared that South High School received money for an updated weight room along with other schools. He also commented on the facts that in approximately year 2000, there were no more Capital Improvements, they were placed on halt by the district.. The Roosevelt Athletic Field was completed before this halt in Capital Improvements. Improvements at Southwest High School and Edison were completed by private donors. There was no opportunity for parents to ask more questions so it is unknown where Washburn High School received their funding for the Athletic Field improvements in approximately 2010. (It is known that the Vikings helped out with a $200,000 grant as part of funding for the $1 million-plus project but it is unknown where the remaining funding came from). Superintendent Graff indicated that the District has acknowledged that South and North High Schools both have the greatest need for improvements. Concerns were raised by the audience, specifically two South High Alumni and members of the South High Foundation. The expressed concerns of mismanagement and lack of collaboration over the past 10 plus years. Parents specifically raised questions about the fact that in order to properly update the athletic field that it will require more land. There were no concrete direct answers from the district about this concern. Graff shared that in November of 2016 and February of 2017 they will be looking into a 5 year plan. Latest approval by the board will be June 2017 and at that time a committee will be formulated. Students from both the boys and girls soccer teams spoke about not wanting their peers to be envious of other schools and their facilities. They spoke about the risk of injury (manhole covers, sprinkler nozzles) and cited numerous problems that keep the soccer field from being regulation size, such as the track being too close to the field. Students have gotten hurt. Several parents raised concerns that the location for the ABE and Transition Plus programming at the Lake and Hiawatha juncture is not the best location for these programs, one parent remembering when the downtown location was actually most ideal. The athletic field is not mobile and needs this land. Other parents raised concerns about Minneapolis students not choosing to attend South High School, and what is the District going to do to make South High School great again, so parents and students can be proud of their school and others will want to attend. The crowd gave a roaring round of applause when a parent shared the importance of athletics and making South High School an attractive school for incoming students, by pairing wonderful athletic programs/facilities with the current wonderful academic programs/offerings that exist. Siad Ali closed the meeting at approximately 6:30, indicating he is committed to ABE, Transition Plus and the upgrades needing to occur on the South High Athletic Field. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ QUESTIONS COLLECTED FROM THOSE ATTENDING SHS MEETING 10-26-16 Is there enough space to really make improvements to the Athletic fields and facilities? Because once you build on the lot next to Lake Street, there really is no other land adjacent to the building. This seems completely short sighted… L Is it possible that the road north of the field could be absorbed into the plans to provide some additional space/square footage for south and the ABE/Transition Plus? I’m a parent of a graduate and a current student. I like it when things make sense, and it doesn’t make sense to not take advantage of land now available right next to this aging building and fields, to plan for the long term. It doesn’t make sense! Please put the other programs someplace else for that reason! It is my understanding that there are many more positive things at Wilder School that this new building won’t have. Powder horn Park – gyms, computer lab closeness to DMV. They refurbished and reopened Howe to meet the needs of Hiawatha Elementary. Has the Committee considered other properties of the district, such as Cooper for updating for ABE and Transition Plus? If the ABE and T-Plus building is put on hold, is there a quality facility/program that they can use in the interim if the plan needs time to change? Will extra coats that South high Accrues for practice busses, loss of gate fees… Busses to track meets be covered by District? Other schools don’t have these coats! Please consider the comments regarding the EBD Building – Not on the designated property – many other area locations available – Land needed for Athletics. Are you aware of the fact that South needs more room if we want to make a meaningful improvements? You can fix what we have but that would be wasting money on a space that will still be in adequate. We need more room if we want to compete and be proud. 1. The importance of a comprehensive plan for South building and Athletic field cannot be overstated. 2. Also, with middle school students participating in high school sports, the issue of practice space and busing is a safety and liability issue. (Middle school students left at field 2 miles away without Coach) Closing street between YWCA and South high. The school needs to be taken care of before other projects. These are safety concerns with stands, track and irrigation on the field. I’m concerned that south doesn’t have the land to make sure there are enough fields, I’m concerned that there are empty buildings owned by the district and yet we are using land that would be ideal for South use instead. Read about Jaime Lerner from Curitiba Brazil. He is really good at thinking outside the box. Check it out! I am a senior on the Hockey and Lacrosse team here in Mpls, my Grandfather graduated from South in 1961 and about every month he reminds me that he’s never seen me play at South. With a new field I can promise Lacrosse would move to South because the Coach wants to get the Native American population involve in their history and it would allow for Alumni to be more proud.
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Scott Schluter
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