A brief background on what is going on. So, my family and I have lived all over the US. We have had the kids enrolled in 4 different school districts so far. Unfortunatley the last 2 moves were not my choice, just followed hubby to new jobs, 1 of which he accepted last minute because he lost his job. That put us in a small mountain town in Idaho. The school my kids went to was very old and ugly on the outside, but overall, I was fine with the education they received. Prior to this, they had attended a great school (charter) in Florida, and an incredible school in AZ (we didn't even have to send the kids with a pencil on the first day, all supplies were provided at no cost to us) Fast forward to today, the kids are enrolled in a school in Kansas. The school here is also very old, outdated, and not well maintained. (this pretty much goes for the whole district, and it is not heresay, I have seen evidence, asbestos warnings in the halls, exposed wires hanging from the ceiling, cracked foundations) The education they receive is okay, although they don't have books to use in the classroom even though we pay a yearly book fee) The climax of this story is that just over a month ago we had an EF-4 tornado come through which hit the school. The library had major damage, as did some of the annexes (actually old houses that the school bought up the street for additional classrooms) and several of the classrooms in the main building. The playground also sustained extensive damage. School starts on Aug 13. We pass it everyday and have seen them work on the playground, and the other day they replaced windows in the annexes, but we noticed most of the windows that were damaged in the main building were still boarded up. This concerned me because the kids are starting in just over 2 weeks. So I called the Board of Ed and talked to the Superintendent . He informed me that the windows for the building WILL be ordered(assuming this means they have not yet ordered them) but will take 10 weeks. He told me the building has been cleared for the students to return to it as it is on Aug 13. Here is why I am so upset:

1) Honestly, I don't want my kids going to a school with boarded up windows. I don't think it is that safe, especially with the elements of nature.

2) My biggest problem? It is in the high 90's to low 100's here, and still is that warm well into September. This school is very old, so the only AC they have is window units in the window. Yes, I know lots of us went to school without AC, but at least we were able to have our windows open in the classrooms. In addition, my school district sent us home whenever it got above a certain temp in the class, and the school district my kids are in doesn't do this.

So I am really frustrated about this, but don't know what else to do about it. The other parents I have talked to about it have just blown it off like it's nothing, and I am not like that, but I am not really sure what else I can do, besides pull my kids from that school, and put them in another. Am I over reacting? What are your thoughts? In all honesty, I am thinking about calling the local news station!!!

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I'm not sure how I would react. If it's *that* big a deal to you, could you homeschool for part of the year and then send them back later in the year???

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Unfortunately home schooling is not an option for me, both my dh and I work FT.

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In our area you can reqest a different school. I am sorry to say but if the other parents are just blowing it off either eductaion is not very important to the people in your area or they have accepted the sorry state of affairs. Education is very important to me and I know there are many who think it's not that important.
If it were my child I would decide whether I would be more successful at mobilizing parents to change things or changing schools. I have to be honest my first impulse would be to change things there. Maybe the parents either don't realize how important a good education is or because they have lived there for so long they think schools are the same everywhere or because they have given up.

For the good of all the kids in the school maybe it would be good to get a parent meeting to see how everyone else feels. If they agree then something can and will be done believe me when it comes to schools parents who squeak get the grease.
If they think you are cuckoo then maybe home schooling or changing schools is best.

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I guess I don't understand why the boarded up windows are a problem. It's not ideal at all, but when you've been hit by a tornado, are waiting on insurance issues, and also dealing with building supply companies who are backed up because there have been so very many weather-related issues around the country this year... it happens.

You've moved to a region of the country that probably isn't rolling in dough. People are used to toughing it out and not used to 'fluff.' I live very near the KS border. We have a new middle school but until recently our students were in a turn-of-the-century three-story un-air conditioned building. The kids were used to a summer of farm work in the blazing heat, so just the respite from hard work was more of a 'plus' than the negative of the heat was bad.

Is it ideal? No. Will it hurt them? Probably not.

I think this may be an unfair characterization. I grew up in a situation just like she is describing, probably not even very far from where she is. I got an email from a relative who was a few years older than me last week. He'd just been to his class reunion. He graduated with fewer than 30 students. One of his classmates is now in the top 30 most wealthy people in the US. My relative is a physician. He was talking about how amazing it is - if you'd seen their humble beginnings, you wouldn't have expected much, but they attribute the 'can do, make due, get it done whatever it takes' situation in which they grew up for helping them become the people they are today.

OP is new in this district, it sounds like, and chances are there just isn't as much money floating around as in the past districts she's encountered. To judge the product (educated and productive kids) by the facility may leave you with a set of assumptions that's way off base.

I grew up in NJ in a town with 20000 people. We ahd well maintained schools. Like I said I didn't choose to live here, and I have already decided that I won't be staying much longer, but while I am here in a town of 50000 I just figured the schools would be better. Unfortunately in the past year I have noticed an attitude here of basically people being accepting of what they have, in a sense I think it is because they don't know anything else. I don't say this offensively, what I mean is the people in this area that I have spoke to aren't well traveled so they don't really have other experiences to compare to, if that makes sense. (I know what I am trying to say, but it is hard to put into words in a forum). I am in a larger Kansas town which is a college town, not your stereotypical Kansas middle of nowhere town, just to give you a better idea of what I am talking about. Housing prices here have not suffered, and property taxes are high, so I just expect more from the district.

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Together They Fell
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Never Forget:
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6/25/96
9/11/01
God Bless USA and our Troops!

Now that you've said that, I do know where you are. A bit west of KC... correct? Ironically, I got an email from someone from there who is going to Africa next month to see her daughter who grew up there and now lives in Africa.

It just may be that you haven't been exposed to the right people there. If you're where I'm thinking, the downtown area is just charming - when I was there in February all the stores were closed and it was my first visit there. I wasn't expecting much and then as I drove through, wished I could shop!

I am surprised to hear that a college town has these problems. Usually college towns have the better school districts because the professors will accept jobs where their own children will get the best educational opportunities. Also, usually in college towns, the parent participation is also high, just for those same reasons.

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I am surprised that the fire department would allow children into a boarded up building. I would think that fire safety would be of utmost concern.

No, unfortunately, we are not in Lawrence, I wish we were!!! I too loved the downtown area!!! The school district there is better and much better maintained than where I am.

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Together They Fell
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Never Forget:
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6/25/96
9/11/01
God Bless USA and our Troops!

Have you asked some questions about the AC? Like are they going to be able to rig the AC window units up somehow into the wood, could be done very easily. I personally don't think boarded up windows is a big deal or a safety issue, none of the windows at any school my kids have been to or I've attended would be able to be used in case of a fire anyway (no one would fit through them unless you were really small, most were those ones that open part way our from the top). We have also lived all over the US having been military in the past. My only concern would be the no AC, it was 106 here yesterday, 103 today, you are not that far away from us, the boarded up windows with no AC would cause concern for me, unless they are going to have class outside, maybe have some classes in local churches temporarily (outside would be ok, plenty of people work outdoors in the heat and are ok). Have you asked about alternative classroom plans? You have to understand, those of us that live in tornado alley do have make concessions and deal the best we can when emergencies happen. Insurance companies have to be dealt with, and it's not like that school is the only one that has to have it's windows fixed, there are other homes, other towns, other places that have claims, the insurance companies can only work so fast. It's the same thing when we lived on the coast with tropical storms and hurricanes, each area has it's own things they have to deal with and unless you have had to deal with it then sometimes it take some understanding as to how long it takes to rebuild an area. Just try to have some patience and understanding and maybe ask some more questions to see if they have some further plans about cooling the school. One of my kids went to a school built with no windows above ground (also had no walls inside it was an open school, aslso in a college town, but that's another story) . There is also one school here in OK built underground it also has no windows. So not having windows has nothing to do with fire/safety codes. If you think about it, most stores do not have windows except at the front. So is it that the wood just does not look nice? But it does do the job of keeping the rain and elements and bugs and animals out until they get the needed windows replaced, there is not much more they can do. It seems as though they are doing everything they can. I would clarify the AC situation then make the decision about whether you want to transport your children to and from another school everyday. What more do you suggest they do?

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I'm thinking I know where you live as we once lived there and I attended college there (loved the town). It is more of a rural town as over half the population is college kids. My oldest dd went to preschool there and I thought she received an excellent start. Yes the schools are old but I don't think that hinders learning. (I went to school in an old building that had asbestos and we never had a/c).

My middle son was a couple weeks late starting school last year cause of remodeling and they actually worked off and on throughout the school year, they did alot over the summer too. Both his school and my oldest dont have a kitchen in their schools, I found that odd. but it's brought in from a school a few blocks farther on. I didnt really think much about the construction going on, the school is kinda old, but their adding on and all

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Those conditions would bother me. I don't know what you can do about it though. Good luck!!

I admit that I didn't read all the responses so may be repeating here. I'm a firm believer that the faculty and the parents make the educational experience superb, not the facility.

Our town built the Taj Mahal of high schools, but I don't think there's anything better coming out of there then there was before. And the BEST learning is going on at the kindergarten school that was the high school BEFORE the high school that was replaced by the new high school. It has a lot of character...and a lot of joy of learning going on there!

cj/

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I really like this reply cj!

It's not often that Kathy and I agree, but it would bother me also. While the facility not might not be the end all/be all of the educational experience, a good surrounding plays a major part in making a child want to learn. Being in a hot, poorly lit room won't help a child's concentration, that's for sure. I'm surprised the school didn't bring in more trailers or temporarily move the kids to a different school.

Is there any way you can have them put in a school near either you or your husband's job instead?

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Have you done a "walk through" - or could one be made available to you? I guess I would want to judge for myself whether I would feel comfortable sending my children there. The school district shouldn't have a problem with that. I am sure they have the student's safety at the top of their list, but they could not blame you if you wanted to check it out yourself.

I probably will do a walk through but honestly it is pretty evident from the outside what you will see on the inside. The school office is not open until Mon 8/4, so I will check it out then. It is just sad to me, one of those situations where you want your kids to have a better life than yours growing up, but th past 2 years haven't been like that for us. The school being boarded up the way it is just adds to that, and yes I know it's only 'cosmetic' but it still bothers me. I am not saying I think the kids receive less of an education from it, just uncomfortable with them going there the way it looks. Back in Dec we had an ice storm in town and they closed ALL of the schools for over a week because there was 1 school without power, yet in this case they are sending the kids back to an unrepaired school in 100 degree temps.

__________________
Together They Fell
Together We Stand
Never Forget:
2/26/93
6/25/96
9/11/01
God Bless USA and our Troops!

I am a teacher and I know I would not want to work in a building boarded up. I see it as a safety problem.
What if there was a fire? Windows are the way out if the doors are blocked. What about bugs and mice coming in? What about natural light? What about the possiblity of a person entering the building through a window? We had that this year. Are there any other structural problems to the building? I work in a private school in Maryland close to DC where the temperatures are high at the beginning and end of year. We don't have air conditioning. I can work through that but unsecured windows is another issue.

I think I would check with the fire department to see if they have looked into it. I might also go to school for a day after school starts and see what it's going to be like. They may have some solutions in place by the time school starts that they don't right now. They may have, for instance, put hinges on the boards over the windows so they can be opened during the day. They may try to keep the classes in rooms that are more intact. They may hold classes outside at times etc. If this is really bad, I don't see that you have much choice but to home school for a semester.

I think your right in being upset, Those conditions are unacceptable. As for funds if there was a tornado of that magnitude,t here would be federal deisaster funds available for repairs. It sounds like the school baord either cannot afford or doesn't want to repair the buikldfings. I would be attending board meetings and voicing my displeasure over the conditions. Also start calling or writing the state bureau about the problems. with Asbetsos call the health deaprtment, they closed a mall around here for mold and asbestos.

Forgive any misspellings this type is to small. Good luck

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I would think that it would have to pass zoning codes before it could be opened up to the public. I can't believe that the city/town could just strap it together and call it good BUT a call to the fire dept or zoning board should help answer some of your questions.

I don't imagine any of this is the case. When a tornado happens there are usually many buildings impacted - and this summer in this region, they've hit all over the place. We were involved in an auto accident several weeks ago and when I called the claims hotline at our insurance company, I got a message that said, "Due to the extremely large number of storms in the central states this summer, our case load is high and wait times are much longer than usual. If you would like to hold... blah blah...."

In smaller towns you have a limited number of contractors available to do repair work such as this, and an extremely large number of buildings in need of their services. It can't all be done overnight. We had a major hail storm a couple of years ago and the area roofers were backed up for literally two summers because there was so much needing done and so few workers available who do that specific job.

I am rather sure the school administrators don't intend to just leave boards up from now until eternity and surely do have insurance money - no need for federal disaster funds - to pay for the windows. It's a matter of finding someone to put them in (and possibly even getting them in from the manufacturer, who may also be very backed up with custom orders... and an old school building probably will need something to be custom fit).

As for the asbestos, legally schools have to declare if a facility has asbestos present but they don't have to remove it if it's contained within the facility and not posing a problem to anyone's health. It only becomes an issue when it's disturbed. It would probably be a greater health risk to try to remove it, hazmat team and all, than to just leave it intact.

OK, one more thing about the asbestos situation, and from what you are all saying I definitely need to start making some calls; the asbestos WAS disturbed in the storm, but they ran tests which all came back negative for asbestos. A funny sidenote and ongoing joke my family has - I am pretty involved overall in my kids education, always questioning why things are happening, and chaperoning with trips and donating extra school supplies, but we never live anyplace very long. My husband and I always say to each other 'we may not stick around very long but I don't think the schools will ever forget us'. Here I have held back a bit because the residents are very defensive about their schools, so I had been trying to do things more anonymously than in the past, but that will have to change for my kids sake.

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Together They Fell
Together We Stand
Never Forget:
2/26/93
6/25/96
9/11/01
God Bless USA and our Troops!

Personally me, If I knew my children's school had all these problems last thing I would be asking is what could be done about it, But rather asking what is the best private school in that area to send them too.

Even if all this was against coding they are not going to be fixed over night. Contractors, ordering, receiving of supplies, Bids for contractors, going Thu all the red tape will take months and months to get approved and probably nearly a year from start to finish with the repairs.

A school not too far from me had lead paint on the outside walk-way poles and it took months and months for the crews to scrap, remove, clean, and repair meantime, they relocated all the children to area school(s) It was almost a year from the day it was closed to the day the school was reopen with a clean bill and we are ONLY talking about lead paint on the walk-way poles. What you have said here with asbestos along could take a year or even longer to be removed ( if thats the case) it's not as easy as some think to just remove a few walls, they have to close, cover, bring in teams of hazmat, filter the area(s) affected the list goes on and on just for that 1 problem. then you have the windows which more than likely has to be ordered which can takes weeks to months.
However, if its major major repairs then there will have to be meetings held for bids form contractors to repair the school, this will run into months of assorting thur the bids and getting approval.

They are in the middle right now of building 3 schools in my area they had bids for contractors for almost a year before settling on a company just for the middle school alone.

In MHO I would put my children in a private school and call it a day. More than likely as you stated before, you will not be there long enough to even see the work get off to a good start. Do yourself a favor and cut all the worrying out and put them in a private school.