Calvin Coolidge Senior High School Modernization Project

On Tuesday, November 30, 2010, Mr. Proctor, Mr. Jones and Mr. Goings represented Coolidge at the council budget hearing. The testimony was to the point. Coolidge has been waiting patiently for modernization and did not want the capitol budget cut where that Coolidge modernization will never take place.

Excerpt from Mr. Goings testimony "There were a lot of Students, Teachers, Parents and Community members who did not believe that by the time we came up for modernization that the money would be there. I told them we have a plan this time, that the money is dedicated money and was promised that would not happen. We waited patiently as we saw school after school get modernized and new schools being built. We are very happy for them and knowing that in a couple of years our children will be getting the same opportunity. I believe that we would be doing our children a disservice to let them down one more time again if they were to see that while some students see the dream of a modern school that they would have to stay at a school that lacks the amenities that will help them succeed. This is not the time, to put our children on the negotiation table, to second guess our children's education. If we are to be total school reform we have to make sure that every class room is reformed also."

Excerpt from Mr. Proctor testimony "In an effort to move our educational improvement along we partnered with Ace Mentoring Program / ASLA (American Society of Landscape Architects) and many others. The idea was to help develop and implement a curriculum driven Greenhouse Garden and Outdoor classroom, while waiting for our 2012 modernization, which then got pushed back to 2014 and now possibly never. We rose upward of $250,000 in private donations and professional services for this endeavor. And the clock is still clicking and the help is still coming. All collaborative partners bought into this process with the intent on increasing the educational opportunities for the students at Coolidge High School. This was and is an unprecedented effort on a national scale when it comes down to constructing a school garden. We are now being faced with an unprecedented let down, if we can not complete these educational initiatives." "The completion of the next phases of this project as well as our long over due capital improvements, must continue forward to completion. We cannot continue to ask our teachers at Calvin Coolidge to work and compete in a building that is falling down around them.

We cannot continue to ask parents to bring and entrust their children and students to (DCPS) our care in such conditions." "Calvin Coolidge High School made AYP this past year and achieved an unbelievable gain in math and reading scores. If we can accomplish academic improvement in a state of such disrepair just think what we might be able to do with a decent building".

We the undersigned are requesting that Calvin Coolidge Senior High School remain on the list of schools to be modernized and the budget for modernization not be cut.