Two Buffalo schools are facing serious overhauls after years of consistently failing to meet state standards, and the district’s proposed changes will likely involve starting new programs that focus on careers in the sciences.
Superintendent Pamela C. Brown is expected to present the School Board with new plans for Bennett High School and Martin Luther King Multicultural Institute during its meeting Wednesday.
In an email sent to board members over the weekend, Brown wrote that she met with state leaders last week and they mandated that the district either close the two schools in the fall, or gradually phase them out and replace them with new programs.
“In the case of Bennett and MLK, the state team shared serious concerns about the instructional and leadership practices that they observed,” Brown wrote, referring to visits state education officials made to the schools.
Brown had previously presented plans to restructure the two schools last December, and then hoped to close the schools and re-open them either in partnership with or under the management of an outside agency, such as a charter school or what is called an “educational partner organization.” The district issued a request for proposals and received three applications.
But the plans submitted by those potential partners were rejected by faculty at the two schools, according to Brown’s email.
Now, as per state mandate, the district needs to move in another direction.
School Board members indicated that the plans for MLK, at 487 High St., involve replacing the school with the Medical Campus School, which would introduce students to careers in the medical profession.
In an email to staff, MLK Principal Ramona Reynolds wrote that the school will close and re-open as the Medical Campus School, starting off this fall with students in grades 5, 6, 9 and 10. Each year additional grades would be added, and by 2017 the school would serve fifth- through twelfth-graders.
Plans for Bennett, at 2885 Main St., are not yet as clear, but will likely also focus on careers in the sciences.
School Board Member Jay McCarthy said that Brown told the board’s executive committee that she would like to do that in partnership with the University at Buffalo, which has already been planning to launch a pharmacy program at Bennett.
Check back at BuffaloNews.com for more details.
email: tlankes@buffnews.com
Superintendent Pamela C. Brown is expected to present the School Board with new plans for Bennett High School and Martin Luther King Multicultural Institute during its meeting Wednesday.
In an email sent to board members over the weekend, Brown wrote that she met with state leaders last week and they mandated that the district either close the two schools in the fall, or gradually phase them out and replace them with new programs.
“In the case of Bennett and MLK, the state team shared serious concerns about the instructional and leadership practices that they observed,” Brown wrote, referring to visits state education officials made to the schools.
Brown had previously presented plans to restructure the two schools last December, and then hoped to close the schools and re-open them either in partnership with or under the management of an outside agency, such as a charter school or what is called an “educational partner organization.” The district issued a request for proposals and received three applications.
But the plans submitted by those potential partners were rejected by faculty at the two schools, according to Brown’s email.
Now, as per state mandate, the district needs to move in another direction.
School Board members indicated that the plans for MLK, at 487 High St., involve replacing the school with the Medical Campus School, which would introduce students to careers in the medical profession.
In an email to staff, MLK Principal Ramona Reynolds wrote that the school will close and re-open as the Medical Campus School, starting off this fall with students in grades 5, 6, 9 and 10. Each year additional grades would be added, and by 2017 the school would serve fifth- through twelfth-graders.
Plans for Bennett, at 2885 Main St., are not yet as clear, but will likely also focus on careers in the sciences.
School Board Member Jay McCarthy said that Brown told the board’s executive committee that she would like to do that in partnership with the University at Buffalo, which has already been planning to launch a pharmacy program at Bennett.
Check back at BuffaloNews.com for more details.
email: tlankes@buffnews.com