Master plan legislation pending

By Corrina Qualls

Dunbar Vocational Career Academy

Sometimes change is bad. But in Dunbar Vocational Career Academy’s case, change is good. Just recently getting a new principal, Dunbar is making changes for the better. But where doesBEST High School stand now that she’s gone?

In the last year BEST High School lost several faculty and students when Dr. Camilla Covington left because CPS chose to consolidate these schools into one larger school.

Liz Brown, a spokesperson for the Chicago Teachers Union, said this happens more often than anyone realizes.

“Does this happen very often? Well, geez, they’ve [CPS] closed 70 neighborhood schools and opened 100 charters, probably more than I’d like to admit,” she said.

Brown says that it makes sense that teachers would transfer schools if they feel like their jobs are in trouble.

“When faculty is feeling threatened that their school isn’t going to be open next year and they blow out, wouldn’t you?” she said.

Bobby Otter, spokesperson for the Chicago Public Schools, said that he hasn’t heard of an incident like this happening before.

Although this may seem like a mess for BEST, it seems as though Dunbar is doing just fine.

Kayla Dyes is a senior at Dunbar. Dyes was a previous student at BEST High School where Dr. Covington was the principal before now being in charge of Dunbar. “This school [Dunbar] in the past was a war zone, in terms of gangs, violence and behavioral issues. In the ways that Dr. Camilla Covington has turned this school around, there is a chance that kids may actually start to come for their education,” she said.

Melanie Glover, a Dunbar student of two years, said, “I feel that this is great because it opens up opportunities for the school having such a great principal who cares about each student.”

When asked how she feels about having a new boss, Tiffany Alexander-Jones, a Spanish teacher at Dunbar, said: “I am so pleased. I feel as if I work in the suburbs. I have access to a copier, members of my department are held accountable for dong their part, and everything is so organized now.”

Dunbar is on probation and has been for several years, but now with Dr. Covington as principal that might change. With the implementation of new rules such as block scheduling and uniforms, Dunbar is making changes.

Block scheduling is a drastic change: going from 46-minute class periods to 90-minute class periods, with only four classes a day, every other day. Block scheduling is a big transition.

Alexander-Jones, the Spanish teacher, said block scheduling is a good idea. “I think that it will break the monotony of the work week,” she said. “It will allow me to do more projects and listening activities in class with the students. It is more college-like.”

Melanie Glover also thinks that block scheduling is a step in the right direction. “We will have more time to get work done,” she said.

Things are looking up for Dunbar, but what about BEST? With many teachers gone and having to get a new principal as well as staff, what should schools in this position do?

There is currently a bill in the Illinois Senate, SB620, that would prevent CPS from constantly changing how schools master plans are decided. Technically it’s called a Master Facilities Plan and Chicago is one of the only major cities that doesn’t have one. Washington, D.C., New Orleans and Richmond City, Virginia, are several schools that already have a Master Facilities Plan.

When asked if he thought a Master Facilities Plan would be a solution to the closings and breaking up of Chicago schools, Bobby Otter said he could not comment because the bill was still pending.

Liz Brown said it’s important this bill gets passed.

“It [the bill] would force CPS to make a master plan for the whole city about how they deal with their buildings,” she said. “Other big cities have this.”

It’s time for a change. Chicago needs a plan.