November, 2013
From: Matt Hornbeck, Principal
Voice Your Concern About a New School in Canton
There is reason for you to be concerned about last week’s recommendation to open a new 900 student prek-8 grade school in Canton. Our school community might be negatively impacted by a change to our attendance area and/or a change in our student enrollment. We don’t want to lose any of our families! Any reduction in enrollment could negatively impact our budget making it harder to provide a quality school for our students, and far less likely that we could expand our building as planned.
The recommendation was made to the City School Board of Commissioners by the Office of New Initiatives (ONI) at North Avenue one week ago today. Yesterday, two public comment meetings were announced.
Our message to the City Schools Board of Commissioners is clear:
Do NOT vote for the recommendation for a new school in Canton without a detailed proposal and without more information. The Board can vote separately on whether or not to renew and/or relocate the Friendship Academy for Science and Technology (FAST).
There are four opportunities for you to help:
1. Attend important community meetings in the next week to voice your concern as a community member.
a. Tomorrow, November 20th at 5:30 p.m. at the former Canton Middle at 801 S. Highland Avenue; and
b. Tuesday, November 26th at 7 p.m. at the Canton Community Association meeting at the corner of S. East Avenue and Dillon Street
2. Attend the City Schools Board Meeting Tuesday, December 10, 2013 at 6 p.m. (If you want to speak, sign-up begins one hour earlier at 5 p.m.). Ask the Board not to vote on the new school without more information!
3. E-mail your elected representatives to voice your concern:
a. James Kraft, City Councilman for the 1st District james.kraft@baltimorecity.gov
b. Bill Ferguson, State Senator, 46th District bill.ferguson@senate.state.md.us
c. Pete Hammen, Delegate, 46th District peter.hammen@house.state.md.us
d. Brian McHale, Delegate, 46th District brian.mchale@house.state.md.us
e. Luke Clippinger, Delegate, 46th District luke.clippinger@house.state.md.us
4. Sign the attached letter and return it to school tomorrow. We will take the letters to the Board of Commissioners.
Our message to the City Schools Board of Commissioners is clear:
Do NOT vote for the recommendation for a new school in Canton without a detailed proposal and without more information. The Board can vote separately on whether or not to renew and/or relocate the Friendship Academy for Science and Technology (FAST).
There are four opportunities for you to help:
1. Attend important community meetings in the next week to voice your concern as a community member.
a. Tomorrow, November 20th at 5:30 p.m. at the former Canton Middle at 801 S. Highland Avenue; and
b. Tuesday, November 26th at 7 p.m. at the Canton Community Association meeting at the corner of S. East Avenue and Dillon Street
2. Attend the City Schools Board Meeting Tuesday, December 10, 2013 at 6 p.m. (If you want to speak, sign-up begins one hour earlier at 5 p.m.). Ask the Board not to vote on the new school without more information!
3. E-mail your elected representatives to voice your concern:
a. James Kraft, City Councilman for the 1st District james.kraft@baltimorecity.gov
b. Bill Ferguson, State Senator, 46th District bill.ferguson@senate.state.md.us
c. Pete Hammen, Delegate, 46th District peter.hammen@house.state.md.us
d. Brian McHale, Delegate, 46th District brian.mchale@house.state.md.us
e. Luke Clippinger, Delegate, 46th District luke.clippinger@house.state.md.us
4. Sign the attached letter and return it to school tomorrow. We will take the letters to the Board of Commissioners.
