November 18, 1999

Radnor Middle School PTA Meeting Report

  Hello,

I am a Builder not a lawyer, so bear with me as I struggle to report the meeting!

  Attended:

1. About 20 parents.

2. Only 3 of the PTA officers attended.

3. School Board: Chuck Madden, Ann Albright, Paul Yukulis, Ellen Aman.

4. Administration: Dr. D., Bill Laffey, maybe another.

The meeting opened with Carol Cassidy granting 30 minutes for open discussion.

Dr. D. began  the discussion by saying he would rather talk about education, students, etc.

A member of the audience then asked a basic question,   Dr. D. answered in only 25 minutes, uninterrupted. Basically his Speech contained the following: He read the minutes of the school board meeting regarding the motion to build a new school.

He talked about the Studies done on the Middle School- 1998 Study, Vitetti Study ( This is the Architect fired from the High School project), The Gilbert Study ( This Architect designed the High School), The Radnor Advisors Study ( Available Land in Radnor), Traffic Study of existing Middle School Site.

He said the Board was split and there are basically 2 positions- A. Build on site. (Dr. D. said a few even want to keep the building, interesting) Arguments to stay are Community, Access to Wayne. THAT'S ALL HE SAID! It took about 2 minutes.

B. To Leave.He list three criteria to leave. 1. Water Problems: (Commented that tne neighborhoods might disrupted while the storm water management work was underway.). REALLY stressed the negatives of the water problems, stated that it didn't look like it would be solved Politically. 2. Fields: Wet and not enough. 3. Size of site:

Felt site was not adequate to handle an increasing student population.

He talked about a Demographic Study that appeared to show that the student population would increase significantly. Also said that a new Study will be done and may be underway. ( Who is doing this study?).

(END OF SPEECH)

Audience Participation

I exhibited an article from the Suburban from 1996 regarding the High School Renovation. It was a 2 page spread, full pages, and contained three options to renovating the building. Each option contained Advantages, Disadvantages, Estimated Cost, Tax Analysis. Each option included a schematic floor plan. I stated that this was the kind of information that the community could use in deciding to support staying or leaving. The conversation went back and forth between Dr. D. , Paul Y. and myself. Finally Dr. D. said they were no where near that type of release, and that was my point.

Dr. D. sees other possibilities for the site: As a pre school and extended kindergarten. He said the board would never consider selling the site. (should I hold my comments)

Dr. D. quoted his own Demographic Study which was conducted using the "Drive By Method". (sorry , I could not resist)

Question was raised concerning school population size: What is the maximum size of a middle school, and when would another school be necessary. He wouldn't really answer this but did say there wasn't enough money to build 2 schools due to debt limit. This kind of lead to the thought of 2 schools or 2 Houses on one site.

Has the School Board had any recent communications with the Commissioners: Paul Y. said he received a letter from the Commissioners. Would not get into what it said. ( Could someone find out?) Ann Albright said she attended a meeting in first ward with Hank Mahoney and Duncan Hubley (township engineer) and that there was no consensus on the Pinnone Study ( Pinnone study is on the storm water issue). She said it would take the township 18 months to get a storm water plan. At this point Dr. D. suggested that this was where a Citizens Committee could help. Paul Y. was asked if

the Board would like the citizens to pressure the Commissioners to pursue  and expedite the storm water management issue. His response was yes, even if a school doesn't go on to the site.

Ellen Aman wondered where they would put the Administration Building.

Dr. D. kept coming back to a large tract of ground, Arodrosson is the last large tract and the school board needs ground, if not for this middle school, then perhaps another school.

Dr. D. said a Demographic  Study would take 3 months.

Audience member suggested that the board agree to give the citizens one month notice before any important decisions regarding the Middle School. This would take some of the constant fear that a vote could take place at any moment ( like the vote to build a new school which was brought up a week before they voted). Response from

School Board: A very definite, absolute no answer.

The meeting concluded.

I will reserve my comments.