Search Results
Parents, Teachers Fight For Ball Charter's Middle School
Amid a multi-million dollar budget deficit in Springfield Public Schools, parents and faculty are fighting to keep one of the district's top performing middle-school programs up and running.
Springfield Ball Charter School has been teaching grades K-8 for 15 years, but that all could change if the school board approves a proposal by the budget committee to eliminate the middle school.
“They still offer music and art, which is a benefit," Kelly Bassett, who is hoping to send her son Ben to the school, said. "I'm a huge believer in arts and education.”
“We're trying to see if we can get in here," Bassett said. "We've heard good things."
So have a lot of people. There are currently more than 250 families on the waiting list for Springfield Ball Charter School, which is one of the top-performing schools in the district.
Parents walked the hallways during the school's open house Thursday to find out why.
“We are a strong charter school because of our K-8 experience and what we're able to build upon in that setting," Principal Nicole Nash Gales said.
But that setting might not be able to continue if the school board approves a proposal by the budget committee to phase out grades six through eight.
"It will be something I'll have to think about long term and look at the district's options," Bassett said.
|
She means District 186's other options for middle school. The school board is expected to renew the charter and keep the school as a whole open, but someday when students hit grade five, it is possible they will have to go elsewhere.
“It is just not about our middle school," Gales said. "It's about our K-8 school that continually, year after year, continues to achieve and show outstanding results."
School board members said they will make that decision within the next few weeks. The options are renewing the charter with no changes, restructuring the charter to phase out the middle school, or closing Springfield Ball Charter School altogether. Board members said that final option is not likely.
If the charter is renewed "as is," the school will remain up and running for five more years. The district currently funds 80 percent of the school’s expenses.
