I've heard something puzzling in conversations with other area parents. Specifically, the BCS kids attending at the Bullis Center for Innovation hosted at Blach have been restricted to a small patch of blacktop for recess. Apparently this is due to the terms of the facilities use agreement.
What's puzzling to me is why the terms are being enforced in such a draconian manner when I've also heard that nearby fields don't have any scheduled or unscheduled Blach Middle School student usage at the same time. I seem to recall that there was a reasonable sharing agreement in place between the principals, what happened to it?
I suppose there may be the usual safety concerns for age-appropriate spaces in play here. Even so, I'm having a hard time understanding exactly how a flat, grass covered space poses a hazard to schoolchildren of any age. Another really puzzling thing that I have heard is a report of adult members of the general public walking around the track during school hours.
If we're going to be draconian, shouldn't we be draconian in an even-handed manner? I'm more concerned about safety risks due to unknown adults wandering around on campus during school hours than I am of an elementary school child getting grass stains on their pants.
Monday, October 21, 2013
Friday, October 11, 2013
Ugh, really? Another blog?
Yes, really.
So much of what happens at Bullis Charter School is driven by parents, that there's value in gathering and sharing first-hand parental perspectives on being part of the BCS community. In the same way, so much of what happens at the Los Altos School District managed schools is also driven by parents, that there may be more common ground than we think.
I've been part of the BCS community for eight years (my 7th grader started here in Kindergarten). I'll be a part of the BCS community for another eight years (my youngest just started Kindergarten). I've been getting more involved over the last year or two in the discussions about facilities, and I've been doing what I can to move the conversation towards civility, objective fairness and (most importantly) a spirit of cooperation between the BCS and LASD boards in solving a mutual challenge. A mutual challenge that will require cooperation and mutual sacrifice at some level to solve.
My hope is that I can share my thoughts, desires and suggestions here alongside of other parents whose children also depend on the LASD Board of Trustees for facilities. My hope is that we can see each other as being more like ourselves, understand each other's challenges and work together towards a better way to share our extensive, but ultimately limited, resources. My hope is we can work together to continue providing the best possible education for all of our children.
So much of what happens at Bullis Charter School is driven by parents, that there's value in gathering and sharing first-hand parental perspectives on being part of the BCS community. In the same way, so much of what happens at the Los Altos School District managed schools is also driven by parents, that there may be more common ground than we think.
I've been part of the BCS community for eight years (my 7th grader started here in Kindergarten). I'll be a part of the BCS community for another eight years (my youngest just started Kindergarten). I've been getting more involved over the last year or two in the discussions about facilities, and I've been doing what I can to move the conversation towards civility, objective fairness and (most importantly) a spirit of cooperation between the BCS and LASD boards in solving a mutual challenge. A mutual challenge that will require cooperation and mutual sacrifice at some level to solve.
My hope is that I can share my thoughts, desires and suggestions here alongside of other parents whose children also depend on the LASD Board of Trustees for facilities. My hope is that we can see each other as being more like ourselves, understand each other's challenges and work together towards a better way to share our extensive, but ultimately limited, resources. My hope is we can work together to continue providing the best possible education for all of our children.
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