Moving to 4011 Papin, 63110

Over the next three weeks we are moving all of our administrative and school-based staff to our new building at 4011 Papin.  The main phone number for both The French School and The Spanish School is (314)533-0975.  This phone line already has a voicemail option, so feel free to leave us a message.

Visit our school building: Saturday, May 9th

This Saturday we will be hosting our Spanish and French demonstration lessons in our school building: 4011 Papin, St. Louis,MO, 63110.  Our demonstration space is complete and the rest of the instructional space is scheduled to be completed by July 1st.  We invite you to come for a sneak peek of the building this Saturday for tours at 10:30am and 1:30pm.

If you haven’t already RSVP’d for a demonstration lesson they are as follows:

Spanish 9am, 10am

French 10am, 11am, 12pm, 1pm.

Call the office to confirm availability: 314 289 1520.

Deed restriction lifted

So you’ve probably heard by now that in a closed session meeting last week the Special Administrative Board of St. Louis Public Schools voted to reverse the deed restriction that prohibited closed SLPS buildings from educational use for 100 years.  The RFT and Post-Dispatch covered it and hopefully The American and West End Word will at least give it a mention in this week’s edition.  As the RFT noted, the details of the reversal are still undetermined and it will not go into effect until June 30th which precludes us from any immediate benefit.  As we begin looking for permanent neighborhood facilities for each school, this will certainly have a positive impact on our search.

The ink is dry

Yesterday afternoon I received the phone call that we’ve been waiting for.  The owner of 4011 Papin had finally signed the 10-year lease for our schools.  As stated in a previous post, we will add a link to the environmental report  from Environmental Operations, Inc. on our website.  The final addition to the lease was the clause addressing minor environmental remediation.  I slept better last night than I had slept in a year and woke up this morning energized, rejuvenated and full of ideas.  Thank you to everyone for your patience and faith.

We will move into (in to?) our administrative offices Friday, May 1st.  This space will also include a demonstration classroom for immersion demonstration lessons, School Project Group meetings and Employee Orientation.  Our instructional space is scheduled to be complete by July 1st for furniture delivery and set-up.

We will soon announce the open house and tour schedule of our new building and look forward to seeing you all there.  Although I still repeat “our school is not our building,” I am looking forward to introducing our building to our learning community.

More facilities insight

The Post-Dispatch published “Ban on Sale of St. Louis Schools Stirs Anger” today that explains the deed restriction in more detail.

RFT article highlights our facilities struggle

Every day this week we have had facilities committee meetings to prepare for lease negotiations next week.  We’re still considering both properties and will deliver updated specs for the owner/developers that include an open classroom setup very similar to Captain Elementary in Clayton.  In between these facilities conversations two papers called us to do stories on the deed restriction that prohibits us from leasing or purchasing a former SLPS building for our educational purpose.  The Riverfront Times article posted today.  Let us know what you think and I’ll keep you updated on negotiations.

Poem: To Be Of Use

Debra Cole, a dear colleague who started the dual-language program in rural Beardstown, IL (pop. 5800) sent the following e-mail after learning our facilities set back last week.  Thanks Debra for keeping our work in your heart!

–

Dear Rhonda and Lisa – I was reading the SLLIS blog this AM, the exciting research Lisa is undertaking and the seeming set back with identifying a location, and thought I’d share with you a poem by American poet Marge Piercy (you may already know it!) It was first shared with me at Christmas time by Gloria and Carla (my WIU cohorts in hard work!).  Thanks for the “work that is real” you are undertaking for SLLIS.

To Be Of Use

The people I love the best
jump into work head first
without dallying in the shallows
and swim off with sure strokes almost out of sight.
They seem to become natives of that element,
the black sleek heads of seals
bouncing like half-submerged balls.

I love people who harness themselves, an ox to a heavy cart,
who pull like water buffalo, with massive patience,
who strain in the mud and muck to move things forward,
who do what has to be done, again and again.

I want to be with people who submerge
in the task, who go into the fields to harvest
and work in a row and pass the bags along,
who are not parlor generals and field deserters
but move in a common rhythm
when the food must come in or the fire be put out.

The work of the world is common as mud.
Botched, it smears the hands, crumbles to dust.
But the thing worth doing well done
has a shape that satisfies, clean and evident.
Greek amphoras for wine or oil,
Hopi vases that held corn, are put in museums
but you know they were made to be used.
The pitcher cries for water to carry
and a person for work that is real.

Where are you located?

Last week during the final lease negotiations it became clear to our facilities committee that the owner/developer of the Papin space was not ready/able to finance the build-out for our lease space.  In typical SLLIS fashion, we immediately went out to look at other properties, had the team from Christner draw up rough space usage plans and are aggressively pursuing a new location.  Those of you who’ve been with us for a while will remember that we considered the Manchester/MacCausland area early on in the process.  An Office Max recently closed in St. Louis Marketplace and is the appropriate size for a 1-2 year incubator site.

January 15th was our milestone, internal deadline for signing a lease for July 1 occupancy and August 17th first day of school.  Industry professionals tell us that a building in recently occupied white box condition, like this Office Max, can be built out in 60 days.  The owner’s drawings for the space appear more professional to my lay-eyes and we have drafted a new lease for negotiations.  I would love to have good facilities news at next Wednesday’s School Project Group meeting.

Inhale. Our school is not our building. Exhale. The lack of equitable access to facilities hurts more than ever in times like these.

Where are you located?

And more exciting news…

We are currently negotiating a lease, with purchase options, for the building at 4015 Papin (and Vandeventer) in the Forest Park SouthEast neighborhood.  We have retained education specialists from Christner Inc. to do a feasibility study of the building and design a space program for how we can 1) use the first half of the building as incubator space for The French School and The Spanish School and 2) build out the second half of the building as a permanent location for each of those schools and maintain an incubator space for future campuses.

A team from Christner drafted a preliminary needs assessment for us in June and I was impressed with their language about how school design should complement and enhance the learning program.

The two biggest challenges about this space are traffic flow/parking and green space.  Today Vince and I met with a the GreenStreet developer, a Christner manager and a traffic consultant to discuss bus routing, timing of lights, entry points and the use of public land.  I honestly did not know that developers can (and do) influence traffic flow!   I’ll have to start paying attention to Urban Review STL, Steve Patterson’s blog, a little more closely now.

I am excited about exploring shared use of greenspace in FPSE– community garden plots and the like.  FPSE residents, any suggestions?

Minutes from School Project Group meeting 12/10

Meeting Minutes

LOCATION:
St. Louis Public Library, Buder Branch
Large Conference Room
4401 Hampton Ave
St. Louis, MO 63109
314-352-2900

The regular meeting of the School Project Group was called to order at 7:00 PM on 12/10/2008 in Buder Library by Rhonda Broussard.

Introductions
Meeting participants introduced themselves and discussed their interest in SLLIS.

Updates

*Facilities:     Rhonda Broussard updated group on status of SLLIS’ acquisition of a school building.
Two possibilities are pending:
1.    SLLIS has submitted a bid to purchase a school building on North Jefferson and Market (the former A.G. Edwards Training Facility). Another bid has been accepted contingent upon financing.   We may rebid if current purchaser is unable to obtain acceptable financing.
2.    We will bid to lease (three, five-year options) a building at 4015 Papin.  The space has recently been used as a warehouse and will require renovation to accommodate the school.
Both sites have challenges in terms of available greenspace and parking lots will need to be landscaped in order to create outdoor play areas and classroom space.
To this end:
1.    SLLIS is consulting with architects at sites to help with school design and Rhonda Broussard will be involved in designing the interior space with SLLIS’ academic goals and philosophy in mind.
2.    Broussard toured New City and College Schools and found that they held in common both structured (climbing equipment/play structures, blacktop features, outdoor classroom space) as well as unstructured outdoor play space.  For example, the schools had features such as a sandbox area with a variety of simple digging tools for free play and other natural features without designated activities.
Meeting participants offered their own suggestions and ideas for creating and funding the SLLIS greenspace, including:
1.    A tour of Shaw Nature Reserve’s outdoor play space and classroom.  Grants are available for the creation of these spaces.
2.    The Soulard School’s Pirate Ship play structure.
3.    A Seattle school had a fundraiser to create a community playground in for which interested members of the community  purchased leaf-shaped stepping stones to help fund the construction of the site  and also volunteered to help in its construction.  A city grant also paid for the space.

*Sponsorship:    Rhonda Broussard updated the group on the SLLIS Charter Sponsorship and described the roll the sponsor will play:
1.    Webster  University turned down our request for sponsorship in July 2008.
2.    SLLIS requested sponsorship from various universities and both  St. Louis University and the University of St. Louis, Missouri came to the table.
3.    In November, the SLLIS Board decided to pursue sponsorship from UMSL
4.    The contract is currently with the UMSL General Counsel and is awaiting authorization from DESE.
5.    We anticipate approval by the end of February and we will open the enrollment period at that time.
Rhonda Broussard explained that the sponsor holds SLLIS publicly responsible for what SLLIS promises in the Charter.  The Charter will be posted on the SLLIS Blog.  Broussard also stated that SLLIS has been making partnerships with local universities, recruiting advocates for SLLIS and advertising SLLIS to alumni, faculty and staff.

*Outreach    Rhonda Broussard opened the discussion of our outreach efforts and described SLLIS’ recent promotional and recruitment efforts, including:

1.    Presentations at local preschools.  Broussard has been making presentations to families at local preschools with children entering Kindergarten and First Grade 2009-2010.  She has been presenting at parent meetings, Kindergarten roundtables and pick-up/drop-off time tables.  She asked for parent volunteers to accompany her at presentations to preschool programs.  She encouraged parents to be SLLIS’ “ambassadors” in their own communities.
2.    “St. Louis Kids Magazine” full-page magazine advertisement was circulated to the group.
3.    KDHX interview “Topic A” with Amanda Doyle will be available for podcast download from www.sllis.org soon.
4.    “Off the Wall at City Hall” will be hosting our table on 12/13/2008.

Upcoming events were detailed in table on the reverse of the  Agenda.

Members of the group brainstormed other outreach and marketing possibilities, including:

1.    Pursuing advertising on KWMU.
2.     Contacting Channels 2 and 11.
3.    Advertising in a local Latino  newspaper.  Broussard mentioned that we will advertise in “El Mundo Latino.”
4.    A review of the Gymboree Moms magazine for working moms, and consider advertising at the Black Cat Theatre.
5.    One parent will take brochures to Kindercare on Hampton.
6.    Investigate prices for ads on streaming radio such as 102.5 FM as they are less expensive than broadcast radio ads.
7.    One parent offered to help with a table at Childgarden.
8.    Post a flier and put a stack of brochures at  Local Harvest Grocery and Bakery on Morganford.
9.    Targeting “ethnic” and local markets, such as Latino stores in the Cherokee Street area or Jay’s in Tower Grove or elsewhere.
10.    Continue to perform outreach to a more diverse group (lower socio-economic strata).
11.    Rhonda Broussard said that SLLIS Marketing Committee Chairperson is coordinating outreach at churches.
12.    One parent suggested that St. John’s on Arsenal has a large West African congregation.
13.    Contact  the International Institute at St. Louis University and Rhonda Broussard informed the group that we have a Board member from the Institute.
14.    One parent suggested contacting Parents as Teachers. Rhonda Broussard noted that PAT is run through the school districts and our Charter school status may present a conflict for the local PAT.  Broussard is going to try to arrange something with the national PAT.  One participant offered to contact a parent at her preschool who works with PAT and may give us some insight into PAT’s position.
15.    Rhonda Broussard suggested that we make the School Project Group meetings more accessible by providing both childcare and food as well as scheduling them for earlier in the evening.
*Enrollment Timeline:    We anticipate approval of our Charter by the end of February and we will open the enrollment period for 2009-2010 at that time.

Brochures:
*Brochures:    Rhonda Broussard distributed brochures from our most recent run, including English, French and Spanish Versions.  One participant requested that Kirsten Hebert send her 50 to 100 of each English and Spanish.

Q&A:
*Q&A    Broussard opened the discussion to Q&A.
Q:  How will SLLIS would sustain financial viability and what funding sources SLLIS rely upon?

A:  Our State funding request is for $7,000/pupil.  We also have grants from the Federal government, from the Walton Foundation and other private and public organizations.  We do not receive money for facilities in addition to the $7,000/pupil as do District schools and so we need to do fund raising.  Broussard then outlined faculty and staff requirements and described how enrollment and funding are linked to the enrollment levels.

Q:  Will funding for meals would require the acquisition of food and services from designated vendors? There is concern about the nutritional value of some of the food currently provided by these vendors.

A:  Currently SLLIS will allow outside food, but family-style meals (breakfast, lunch and snack) with discussion directed by instructors will be provided for all students. Further, we will be able to organize our own food service and we are currently taking bids from vendors.

One member suggested contacting Kelly Bock at the Soulard School as a resource.

Q:  Will SLLIS make accommodations for children with food allergies?

A:  Broussard said that she had observed several ways of accommodating students with food-allergies.  She noted that this would be a continuing topic of discussion.

Q:  Will there be food service for the free lunch program?

A:  There is a budget line item for funding the free lunch program based on students participating.

Q:  Will there be Special Education services?

A:  SLLIS will have money for a full-time Special Education teacher and are writing a cooperative grant proposal with other schools to bring on more staff.  Broussard also described funding sources and allocations for special-needs children.

Q:  Is there was a way to assess what SLLIS needs before opening?

A:  SLLIS will have a policy of admitting all children and providing a supportive environment for all learners regardless of learning challenges.

Q:  How many students to we need  for each school to assure funding?

A:  We have a goal of 120 for each school (80 for  K, 40 for 1st) in both the French and Spanish Schools). We can start with less but it affects how many teachers we will have.  We have scaled down our budget to 50% capacity.

School Project Group Priorities:
*Marketing/Outreach    See “Updates”
*Heads of School Interviews    Rhonda Broussard discussed the numbers of applicants and interviews of the top five candidates.  She described the interview process, including site visits, panel interviews and reception and their role in the selection process.  Roundtable interviews will be set for mid-January followed by a reception in February.  Broussard asked if members would be interested in attending receptions for interviewees.  The Heads of School will begin working for SLLIS in the Spring.  Various candidates were discussed.
Discussion    Teacher qualifications were raised as a topic and Broussard described the kinds of applicants for which we are hoping and gave an overview of the types of applicants we are receiving.

Questions were asked about the curriculum and offered the Montessori Method and Core Knowledge Program as examples for comparison.  Rhonda Broussard provided a brief history of the beginnings and an overview of the philosophy of the  International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme.  She covered issues such as curriculum, assessment process, development program and school certification process. Broussard offered that the professional development program for teachers and assistant teachers will aid in ensuring effective coordination and presentation of curriculum topics.

A questions was raised about meeting the needs of gifted students.  Rhonda Broussard discussed how the IB program is suited to the special needs of these students.
*Home Stays    Rhonda Broussard asked that families consider hosting a teacher intern beginning in March 2009 and to put out feelers for other host families.  Each intern will stay with a family for three months.  They will need a room, access to a bathroom and dinner.  SLLIS will provide breakfast and lunch at the school and activities and entertainment will be arranged by SLLIS.  The interns will be coming to us from their home institutions to act as “language ambassadors.”  The program will allow us to lower the teacher-student ratio.

Set Dates for School Project Group Meetings January-March, 2009:

Not discussed.

ADJOURNMENT:
Meeting was adjourned at 9:00 PM by Rhonda Broussard.

Minutes submitted by:   Kirsten Pourroy Hebert
Approved by:   Rhonda J. Broussard