March 11, 2011

Canterbury School Street School

Tracy I doubled checked about the homeless shelter on Cambridge-McKeown.  I am being told that they are goiing to Canterbury not QUinsigamond Village and that they represent anywhere from 25-33% of the students that go to Cantebury Street.  

Not real important but can you put it on the bottom list to try and get me clarification.   The only reason I bring this up is so that people seen the implications of these developments.  If not for shelter and new Southgate Place, Canterbury would have most likely been shut down?

9 comments:

Tracy Novick said...

So, clarification: yes, they go to Canterbury Street (I don't know if I badly misread the street list or it's wrong). The kids at that address make up less than 5% of the population at Canterbury, so they make no difference in the opening/closing of the school.
Also, you may want to keep in mind that any kids classified as "homeless" are, under the federal McKinney-Vento act, allowed to attend their home school and the school system must provide busing.
(The transporation isn't funded, 'though wraparound services for those kids gets some federal funding.)
Hope this helps!

Bill Randell said...

Tracy

Let me stress again how much I feel you set an example for other elected officials to communicate with their constituents.

Trust me I am being told that it is more like 25% of the school population. Did not know about the McKinney-Vento act, but it makes sense.

My point is that homeless shelters and places like Southgate Place may in the end keep schools like Canterbury Street open and further increase the school budget deficit.

Goes back to my belief that the Housing policy of the City of Worcester has far reaching effects that many people over-look. In other words these "free" monies to build some these no-lo projects end of costing the tax-payers.

Again thanks Tracy!!

Jahn said...

I'd settle this debate by going to the homeless shelter on Monday Morning and count the kids who get on the bus there and then follow the bus to where ever it goes.........but next thing ya know someone would call the local constabulary complaining about a potential child molester playing with his fingers (counting) across the street from the school. Heaven forbid I take my shoes off to start counting on my toes :)

Is that shelter the old school building that was converted to apts and used to house HC kids?. Makes ya kinda wonder what's worse for Worc's demographics, drunk HC kids 26 weekends per years (with an occassional stabbing mixed in) or a homeless shelter. Sometimes the devil that ya know.........................

Bill Randell said...

Jahn

My point exactly... The City of Worcester in the long run would have been better with HC kids then having to build dorms on campus to house them.

Even more so, I understand better then ever the Executive Director of the South Worcester Neighborhood Center saying we need Southgate Place to keep Canterbury School Street open.

Again thanks Tracy.



Bill

Bill Randell said...

Jahn:

The debate has already been settled

Did my own research. The homeless shelter on Cambridge/McKeown has to be at least 20% of the Canterbury Street school population but maybe more like 25%.

Bill

Bill Randell said...

Sorry my last comment!! This is a rant...

Would it not be nice to see more City Councilors and School Committee members discussing issues like this with their constituents?

Social media should not just be used to tell constituents about fund raisers/etc, but can be used as useful tool for people who work for a living, pay taxes etc...

Tracy has set a standard, but I question if any of the other elected officials in Worcester will ever follow her lead.

Tracy Novick said...

You really think there's 50+ kids living in those two buildings? I'd check back with your sources.
And you are welcome, Bill. I appreciate that you (and your commenters) ask questions and want real answers.

Bill Randell said...

Tracy

The number fluctuates because there is alot of turn-over. Every day of the week 30-40 but can get to 50 depending on the week.

Bill

Jahn said...

I a m curious how many apts are there?
Seems to me it was 2 old school buildings? Id also be curious to know when the city sold it off? Did it approximately coincide w/ the constr of the new Canterbury. If so, just think if the New Cantb wasnt built and the old school re habbed , we'd now have zero low income, homeless, "school-less", people living there.

This is one of the unintended consequences when a 3rd party ( the state) pays 90% of the cost of a new shcool building, but probaly will nothing toward re-habbing an older school. Bottonline the old school gets sold off as surplus city property and ends up low Income housing or even worse Homeless housing.

Eye am Knot Nockin' any poor folks, but we need more poor people in the Peoples Republic of +old++ :) Can U imagine the outcry when the Salisbury St pool is 70% minority in the heat of July :)

Spekaing of July Tracey, has teh SC taken up the issue of 7(?) snowdays yet? If sew, wear dew we stand? if not, WHY NOT? :)

Also I am predicting a late March snow tsunami ....like 16 inches or so

We need to get the beancounters over to Cambridge St to certify everyones head counts :)