I personally like the 7th Ward for the new school. The Cornell site offers us a new campus environment. At Centennial, we own the land and would demo/replace the existing structure (similarly at George Washington). I originally liked the idea of buying up ground around St.Pius as that would enable the largest number of children to walk and keep longterm costs down. Others like down by the old Charapp lot on Eden park Blvd.

Please vote and if you think another potential site is better, share it with the group.

Paul

What's wrong with the one the city has..?
That we Need a New one?

Put the money it would cost to building a New School, into the old one the city already has and save the city even more money ! Including Tax payers.
A high percent of the populous in this city are renters or transients that are NOT even registered as city residents and don't pay taxes,they just come and go...which puts an added burden on the actual property owners in taxes to pick-up the slack ! And you want to build a New School !? Again I ask: "What's wrong with the School this City already has?" Put the money it would cost to build a new school into the school this city has and save Money for the tax payers of this city~!
Another suggestion: Start registering the renters of this city in order for them to PAY city taxes and increase in cities revenue.
They can't pay the tax they don't live here !

The School District can spend $45 Million on new school(s) without raising taxes. Each of the old Elementary schools, GW & Centennial cost about $1 Million a year in utilities alone. The declining population of the district indicates that one good school building is all that's needed to replace the two existing ones. They are draining money every year from the taxpayers. Our kids deserve better than buildings built in the early 1900's.
We the City have a landlord ordinance that says they must register new tenants with us so we can collect wage tax etc. Some comply, some don't.
I am an electd official that thinks the present proerty taxes that are used to pay for schools and education are unfair. I know that State Senator Sean Logan has proposed a better plan to Harrisburg but progress on its passage seems slow.
It benefits us all to have an educated community and I believe that it is all of our moral obligation to help educate our children. However, everyone, not just workers and homeowners, should help pick up the tab.
Paul

Is mckeesport geting a new elementry school? whats getting shut down? and whats the reasoning behind all this?

our kids deserve a quailty education more than they deserve a quality enviorment. These kids are being set up for failure.

Ralph, the enrollment is declining and the two old elementary schools are monsters to heat and maintain. A new "green" school will be must more cost effective.

My kids get a great education at McKeesport. All are honor students, even though I don't have that damn bumper sticker.

We work with them at home a lot. That's where education starts.

It is crucial that the next Superintendent selected (soon) is the best person available to lead the district.

Paul

agreed

I dont care where the schools are, to be honest.

However, whatever area they are in needs to be clean and rid of trouble.

My kids go to White Oak Elem. right now.....and I agree they seem to be getting an outstanding education.

But I have heard of the issues of the new schools etc. So I started riding around town looking.

Some of the other schools are in neighborhoods that quite rankly I would be afraid to send my kids into. I thank God that we chose to live where we live in the city because otherwise our kids would be going there. Now, that is going solely on the "looks" of the neighborhood, and that may not be fair....but just a block away from some of these schools there are boarded up houses etc, litter, junk laying around, shady looking characters hanging around.

I guess I live a sheltered life up in Haler Heights, but I never realized that ...good lord, parts of our city...residential parts, not the downtown area, look TERRIBLE. Where is the pride of one;s home and property?

No matter what you do, you wont revive neighborhoods until people have more pride. An old home doesnt have to be an eyesore. I lived in one up on Banker Street for a while before moving to HH and even though we rented we took care of it...kept it neat and clean and had pride in where we lived even though we rented.

Plopping a new school into the middle of a run down area will only suceed in wasting money.

The schools I drove past were surrounded by run down homes that looked like no one cared for them. Those kinds of areas tend to be where the problems happen most.

I dont want to send my kids into that.

If building new schools really is fiscally responsible, then do it. If we really will save money by spedning this money, then do it.

But if this is just an attempt to draw people into the city? Forget it.

The rest of the city needs to be cleansed first.

As has been said, kids in McKeesport seem to be getting an outstanding education right now (if you buy into the numbers being thrown out...only time will tell if the kids are just "test smart" or truly educated) even with old buildings.

If you propose an alternative site that is not listed here, please comment, add it, and explain your reasoning.

Thanks,

Paul Shelly
Mckeesport City Council
www.paulshelly.com
sluggo@paulshelly.com

"Do it Write Paul"

Add a McKeesport site across from Internation Village to voting list.

Hall of Education should side pocket a Pool Hall!

CityEar wrote:

"Do it Write Paul"
Add a McKeesport site across from Internation Village to voting list.
Hall of Education should side pocket a Pool Hall!

????

I don't think any of the sites proposed for the new school are a good option. In particular, anywhere near Centennial, GW or Cornell is a very bad choice. I have seen first hand the crime in these areas. The last time I took my daughter to the Library in McKeesport, we had the pleasure of seeing someone smoking crack right there on the sidewalk in the middle of the day. If there is a new school built in this area, I hope there will be security outside partroling the streets surrounding this school.

If there is space, I'd feel safer if our younger children had a school built near the Olympia Plaza.

Some folks do have that concern. From experience, I have had two children attend Cornell and never have they encountered a single problem there.

Some of our schools do have Mckeesport police in the buildings. Would that alay your fears at Cornell?

Does the high school or white oak elementary have police in it?

In my opinion, if its so bad as to have to have police having an office in the building, I dont want my kids going there.

Anyways, we arent just talking about INSIDE the school...the last poster was talking to crime around the perimeter of the school where the kids will ALSO be at risk.

high School and Founder's Hall have a policeman on duty to the best of my knowledge.

The Grandview / Versailles Avenue area would probably be the most logical choice since i would guess the majority of our student body lives close enough to walk, eliminating busing saving monies that can be better spent on books and supplies. How does the district decide who gets bussed and who walks?

Paul:

Now you started a problem with your school location poll. Please let us no the location of "OTHER" which is leading in your poll.

One person guessed it was Duquense, but I think he was joshing me. Is MASD secretly in discussions with Century III mall, so the business manager will not have too drive to far? Sorry - just a joke I heard on the street.

Paul I respectfully demand you remove "other" from your poll or let us in on the secret location. Some evil minds may think your are keeping a good (location) idea secret or until someone records a deed. Now you are in a council position to offer some unused portion of Renziee park. Sorry - if I let the cat out of the bag.

CityEar,

I think people just don't like any of the sights mentioned. I know of no other secretive location nor do I own and large land masses in the city.

I originally thought St. Pius and the suroounding block would be a great location as St. Pius is likely to be closed and the location would maximize the number of walkers in the district.

I am told that land acquisition costs were deemed too high there. I vote for above Cornell.

I don't know how to, or if i can remove other from the list of choices.

Paul

I have to agree that the cornell site probably offers the most advantages. The location is not "that" bad, compared to others. There's ground/property there for future development. The bus routes are not that bad since the roads tend to be wider (therefore making it safer for walkers, buses, traffic, etc. to all safely move about during pick-up/drop-off times. The price for the property is right. We must figure overall costs into this somewhere. The cost to bus students really became evident during the gas raking we all experienced in summer 2008. If we can locate the school in a spot that promotes more walkers, then that's good for all taxpayers.

Regarding the demise of the surrounding area, why should we locate something that we're proud of in an area that doesn't need improvement. That's "old school thought". It seems that we're trying to hide our problems, instead of helping to eliminate them. Ultimately, the success or failure of the city will be based on tax $- how many folks buy a house, establish a business, and/or care about the city they live in. If we put a school in an area that has "potential", then we just might see the growth, once again, of the seventh ward, which, by the way, was always one of my personal favorite areas of the city - and I grew up in White Oak!

Wally, you liked the 7th Ward because you could get served at Joe Gray's.

Beautiful mansion like homes in the area surrounding Cornell and the library.
You and I are in agreement.