Offered chance, few failing schools close doors

From the AP,

Over the last decade, San Francisco's Willie Brown Jr. College Preparatory Academy has seen enrollment plummet and student performance lag. Just 15 percent of students scored proficient in reading on state tests in 2010 and 17 percent in math.

When the school shut for summer recently, it was for good. The district has chosen the most drastic of four options — closure — in a federal program to help students at poorly performing schools. About $45,000 in federal money will pay for a counselor to help families enroll elsewhere for the coming school year. Eventually, a new school will be built at the site.

"It will provide a fresh start," Assistant Superintendent Patricia Gray said. "This is about closing it, starting something new and having something much better."

Read more at the Associated Press

School Closes In San Francisco’s Bayview Neighborhood

From KCBS,

On Friday, the Willie L. Brown Jr. College Preparatory Academy is closing its doors in the Bayview district of San Francisco. Once called 21st Century Academy, the school was part of an ambitious effort to address school performance. That didn’t work, but as the final bell rings, hope remains that a successful middle school can be built here.

Reaction from the students was mixed. Some students said they would miss the school because of the caring teachers while others said they were glad to see the school closing because it was so ‘horrible and raggedy.’

The facilities at Willie Brown Academy look worn – from the old green and white tile floors to small bathroom stalls for elementary children, which were used by kids in middle school.

Some students said they wanted to work harder like Malaysia Rodriguez, who has a better than B average.

“I learned a lot, but I wanted a challenge,” she said. “I think all the work is too easy.”

But others like Angelie Edwards struggled.

“I started being absent ever since my dad passed away because I’ve been having family problems,” she said.

Assistant Superintendent of the Bayview Zone, Dr. Patricia Gray, said scholastically there is lots of room for improvement.

“The school is closing because it is underperforming in the bottom five percent of schools in the entire state of California,” she said.

In part, Gray blames a revolving door of teachers for the school’s low performance.

“We know that it takes more because of all that’s going on out in the environment,” she said. “So we want to make sure we get the best and brightest and keep the best and brightest teachers. That’s very important.”

The district wants to tear this school down and build a state of the art middle school. A bond issue will be on the November ballot, and if it passes, a new middle school would open on this site in August of 2014.

Willie Brown Academy, Born in 1992 With High Hopes, Will Close in May, a Failure

I for one will NOT be sad to see this school close down.

From the NY Times,

When the school now known as the Willie L. Brown Jr. College Preparatory Academy opened in San Francisco’s predominantly black Bayview neighborhood some 18 years ago, it was at the forefront of an ambitious effort to address school performance and segregation without busing children out of the neighborhood. It was once even part of a Dream Schools program that brought millions of dollars in special aid, along with school uniforms, longer school days and Saturday classes.

But those dreams have been thoroughly dashed, and the 160-student school is set to close May 27, largely as a result of chronic student underachievement and high truancy. And for those unfortunate enough to be a part of its final months, conditions have gone from bad to worse.

Teens Menace Elementary School Crossing Guard - SF Appeal

This one hits close to home - I say hello to this crossing guard every morning. She's a super sweet woman whom I can't believe is out there every day dealing with these punks. In the six years I've seen her at this corner, I've never heard of her having trouble, but there are routinely fist-fights there when she's not around, so this doesn't exactly surprise me.

"A crossing guard was harassed by two teenage students Monday afternoon near a Bayview elementary school, San Francisco police said.

The crossing guard, a 59-year-old woman, was on duty in the 2000 block of Silver Avenue just after 4 p.m. when she was shoved by two girls about 14 years old near Willie L. Brown Jr. Academy College Preparatory School, Lt. Troy Dangerfield said."

Read more at SF Appeal.