Following a public outcry by parents and teachers late last month over conditions at the Horace Mann Elementary School, officials have pledged to upgrade the building, improve communication with community members, and explore constructing an addition to the facility, the Boston Globe reports
“Mistakes were made, and we need to earn back the trust of that community,” Mayor Ruthanne Fuller said in an interview Monday. “We are immediately focusing on the use of Horace Mann, we’ll prioritize whatever the right solution is.”
I live near Carr school. I have seen many changes there over the
decades. My children attended Horace Mann.
I was thrilled to hear that Carr would be the new home for my
neighborhood community.
Newton school administrators spent $20 million to renovate
the school. Every classroom was gutted and rebuilt. The roof was
completely redone. New windows installed. The gymnasium was
refurbished plus many more renovations. Three other schools
used the facility over an 8 year time span with no objections.
I was stunned to learn about the teachers and parents who acted
so churlishly when they moved in. Their demands were excessive.
The new school is NOT a $50 million expenditure. Horace Mann is not on a state list for replacement. The parents were lucky to have
an opportunity to move into Carr, an upgrade from the over crowded old Horace Mann.
Yes, there are some problems which can be addressed.
RuthAnne has decided to make adjustments. This will be most helpful.
I believe the teachers and parents ought to be thankful for an updated facility and work cooperatively with the administration to improve the New Horace Mann.
Thank you, Mayor Fuller, for responding and for promising to make the necessary improvements. To those parents and teachers acting “churlishly”: thank you, too, for advocating for what is best for our students. If “churlish” behavior is what it takes to keep our schools equitable, more power to you. Now, Mayor Fuller, let’s get our great teachers a fair contract.
The students and teachers of Horace Mann deserve what the communities of Angier, Zervas and Cabot received. HM doesn’t deserve a hand me down. While Angier, Zervas and Cabot were there, it was temporary. HM deserves good playground equipment, and SPED pull out areas. Good for the HM community for standing up to the city!
Colleen says: “Three other schools used the facility over an 8 year time span with no objections.”
What seems to have been left out of the conversation is that every school that has used Carr as swing space for a year complained and wrote emails about the same things that Carr is lacking but since they were only there for a year, they accepted the small things done to appease them. These rightful complaints did not start with Horace Mann but HM has been moved there permanently so all of these problems need to be addressed.
With every other school that has been renovated with additions and rebuilt, the school community has been in on the discussion so that the programs needed have enough space and everything thing else about them were discussed publicly. HM was put in Carr permanently without following the process used in the other schools.
I’m glad the mayor has now heard them loud and clear and hope that all the promises made are quickly resolved.
What I love about this, is that we actually have an elected official who actually listened and apologized and took responsibility for the city’s decisions. Kudos.