Penn elementary parent Jennifer Babcock penned the following letter to the editor in the August 20 Press-Citizen:
As a Penn Elementary parent, I have been excited about the upgrades my children’s elementary school has been undergoing. I supported the Revenue Purpose Statement that enabled these upgrades to happen, but it never hinted of the need to close any other elementary schools in the district. The RPS, spearheaded by School Board president Chris Lynch under the One District campaign, promised upgrades for existing buildings as well as construction of new buildings.
Closing Hoover Elementary is a mistake, in my opinion, and goes against the original spirit of the RPS/One District campaign. Hoover Elementary, built in 1954, is less than a decade older than Penn Elementary and serves a similar neighborhood of diverse learners and their families. The stability of all of our district elementary schools is vital to the health and education of our early learners. We should not sacrifice any such establishment for the sake of expanded parking or an athletic field for a high school. We cannot hope for continued excellence for higher education when we sabotage the foundations of primary education.
Elementary students need their existing schools with upgrades promised.
It is my hope that the new school board elect will revisit this decision and make a better one. Save Hoover Elementary.
Let's get the same masterminds at the UI who can design a 1,000-bed dorm that'll fit in the footprint of half a football field to draw up plans for a CHS expansion. If City High has room to put up an indoor batting cage and an all-weather football practice field, they have room to avoid demolishing Hoover.
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