Panel splits on Mark Twain's future

Feb. 27—Mark Twain Elementary will, as planned, be converted into a preschool, but not everyone in St. Joseph education leadership is on board.

LaTonya Williams and Isaura Garcia voted "no" Monday night on the plan for the building's future, against five colleagues in favor, citing concerns about fairness.

As things stand, Mark Twain parents will be informed directly as to where their child is headed in August. If their child is entering or remaining at the elementary level, it will one of the following: Carden Park, Skaith, Parkway, Eugene Field or Coleman schools.

Williams said she worries children will find themselves in three different schools in three years — Mark Twain, the school they'll be going to starting in August, and then somewhere else in 2024-25 — because a generalized re-drawing of boundary maps will occur in the coming months.

"I want to disrupt these kids the least amount that we can, and with the boundaries as they are, I don't think we are going to do that for them," Williams said. "But I was out-voted, and I back the board's decision."

Administrators have said they will strive to avoid this type of double whammy of reassignments, with the caveat that they can make no guarantees. A re-drawing of all boundaries is considered overdue because of population imbalances.

At the grades 9-12 level, there are too many kids at Central High, and not enough at Lafayette and Benton schools, to ensure educational equity for all. At the middle school level, grades 6-8 (11 elementary buildings continue to house dozens of sixth graders), there is simply not enough room to meet district goals. And at the elementary level, there is too much space, such that the district aims to reduce its capacity.

Added into all of that, more preschool classrooms are needed. Superintendent Gabe Edgar explained on Monday that Coleman and Pershing schools were studied, alongside Mark Twain, as possible sites for the second St. Joseph Early Learning Center, the first being at Lake Contrary. Mark Twain simply fits the bill better than the alternatives. The district also considered acquiring an entirely new site. Concerns on time and money prevailed.

"Those buildings would have been more costly to renovate to meet the needs of early childhood education," Edgar said. "And, on another note there would have been around 50 more students displaced, as well."

Board President David Foster, one of the five "yes" votes on the Mark Twain plan, said he will work with Edgar to smooth the transition.

"We'll do everything we can to make sure that we absorb the impact so students aren't affected as severely as they could be in other situations that we've seen in the past," Foster said. "We're going to at least do our best to do what's in everyone's best interest."

Marcus Clem can be reached at marcus.clem@newspressnow.com. Follow him on Twitter: @NPNowClem