Little Rock Schools: Mann Junior High

t 11AR-JJ-94 THU 13:43 SUSAN W WRIGHT FAX NO. 5013246576 P, 02 March 16, 1994 BENNIE O'NEIL ATTORNEY AND COUNSELLOR AT LAW 2600 ARKANSAS AVENUE NORTH little rock. ARKANSAS 72,14 PHONE: 945-5157 Mr. Eddie Collins Assistant Superintendent Pupil Personnel Services PCSSD 925 East Dixon Road P. 0. Box 8601 Little Rock, Arkansas 72216 Magnet Application for Attendance to Mann Arts Dear Mr. Collins
1994 'disappointed to receive your letter of March 14 1994 denying my daughter's m, because she is a black child. s application to Manns Arts Magnet 1 am further disappointed to know that my child cannot attend one of the better schools in Pulaski County Arkans^rbeSn she IS black when whites will be allowed S attLd and ?he^ have never, to my knowledge been subjected to rSia! diJ- mination in education in this country the Gen subjected to racial discrimination. to racial disse way blacks have I am disappointd because blacks played this .. .. because Diacks played no role in creating racial imbalance that is said to exist in Pulaski Coi since we have very little power to create such in Pulaski County, ch situations. My disappointment is further confounded by the fact that von dealino wt?h ' "" school which has no history of aeaiing with black children fairly. This desegregation plan is St s county lert several all black schools in Little Rock, and even Scott parents to travel all the way from dn to sylvan Hills to attend school so whites s tTthS::: by tS:??::? had their interests a clear indication to me of the even though blacks e it and even though no one seem to Intervenors , . , - veze suppose to have represented in this settlement by the Joshua,-94 THU 13:43 SUSAN W WRIGHT FAX NO, 5013246576 P, 03 I Mr. Eddie Collins Assistant Superintendent Pupil Personnel Services PCSSD March 16, 1994 Page 2 I suggest to you that there is a real educational to why a black child would not want to attend Sylvan Hills Junior High School, or Sylvan Hills High School, and i know of many blacks that will testify under oath that they have been discriminated against at Sylvan Hills Junior High School and Sylvan Hills High School because of their concern as and I know race. I want Mr. Collins and his administration to tell the United states District Judge in this case why it is fair under any circumstances to bus black children to Sylvan Hills Junior High school and Sylvan Hill,s High School to create a racial balance and not bus whites from Sylvan Hills Junior Hich School and Sylvan Hills High School to create a racial balance. The failure of your administration to allow my daughter to attend one of the better schools in Pulaski County, Arkansas IS 3ust another indication to me that a black person in this country is still not a true 2\merican. I am truly hurt that my grandfather was treated of his race
- - ------ unfairly because my father was treated unfairly because of his race
I attended all-black schools in the Pulaski County Special hS?ni because of my race, and now I am through the same agony of racial discrimination because of a fraudulent school settlement in-14.4 =4-,. 4r . . - ---------- that blacks help to if money because it certainly was not for the education of the victims of years of discrimination. I now know that your desegregation plan will not work because it IS covered with the despair of little black children whose only unfortunateness was to be born black in ' . -- ----in a country where racial discrimination against their race still reign supreme. This letter should be considered T ~ oe considered as my request for my daughter l^^atuend school in the North Little Rock School District until she achieves her diploma, I request attendance for" or until I advise you to the contrary, c1r------ --- my daughter at Rose Citv Junior Hirrb School for the 1994/95 school ytaFT------------ Sincerely, 7^ 7 -t Bennie O'Neil cc: U.S. District Judge, Honorable Susan Webber Wright Mr. John W. Walker Mr. Bobby Lesterr ^a.i 12.MC, 1 is *LRSD ADMIN. BLLDING' Fax:1-501-324-2032 May 2 9t 12:03 Little Rock School District OFFICE OF COMMUNIC ATION-S 810 West .Maikhai.ri Streei Little Rock. .AR 2201 f5fi)) 324-2020 FAX f5C! i 324-2023 F'. 02/02 ?.rF,DI.V zVDVlSOJiY May 2.1996 For more information: Zeonitc Herts, 324-2020 Horace Mann Junior High To Be Dismissed Early Due To Power Outage Horace Mann .Arts & Science iMagnet Junior High School will be drsmissed at 1:00 p.m. due to a power outage in tlie neighborhood. Students will be fed before tnc dismissal. 'rran.sportatio.n buses will run regular routes bee inning at 1:00 p.ni. Special anangements should he made to pick up students who do nof ride the school bus as soon as possible. The outage was caused by an automobile accident in the neighborhood in which a vehicle struck a utility pole. 4#? 'TiS* 22 96 18:1 0301 324 2023 LRSD CO.'IMVMCATI ODM @002/002 T.iraE Rock Scaooi. District Media zXdvisoiy August 22, 1996 foi uifonuation: Zeomee Herts, 324-2C20 Mamai olOnuab :s Wild Kingdom Coining to Little Rock Peter Gros of Mutual of Grriahas Wild Kindgom ^ill bring a tiger and other live animals to Horace Mann Arts/Sciences Magnet Junior High Friday, August 23, from 2:00 1:50 pun. to increase studenu appreciation foriungie anunals. The event Aill be held in the school cai'eieria and is being sponsored by Mutual of Omaha 810 West Markham Street Little Rock, Arkansas 73201 * (501)334-3000 SOI 321 2023 LRSI) COMMVNICaTI ODM C- If < 09-30 97 1": 4.' 001-001 Little Rock School District 810 West Markham Little Rock, AR 72201 Phone: Fax: (301)324-2020 (501)324-2032 DAT
September 30
1997 TO
Central Arkansas Media FROM: SuelJen Vanri
Director of Communications SUBJECT: Milken Award MESSAGE: Tie Milken educator Award will be presented at Mann Magnet Junior High on Wednesday, October 1, at T1
OO a.m. This is a prestigious award which is presented anriuaily to four educators in each state. The honor includes a $25,000 cash award. No one at the school realizes why Dr. Roberts will be holding an all-school assembly, so rriunis tlie word" until the assembly. Hope you can be there. Pages (including cover) To Fax Speed Dial___ Preparing students for success every day Office of Desegregation Monitoring United States District Court Eastern District of Arkansas Ann S. Brown. Federal Monitor 201 East Markham, Suite 510 Heritage West Building Little Rock, Arkansas 72201 (501) 376-6200 Fax (501) 371 -0100 October 7, 1997 Ms. Marian Lacey Mann Junior High School 1000 Roosevelt Road Little Rock, AR 72206 Dear Marian: You star, you! Congratulations on receiving the Milken Educator Award, an honor you richly deserve. I was out of state last week when the big news was announced at Mann, and I surely hated missing such a happy event. Even though I couldnt be there to applaud, I was thrilled that the Milken folks had the good sense to name you as the recipient of such a prestigious award. YOU do so much good for so many, Marian, spreading much happiness and bolstering considerable success for others in the process. Thats the best kind of leadership there is. Youre a fine educator and a wonderful friend, and Im mighty proud of you. Sincerely yours, Ann S. Brown \i/y^ s f b' i-'L An Individual Approach to a World of Knowledge March 28. 2001 Ms. Donna Grady Greer, Executive Director Magnet Review Committee 1920 North Main Street, Suite 101 North Little Rock, AR 72114 Dear Ms. Greer: I have to tell you that I find it curious that the Magnet Review Gommittee is requesting an explanation from me regarding my not signing approval for Mann Magnet Middle Schools request for waiver. I did not approve the request in spring 1999 nor in spring 2000, and the MRG did not ask me for a rationale either of those times. As you are no doubt aware, however, my signature is not required for a waiver to be approved, even if the waiver is related to curriculum requirements. As you are no But since you asked, I am, first, attaching a copy of the memorandum that I wrote to Dr. Brenda James in March 2000 detailing my responses to Manns first request for waiver. You will note that I sent copies of this memorandum to Dr. Les Gamine, Sadie Mitchell, Dr. Marian Lacey, Gene Parker /who at that time was director of English Language Arts), and Linda Young (now Linda Austin). The arguments and suggestions that I made at that time are still my arguments and suggestions. Both Ms. Mitchell and Dr. Lacey have recently requested my rationale in writing for not signing the request this year, and I have referred both of them to the former memorandum because, as Ive stated already, I still have the same concerns. I offer the following updates to my original memorandum for your consideration: Mann Magnet students scored at the 50'*^ percentile in Total Reading on the SAT9 in fall 2000, a decrease of 6 percentile points from fall 1999 when they scored at the 56^ percentile, and a decrease of 8 percentile points from fall 1998 when they scored at the 58*^ percentile. In contrast. District scores improved slightly over the same time periodfrom the 38' nprnpntilpi in fall lOOR to tho /ipfh x_ii ___. xi___. th percentile 1998 the 40^ percentile in fall 1999 and then to the 39^ percentile in fall 2000. 810 W Markham Litde Rock, Arkansas 72201 www.lrsd.kl2.ar.us 501-324-2000 fax: 501-324-2032Ms. Donna Grady Creer March 28, 2001 Page Two Schools that have improved more than the District average are as follows' Dunbarfrom the 37 percentile in fall 1998 to the 41=" percentile in fall 2000, a gain of 4 points
Hendersonfrom the 25^ percentile in fall 1998 to the 30 percentile in fall 2000, a gain of 5 points
Mabelvalefrom the 25 percentile in fall 1998 to the 32" percentile in fall 2000, a gain of 7 points
Pulaski Heightsfrom the 47 percentile in fall 1998 to the 52" percentile in fall 2000, a gain of 5 points
Southwestfrom the 23 percentile in fall 1998 to the 30 percentile in fall 2000, a gain of 7 points. Cloverdale stayed the same over the two-year period
Forest Heights went down 4 percentile points
and Mann went down 8 percentile points. Pulaski Heights scored at the 52" percentile in fall 20002 points above Mann, although they were 11 points behind Mann in fall 1998. It is evident, therefore, that the English language arts program that Mann is using is not producing the improvements that are occurring in other LRSD schools, at least as it measured on the SAT9, and, in fact, Manns failure to improve damaged the Districts efforts to improve. Mann Magnet students scored at the 45*" percentile in Total Language in fall 2000, in contrast to their performance at the 50 percentile in fall 1999 and the 58*" percentile in fall 1998a decline of 13 percentile points. The District declined 2 percentile points during the same two-year period from the 38*" to the 36*" percentile. Schools that improved in Total Language over the two-year period were Cloverdalefrom the 24^ to the 25 percentile: Dunbarfrom the 38 to the 39 percentile
Hendersonfrom the 25 to the 28 percentile
M^elvale from the 23 to the 29 percentile
and Southwestfrom the 20 to the 24 percentile. Forest Heights declined 3 points, Pulaski Heights stayed the same, and Mann declined 13 points. Again, Pulaski Heights at the 48 percentile outscored Mann in fall 2000, even though Pulaski Heights did not improve over the two-year period. In fall 1998 Manns Total Language score was ten points higher than that of Pulaski Heights. Just as in Total Reading, Mann s decline in Total Language over the two- year period has damaged the Districts efforts to improve on this measure.h Ms. Donna Grady Creer March 28, 2001 Page Three We have only one year of data on the grade 8 Literacy Benchmark examination. In spring 2000 there were 29 percent of the Mann students who scored at or above the proficiency level. Mann was the highest performing middle school on this test. Mann was also the school with the largest achievement gap between white and African American students 31 points. It remains to be seen if Mann continues to be the highest achieving school on this measure. We are seeing area schools move to the highest achieving on the K-2 Developmental Reading Assessment, the ALTs, and the SAT9, so if the trend continues, Mann may find itself in second or third place soon on the Benchmarks. ALT data for spring 2000 are not yet available, so we have no comparison data on this test as yet. I am attaching also for your review a copy of the curriculum that was approved by the Board of Education for Mann Magnet Middle School in October 1998. You will note that there is room in this design for students in grades 6 and 8 to take two electives, plus the course requirements including a two-period Reading and Writing Workshop. Grade 7 students could be freed up another period by embedding in the curriculum the content of Career Orientation and Arkansas History (see memorandum to Brenda James). Another solution to this dilemma is for Mann to move to the eight-period A/B block schedule, as Dunbar has done. Deborah Berry, the Dunbar principal, is very happy with this decision and is continuing it into 2001-2002. In this way Dunbar can meet the Districts requirements, as well as preserve enough time for students to take the school s magnet courses in international studies and foreign language. The bottom line, of course, is doing what is best for the students at Mannall of them. And that may not mean the exact same curriculum for them all. I know for sure that Mann will not retain its status in the District and the State if it cannot deliver improving and high performance in language arts and mathematics, no matter how fine its arts programs may be. I also know for sure that Mann must do whatever is necessary to ensure that its students are well prepared for high schoolespecially in the areas of literacy and mathematics. We cannot lose sight of those realities. I wish to make one final reiteration. Manns insistence that the two-period Reading/Writing Workshop puts their magnet programs in jeopardy is a false one when we all see the options that are available and which make sense. But the preservation of the magnet curriculum is in no way jeopardized or need even be altered by theMs. Donna Grady Greer March 28. 2001 Page Four implementation of the other middle school program standards that were adopted by the Board of Education for all middle schoolsinterdisciplinary/team scheduling, for instancy and attention to the development needs of young adolescents, for instance. I cannot imagine that there is a valid reason for Mann not moving forward at least in these areas. If a decision is made to waive the two-period requirement for literacy, then at a minimum Mann should be required to implement supplemental strategies improve their students' performance. to I stand ready, just as I have for the past three years, to sit with the MRG and/or representatives from Mann to consider all possible options in the design of an exemplary middle school program, curriculum, and magnet courses. This dilemma can be a wonderful opportunity to be both creative and more effective. Since this letter and the attachments state my positions on the Mann request for waiver as clearly and comprehensively as I know how, I see no need for me to attend the meeting on April 10. If, however, you still wish for me to come, please call my office at 324-2131 and let me know. Sincerely, Bonnie A. Lesley, Ed.D. Associate Superintendent for Instruction BAL/adg cc: Dr. Les Gamine Sadie Mitchell Dr. Marian Lacey Jim Fullerton Suzi Davis Linda AustinArts Grade 6 Reading/Writing Workshop 6 (2 periods) or Reading/Writing Workstiop 6 Pre-AP* (1 period) and French/Spanish/German/Study Skills (1 period) Mathematics 6 or Mathematics 6 Pre-AP* Science/Health 6 or Science/Health 6 Pre-AP* Social Studies 6 or Social Studies 6 Pre-AP*__________________________ Choose one of the following: Band I, Orchestra I, Choir I, Art I, Dance I, or Speech and Communications_______ The school will offer choices from the list below, and students will select, based on the schools schedule, one or more semesters of electives: Band I, Choir II, or Orchestra III (full year) Art I (full year) Research and Writing 6 Pre-AP (full year) Physical Education 6 (full year) Speech and Communications (full year) Dance I (full year) Piano I (full year) Physical Education 6 (semester) Keyboarding (semester) The Pre-AP (Advanced Placement) series of courses offered in the core areas are the same as the previously designated honors, advanced, enriched, and/or gifted/talented courses. Titles have simply been standardized for grades 6-12. Mann Magnet Midtdle School Curriculum Little Rock School District Grade 7 ________________________________________ ReadingA/Vriting Workshop 7 (2 periods) or Reading/Writing Workshop 7 Pre-AP* (1 period) Mathematics 7 or Mathematics 7 Pre-AP* Science 7 or Science 7 Pre-AP* (Bolh include Family Life Education and Drug Education.) (Both include Drug Education.) Social Studies 7 or Social Studies 7 Pre-AP*_____________________ Choose one of the following in area of concentration: Band l-ll, Orchestra l-ll, Choir l-ll, Art l-ll. Dance l-ll, Speech and Communications, or Drama________ Career Orientation (semester) and Arkansas History (semester
required by State of Arkansas) The school will offer choices from the list below, and students will select, based on the school's schedule, one or more semesters of electives: Band l-ll, Choir l-ll, or Orchestra I- II (full year) Art l-ll (full year) Research and Writing 7 Pre-AP (full year) French I, German I, or Spanish I (full year) Speech and Communications (full year) Drama (full year) Dance l-ll (full year) Piano l-ll (full year) Physical Education 7-8 (full year) Family and Work Connections 7-8 (semester) Physical Education 7-8 (semester) Keyboarding (semester) Keyboarding Applications (semester) Computer Technology 7-8 (semester) Industrial Technology 7-8 (semester) Grade 8____________________________________ ReadingAA/riting Workshop 8 (2 periods) or Reading/Writing Workshop 8 Pre-AP* (1 period) Mathematics 8 or Mathematics 8 Pre-AP* or Algebra I Pre-AP* for high school credit Science 8 or Science 8 Pre-AP* Social Studies 8 or Social Studies 8 Pre-AP*____________________ Keyboarding (semester
required if not taken in grade 6 or 7) Choose one of the following in area of concentration: Band l-ll-lll. Orchestra l-ll-lll, Choir l-ll-lll. Art l-ll-lll. Dance l-ll-lll. Speech and Communications, Drama, or Theatre Tlie school will offer choices from the list below, and students will select, based on the school's schedule, one or more semesters of electives: Band l-ll-lll. Choir l-ll-lll, or Orchestra l-ll-lll (full year) Art l-ll-lll (full year) Research and Writing 8 Pre-AP (full year) French I, II, German I, II, or Spanish I, II (for one year of high school credit) Speech and Communications (full year) Drama (full year) Theatre (full year) Dance l-ll-lll (full year) Piano l-ll-lll (full year) Physical Education 7-8 (full year) Family and Work Connections 7-8 (semester) Physical Education 7-8 (semester) Keyboarding Applications (semester) Computer Technology 7-8 (semester) Industrial Technology 7-8 (semester ..Science Grade 6 Reading/Writing Workshop 6 (2 periods) or Reading/Writing Workshop 6 Pre-AP* (1 period) and French/Spanish/German/Study Skills (1 period) Mathematics 6 or Mathematics 6 Pre-AP* Science/Heallh 6 or Science/Health 6 Pre-AP* Lab Science 6 or Lab Science 6 Pre-AP*_____________ Social Studies 6 or Social Studies 6 Pre-AP* The school will offer choices from the list below, and students will select, based on the schools schedule, one or more semesters of electives
Band I, Choir I, or Orchestra I (full year) Art I (full year) Research and Writing 6 Pre-AP (full year) Physical Education 6 (full year) Speech and Communications (full year) Dance I (full year) Piano I (full year) Keyboarding (semester) Exploratory Art/Music/German (semester) Physical Education 6 (semester) The Pre-AP (Advanced Placement) series of courses offered in the core areas are the same as the previously designated honors, advanced, enriched, and/or gifted/talented courses. Titles have simply ' been standardized for grades 6-12. Mann Magnet Middle School Curriculum Little Rock School District Grade 7 ___________________________ Readingwriting Workshop (2 periods) or Readiiig/Writing Workshop 7 Pre-AP* (1 period) Mathematics 7 or Mathematics 7 Pre-AP* Science 7 or Science 7 Pre-AP* (Both include Family Life Education and Drug Education.) Lab Science 7 or Lab Science 7 Pre-AP*_______ Social Studies 7 or ' Social Studies 7 Pre-AP* _______________________ Career Orientation (semester) and Arkansas History (semester
required by the Stale of Arkansas)_____________ The school will offer choices from the list below, and students will select, based on the school's schedule, one or more semesters of electives: Band l-ll. Choir l-ll, or Orchestra l-ll (full year) Art l-ll (full year) Research and Writing 7 Pre-AP (full year) French I, German I, or Spanish I (full year) Speech and Communications (full year) Drama (full year) Dance l-ll (full year) Piano l-ll (full year) Physical Education 7-8 (full year) Family and Work Connections 7-8 (semester) Physical Education 7-8 (semester) Keyboarding (semester) Keyboarding Applications (semester) Computer Technology 7-8 (semester) Industrial Technology 7-8 (semester) Grade 8 Reading/Wriling Workshop 8 (2 periods) or Reading/Writing Workshop 8 Pre-AP* (1 period) Mathematics 8 or Malliematics 8 Pre-AP* or Algebra I Pre-AP for high school credit____________________ Science 8 or Science 8 Pre-AP* (Both include Drug Education.)____________________________ Lab Science 8 or Lab Science 8 Pre-AP* Social Studies 8 or Social Studies 8 Pre-AP*_______________________ Keyboarding (semester
required if not taken in grade 6 or 7)______________________________________________ The school will offer choices from the list below, and students will select, based on the schools schedule, one or more semesters of electives: Band l-ll-lll. Choir l-ll-lll, or l-ll-lll (full year) Art l-ll-lll (full year) Research and Writing 8 Pre-AP (full year) French I, II. German 1,11. or Spanish I. II (for one year of high school credit) Speech and Communications (full year) Drama (full year) Theatre (full year) Dance l-ll-lll (full year) Piano l-ll-lll (full year) Physical Education 7-8 (full year) Family and Work Connections 7-8 (semester) Physical Education 7-8 (semester) Keyboarding Applications (semester) Computer Technology 7-8 (semester) Industrial Technology 7-8 (semester) ' IMEMORANDUM To: Brenda James From: Bonnie Lesley Subj: Manns Waiver Request Date: March 1, 1999 I received on March 1 your schools request for a waiver as follows: To waive the proposed LRSD curriculum for seventh and eighth grade students for the year 1999-2000 at Mann Middle School and allow these students to keep the the 1998-99 school curriculum with changes included for state-mandated course additions. In addition, waive the Districts requirement for regular sixth grade students to take the two-hour ReadingA/Vriting Workshop and reduce that block to one hour. Teaming will occur only in the core courses for sixth-grade students for the 1999-2000 school term. 1 am unwilling to approve any part of this waiver request for the following reasons, some of which were explained in detail in my memorandum to you on February 9, 1999, and which will be repeated here. Response to Section 2 of Waiver Application
Describe the specific student needs that this proposed program/course or proposed deviation from the approved curriculum will meet that are not being met. Your waiver application went into great detail to explain the magnet program that is the centerpiece of Mann Junior High School, and all of us understand the importance of that. Several accommodations were made in the design of the original curriculum for Mann Middle School to protect the magnet program: The grade 6 one-year requirement in physical education and health is not required at Mann. The grade 6 keyboarding requirement is not required at Mann until grade 8. Mann decided to add the one-year requirement of French/Spanish/German/ Study Skills for grade 6 Pre-AP level students, not the District. Also, you are reminded once more that the principal of Mann approved the Mann curriculum design before it was submitted to and approved by the Middle School Curriculum Committee, the Middle School Steering Committee, the Magnet Review Committee, the Cabinet, and the Board of Education. If freeing up time for more electives pertaining to the magnet curriculum is your goal in seeking this waiver, then there are several more acceptable ways to do that than cutting back on the Reading/Writing Workshop. I gave you seven such suggestions in the February 9 memorandum: 1. 2. 3. Going to an eight-period A/B schedule, adding one period to each childs schedule each year. Waive the Career Orientation as a required course and integrating its critical content into your guidance or advisory program. You could also, if a waiver is approved, go back to the former way of teaching Arkansas History as one semester of grade 7 history to free up that semester. Waive Keyboarding and embed those skills in technology experiences across the curriculum.4. 5. Waive the two-hour Reading/Writing requirement only for students whose parents who sign a request that says that they prefer their child to take another elective in place of this literacy development program. At least, then, the course would be there for students who need and want it. Consider a curriculum for Mann where reading and writing would truly be taught across the curriculum and all teachers would be well trained for effective instruction ii these areas. in 6. 7. Really think through the issues and come up with your own solutions. Just remember that your responsibilities are to the kids, and you are accountable to produce well- educated students, not just have a good elective program. Surely you can find an appropriate balance between these two conflicting goals that does not victimize the neediest of kids. The Mann staff should thoroughly consult the research on how to develop literacy at the middle level before you make this decision. Your waiver application did not apparently consider any of these other options. Nor did you address in any way the methods by which you would address the literacy needs of the students. Mann is blessed in many ways since by virtue of self-selection you get some of the highest performing students in the district, both black and white. However, you also have a disturbing gap in performance between those black and white students that will never be closed as long as you value your elective program for all students, regardless of their performance, more than the rigorous common core that is required for excellence. For instance, the scores of the fall 1998 SAT9 reveal that black students at Mann perform at the SS"* percentile in grade 8 reading as compared to the scores of white students at the 68* percentile. There is a gap of 35 points What is Manns plan to correct that problem? And even though the 68" percentile for white students is good, it is not a score that anyone should be content with. Dunbar white students performed at the 72" percentile in grade 8 reading, and at Forest Heights, an area school white students performed at the 67 percentile in grade 8 reading, just one point behind you. Similar problems are revealed in an analysis of the state scores. My major point in this section is that you could satisfy both the literacy needs of the students AND the need to keep the features of your magnet curriculum if you would consider one of the other options that I suggested. Your waiver request rejects the literacy needs of the students and focuses entirely on the magnet curriculum. I find that unacceptable. Response to Section 3: Explain how the proposed waiver will enable your school to improve student performance to meet the districts performance goals in the Strategic Plan, to address performance indicators in the Quality Index, to meet Title I performance expectations, and/or to address COE and Smart Start requirements. Your response to this section lamented the loss of another elective for many of your students_43 percent of grade 7 arts students and 33 percent of grade 7 science students. These numbers tell me that a large number of your students do not perform at a high enough level in reading and language arts to be successful at the Pre-AP level. Therefore, your proposal is to give them less? And to give them more electives? How would such a strategy address the Districts Strategic Goals? The performance indicators in the Quality Index? The Title I requirements'? COE expectations? Also, I wish to point out that regular-level grade 6 students already have two electives in the approved curriculum, and regular-level grade 8 students have two. Your only problem, it appears, is in grade 7 where there is currently only the opportunity for one elective. However, if you would review again the suggestions that I gave you, you could easily free up another period without touching the Reading/Writing Workshop requirement.Response to Section 4: Briefly summarize the specific research findings upon which your proposal is based. The discussion of school climate is not relevant to your waiver request. In order for your argument to be persuasive you would have to show that reducing the requirements for literacy instruction would result in higher achievement in reading and language arts. You are going to have a very difficult time finding research support for such a proposal. You could, however, propose that the needs of the students would be met in another way. Yet your waiver request did not do that. The discussion of the literature on magnet schools is not relevant to your waiver reguest either. Magnet schools that serve a diversity of students must also address the students needs, not just their interests. Response to Section 5
How, specifically, will you evaluate your success, both formatively and summatively? Again, your response is inadequate. In order for a design to be approved for this waiver, you would have to show that students taking three arts courses and a one-hour Reading/Writing Workshop improved in reading and writing at the same or greater rate than comparable students in the two-hour Reading/Writing Workshop. I must also point out that the Accelerated Reader Program will help on fluency and comprehension, but it is doubtful that it will be of much benefit to students performing at the lowest levels. What will you do for those students? Response to Request to Team only the Sixth Grade: I also encourage you to go back to the drawing board on this one. We have been promising the community all year that the middle schools will look different next year, a new curriculum, teaming, etc. All the other seven middle schools are going to take the leap, and I feel strongly that Mann should do so as well. What possible benefit to the students will there be in waiting another year? And will anyone be any more "ready in a year than they are now? I predict that you are going to have many unhappy and disappointed parents if, when their students arrive next fall, Mann is the same school it is now except that the grade levels have changed. In fact, I have' already heard from one of those parents who heard you Thursday say that only grade 6 would be teamed. I recognize that you have a high level of satisfaction from parents at this time. After all, they chose for their children to attend Mann. But Mann parents will want what the other schools' have, plus the Mann magnet attractions. I believe that you are risking the perception that Mann will offer less than the other schools with these proposals, not more. I also believe strongly that we are a district, not just a confederation of schools. We have been working all year on the assumption that ALL the junior highs would move forward in implementing the middle school plan next year, with some variations in design, of course, but that the basic programs would be the same everywhere. It is disconcerting to me to see Mann try to opt out of the District plan and go its own way. I predict that you will lose support from others in this decision as well. I also predict that Manns proposed actions will undermine our ability to be successful as a district in making these challenging changes. In other words, if Mann doesn't go forward, why must anyone? Finally, I want to make the most important point of all just one more time. Our decisions MUST be made around the needs of the students, not the preferences of adults. Please be sure that you are doing so. Appeal Even though 1 have told you that I will not approve any part of this waiver request, you certainly have the right to pursue it with the Superintendent.Another Offer to Assist: I want to reiterate that I will happy to sit with you and your team to come up with an acceptable compromise. Cc: Leslie Carnine Sadie Mitchell Marian Lacey Gene Parker Linda YoungO Horace Mann Arts/Science Magnet Middle School i May 29,2001 Dear Mann Parents: As you know, Horace Mann Magnet Middle School is scheduled for major repairs in the near future. District maintenance staff members are aware of shifting of the soil on the school site which has caused cracks in the buildings. The district has continually monitored the site for any changes in its condition and has just received a report from an engineering firm which tells us that the structural stress in some of our buildings is progressing more rapidly than previously known. In fact, the report states that two of the buildings at Mann are structurally unsound, and 1.^_________________________a_ 1_____ ^TTi ., . . _ Others also have serious problems. While there would have to be some triggering event to cause an immediate safety issue, there is some potential risk. Because the safety of Marui students is our number one priority, district administrators and I have made the decision to begin summer break two days earlier than scheduled. Therefore, today, Tuesday, May 29, is the last day of school for Mann students. I apologize for the abrupt notification
however, the report we received today makes it necessary for forward by eight months the planned demolition and construction schedule. us to move For the rest of this week Maim teachers will be packing up the classrooms so that building improvements can begin immediately. This will involve demolition of several of the Maim classroom buildings. Among the buildings that are safe and will remain on our campus are Ma ________f_____ . __ the auditorium, cafeteria, gymnasium, office wing, Ubrary and art wing. When students return in the fall, they will attend class in portable buildings that will be brought to our campus this summer. (Please note that if students need to retrieve personal belongings or return school books or other materials, you may do so this week.) On a more positive note, all of this relocation and temporary housing will result in a brand new building designed to enhance Mann Magnets specialty programs to better serve our students. All of usstudents, teaches, parents and administratorshave a lot to look forward to as Mann gets ese much-awaited building improvements. Thank you for your support and patience as we begin this exciting period for our school. Please note that fee piano concert scheduled tonight in the auditorium will be held at 6:30p. smee the auditorium is among those buildings that are sound. Sincerely, i.m. Jim Fullerton Principal 1000 East Roosevelt Road Phone 324-2450 Fax 324-2496 Little Rock, Arkansas 7220618 s I liJ I Ii wrnr C1 J/H/OI I DATE
810 West Markham Little Rock, AR 72201 Phone
Fax: (501)324-2020 (501)324-2032 January 1, 2002 TO. Central Arkansas Media Cynthia Howell, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette FROM: Suellen Vann, Director of Communications SUBJECT
Mann Closing at 1 p.m. Today MESSAGE
Due to a broken water main in the vicinity, Mann Magnet Middle School will close at 1 p.m. today. Buses will transport those students who normally ride the bus. Parents who usually drive children to school should make arrangements to pick them up as soon after 1 p.m. as possible. Lack of water on campus makes restrooms unavailable. # Pages (including cover) 1 TO Fax An Individual Approach to a World of Knowledge I BIB IIIHIIlIllilllMi Illi ! e T iI t I llllllllllllllll T BEB I H H " H J. I V RECEIVED A?X i 7 2002 crncEOF DESEGREGAilONMONITOHIHG I RENOVATION OF MANN MAGNET SCHOOL LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS ' DESIGN DEVELOPMENT - SCHEME 4 ' j MARCH 19. 2002 SIMS/GRISHAM/BLAIR ARCHITECTS P.A. t RECEIVED II 1 i APR 1 7 2002 OmCEOF DESEGREGATION MONITORING I ! N FIRST LEVEL PLAN 3/32* - r-o" i GROSS AREAS 3>,525 SF -FIRST LEVEL 30.650 SF SECOND LEVEL 62.175 GROSS SF TOTAL W/ DISPLAY LOSSY 67i SF LOeSY/SCIEWCE DISPLAY AREA 61,300 GROSS SF TOTAL W/0 DISPLAY LOBBY I I DESIGN DEVELOPMENT - SCHEME 4 MARCH 19, 2002 SCICnCC I SCIENCE 4 TT 1 NiitAM
- Iuoeer 11 sc IENCl sc KNCC VESi i I. I C SCIENCE 2 CLASS I CLASS 2 CLASS 3 central UECHAN ICAL ROOM <1. i UE CH. Ai*U ,../l ELEC ELEC SCIENCE 3 SCIENCE 4 UIU^E AREA INC.1 uenJ q"6o-o H HCAL7H AREA IN SPEC ED .11 H SPEC. CD. 2 .AT Igi COAT a iff. SCIENCE DISPLAY .Ae. .. . f AM''aJfe t____1 STOft J L_JA 7 [i Ji i 22 - m 22 22 I STO 11 .Un VEST ixr (@J E ... . \J UCCH. AHIJ ^LS__^ CLASS 6 CLASS 7 I (g) (O) 1^HCATI TO RENOVATION OF MANN MAGNET SCHOOL LITTLE RCXIK, ARKANSAS SIMS/GRISHAM/BLAIR ARCHITECTS P.A, i 1 i I i ! N o , i SECOND LEVEL PLAN 3/32-- r-O-GROSS AREAS 30.650 SF SECOND LEVEL IP I ! rr ciAs^e CLASS 10 CLASS IB CLASS 19 f' ' I R i. B SB SB CLASS n CLASS I I t UCCH !a|?!p!s! CLASS IB CLASS 17 CLASS H CLASS IS I LtC hSZll CLCC. U(CH AHU CLASS 20 J CLASS 21 a 22 22 CLASS 22 CLASS 23 Cl^S^25 M 22 Vi?S.^ ClAS^_ 29 CLASS ?e CLASS SO CLASS JI I CLASS 2? Pl.. , i R j 1 STO I !1 RENOVATION OF MANN MAGNET SCHOOL LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS DESIGN DEVELOPMENT - SCHEME 4 n MARCH 19. 2002 SIMS/GRISHAM/BLAIR ARCHITECTS P.A. I HP OfficeJet Personal Printer/Fax/Copier Fax Log Report Apr-18-02 11:27 AM Last Fax Identification Result Pages lipe Date Time Duration Diagnostic 3744187 OK 04 Sent Apr-18 11:25A 00:01:19 002582030022 t.3.0Lk'iO Little Rock School District 810 West Markham Street Little Rock, AR 72201 August 5, 2002 .To
Board of Directors From: Through: subject
'onald M. Stewart, Chief Financial Officer T. Kenneth James, Superintendent of Schools Mann Construction / Renovation Budget Attached is a worksheet that recaps estimated expenses and revenues for construction and renovation of Horace Mann Magnet Middle School. The estimated cost for the complete project is $11,500,000. This number includes the $2,100,000 that has already been spent on the demolition of the old structure and the costs for purchasing and equipping the portable classrooms. As you will recall the original budget for Mann was set before we knew that a majority of the building was going to have to be replaced
therefore, there was not nearly enough money set aside to complete the project. At the present time it appears the budget for the project will be short by approximately $4,886,700. We are recommending this shortfall be covered through a variety of sources. There is $1,786,315 of funds from the original bond sale that has not yet been allocated to any project and another $1,052,354 that is left over from the second lien bond sale in 2000. All projects that were to be funded from the second lien source have been completed except two and they will be complete when work at those locations is accomplished. Other funding sources for the Mann project will be $469,063 in interest money paid to the District by the State of Arkansas and placed in the Bond Account
$310,000 in funds from the QZAB transaction
and $1,268,968 from bond contingency funds. We currently expect the Maim project will be bid in the next few months and is scheduled to be completed by the beginning of school in 2004. We recommend the Board approve the attached budget for the construction and renovation of Horace Mann Magnet Middle School.I i Construction & Renovation Tentative Budget Horace Mann Magnet Middle School Cost Estimates: New Construction Renovation A-E Design Data/Fire/Security Asbestos - Gym Furniture & Overhead Demolition/Portables Technology Upgrades Contingency Total $6,722,500 $1,458,500 $490,860 $108,000 $65,000 $41,000 $2,100,000 $291,428 $222,712 $11,500,000 Funding: Original Budget $6,613,300 Shortfall $4,886,700 Supplemental Funding Sources: Unallocated Bond Funds Unallocated 2nd Lien Funds Interest - State of Arkansas QZAB Funds Bond Contingency Funds Total $1,786,315 $1,052,354 $469,063 $310,000 $1,268,968 $4,886,700RECEIVED .DEI FEB - 6 2004 OFFICE OF JAe. SloHoce. Mann Cbth and Science Magnet Middle ScAael Staffs GjOKdiatg.inji}ite^ gea to Manna MuSti-Cuitivtal CLaenMy. J ^K3fuM>5dag^^ the ffinetdg.-SioctA &/ Se&Kocuuf at ^ine. (^ Clock in ^c movniny I Ste^unee Mann Cbit^ and Science Magnet (hiditeniatn 1000 Ca^t Stee^enett Stead itte SteeAf (hkan^ae I Arkansas Democrat SATURDAY, JANUARY 30, 1993 Copyright C 1993. Little Rock Newspapers, Inc. Conflict confined to basketball court in McClellan game Police, in uniform and out, on scene BY JIM BROOKS Democrat-Gazette Police Reporter It was like the old hockey joke but with a twist: Fans went to a high school basketball game Friday night at McClellan Community High School and a basketball game broke out. The focus at Little Rock high school basketball games the two previous Friday nights was away from the court with gang-related skirmishes inside the gymnasiums detracting from the athletic action. Jodie Carter, the McClellan principal, said good planning made for a safe ball game Friday night. Well probably add a couple more off-duty officers, Carter said Friday afternoon. Were going to scan (for weapons with metal detectors) as usual, and well be recording the folks in the stands on videotape. Ten uniformed police officers and at least one, the schools resource officer, in plainclothes, patrolled inside the gymnasium at one time in the second half of the boys basketball game. Two school security employees stood inside the lobby. One used a weapons-scanning metal detector on everyone who came through the door and the other videotaped them. We wanted to make sure we had the precautionary matters in place so the public cant accuse us of being naive to the problem, Carter said. Little Rock police Sgt. Robert Cullison said seven of the departments eight southwest precinct gang response unit members worked the game. At least three Pulaski County sheriffs deputies also were inside the gym. Little Rock Parkview won Friday nights game, beating McClellan 69-67 in overtime. This is what high school athletics is all about, Carter said after the game. The trouble-free game compared favorably to high school games the previous Friday nights. We'llprobably add a couple more off-duty officers. Were going to scan (for weapons with metal detectors) as usual, and we ll be recording the folks in the stands on videotape. Jodie Carter, McClellan principal On Jan. 15, a fistfight broke out between rival street-gang members in the stands of a game at Central High School. Witnesses said the brawl started after one man accused another of taking money. At its height, about 50 people fought in the stands, police said. A week later, 16 alleged street-gang members started a scuffle in the lobby before a game at Little Rock Parkview High School. Witnesses said the fight started when one man became angry because of the message on another mans shirt.Arkansas Democrat (Sazette MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22. 1993 Copyright 0 1993. Little Rock Newspapers. Inc. Drug abuse, gangs topic of workshop A workshop on understanding street gangs and drug abuse is scheduled for Tuesday at the Mann Magnet Junior High School auditorium. Doors open at 6 p.m. The program is scheduled to run from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Steve Nawojczyk, Pulaski County coroner, will present a program called "Understanding Street Gangs. Only those 16 and older may attend. Dr. Kim Edward Light, a pro- fessor of alcohol and drug abuse at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences," will give a presentation called Parents, Kids and Drugs. It " is open to people of all ages.
. The school is at 1000 E. Roo- sevelt Road.Arkansas Democrat ^(fiazcltc SATURDAY, APRIL 17, 1993 Copyright O 1993. Littte Rock Newspapers. Inc. J 'j* Arkansas Oemocrat-Gazene/MIke Stewart Friday about the perils of selling tobacco products to minors. Glover is on the road speaking to children as well as others about the sale of tobacco products to minors. FOR KIDS Actor Danny Glover (right) walks with Harvest Foods manager Terry Tindal in the grocery store at 10901 Rodney Parham Road, where Glover spoke Sr.' Glover squeezes LR into schedule Busy actor to perform at Philander Smith tonight BY ERIC E. HARRISON Democrat-Gazette Entertainment Editor Actor Danny Glover has found a way to deal with a tight and hectic schedule. I sleep really well on planes, he explained in a telephone interview Friday while en route to speaking engagements at a Little Rock elementary school and a supermarket. Between the local appearances and a performance in a two-man show tonight at Philander Smith College to benefit the United Negro College Fund, Glover is taking a quick trip to Washington. Glover has been hopping planes on behalf of the Support the Law It Works program, a nationwide campaign for compliance with minimumage laws on cigarette sales. The program is sponsored by R.J. Reynolds tobacco company. Its an effort to discourage kids from smoking, explained Glover, who has starred in The Color Purple, Witness, the Lethal Weapon series, Places in the Heart and, on television, the Lonesome Dove miniseries, for which he won an Emmy. In addition to making a series of public service announcements for radio, television and publications, he makes personal appearances. Most of them are at schools, (bringing the message) directly to kids, he said. Some are to trade associations and conferences. Friday morning, Glover spoke to children at Horace Mann Elementary School, then headed out for a noon meeting with employees of Harvest Foods at West Markham Street and Rodney Parham Road. At 7 tonight, Glover and ac-tor/ director Felix Justice will be on stage in the M.L. Harris Auditorium at Philander Smith College, 11th and State streets, for An Evening With Langston and Martin. Glover will read the poetry of Langston Hughes, and Justice will portray Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Tickets are $16.50 in advance, available at the office of the United Negro College Fund, 1108 Izard St.
the Sears store at 600 S. University Ave.
and Wauzi Records, 1400 S. University Ave. Tickets will be $18 at the door. For more information, call 370-5272. Ive been touring colleges for, well, a considerable period of time I was going to say the last two years, but its longer than that reading the poetry of Langston Hughes, Glover said. For the last two years. Ive been doing it in concert with a friend of mine (Justice), who does the speeches of Martin Luther King. Aller having completed work on two unreleased movies Bophal, set in South Africa shortly after the 1976 Soweto uprisings, and The Saint of Fort Washington, about the bonding of two homeless men brought together by unusual circumstances Glovers resting, he said. TUESDAY. APRIL 19, 1994 Workshop to focus on gangs Finding solutions is Saturdays theme Find Violence - Lets Find Some Solutions is the theme of a workshop/fair from Hnfl' Saturday at the Qnh Junior High School Auditorium in Little Kock. r i presented, along with talent demonstrations and other entertainment. H workshops are titled Anger Control, '^^at Else is There? _Drugs and Alcohol u Fight- > u Listening and Rites of Passage and Personal Responsibility. include Good Conflict, Employment FmnnAv. Empow- fj uru -^re Your Options When A Child Is Removed From School? Stres- P^^ssures That Lure Gang Involvement and Communicate With Adolescents. erment, ft u .. Booths will offer summer tivities and alternatives to gang participation. ac- For more information, contact Don Campbell at 225-6890 Bob Fisher at 682-1723 or Mau- rie Wubberville at 665-6555Arkansas Democrat azettc FRIDAY, APRIL 22. 1994 EDITORIALS Come, see, and leam Opportunities on parade If youre concerned about violence Ain Little Rock, and youre looking for something fun to do Saturday .rnoming, this may be your lucky week- 'end. Local civic organizations will host . a symposium on jobs and violence at Mann Junior High on Roosevelt Road tomorrow, beginning at 9 a.m. Its sponsors are calling the event a Youth Opportunity Fair, but folks over 30 are invited, too. From just after breakfast till mid-afternoon, kids and their parents can listen to lectures J-' about violence, get information about job opportunities and college scholarships, and hear some of the best choirs and a capella groups in the state. There will even be a judo exhibition. Among the speakers will be a nurse named Erma Bayley, who plans to talk about how to control anger. With experience in hospitals, Ms. Bayley surely knows a thing or two about what happens when anger isnt controlled. Be sure to bring the kids to hear her, and leam. Or parents can sit in with Roger Swift, a therapist who offers the hopeful counsel that, yes, It is possible to communicate with adolescents. It may not seem so at times, any more than it appears possible to communicate with parents. But its been known to happen. Should all attempts fail, theres always Richard Andersons presentation, How to relax through martial arts. Do give it a try this Saturday morning. You and yours might leam something. Really. It sounds like even more fun than sleeping in. Arkansas Denicx
rat .^(gazette I FRIDAY, MAY 3. 1996 Power outage sends students home early iU Horace Mann Arts and Science Magnet Junior High students were dismissed at 1 p.m. Thursday because of a power outage in its Little Rock neighborhood. 'Jr", An automobiles striking a uSi
ity pole Thursday in the neighborhood caused the outage, Little Rock School District officials said. The power was expectedTb be restored Thursday night, and classes were scheduled for today
officials said.(Arkansas Democrat W* ____ MONDAY, JUNE 16, 1997 ..... ------------------------------------------- ' T ^am spent more than a year collecting ferenl record-keeping meth- reliable figures were unat all- in public ,330 produced A learn of Aikatisns reporters Democrnt-thizctlc 6nd editors worked more than d vear to devise, refine and collect statistics for a database that would rale the overall performance of every public school in Pulaski Countys ods. .. In each category, ibe ngoies ore the most recent available for all three districts. The re port card rates faculty
parent able. , ror example, the team attempted to study faculty stability and teacher absenteeism at each school. But. many schools longed in court and in public r"'""-'- . , . , no school performance ratings, re- Thc study included da a on sc ooi , eiirollment in free and _ ',),ois p, learn their forniiila.s I mil.'*. , . The ilata free and re- 1111,11 II I- ' * - - - - (kiced price meals proRranis al three districts. The database takes in criteria that could be measured and compared among the three districts, which use dif- and community involvement
enrollment and attendance, student behavior
and academ- ic and financing issues. Some categories that the examine team attempted to are omitted because complete, were unable or unwilling to on teacher each school to determine for excellence. provide figures tni'iiovcr during the Inst Ibree years, abseiil.ceisin or substi- iiiln-leatber boors, liuaney tute-teactier hours. also wa.s omitted Irom figures study because the for er, between IAikaiisas MONDAY, JUNE 16, 1997 UBLIC SCHOOL REPORT CARD ' junior higli school scorecard I SCWOOt MASIUS DICRIE MRIHl 1995 96 CROUP VOlUNIttR FHROIIHFNI RIIlBDflNCF Li, Mann Magnel 'a. Dunbar Magnel WSffllCt tmCHtJSdJ) ItACHtRSCtS) MtWBtllSHIP (t5) HOURS (1.5) CMWIHI5) IKIIRDISimcr 7IH GRADE SAIS HH CRROl 5119 RlCf BUDGET PER PttlO ' 4 Rose Cily Middle (3) Robinsori Laligwood Middle (3) 8. Pulaski Heighls i. Fuller ~~ I. Mabelvale t.. Sylvan Hills__________ Id. Northwood 11. Cloverdale Henderson Ma^nel Jacksonville Soulli 14. Foresl Heighls 15. Ridgeroad Middle (31 16. Jacksonville North 17. Southwest___________ AVtRAGg '<,1 Lillie Rock Lillie Rock N. Lillie Rock Pulaski N. Lillie Rock Lillie Rock Pulaski Lillie Rock Pulaski Pulaski Lillie Rock Lillie Rock Pulaski Lillie Rock N. Lillie Rock Pulaski Lillie Rock 7.0 7.0 199 8.3 6.9 7.8 9:6 10.9 6.8 7.3 7.8 8.9 72 32 6.8 6.7 -Il 8.1 4.2 1? 62 4.6 3.9 iz 5.0 5.1' 3.1 3.l' 3.8 I'Z 2 8 4.9 3.1 3.5 4.6 4.3 46.1 32.4 21-1 85.6 393 3-9 iis' '52' 7.5 I 23.8 Z92 38-1 ^9-9 89 25.7 _?? 5 _ 5572' '87.3 336.0 ' 195.1 368
o__ "217.6 344.5___ 11926.2 _ ~58.9 219 __ M55.0 70.8"" 390.6 17,, '6% -ZYe -7% '5% I rn -57o -57o 27o ~'-7% _ 87o' _-6% 3%' -'i 7% _ 9Z 3f^/ ~-3%' -27? R1IE(5) DROminS (LA) IRAHStERS (L5) SllSPEHSIOHS (LO EirUtSIOHS (LA) SCORES (5) DBPlRtn (U) SWDEHT(51 TOTALS 927o 0.4 37.9 24.4____________0.0________57__________29____4,472___170 9077 0.7 3.4__________54____________oil 49__________38____3,523___143 J907o 0.3 50__________H0.1________ 0.0_____27__________18_____6,252___138 Z 3.i2_______^15.1_______Z_91i3___________2^4______47___________14____4,427___137 92% 1.2 7.3 56.7 0.2^_______^51__________43 3.804___136 _'9i%_2 Z 3.3___________to__________30.9 0.0________56__________39____3,679 130 89% " 1.9 " 2.6 36 7___________2.9_______SlJ________33____4,663___125 89% 6.7 0.6 78.4 ' __0.4 31___________21 4,874 108 _5.9______J0.5___________49.3 3.2 47 20 3.726 108 4.6 0.8 23.9 0.6 48 17 4,031 103 30__________9.6___________85.6___________q.^________28__________10_____3,587___101 7.6_ 2.0______________62.0 0.4__H____________33 99 5.3 i.5 32.0 " 3.V "37 19 12.3 1.3___________57.3 ~ ' 0.5 37_________ 0.8________q.q_________118.7___________0.2________35__________24 5.2 Z,Z_ 2.0____________68.2____________2.4 N/A_________TW 23.6^1______iLoO___________991Z___________0.2 33__________2 3i9 5.5 61.2 1 39.7 24.3 937o 90% 8?2' 807o 86% 81' 90' i% 887 84% 897. 28 11 "'37 37 35 WA 33 33.1 3,523 6,252 4^427 3,804 3,679 irees 4,874 3,726 4,03l' 3,587 4,438 98 4,532' 94 3,646 3,404 3,919' 94 89 88 4,175 115.4 (1) Per 100 shldenls. (?) Average wtiiln score miotrs average Wad, score " (3) Mklrllo sdrool for grarles 7-8 efA) Low nrrrnbors preferred. "(8) tfiglr ntrrnbers prefeeed eN/A: oof avarlalrleArkansas " MONDAY, JUNE Ti Manns campus, location make crime w^ch daily priority t' 11. I____1_ MSa^Irktrklnct rtl(ir*l I <1 t i 4 DY SUSAN ROTH ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-OAZim I. Istralors, In mahitalnlng diacl-
pllne Inside the school and pre- -* ft___nat^. I Trice asked him fof caught Lee. , , . irlce asaeu adirtlhlsltators are When ------------ her belongings, the man pulled a7iSbieo.iU.eou.- , pointed It at her and Mid, "tot dent FroniJanlianIhroughApril, .......................................................................................- The urgent call crackles over an ------ , Donna DuerrS walkie-talkie teachers oUnge wtth a knife! about 1230 p.m., Friday, May 9
"Code 16 in the English <1 1 school omclals called Uttle Rock police 26 times. The re^ ports ranged from minor Inlbr- i-' mation statements to assaults
&nd robberies like thd one on I . ... wenrW ,11 td(^ |S1! School, police sal^ Mann School Security Om- t 1 wlnvl" with a black hat and a _ ___________ ^m on my way,'* fespohds leather jacket - ^^i^on^qchoTsecuritV OtR- ahigh crime nfelghborhdod of,.: -f Duetr, an assistant principal at He took ??'f i Eugette Gray followed tlie Uttle Rock, fa6kf Ulertthle,^ ( Hortce Mann Magnet JUldor en rah out of the build- res ssBs , >1 students in tlie English wing oilier. , r _____________ : Martn Is oii ft .busy aVetiue Irt 7 Duerr, an assistant ptirtclpal at English him again at 21st Stl-eet and III- . terstate 30 and arreatdd hint , i.i May 9/ ' ' ___ During calendaf year 1906, tlw j (! locl^ when she tried to open IL duct and one kidnapping and sex- ual assault In 1096, school Offl- IArkansas Democrat (gazette MONDAY, JUNE 16, 1997 - ' - ---------- I Many factors taken into account in statistical survey How to interpret the findings of this public school report card The Arfcarisas Demomit _______________ Gazettes study used a. point n x system rather than simple Parents CaU USC the rankings to compare schools, rpnorf tn oofn indoht In some cases, point differ- IcpoiL 10 gaininSlglll ences among schools are very into dass S17P tparhpr different than rankings would Udhh Size. leaCuer indicate. education, parental port card to get some insight into each school in areas such as class size, teacher education, parental involvement discipline and academic opportunities open to the general student body. The Schools were ranked in j each category and awarded BlVOlVemait, discipline. points accordingly. Points -------------_______ abilities. Similarly, nnal score for each school. t' * ratings can show parents and administrators areas in which their schools lag behind others and areas in For comparison purposes, the countywide average figure for every category appears at the bottom of the report card. The ratings show schoolwide performance. They reflect the general education they cannot reflect experiences of individual students. Each school has unique qualities and problems. Parents who take the time to study their school options may find that some lowranked schools provide bet- ter opportunities for their which they rate exceptionally well. The tables also can be heipftil to voters and officials interested in education quality issues. For example, the ratings suggest that several factors teacher education and adult involvement, for ---------uuxLttico iur i-riRir student children than higher-ranked body but do not account for students who have special ones. But parents can use the re- example may more closely parallel overall school performance than spending. per-pupil MONDAY, JUNE 16,1997 SOURCE
The djswas Research: JEFF POhTEH Schoobwere-' lankedineacti categwycow- eredbyths schooi scorecard atKl awaited potrttsac- cordingiy. e FOTOTTIt pH^theschoot Ihattanked. > lastinacate- goty received 1 point, the schootthat raikednext- to-fast received 2 points, and sooni4>the list Points SCHOOL 1. Mann Magnet \ 2. Dunbar Magnet 3. Rose City Middle 4. Robinson________ 5. Lakewood Middle 6. Pulaski Heights 7. Fuller___________ 8. Mabelvale 9. Sylvan Hills 10. Northwood 11. Cloverdale 12. Henderson______ 13. Jacksonville South 14. Forest Heights 15. Ridgeroad Middle 16. Jacksonville North 17. Southwest lUCHEISPai iMsniDExrs 7,0 7.0 10.6 8.3 6.9 7.8 9.6 10.9 6.8 7.3 7.8 8.9 7.2 9.7 6.8 6.7 8.3 1g _I2 4 9- Jf 17 2 a ' 10 13 1 r 15 f |L^ b *1i I r -JOS 123 -131 f - s S -2^ S - ~ ~3 a 3s K '^ <s I I - J 5 3 : "a awarded for each category were totaled
-s- - _ yielding a final scQre..TQtal pointsdetertrffliedfinal rankings for the schods. with the highest point total indicating bastoverafl perfortnace, and the lowest point total irxlicating the woist padotmaiKta. 1 J 1 II Arkansas Democrat MONDAY, JUNE 16, 1997 Consistency Mtitiii had below ax'prage makes Mann .... , . ........ I % PI nno tankiniS in Ilie tiinnbei offearib ntB it.iili ___ *. CIS Wilh niaslet's (loRrecs. Hie liard (o beat ..1S rj n uvjjifVS. Hie l.illo oricacbcrs Io shldenls and die srlinai j idpj, ,|i.,,,ari(v IO stniKlardizcd le.st scores n, /''.'Y MbI'Ilo School in will 'o ' r-'l'' '''0'1 lord "dill Ilie hjghe5:l innnher of BV SUSAN HOI II iweAC 1.1 I ' ' ' akkansas niMd/ HAI cAzinr I ininincr O| H u hers wifh ina.sters degreos second lowc.sl sludenl-tenclicr Ptll Kt l.k............. I ' KC. I niiddb^ bighaiid i iddle schools III Pula.sid Doiiir b. consisteiitl.v high niark.s in Iiiosi til life calegorie.s are whal pnt .schools at Ihe lop of the lisi Mmii.siit Deiiiocn,/- (iKcl.l,:!
stalistical study Idltle Hock's Horace Mann e I p?"'*eecuinulal- ed 27 poiiifs iiioro than the ond listed school. Diinhar net. also m mt tie Hock /'t Ilie top or near hetop III eight of Ihe 1.7 indica IHfC liozifi 1.. ........ '* sec- Mag- valio. Inw nninbcr of dropoiils .... , ......... Hieponis anti expulsions, and hieliest per |)|)i| sppiiili'nf,. Illis school has many special education students, who re 'I'".''' ?, '"''er leacher stndenl I allo If fiad the lowest fest scores of the 17 schools. Ho.se I .tlv t....! _ Cily also lost lost more stntlcnts ,, ..................... nHif siiKients Srar, bill if ,ii,| . .. iiiiL ,v Icadiiifi Io Ilie high '^pending rale. money, per-pupil (Ipis used I '< Binge jiiiiior iijg|, junior nign end middle schools: Parent leacher Association iiienilier- ship. adult volunteer hours, attendance, dropout: nienibei- trict transfers, alandardized tesl.s pulsions. intcrdi.s- suspensions. seore.s and ex- eiitical lactor.s lor statistical success involved parental coiii- '"''"'''l b eiliicalion, such as In m.md volunteer Hut among schools, the success .imiior high overall prediclor.s involved student eoiiiniitnient. including at e dance, nmiihef ,>r,l,oouls a'l nmiiher ot siispension.s Adult volunteer hours were iiol an linportant factor at the H'liior high level. 11,e two schools with the highest opouLs and bers in Illis iiuin- category, .lack- snvilleNo,f|,a.H|^,
,^.,
X H pIk
Higlis, ranked Jialf of i.iio in the hottoin overall school.s list. higli sclluols scored above aver- nffci" leacher.s wiili ni.ister.s degrees, ri'A , . K' '-V.O snip, alteiidanci aver- nieiulKii- interdistrict scoiP^ Tl''"' '"''iiclized etoL ' below itv- a uK. ""."''ei'.s of dropouts uid siiRperi.i^ioHj:
. I ,'^r'"''oi-sely, the school.s at the bottom of tile list generally had lower attendance, fewer -'-A <(<.(.viniHiicc, lers mid low le.sf, scores. Iraps- Maim, ail arts and sciences inagnet sclioni, came out at the lop III per pupil spending. A.s a iiagnet sclioul it receives extra sb e and Incal funding as pai't segregation agreement. I 111 as a rule, spending per '^'<1 ws not an indicator of success at elemental^, junior l"Kb, or liigl, school levels niuihar topped Mann in the "H'' ter s degrees, Pt'A nieinbeisiiip ..J enrollnient growth. Aiid and Dunbar closely forhiwed Mann III yolutileer hours, dropout,s mid expulsions. because oCil.s la arge racial dispar- n,
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nviai nispar- Pw iV t "'""g. 'Viuch was (p Ue'"' '"'^'''8' the 17 I sclluols.Arkansas Demccrar '^(Oazclle MONDAY. JUNE 16. 1997 PlIHLItS SCHOOtZRePOItT CARP
* Mann Junior High, with happy, motivated students, is the top rated of 17 Pulaski County junior highs studied for the quality of their faculties, attendance, parental involvement and other factors. How the 17 schools lared, /A. ZW i lb V % ivy: 7<i, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/STATON BREIDENTHAL ered dragsters. The cars and races are part of students studies in an industrial arts course. Horace Mann Magnet Junior High student Kevin Jerrod works on a wooden frame at the finish line of a racecourse for carbon dioxide-pow- Manns at head of the class I By Susan Roth ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-OAZETTE ts lunch time at Horace Mann Magnet Junior High School in Little Rocks east end. The administration is throwing a pizza picnic for 356 students more than 40 percent of the student body who made the honor roll during the last quarter. Its a perfect day for a picnic a warm, sunny Friday in May. The students, all with grade point averages of at least 3.0, have been excused from their regular lunch period and one class period to attend the picnic. Some wait in line for their piz-za while otliers socialize in small groups or play volleyball on the grassy field behind the school. One group of girls, wearing long faces, approaches Assistant Principal Donna Duerr. They want to go back inside for their fourth-period classes. One has to turn in a report, she tells Duerr with a sense of urgency. Im so glad youre on task with your studies, Duerr say.s quizzi- See MANN, Page 6A Complete rankings of the 17 public junior high schools in the three school districts in Pulaski County. Page 7A Mann Junior High: An arts and -sciences magnet school since 1987, its a plum assignment. cally. But youll have to slay out here a lit- . tie longer.
They give her pained looks. Well, I guess you can ask for a iiass to go back to class, MOTIVATION AND COMMITMENT Ils an example of the attitude many Mann students have toward their studies. Its not that theyre bookish nerds who dont like to have fun, Rs just tliat sometimes, classes are more fun than pizza parties, Mann teachers and administrators work hard to make school exciting for their 875 young charges. So, the students love school. Theyre eager to learn. And theyre focused On the future. ' Its no accident that theyre at Mann, the first magnet junior high school in Pulaski County. They, or their parents, have to want to be there. Little Rock School District students must apply and be chosen in a lottery. . Transfer students from North Little Rock and Pulaski County Special School District are chosen on a first-come, first- Served basis. Parents camp out oveniight to be at the front of the registration line. For them, Mann is almost a religion. Mann has been an arts and sciences magnet school since 1987. Like the studenks and parents, teachers and administrators consider it a plum assignment in the Little Rock School District. It combines happy, motivated, committed constituents and top-notch educational opportunities. That formula made Mann the outstanding junior high school in Pu- la'ski County in a statistical study by the Ar- kansas Democrat-Gazette. ' The study ranked the 17 junior high and middle schools of the three county school districts, based on data compiled in 13 categories. : Manns seventh-graders scored highest oh the Stanford Achievement Test complete battery, with an average at the 57th percentile. The 50th percentile is the national average. - The school also came out on top in the i?ate of raajority-to-minority interdislrict transfers, nearly 38 per 100 students. Like all magnet schools, Mann was designed to draw transfer students. But the transfer rate for Mann was more than double the rate at the next-highest-ranking school. ' In a school district that was nearly 67 percent black for the 1995-96 school year, Mann was just under 52 percent black, according to October enrollment figures. The school had 46 percent white students and about 2 percent other. Most classes had a fairly even racial split, although gifted and thlented classes had a majority of white students. The schools faculty is nearly 45 percent black. 'In some areas, Mann did not rank at the top of the list, but it scored among the top three schools in more than half the categories. Those include: " Parent Teacher Association members per 100 students. Average attendance.. ' Adult volunteer hours per 100 students. ' Lowest percentage of suspensions apd expulsions. ' - Lowest percentage of dropouts. Most of the statistics dont surprise Mann teachers and administrators. They know they work with a special group of parents, students and volunteers. MOREOPPORTUNtTlES As the pizza picnic weal's on. piieiT and other administrators .catch several honor students ti'y- ing to sneak back to class. One group of eighth-graders gives up on returning to class after Assistant Principal James Matthis, known to them as Grandpa." refuses their request. Students say they wanted to attend Mann because they heard ttiey could get a good education, because it's a magnet school and because some of their relatives had gone there before them. ' It's like a challenge. You dont want nothing to be easy, says Lovely Buchanan. 14, who has a 3.5 average and plans to become a doctor. It's so you could have a good job, adds Barbara Solee, 13, also with a 3.5 average and aiming for the law profession. I don't want to have to depend on anyone else, adds 14- year-old Jennifer Mixon, an aspiring pediatrician with a 3.7 average. -. Some bespectacled seventh- gi'ade boys, plowing through burgers and fries in the cafeteria, say they had to leave the picnic and get more food. The lunchroom is noisy, but orderly. . There are more opportunities to do stuff here. It's more hands-on than other schools, 13-year-old Andrae Anderson says of the school. Mann students choose to concentrate on the arts which include courses in visual arts, drama, dance and music or science, which adds a science lab course to the usual core subjects. Science students can take PRESSURE TO SUCCEED They're tough with discipline, but thats good. says 14-year-old Lindsay Roli- son. ' Theyre not that harsh. They just want us to do the best we can." /Kndrae says. They do the right tiring. They give you what you deserve, says Cenia Hampton. 13. This is a crucial point in your life, when everjlhing starts to matter your grades, your behavior. If you want to get a good job, youd better get with it." The students agree theres a lot of pressure al Mann to get good grades. It's definitely cool to succeed. My sister was the president here." Fred says. ShS will be president of Central next year. They expect me to be president. too. The boy looks a bit worried about those expectations for a second, then says breezily. Its no problem. I've been living up to expectations so far." He has a 3.7 grade point average. But in math class later in the day. his fears surface again. Teacher Deborah Desjardin. chairman of the math department, reads the list of students maintaining an A average in the class, along with their grade point for the quarter so far. Students earn an A for grades between 90-100. B for 80-89, C for 70-79. D for 6009 and F for lower grades. This scale is posted in every classroom. There is a 97. a 95. eight names before Desjardin comes to Freds. Hes quivering with anxiety, eyes shut tight and fingers crossed on both hands. Frederick, 90.68. Thats very good. "Yes! His eyes pop open gleefully as he throws his fists in the air and dances in his chair. The high standards extend to all parts of life at Mann academics, behavior and respect for others. 1 hate to say I expect more than any other principal, Principal Marian Lacey says. But our kids understand that you are here to put forth your best effort. We press art as an elective. also choose among 24 Students can also clmose amons clubs, including die Bela Club and National Junior Honor Society for honois students
French, German and Spanisli- clubs for language specialists
the Chess C ub, Bi- racial Club
and Save the Earth Club. The groups meet one day a month "'hen students may attend meeting of seven clubs instead of going to classes that day Some clubs, such as the newspaper and yearbook stair, also meet before or alter school sometimes to complete their project. Andrae and Tony Nash, 12, quickly list the benefits of science labs, which include dissecting animals, access to microscopes and other equipment, and field trips to museums, the zoo and parks. They like the^ art too. Drama students get to go to program, too. Drama siuueuu. gov vv the Arkansas Repertoiy Theatre. Athletics BSanystudents gi-ealest love is band class The boys adore Band director Danny Fletcher, a 13-year Mann veteran who has a . __.J. r.ni t-vl 1 QTlIl .O-_y<.,uJl x.-vw.. ... 1 of demanding discipline and gentle way of demanding aiscipnne auu lop performances. Fletchers honors band wins regional awards every year. here because 1 wanted to be in band, says Fred McKindra,_ a 12-y_ear-old 1 came trumpet player. The band director is one of the best in Arkansas. uie uesL 111 /uivt...... HeS lough but fair, says Andrae, who plays saxophone. Tie prepares us better for high school band, says Tony, another trumpeter.hard to let them know we want success, and many respond to that, Also, the stair is veiy committed. And the parents are committed to their students education because tliey have to sign them up for the special programs, In leacber Richard Washams ninthgrade gilled and talented science class, each student skinned and dissected a rat this term, Nol a little white mouse, A rat. From nose to tip of tail, a full foot of rodent, reeking of formaldehyde, When we started, some of them said, 'Oh, no, I can't do that, Im gonna throw up,' Washam says, as he watclies studenks silently identify the rats organs during a test, 1 told them, OK, go throw up. Then come back, and well do the dissection. Art 111 students in instructor Robin Bookliouts class must each turn in a research report on a 20th centuiy artist, in addition to the watercolors, oil paintings, charcoal drawings and clay sculptures each student produces in class. Its tough here, but kids will do what you expect, says Bookliout, who at 5 feet is the shortest person in the room, yet is completely in command. We just believe in the children. If you settle for less, you get less. On the first day of school, social studies teacher Robbin Bailey sets the tone for discipline in her classroom. I just use my hand to tell them to be quiet, Bailey says, demonstrating with her seventh-graders. When you get loud, they get loud. 1 also use a lot of eye contact. I got that idea from Mrs. Lacey. I respect them, and I expect them to respect me. I dont mind them correcting me when Im wrong. Science lab teacher Wendell Redmond exhorts his ninth-graders to go for the gold in a lesson on using the graphing calculator. Working quietly as Redmond booms instructions, the students create graphs using data they collected during an experiment in which they heated alcohol to learn about its characteristics. I got it. I know its right, Chris Harris says with a smile. Are you ready to put a grade on it? Redmond asks. Students who have transferred to Mann from other schools, including private academies, say they have to work harder now to get high grades. The classes here are a lot harder and the students are a motivated, lot more says Rachel Daugherty, 14, who Pulaski from transfeiTed Heights Junior High last fall. I wa.s getting straight As before. Now, with the same amount of effort, Im getting As and Bs. T was at Southwest Christian Academy, getting an A in math, but it changed to an F here because they were so far ahead, says Becky Brown, 1,5. But both girls like Mann belter than their former schools because they feel more accepted in a community that values differences and individuality. SnilCT RULES ENFORCED Eveiy nine weeks, students are graded on their behavior, in addition to academics. If they perform well, their good citizenship earns them an honor on a par with the academic honor roll. Administrators and parents plan incentive programs like the academic honor roll pizza party for the citizenship honor roll as well. Besides to the basic district rules about weapons, drugs, smoking, fighting, language and gang afiiliations, Mann forbids running on campus, gum, candy or suggestive clothing. Shorts and skirts cannot be shorter than 3 inches above the knee, and holey jeans are forbidden. If students break these rules on more than one occasion, they can get detention even for chewing gum. "Jeremiah, don't let me see you like that, Lacey says one morning to freckled Jeremiah Branscum. He's wearing shorts over sweat pants. She doesn't like that look
its not neat enough. Fm going to change. he calks over his shoulder, as he dashe.s to class. Later, he's ______ __________ Williams praise tlie teaching at Mann. They wearing the shorts and cariying the sweat gy^h about the varied and rigorou-s cur- pants._______________________________________riculum and high level of parental involve- During one lunch period, Lacey takes a red folder from a student when she sees in- appropriate language on it. She_ says she plans to look through the folder filled with papers. Were going to have a long discussion about this, she says. The dilference at Mann lies in enforcement and consistency, Duerr says. We feel it.s important to address the little things and not let them go, she says. You can choose which battles to fight, but its critical to continue to address the small things, because then they know youre watching, and those small things don't lead In bigger filings." Mann iia.s its share of disciplinaiy problems. Teaeher.s and connsclor,s acknowledge that the students are teen-agers like any others. Police arrested a student with a gun during file IDiKTtXi school year and police repoiLed several sexual misconduct coni- plaiiiLs involving studenLs during Ilie llilKI- 97 school year. But Mann leaders say they work closely with students and parents to prevent sus- peiuioiis or expulsions. Who worked on this series This series of articles was edited by DavM Bailey
with database research by Jeff Porter
reporting by CyntWa Howel, Chris Reinolds and Susan Roth
photographs by Steve Keesee, Stephen a 'Ihoniton and Staten Breidaitlial
photo editing by Bany Arthur, graphics by Matt Jones
copy editing by Sandra Tyler, and design by Ray White, PARENTS GUSH Iarenlal support, fueled by Manu's fie pliasLs on parent teacher communication, lielp,s the administration maintain a high level of control, Having that discipline at home, where the expectations arc that you will behave al school, makes a big dill'ercnce,'' Duerr says. Besides woikiiig willi teachers and ad- mhii.slralois Io further their children's education, Maim parents are involved in the school's daily operation. They make posters listing students on the honor rolls. They help hi the office. They chaperon field trips. They make costumes for plays and dance performances. They hold fund-raisers. They help set up the annual science fair. They run incentive parties for honor roll students. Some of them even snhstitnte teach. "The parent-teacher contact is the best thing. says Jackie Bryant of Little Rock, whose 12-year-old son. Alex, was in seventh grade this school year. The teachers are real good about notifying parents about things. They call you all the time. Alex dill fine at first, but he's been struggling this last nine weeks. But the teachers have been working pretty closely with me. Bryant says, clearly optimistic that Ale.x will pull through. Little Rock parents Dave and Vicki menu At a recent end-of-the-year band concert. band director Fletcher publicly recognized the couple for their sendee to the band program. Their son. David, plays tenor saxophone in the honors band. "Dave always makes sure I'm led.' Fletcher savs. '"lie's always sending me food." The tVillianises run Dave's Place, a lunch reslanrant in downtown Lillie Rock. They sa.v that sending food is the least tliey can do. The best thing about the school." V icki Williams says, is that the teachers allow studenks to progress al their own pace." As a result. David has taken lOlh-grade algebra in the eighth grade. We contemplated private schools." Dave Williams says, but those kids don't know how to deal with difl'erent kinds of people. "I cried when 1 heard he'd gotten into Mann." Vicki William.s says. David said to me. 'Mom, why are yon dying?' I told him. 'When you have children, you'll understand,' David's excellent grades dropped this ,, confides hi.s father, frustrated because his talented teen-ager suddenly re- year. fused to do his work. The parents wanted to bar him from the baseball team as punishment. But Lacey persuaded them to let him play. She said. 'He's fine. A lot of 14-year- okls go through this.' He had us scared to death, Dave Williams says. But she was right. He's brought his grades up since Uien." Donald Doiron of Jacksonville almost chokes up talking about how sad he feels now that his son. Chuck, 15, has graduated from Mann. I can't ever say enough about this school. Doiron says. The education here is just fabulous. I've only got a high school education. My wife. Gina, went to college. Aid he comes home with things he's Itarn- ing that just blow your mind. He's learned more in his nine years than I learned in my 12 years. Doiron echoes Dave Williams' leelings See JUNIOR HIGH, next pageJunior High: This school is almost a dream come true. merits marking the science hallway and a copy of an Edgar Degas ballet painting near the entrance to the dance and music wing. . Many classrooms are cramped, one desk tion. I would like larger classrooms, flush against another. Space is tight even in one of the dance studios. Teacher Traci maybe a new wing. vided into clumps of white or black stii.- 1 would like to see new paint Lacey dents. One-on-one. they do fine. But if there says. I would like to see a physical renova- Several teachers also comment on the are more than five together, they tend to be separated," Matthis says. We have activities at school to encourage mixing. But as Continued from preceding page about the magnet aspect of Maim. He believes the diversity has broadened his sons CRAMPED CLASSES While its hard to find a parent with sug- gestions for improvements, teachers and ad- perspective and enhanced his social and ministrators reluctantly talk about probcommunication skills, as well as his accep- lems with the building Presley says half the students in her 25- member Dance I class must stretch out on the floor while the other half does ballet exercises at the barre, lining three walls of the room. They get to be real good friends with tance of differences. I got up at 3 a.m. to get him in here, Doiron remembers. I got there at 4. and I was number 46 or 47 in line. Well do it one Opened in 1955 as a black students high smile, school. Mann consists of a series of worn r continual need for newer, updated equip- ----------------------- _ menL But they quickly temper their wishes, far as saying, You sit there. that would not acknowledging that Mann gets more money " and material than many other schools be- be in good taste. Duerr, the only white administrator cause it is a magnet among Lacey, Matthis and third .^is^t Next year, we hope to redo a larger Principal David Smith, says school leaders " '1 tty to be role models for the students, exhibiting teamwork and mutual respect and room next to the band room for a new dance their neighbors, Presley says with a sheep- studio, Presley says. The dance program is _ - an example ofone thats been too successfill appreciation. for its own good. When Presley joined the -* faculty in 1987-88, there were three dance ,. _ classes with 15 students apiece. Now, there wrong with Mann? But segregation is not an issue among the youngsters. What do the students think is _______________________ Some rooms arQ crammed with stuff si^e-story brick structures arranged piles of textbooks on tables, boxes of books ------------------' and papers heaped tn every comer. Collections of equipment clutter counters tn the around a courtyard. A newer annex next more time, for Amber [a pupil at Carver door houses En^ish and language classes. are six classes bulging at the seams and a One lunch time crowd thinks silently for _ - - - - science rooms. waiting list of SO. sheli bring a tent and a sleeping bag. She Students changing classes must go out- The library is small, wilh limited shelf _ Money^ So being doors moving'through dark, dingy breeze- space. It had three new computers this Presley ws. The floor tor a new studio ' J - J"-------------------Icosts$3.000alone. Another nagging issue with administrators is that while students of all races work Magnet Elementary School]. My wife says The auditorium is also separate, shell bring a tent and a sleeping bag. She Students changing classes must go out- The library is small, with limited shelf doesnt want to take a chance on L...... ----------------=. ------- -r - 7 ---- - ,, , number 46 or 47. ways with gray walls and gray lockers and school year, mciudmg an Internet hookup. This school is almost a dream come peeling ceihng paint But several ancient useless computers take ........ " The halls and walkways are mostly clean, up space on desks m one part ot the room. ' We need more space." Duerr says. several minutes. Finally, Jon Brooks. 14. pipes up
"The lunches. true, Doiron says. The responsibility of -------------------------- . , being a parent trying to figure out whether with an occasional pile of trash. The central youTdolngforTur child, thats courtyard is grassland well kept Colorful We really are W EUen I^n^a - ever faced. It feels murals painted by stadents cover p^ of c^or courtyard is grassy and well kept Colorful the scariest thing Ive .....................r--7,-- . , oc * more comfortable knowing youre doing the exterior bnck walls, including m o-ioot- the right thing. talk 12-foot-wide periodic table gf the ele- well together in class, most segregate when they socialize in the halls and at lunch. Matthis points out two tables in the cafeteria where students of both races tend to DUildlllK ilwi uujtcau UI xjwi. riAivi ---------------------------- - . probably use a little more classroom space, mingle every day, the rest of the room is di- Tuesdays Public School Repoit Card: High Schools Rating the 12 high schools in the three school systems in Pulaski County.Arkansas Democrat SATURDAY, JUNE 28, 1997 'irthi <n I lltl DrtAU Miw<rnAA>F Awareness day today at Mann Junior High Little Rock will host a community awareness day at Mann Junior Hi^ School from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. today in Wardl. Ward 1 is east Little Rock, represented by City Director Gloria Wilson. Representatives and displays from the Fire Department, Police Department, Public Works Department, city managers office and others will be featured. Mann Junior High is at 1000 E. Roosevelt Road. (Democrat-Gazette)z LlKtHloab LAinL>Liai -Va:? V,
.X/AllL j THURSDAY. OCTOBER 2, 1997 Two educators earn prestigious award Mami principal, math chairman Mann Magnet Junior High, doesn't like to distract students from their .studies by calling school assemblies. So she was a little reluctant and very curious last month when the superintendent said he needed to use Mann as a back- ., drop for an important announce- ' meat. Despite her persistent questions, Ijicey didn't leani tlie con- - tents of that announcement until Wednesday moniing. Thats when Ray Simon, director of the ^kansa.s Department of Educa- " lion, told a cheering crowd of more than 800 students and staff that Lacey had won a Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award, an honor that in- ' eludes a $25,000 cash prize. ' L will not take too, much time, Lacey said in accepting the award. My students have al-
ready told pie that they wahtdb,5t continue with their educations, she said, prompting ' laugl),ter , from the crowd. T'm going to as- ' sist them in that. But I do want 11 you to' know that Im' truly de-h" liglited to receive tliis award. P
Later Wednesday, Simon pre, sented another Milken award to It Melanie Nichols, chainnan of tlie ' mathematics department at the Arkansas School for Mathemat-r ics and Sciences in Hot Springs, . bringing the number of Arkansas . recipients this year to four and tlie number since 1991 to 36. '' Lacey and Nichols will join fellow Arkansans Sara Ford of Springdale and Ed Proctor of Lead Hill on a three-day, all-expense- paid trip to Hollywood, Calif., in June to pick up their awards. Nationally, 150 educa- 'f.' Arkansas Oemocral-QazeRcVSTEVE KEESEE Riggs IV afler H was announced she had won a Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award. The honor includes a $25,000 cash prize. Marian Lacey, principal of Horace Mann Arts and Science Magnet Junior High School in Little Rock, gets a hug Wednesday from school board member John A. School District and nine as prin tors in 35 states are Milken cipal at Mann, as well as five won in 1991. Earlier this year, 1 ^aceys Award winnei's this year. years working outside the dis- school, which features an ex- Educators cant apply for tlie trict. She told the audience that panded course of study in tlie prestigious award. State educa- she wanted to become a aits and sciences, was named tlie tion agencies name candidates, from the time she was 4 or 5 top junior high in the city in a and the Milken Foundation years old. Even now she ha^s no statistical study of schools done makes final selections. To be teacher has ...... ................... ___ _____ ____________ aspirations for retirement. She's by tlie Arkansas Dcmocrot-Gozede. considered, candidates must working toward her doctorate at As a magnet school, Mann is show exceptional talent, distin- the University ofAi'kansas at Lit- open to students tluoughout Pu-guished achievement in develop- tie Rock. ........ The principal, who i.s known award with her staff members for their support and dedication to children, her administrative colleagues and Mann's seventh-, eighth- and ninUi-graders. 'Tm just happy to be a part of your life, she told the students. In making tlie presentation to Lacey, Simon quoted Laceys associates who described her as a laski County. lifelong learner and an inspira- Lacey recently led a district tion for otliers to enhance tJieir ......... own professional growtli. She never asks others to do ing innovative educational programs, and a strong, long-range potential for even greater contributions to children, the profes- wm uic mimcu amu. * jv... --------------- ............... o------------------- - ---- -------- , sion and society. High English teacher Mary Beth that managed the Little Rock Simon said. She can Uiink Lacey, 57, is the daughter of a Greenway won it in 1993, science School District while It was be- through difncult Issues and Dennolt farmer and his wife. She specialLsl luola Perritt won in tween superintendents. stand up for what she believes is has been an educator for 37 1992, and Washington Eleincn- right for students, teachers and years, 23 in the Little Rock taiy School teacher Paula Smith dav that she plans to share her See MILKEN, Page 12B for her linn, c*alni manner, i.s the committee on revitalizing junior fourth Little Rock employee to and senior high schools. Last -------------- y--, win the Milken Award. Parkview year she served on a committee tilings tliat she wont do herself. nigh English teacher Mary Beth Greenway won it in 1993. science specialist luola Perritt won in The principal said Wednes- Milken grown children Cynthia. Jeffrey and Julian. Nichols, 45. a native of Quitman. was surprised by the award tliat uuieuw. ruiu ouc xo was presented to her during a ing for ways to improve her school board of directors reception at die and better meet the needs of her Sche''i Continued from Page 1B parents. And she is always search- Math and Science School late students. Wednesday Simon read a letter of congratu- An e--d--u-c--a--t-o-r -f -o-r -16 years. lat_io ns _t o .L. ac* ey ..f.r.o m First, Lady n Nichols has wor>r.k.ne..dz .Uin R..*u.^s1sellville, Hillary Rodham Clinton, whose daughter, Chelsea, attended Mann Springs schools, until the family moved to Washing- ' ' - Southside Bee Branch, and Witts As chairman of the math departton, D C., in 1993. /\mber Sullivan, a Mann ninth- I grader, called Lacey a caring prin- 1 cipal. well-known to her students for her interest in their classes, their problems and their families. 'T love Mrs. Lacey, Amber said. I am so happy that she won. ment. Nichols plans annual, week-long math and technology institutes for 160011013 from all over Arkansas. .Xnolher one of her main projects is a shadowing program where 300 students watch professionals at work. She teaches Advanced Placement calculus and precalculus. Nichols and her husband, Jeny, a dentist, have six children ages 19 Lacey is married to JJ. Lacey. an evaluation specialist for die Lit- ---- ------- --- --------- -- de Rock district. Tliey have three to 26. including a set of triplets. evj?. 'wlahf M J^WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22. 1997 h' ft -s'' _ _ ^.TW^A' ep^ision I'..a.. ,v,ann junior Hici =achnfhp?-''H (left) and Fiona f5x sacb other i uesday artemoon after the school bus nn'^" " vehicle at Fourth Street on the Interstate 30 access read. Twelve '.\ <=A A -.Tics * . Arxarsas Zerrcc-a:-Gai5Re.'5S'
A Several stuoents complainso - .'ree were raken :o a local nos' Horace Mann Junior Hicn T.e DUS when the cover apparently students were aboard ran a stoo sign. Little Pock police sa.'i and bruises. =.
minor injuries. ~ eg pain ana .vai scoxesman saic C 3i :crr-utinty vehicle drive.'' ccrr.c i.Ken to liversity Hosoiiai. A te driver was treated and releasee' Bus driver for schools cited in crash XRKASSAS PEMOCRa?- .A Pulaski County Specia. i School District bus driver was ci
ed Tuesday with running a stop sign after a collision at Fourti Street and Interstate 30 in LitTl Rock. Three of the 12 students on the bus were taken to hospitals. TG3l-ed and released. So was the driver of the blue Isuzu Trooper involved in the wreck. Diata Han. 25. o
Lonoke. Police reports indicate that the bus missed the stop sign about 4 p.m.. hit the Isuzu. .ck a and then hit a utility pole. Han said she was driving ea: on Fourth Street when she r ized the bus wasnJ real- :oing to stop. She braked, but her car kept going on the wet street, she said. Bus driver Kathleen .Anderson. 37. said she was unable to stop in time because she was watching the mirror as a student told her how to get back on the inter
because she wasn't familiar the area. -Anderson has driven for State .nth district for three ve: s. Offici: .c knew of no other work-related accidents invoking her. -At the scene, some students seemed stunned. Others calmly waited for rides home. "It was like somebody just slammed on the brakes at 90 mph. like whiplash." said Clar LaMarche. 13. a Horace Mann enth grader. ISSS 5 GV- WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 1998 , Arkansas Democrat Ig?(gazette 3 receive humanitarian- awards Principal, executive, museum chief honored BY MARK WALLER ARKANSAS DE.MOCRAT-GAZETTE A junior high school principal, telephone company president and art museum director were honored Tuesday with humanitarian awards from the National Conference of Christians and Jews in Arkansas. The honors were announced at the conferences 35th annual humanitarian award dinner at the Statehouse Convention Center in downtown Little Rock. The groups stated purpose is to foster respect and cooperation among people of all races, religions and ethnic backgrounds. The conferences national president, Sanford Cloud Jr., addressed the crowd and watched the honorees accept their awards. According to the program notes, the group honored: Marian Lacey, principal of Mann Magnet Junior High Marian Lacey James Shelley matter what race, sex or economic status, will respond to genuineness, friendliness. firmness and Townsend Wolfe tral High. Speakers used the events at Central to il- 1 u s t r a t e progress in race relations and the need for more improvement. One of the nine black stuSchool, because she has demonstrated that students, no James Shelley, president of Southwestern Bell of Arkansas, because he has expanded his companys volunteer activities, which have included wiring Little Rock Central High School for Internet hookups and running the temporary ice rink in the River Market District last year. Townsend Wolfe, director and chief curator of the Arkansas Arts Center, for his 30 years of leadership there, during which the center has grown while offering exhibits demonstrating the value of diverse cultures. The diners watched a video about the turmoil surrounding the 1957 desegregation of Cen-dents to integrate the school, Terrence Roberts, now a California psychologist, spoke at the dinner. Another of the nine, Elizabeth Eckford, received the conferences Father Joseph Biltz Award. Eckford received the award with Hazel Massery, the woman caught in a well-known 1957 photograph jeering Eckford outside the school. Last year Massery publicly apologized to Eckford, who accepted the apology. In his speech, Roberts compared them to two warriors who put aside their battle for a night and got to know each other, making them unable to continue fighting the next day. Arkansas Democrat vvCBazctte TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8. 2000 District gives job back to teacher \RKA\S\S DEM(X RARiAZE'm-. The arbitrator said Ward mand and a seven-day suspension but then be allowed to reA_ Little Rock School District should be given a written renri- teacher who was placed on leave ------ - -' and recommended for firing after he allegedly struck a pupil last November will be reinstated. Richard Hurley, director of human resources for the district. said Monday. turn to work in the district at a school other than Mann. Hurley said no decision has been made on where Ward will be assigned. George Ward. 39, was a teacher at Horace Mann Magnet Middle School when he was accused of striking a student there. After district administrators recommended that he be fired. Ward attempted to appeal his case to the Little Rock School Board. While waiting for his hearing before the board on Jan. 13. Ward was arrested by Little Rock police on a misdemeanor assault charge stemming from the incident. He was released from police custody the same evening. Wards employment appeal went to binding arbitration. The arbitrator ruled that the termination recommendation was too strong. Hurley said. iArkansas Democrat (fjazclU SUNDAY, APRIL 16, 2^)----- Girls hear of futures in science Conference spotlights diverse career choices BY JULIA SILVERMAN .\RKANSAS DEMOCRAMjAZETTE Looking out over her audience of 110 .Arkansas eighth-grade girls, all science and math standouts, the president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y.. told them Saturday that the possibilities for their futures were infinite. You can be astronauts or nuclear physicists. Web designers or beekeepers there are no limits. said Shirley Jackson, the first black woman to earn a doctorate in physics from an .American university. Jackson was the keynote speaker at the first Passport to the ture conference, sponsored by the Womens Foundation of .Arkansas, which drew girls and their teachers from across the state for a day of workshops about the future of science, math and technology. The conference was created to show female students that women can succeed even pioneer in science and technology, still often considered mens fields, conference organizers said. We cannot afford to undervalue the capabilities of one-half of the population. Jackson said during her speech at the Donaghey Student Center at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Women must participate in the develop- Arkansas Oemocrat-Gazene/STEVE KEESEE EgWh-graders Whitney Ballard (left), who attends Gosnell Middle School in Little Rock use test strips to check state attended the conference, designed to encourage par ticioation in math, science and technology. . . ing a Passport to the Future workshop Saturday at the Un
Secondary School, and Amanda Jones of Mann Magnet versity of Arkansas at Little Rock. Girts from across the whether various substances are acid, base or neutral durment of technology if we want to have a voice. When she first entered the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, at a time when math and science fields were almost entirely dominated by men, and female students were called coeds, she faced both sex and race bias. Jack-son told her audience. One professor told me that as a colored girl I should be learning a trade, Jackson said. So I decided to pursue a trade. I decided to become a physicist Jackson was one of a parade of women throughout the day members of the first and second generations of scientists and mathematicians who told their future colleagues about their experiences and careers. Being a geek is a good thing, Michelle Talley, a software developer at .Acxiom, told a morning workshop of about 15 girls. Most of the speakers discussed the amazing growth of tec.hnology, reaching back into their memories to pull out stories of using the Commodore 64 and other earl
computers, and of now-outdatet computer languages like BASIC and Pascal. And many said the
couldn't begin to imagine what the future of science would hold for the eighth-graders attending the conference. Question authority, rage against the machine and have fun. Marla Johnson, the chief executive officer of .Aristotle, a Little Rock-based Internet service provider and Web design company, told those in her workshop. May 3 0. 2 0 0 1 Last bell tolls for 44 Mann school classrooms LR building unsafe
classes dismissed BY CYNTHIA HOWELL ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE Little Rocks Horace Mann Magnet Middle School closed abruptly Tuesday, two days before the end of the school year, after officials learned that parts of the 45'year-old building were rapidly deteriorating and might not withstand strong winds or an earthquake. Suellen Vann, a spokesman for the Little Rock School District, said structural engineers questioned whether the school could weather 80-90 mph winds or earthquake tremors such as those experienced recently in the Greenbrier area in Faulkner County. We dont think anything would happen, but its not worth taking a risk for two days of school, said Vann, whose two children attend the school. The decision to end the school year early was made by school district administrators Friday af-j'- a'.aie i. uuiu n 5*** ll* across the campus Tuesday see MANN, Page 10A Horace Mann Magnet Middle School near a romwo orfn cintegs sa-t I Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/STATON BREIDENTHAL rooms with foundation and structural damage. The school closed two days early because of the damage. Mann Continued from Page 1A ter an engineering study concluded that two sections of the school are structurally unsound and other parts have serious problems. When Mann pupils return to the camp^ in August, five wings of the building about 44 classrooms will be rubble. As many as dou- Mann Magnet Middle School repairs over that period of time. The latest dents on a case-by-case basis, said engineering report showed that the Vann, the district spokesman, problems were moving along faster - ble-wide, portable buildings will be installed to house pupils until the ! replacement building is complete, probably within two years. . The school cafeteria, gymnasium, auditorium, art wing, office suite, libraiy and a handful of other classrooms will remain standing but are expected to be renovated. . Design work and cost estimates have not been done on the new classrooms. But the new building is expected to bear little resemblance TOITOfllUM Buildings to be demolished and replaced 5^ GYM fl IMOHKUe I II ^1 Illi ki m ROOSEVELT ROAD_________________ SOURCE: Uttte Rock Schod Dislrid_________________ Arkansas Democral-Gazene to-the current campus, which con- tographers who toured the school sists of 10 separate one-story build- Tuesday. ings with open-air hallways and ".... --------- ------- two l^e coiutyards. As a result of the ground movement, numerous cracks in the ma- .Principal Jim Fullerton an- sonry walls throughout the school nounced the early end of the school have been developing and widen- Tuesday morning, the first day of that daylight is visible throu^ ----- ------- Ray Simon, director of the state than we anticipated, so we decided Department of Education, said we needed to bump this school up Tuesday that the shortened school on the construction schedule. year wont be considered a viola- District officials made it known tion of state standards that more than a year ago in a successfill campaign for a school property man-date 173 class days in Little Rock fill Historically, Simon said, the detax increase that at least two wings partment has not penalized a dis-at Mann n,e-e--d--e-d-- -s--u-b--s-t-a--n--t-i-a-l- -f-o-u--n-- trict if the missed days occur at a dation and masonry work single school and are the result of At the time, repair costs were es- unforeseen emergencies that can-timated at $6 million. not be easily made up. Gadberry said the most recent School and district leaders engineering study was done to de- worked over the holiday weekend termine how to save the remaining to determine how to best complete classroom wngs. student testing and get teachers, There is a possible way to do their supplies and computers it, Gadberry said about salvaging moved out quickly so that the cam-the existing buildings, but the cost pus can be readied over the next 12 would be about 80 percent of the weeks for the coming school year, cost of a new building, leaving us Teachers personal items must with the same uneven floors and be taken home. Other materials uneven roofs, the same 1950s de- will be packed and stored in the sign and no guarantee [the founda- gym and cafeteria. Demolition tion repairs! would actually work could occur as early as mid-June so It was a no-brainer, Gadbeny that the portable buildings insaid about the decision to tear eluding restrooms can be indown parts of the school just as stalled, hooked up to plumbing and ' soon as tearllArs ran nar1r iin oIxx/vt-i-inQl erfamo Teachers personal items must move classes'aftertheMemori^D^ho!- some.
" ...................__________ _______ Mlerton,theprmcip^ iday. Letters explaining the schools Addit_io_nal_ly.,, c_e_i_li_n_g_s_, _w_a_l_ls _a_n_d structural problems and apologiz- floors dont always meet where ing for the short notice were sent they are supposed to, and the once- MaM, at 1000 East Roosevelt out that the new building will be Road m Little Rock, opened in 1956 nice, once completed. The class-as a high school for the citys black rooms will be more spacious and students before federal court-or- designed to accommodate modem dered racial integration. technology systems as well as the The school was built about the demands of the middle-school mae-same time as Hall High School, -------- , , . , which was initially a school for home with students or handed to flat floors and rooflines are wavy, parents who picked up their chil- reflectii^ where parts of a building ^At'Stworooa^ in the school SI* taitX l^hooUor enLYaSn*s?pSaUa^ of whom applauded and cheered have been closed to students for white students. rv and a dance stain Itcrtons tatercom annoimce- more taan a year because of stiuc- Mann became a junior high for Duane Benage, Mmins German tural damage, including one in the grades seven through nine in 1971 teacher, agreed that pupils and to regrets about the early dis- schools old English annex, which and a magnet school featuring arts teachere will greatly appreciate , no houses m^y of the su^-grade and science in the late 1980s. The newacconunodations^Ben^esof-sohool eariv^AS s'^iF-W ift ns well as foreign language school wtach is open to pupils flee is in a classroom that is?ff-lhn-sMooi early, Aarthi said, but its roi^. throughout Pulaski County and has its to students because of stnirtural tandofsad because this IS the last The other already-closed class- been a popular school choice among damage. He travels from room to g-ade. We ld w^ted room is in the northwest science parents, maintained its arts and sci- room and building to building to 1, .U U . , nnce theme in 1999 when it convert- teach his classS JU 1 Elsewhere in the school, metal ed to a middle school housing sixth-, The hardest part is going to be Next ye^, Aarthi and her class- supports have been installed to re- seventh-and eiehth-eraders. boxing up all the stuff, Benage are sinking. At least two rooms in the school Mann became a junior high for and a magnet school featuring arts teacheii . 'uvv urviiliu UI liWil niicil IILUIIVCU-Elsewhere sixth- ----------------------- ei^th-graders Srh^h XoN . Tochers and pupils scrambled s7id ^VuU'e cirai5e7"wThave citys high schools. WeVe been collecting data on Tuesday to complete year-end as- ------ signments and duties Tests origi-contracts when it is diy and ex- Brady Gadbeny, associate superin- nally scheduled for later this week pands when it is wet, Fullerton ex- tendent for operations. Weve were either given Tuesday or pbined to news reporters and pho- been monitoring it very carefully arrangements were made with stu- Mann is built on clay soil that this school for several years, said some teachers who have been accumulating materials ever since they started teaching. Just ^e amount of materials that has to be stored is unbelievable. June 2 7. 2 0 0 1 Wednesday, December 4, 2002 Arkansas Democrat ^(^azette Middle schools rebirth under way Tom asunder last year, Mann to be reunited BY CYNTHIA HOWELL ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE Horace Mann Magnet Middle School in Little Rock is a campus in pieces. The schools orange-brick auditorium stands alone on one end of the property at 1000 E. Roosevelt Road. The library, cafeteria, gym, art wing and school offices are several yards away. Between the two structures is a large expanse of cleared land where classrooms and hallways stood before they were torn do-wn in a hurry 18 months ago because of worsening structural damage. On Tuesday, Little Rock School District leaders took a symbolic step toward replacing the missing permanent classrooms and reuniting the budding sections that still stand. As bulldozers and dump trucks roared in the background Superintendent Ken James, School Board members Tony Rose and Katherine Mitchell and others plunged shovels into the cleared land, breaking ground for the long-awaited, $8 million construction of more than 40 state-of-the-art classrooms. Those are the sounds of progress behind us, James told an audience of teachers, students and parents about the earth-moving equipment. This is a momentous occasion. The construction should be completed by this time next year at the magnet school that has long been popular with parents and students because of its specialized courses in the arts and sciences. As a magnet school, Mann is open to students from the Little Rock, North Little Rock and Pulaski County Special school districts. The school, which has remained in operation despite the See SCHOOL, Page SB 77 VS I 1 1 4 g*<^ as I fit F OS Ms 'i* <1 V 1/1 Vi 88^ 't? Of St'*' iKi ?w -v li .<r s p' w' Bprzis'C* p - n !<T sss *5c iiitS fij I. b 4'i
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/STATON BREIDENTHAL Little Rock School District Superintendent Ken James speaks Tuesday morning during groundbreaking ceremonies for a new Horace Mann Magnet Middie School academic building at 1000 E. Roosevelt Road in Little Rock. The new classrooms building will replace one that was torn down in 2001 because engineers deemed it unsafe.School Continued from Page 1B demolition of more than three dozen classrooms in June 2001, serves 858 pupils in grades six through eight. The students and their teachers are housed in 23 white-sided portable classrooms trailers of two classrooms each. Maggie Bell, the eighth-grade president of the Mann Student Council, said attending school in a trailer park took some adjustment and subjected students to teasing. But we know that when our school is completed, it will look better than any other middle school, Bell said. The district is not attempting to rebuild the classrooms as they previously appeared. A T-shaped, two-story brick structure of 42 classrooms, ad-ministrative offices, student rest- with the latest technology. rooms and a teachers lounge will bear little resemblance to the one-story, open-air hallways that were constructed around two courtyards in the late 1950s. Mann was built as a high school for black students during the days of segregated schools. The new structure, designed James apologized for the delay in rebuilding the school and thanked parents, students and staff for their patience. Its taken a long while to get us to this point, he told the crowd, but it is crucial that we take our time in this process, given what has happened on this QI ^nri Artist drawing handout Horace Mann Magnet Middle School will have a new, $8 million two-story academic building containing 42 classrooms by this time next year. Three science laboratories and all other classrooms will be equipped with the latest technology. The architecture firm of Sims, Grisham and Blair of Little Rock is designing the building. d by Little Rock architecture firm Sims, Grisham and Blaii
will feature a redesigned entranceway facing Roosevelt Road. The three science laboratories and all other classrooms wiU be equipped ground in terms of structural damage. Its important that we not cut any comers. In May 2001, district leaders announced that Mann would be closed two days earlier than previously planned for the summer vacation because of the rapidly deteriorating condition of parts of the school. The classrooms were tom down within weeks. Mann was built in 1956 on clay soil that contracts when it is dry and expands when it is wet. As a result of the ground movement, numerous cracks in the masonry walls throughout the school developed and widened over time to the point that daylight was visible through some. Additionally, ceilings, walls and floors didnt always meet where they were supposed to, and the once-flat floors and rooflines were wavy, reflecting where parts of the building were sinking. By the spring of 2001 the damage had reached a point that structural engineers questioned whether the school walls would be able to withstand 80 to 90 mph winds or earthquake tremors such as those that were occurring at the time in nearby Faulkner County. Those questions prompted the evacuation and demolition of much of the school. On Tuesday, history teacher DeeAnn Holt scanned the architects drawings for the new classrooms and talked about how the technology in her room will enable her to display what she types on her classroom computer to her students via a television monitor. Were so excited, Holt said about the school plans. Im so pleased that they didnt take a Band-Aid approach. This is what needs to be happening in every district across the state. Mann Principal Jim Fullerton said both staff and students had a voice in the design of the addition. Teachers, for example, insisted on classroom storage for their instructional supplies and wider hallways to lessen student congestion. Students sought space to gather before classes and during . lunch and offered advice on how the schools current Roosevelt' Road entrance might be enhanced and landscaped. Despite their suggestions for the bunding, this years eighth-graders and maybe the seventhgraders wont get to attend classes ui the new rooms. Bell, the Student Council president, took that in stride. We look forward to the completion of the building, Bell said. Even though the current eighthgraders wont be able to enjoy the building, we hope that other students here and those yet to come will. i I GiBW 51 YLh Arkansas Democrat (^azetle 2005, Arkansas Osmocrat-Gazetle. Inc. Mt -- , Anna Grace Chandler (right) peeks at an EAST lab project at Horace Mann, Ml IQ I t' E TUESDAV, MAY 24. gaPSl The right direction Arkansas Democrat-Gazelle photos/BENJAMIN KRAIN EAST lab students at Horace Mann Arts/Science Magnet Middle School (from left) George Chambers. Jack Chen, Katie Holcomb, Dywon Davis and Terrell Brown work on a video editing project. Katie (left, photo below) and Terrell Brown in the EAST lab at Horace Mann, EAST students create BY ERIC E. HARRISON ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT GAZETTE t Fountain Lake High School, north of Hot Springs, students in the Environmental and Spatial Technology (EAST) program created a health-watch plan with the Garland County sheriff's department, using computers to monitor the condition of homebound residents. At Star City High School, in Lincoln County southeast of Pine Bluff, EAST students put together a statewide crystal methamphetamine everything from trash cleanup to high-tech projects I across Arkansas i. I watch program that has earned Seventh- an.d ei_g hth-grade EAST Daniel K. Inouy, e,. D-Hawaii,. who saw wh---e--n-- -a-- -t--e--a--c--h--e--r- -d--e---c--i-d--e--d-- --t-o-- -u--s--e-- -t-e--c--h- - praise from the state attorney gen- students at Little Rocks Horace the documentary at the Life Inter- nology as a way of getting 20 mis-erals office. Mann Arts/Science Magnet Middle rupted conference on the camp ex- fit students involved in the learning At Cedarville High School, north School put together a short docu- perience at Little Rocks Statehouse process. of Fort Smith, a group of EAST mentary, Arkansas Forgotten, about Convention Center in SSeepptteemmbbeerr, I decade since, EAST has students have been laying sod and the Japanese-American internment hayg given it rave reviews. planting shrubs and flowers at camps in Jerome and Rohwer in houses built by Habitat for Human- southeast Arkansas during World * * * ity. Theyve completed two and will War II. grown to 250 schools in seven states, about 150 of them in Arkansas. (The other 100 are in Alabama, Califor-work on two others into the early summer. Former internees, including Star with a 1994 pilot program at Green- TYek star George Takei and U,S, Sen. brier High School, north of Conway, The EAST Initiative got its start nia, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana and See EAST on Page 6E EAST Continued from Page 1E Mississippi.) EAST supplies state-of-the-art technology
in Arkansas, the state Education Department picks up two-thirds of the startup cost for computer hardware and software. "The schools supply classroom space and a teacher, or, in EAST parlance, a facilitator. Students supply the motivation to learn and develop community- oriented projects which range from trash cleanups to sophisticated computer animation. They use tools that range, as one EAST official puts it, "from shovels to global positioning systems. EAST students are "self-starters, tech savvy, community motivated, says EAST-Presidenr~ S'-' () L. nCWMKlH !L a K 7 P Arkansas Democrat-Gazette photos/BENJAMIN KRAI Jim Kimzey, and the projects are "student-centered, self-directing, collaborative and service-oriented. The federal Education Department has listed EAST as a model program for education technology. Its not a computer class, though it focuses heavily on computers
its not a vocational program, though it teaches skills and techniques that will be invaluable in the job market, such as teamwork and group projects. EAST students take responsibility for their own learning process. "Were teaching students how to learn, says Matt Dozier, EASTs national program director. Beyond basic skills, students should be able to think. SSS *?"" o s'^hents Alaa Abu-Rmaileh (from top, left) Camille Cell thTsXtnik'nm ' Japanese-American garden they designed and built outsid lllse OvzJiUOl S OniCQ, gated southeast Arkansas. They worked on it all summer, says Mann EAST facilitator Rick Washam. Five students made $8 an hour to get it ready for the Life Interrupted conference, which drew former internees from as far away as Japan. During the conference, Mann students conducted 44 more first-hand oral-history interviews with former internees
that may form the basis for a second film. This spring, after the filmmakers had moved on to high school, seventh-grade art student Katie Holcomb, 13, the labs acknowl-if Ki - , i^ Whfl' 'I >1 Manns EAST lab got a request eodnlgve do nvei dwehoo ehxfp.e rt (shes4 the director for EAST, looks at a proj-from students at Dumas High I ect with Horace Mann students (from left) Aashka Patel, Katie Holcomb, School, not far from the site u c a r C^loe Smith and Wafia Alikhan. of the I Arkansas' Forgotten v/as wanted to contact made), is pretty much in charge a stove, a shopping cart and ^X^sasTl i tt le^^^^^^ 'he project couple of old toilets nizers of the I ife Int "Were hoping for an annual conference Life Interrupted ouUhere.
she says. Horace Mann clean-up day each a of the next stage of the project. uIp,m responsible for getting it out there, she says. The Dumas end of the project never got very far, but it inspired the Mann students to make a documentary film last Part of the process involves year, says eighth-grader Aashka getting the documentary legally Patel, 13. We hope itll get big-copyrighted so it can be distrib- ger yet. uted to film festivals. Washam "You could see their pride, says theyve received at least 300 ^ee their attitudes change about requests. litter and the environment. summer with the help of students at Fountain Hill High, also ill southeast Arkansas, who provided valuable contacts. Mann students are also look- Arfcansos Forgotten includes ing after a stretch of Fourche on-camera interviews with in- Creek, which flows near the ternees, including the late Sam school. In addition to Washam says. I had one kid say, Td better not see anybody throw anything out of a car. Spurred in part by the Arfcan-mrnees, including the late Sam school. In addition to peri-to stavTn Arkin Alikhan 13, have bulk a tcoa msptasy^ icn iAlrskeandsa"s when the monitoring for pollution :___ small Japanese-American garden camps closed. phosphate levels, students set outside^hrsch'oofoffice^slne ediL ,1? 23. the day after Earth two 51,000 grants to buy plants editmg, though they did borrow Day, to clean up a portion of the (some bamboo a lapanese ma- P? otagefrom the Arkansas creek in nearby Interstate Park, pie and a larch saplmg) rocks Educanon^Television Network, In about two hours, 41 stu- a potterv pagoda and a^vorking which had produced its own dents pulled from the creek fountain working li'cZpS"nM W*. Seven,S,.n,..b Ali. among the few middle-school students who joined the high school students taking a recent four-day training session on the state-of-the-art Softimage animation program respected computer animator Tim Horne at EASTS w
This project was supported in part by a Digitizing Hidden Special Collections and Archives project grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and Council on Library and Information Resoources.