ReportWire

Tag: Grapevine-Colleyville

  • Grapevine-Colleyville will close 2 schools despite pleas to hold off

    [ad_1]

    Parents who crowded in to a standing-room-only Grapevine-Colleyville school board meeting lost their fight to keep Bransford and Dove elementary schools open as trustees voted 5-2 late Wednesday night to close the campuses and consolidate them with existing schools.

    Trustees voted separately on motions to close Dove and Bransford, with the vote to shutter Bransford coming just before midnight.

    “I hate that we’re here tonight,” board President Shannon Braun said. “Not one of us ran for the school board because we want to make painful decisions like this. We were elected to lead. We were elected to make hard choices. The truth is that there is no viable alternative.”

    Trustees Dalia Begin and Matt Foust voted against the motions to close the two schools, and said they were concerned about a lack of transparency from the Educational Master Planning Committee that recommended the closures.

    ⭐ Our editors also recommend:

    The elementary schools will close at the end of this school year.

    Bransford will be consolidated with Colleyville Elementary and O.C. Taylor,. A portion of Colleyville Elementary will be rezoned with O.C Taylor, and a portion of Taylor will be rezoned with Heritage Elementary.

    Dove will consolidate with Cannon and Silver Lake elementaries.

    Many of the 75 parents, students and teachers who signed up to speak asked the district to pause the closings to allow more time to look at alternatives and raise money to help stave off a budget shortfall. The public comment began at 8 p.m.

    Allen Corbin, whose daughter attends Bransford, asked trustees to hold off on making a decision.

    “Delaying the vote is vital to keep the public trust,” he said.

    Shelby Brownfield, who teaches at Bransford, said the school is her home. She described the importance of the school’s fine arts program and a specially-equipped room for “medically fragile” students.

    “All I ask is for this process to be rejected so that I can go back and do my job,” she said.

    Lincoln Huck, a student in Bransford’s fine arts program, said his goal is to be on Broadway because of his teachers and what he is learning.

    ”If this school closes, it will take away kids’ voices. Don’t take away what makes us feel seen and safe,” he said.

    But Jeff Hall of Grapevine praised the work of the Educational Master Planning Committee, which recommended consolidating the schools.

    Hall said he trusted the board to make the right decision.

    “Be strong leaders. Do what you think is right” he said.

    Braun told the Star-Telegram previously that pausing the vote to close Dove and Bransford elementaries wasn’t an option because of Grapevine-Colleyville’s “dire” financial picture brought on by declining enrollment, inflation and a lack of full funding from the state.

    According to the school district, if Bransford and Dove elementaries don’t close, the projected budget shortfall is right under $3.2 million. The district expects to save $2.7 million by closing the schools.

    Trustees discussed their concerns before the vote.

    Dalia Begin urged the board to look at other options before making a decision that will affect parents, students and teachers.

    She said she understands the district’s difficult financial position but added that she did not think all options were explored thoroughly.

    “My vote is a procedural concern and not a financial one,” she said.

    She questioned why Grapevine-Colleyville had to follow other districts that closed schools.

    “Leadership is not about following trends, it’s about understanding your community. What makes it unique. A GCISD solution has to be our own,” she said.

    For instance, she said there are over 3,500 children who live in the Grapevine-Colleyville boundaries who don’t attend school in the district. “We can bring them back,” she said.

    But Mary Humphrey said she is concerned about the taxpayers and the district’s financial well-being.

    “I’ve had people tell me to close schools,” she said. “It’s an irresponsible use of tax dollars.”

    She said if the district didn’t close schools, it would lead to staff cuts and the district dipping in to its fund balance.

    Elizabeth Campbell

    Fort Worth Star-Telegram

    With my guide dog Freddie, I keep tabs on growth, economic development and other issues in Northeast Tarrant cities and other communities near Fort Worth. I’ve been a reporter at the Star-Telegram for 34 years.

    [ad_2]

    Elizabeth Campbell

    Source link

  • Angry parents crowd GCISD board meeting over school closure recommendations

    [ad_1]

    Parents upset by the news that two elementary schools are likely to close at the end of the school year crammed into the Grapevine-Colleyville school board meeting Monday night and also filled an overflow room.

    There were 70 speakers and most sharply criticized the board’s recommendation to close Bransford Elementary School in Colleyville and Dove Elementary School in Grapevine.

    Lindsey Schugat was among the speakers who opposed school closings.

    “You’re looking for a fight, and now you’ve found it,” she said.

    Maggie Taylor, a parent of a Bransford student said she was speaking with a “heavy heart.” She praised the fine arts program at Bransford, where all students learn to play the piano and teachers worked closely with them.

    “My question is, why are you dismantling one of our most effective schools and why are schools with poorer infrastructure remaining open?” she asked.

    But others spoke in support the closures, saying they understand the challenges brought on by less funding from the state and rising costs.

    Tammy Grotham expressed her gratitude for the hard work of the district’s Education Master Planning Committee.

    “Their commitment and sacrifices didn’t go unnoticed by some in this community,” she said.

    After the parents spoke trustees got a detailed presentation from district officials in which they learned that closing Bransford and Dove would result in less disruption to students at other campuses.

    The district is also exploring other ways of bringing in additional revenue, such as selling property and marketing its programs.

    The recommended closures are among plans to address the district’s $10 million shortfall and are estimated to save around $1.1 million.

    Community forum on closures set for Dec. 2

    Board president Shannon Braun told the Star-Telegram on Friday that the board is not going to vote on the school closure recommendations until Dec. 10. There will be a community forum to discuss the recommendations on Dec. 2, she said.

    Parents are organized in their fight to save the schools.

    Over the weekend, they gathered for a prayer walk, and on Friday night, parents hosted a movie night at Dove Elementary where dads grilled burgers. Also on Friday, the PTA at Dove passed a resolution opposing the closings.

    Elizabeth Campbell

    Fort Worth Star-Telegram

    With my guide dog Freddie, I keep tabs on growth, economic development and other issues in Northeast Tarrant cities and other communities near Fort Worth. I’ve been a reporter at the Star-Telegram for 34 years.

    [ad_2]

    Elizabeth Campbell

    Source link

  • Grapevine-Colleyville parents vow to fight over proposed school closures

    [ad_1]

    A row of school buses parked in a lot.

    A row of school buses parked in a lot.


    Bob Brawdy

    Tri-City Herald

    When parents in the Grapevine-Colleyville school district learned this week of recommendations to close two elementary schools, they joined forces, vowing to fight for their schools.

    This week, the school district’s education Master Planning Committee comprised of district employees and residents to help shape the district’s future needs, recommended the closing of Bransford Elementary in Colleyville and Dove Elementary in Grapevine.

    Ashleigh Johnson, whose three children attend Bransford, said she was beyond angry when she read an email to parents from Superintendent Brad Schnautz that was sent Thursday.

    “We are livid,” she said.

    Johnson described how her children are thriving at Bransford, which has a renowned fine arts program and also serves special education students.

    “This has awakened a giant bear,” she said.

    Trustees are meeting Monday night to hear the committee’s recommendations, but they are not scheduled to vote on the school closings until Dec. 10, board President Shannon Braun said in an interview.

    Asked about parents’ concerns that school employees were finding out about the recommendations to close campuses before a final decision was made Braun said: “What would they want the district to do, not tell people what’s going on, or tell the employees what the recommendation is going to be so that they can be prepared. I think that would be the kindest thing,” she said.

    Braun said trustees are not going to vote Monday night, but will hear the committee’s recommendations, which are “far more broader” than closing the two elementaries, she said.

    For instance, Braun said another recommendation is to close and sell the Professional Development Building on Colleyville Boulevard, which houses Bridges, the district’s alternative high school.

    “I don’t hear people upset about that,” she said.

    The next steps are to send letters to residents, hold a community forum on Dec. 2 and vote on Dec. 10, Braun said.

    In his letter to parents that Johnson provided to the Star-Telegram, Schnautz said he was sharing the committee’s final recommendation after 10 months of looking at finances, growth projections and other factors.

    The letter said the recommendation was to consolidate Bransford with Colleyville Elementary and O.C. Taylor.

    “We know that this news brings many feelings. The Bransford campus, the physical building, the community, and the memories created, is so much more than just a place of learning,” Schnautz wrote. “It is a home, and the idea of closing that home is truly heartbreaking. We share those feelings with you.”

    Parents from Dove Elementary in Grapevine were also upset when they heard that the campus was on the recommendation list for closure.

    Allan Thompson, who lives in north Grapevine, said he has a kindergartner enrolled at school, and that the teachers are outstanding and helped his daughter get used to the idea of going to school and learning.

    Thompson said the PTA at Dove was to meet at 5 p.m. Friday after an employee meeting. He said the PTA will likely craft a resolution calling for the school to remain open.

    Johnson said she will also keep fighting for her school.

    “Closing schools doesn’t show a thriving district, it shows a crumbling district,” she said.

    Parents also held two community forums. During a forum Thursday night in Grapevine, they discussed ideas for bringing in revenue and building community partnerships.

    They will provide their recommendations to the district.

    Grapevine Mayor William Tate also attended the meeting, and said he was there to listen to the people.

    “The people always win. I am here to give people encouragement,” he said in an interview.

    Elizabeth Campbell

    Fort Worth Star-Telegram

    With my guide dog Freddie, I keep tabs on growth, economic development and other issues in Northeast Tarrant cities and other communities near Fort Worth. I’ve been a reporter at the Star-Telegram for 34 years.

    [ad_2]

    Elizabeth Campbell

    Source link

  • Grapevine-Colleyville school board votes to seek legal fees from former principal

    Grapevine-Colleyville school board votes to seek legal fees from former principal

    [ad_1]

    The former Colleyville Heritage High School principal sued the district after a board member disparaged him at a 2022 panel discussion.

    The former Colleyville Heritage High School principal sued the district after a board member disparaged him at a 2022 panel discussion.

    Courtesy

    Grapevine

    The Grapevile-Colleyville school board voted 6-0 Monday to go after former Colleyville Heritage High School principal James Whitfield for legal fees.

    Newly elected Place 2 trustee Dalia Begin abstained from the vote.

    It comes after Whitfield unsuccessfully sued the district and board member Tammy Nakamura for disparaging him during a June 2022 school board panel discussion sponsored by the Republican National Committee. He alleged her comments violated a November 2021 settlement agreement.

    Nakamura told the panel that Whitfield’s activism led to calls for his dismissal, citing accusations he’d promoted so-called “critical race theory.”

    However, Nakamura, who was elected in May 2022, argued in court documents she wasn’t bound by the settlement, because she wasn’t a board member when it was signed. A Tarrant County court agreed, and dismissed the case against her in June 2023.

    The district then pushed to throw out the rest of the case, arguing Nakamura’s comments didn’t violate the agreement. The court dismissed that case on April 11.

    Now the district will try to get Whitfield to pay for its legal fees.

    “Grapevine-Colleyville taxpayers should not have to pay for one man’s political quest,” Nakamura said after Monday’s vote. She thanked her fellow board members for their vote, and said she’s looking forward to moving past the lawsuit.

    Whitfield did not immediately respond to a text message requesting comment after the vote Monday night.

    Whitfield was the first Black principal at Colleyville Heritage High School when he was hired in 2020. In July 2021, a former school board candidate accused Whitfield of promoting“critical race theory,” which led to calls for his firing.

    After a series of board meetings, the district and Whitfield reached a settlement where he would remain on administrative leave until August 2023 in exchange for not commenting on the dispute publicly.

    Whitfield took to social media Sunday to point out that Judge Megan Fahey, who presided over both cases, received a $5,000 political donation from lawyer and school board candidate Mike Alfred. The post noted Alfred had worked for board president Shannon Braun in 2021, and filed to run for school board roughly a month after making the donation.

    Alfred lost his race for Place 2 to Begin by 29 votes during the May 4 election.

    When asked if he believed Alfred’s political donation influenced the outcome of his case, he said, “I’ll leave that for others to decide. I just want there to be a level of transparency surrounding these happenings,” in an email to the Star-Telegram ahead of Monday’s vote.

    Alfred vehemently denied the suggestion that his donation played any role in the case. He said he’s been friends with Fahey’s husband for over 25 years, called her a very qualified judge, and said the county needs more like her.

    He also noted his donation was less than 10% of the total amount she’s raised since 2020, and called the suggestion she would be swayed to by his donation “stupid.”

    Whitfield currently serves as the superintendent of Treetops School International in Euless, Texas.

    Related stories from Fort Worth Star-Telegram

    Harrison Mantas has covered the city of Fort Worth’s government, agencies and people since September 2021. He likes to live tweet city hall meetings, and help his fellow Fort Worthians figure out what’s going on.

    [ad_2]

    Harrison Mantas

    Source link