Since it's a known fact that I have no children in PPS to date, I can openly confess to being just plain confused. That has not stopped me from having an opinion, though, about the proposal that is afoot to link Buckman Elementary to da Vinci Middle School. According to a flyer I picked up, school staff and site council leaders at both schools have formed a task force to determine the feasibility of articulation between the two schools. Meaning: if your kid goes to Buckman they could go to da Vinci without applying through the standard transfer process that all other applicants must follow.
On the surface, this worries me. As my children grow and change and develop new interests throughout their PPS careers, there will be fewer choices for them - and families who move here after all the coveted kindergarten slots fill - if elementary school magnets lock up many of the slots in the corresponding middle-school magnets. What do you think? Am I worried for nothing? Is this a good idea?
Folks met Monday, 5.12 @ Buckman to discuss this possibility. Anyone attend? What's the story?
I used to be against the idea of the linkage, but now I'm for it. I think the better solution is more fully funded arts magnets (anyone listenng at BESC???) in more neighborhoods. rather than everyone trying to fit into one school, driving across town, being commuter kids.
I think that the transition for "outside" kids to daVinci is harder socially anyway. Kids at Buckman are already connected to the neighborhood and the school before they even get there. I think there's value in that for the often difficult transition to middle school.
I'm about creating equity across the district so that colours my view.
Posted by: ProtestMama | May 13, 2008 at 09:54 AM