Viewpoints on the Murray Academy dispute over restoring 7th and 8th grade, related issues and How parents make personal school choices that translate into area school dynamics

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Murray LSC and PTO:

LSC Meeting: held the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 6:00 pm
LSC Chairperson: Lori Watts-Branch
PTO President: Juliana Statton

Note: This collection of letters and articles reflected a time when there were problems with Canter, or at least reasons for many to think these were serious. By 2006 the school, including its scores and commitment to all students through the AVID program, had improved dramatically--with one of the largest improvements in the city.

by Gary Ossewaarde:

Note: in summer 2005, the Local School Council asked Ms. Konosapek to resign and she complied August 12. She did leave for a promotion. Michael Keno, present Principal at Bret Harte, is now principal. The tenure of Ms. Konosepek unfortunately involved considerable controversy, inside and outside the school, and with parents on both sides. This was indeed the original primary focus of this page. It seems pointless to retain this material. This source does not know whether school and CPS infighting over the 7th-8th grade issue (the topic of this page) had a role in the principal's departure. Note that no one questioned the principal's professional qualifications or devotion to the school and children and that much progress was made by the school. Under Mr. Keno, the school is reported to be continuing to make strides. Revival of 7th and 8th grades seems to be struck down jointly by CPS and the local alderman for now.

The rest of this page is retained because it provides insight into the nature of parental school choices, decisions by schools including relations with Areas and Downtown, and the vexing issue of whether 6th through 8th graders should be with elementary students or in middle schools. The controversy followed a major lobbying effort that resulted in creation of Canter Middle School early in the 2000s.

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A major contingent of parents as well as at least part of the newly-elected Local School Council favor restoring the 7th and 8th grades in lieu of "feeding" graduates into Canter Middle School, despite the fact that Murray leadership of the time (just a few years ago), led the Canter Middle School initiative citing the special need of young teens and need to create an in-the-neighborhood alternative;

Hardly any parents have sent graduating 6th graders to the first classes at Canter. Perceived lack of focus, failure of CPS to provide Canter sufficient funds including for upgrades to the old structure (an addition, not just a glacial and partial refurbishing of the gym+ and pantry), and disappointing test scores and parental involvement at Canter are among reasons cited by a group that began to reorganize a call to return the grades despite firm turndown and pressure from CPS. Parents who want the option of keeping students in Hyde Park schools and their students at their current high-achieving school believe it makes sense to return 7th and 8th grade to Murray, especially since graduates are presently not going to Canter and so such a move would not hurt Canter. The controversy then spilled over into other controversies surrounding the then-principal, Katherine Konopasek and with the spring, 2004 local school council elections at which the pro-Canter parent group lost, whether as a direct result of the controversy or collaterally.

The controversy over 7th and 8th now smolders below the surface.

The letters below clarify parents' desires and motivations in ways that are difficult in news coverage, and so provide insight not just into the present questions but into dynamics of parental choices for their children and what parents want in schools and from the bureaucracy. The first set are from the May 5, 2003 Hyde Park Herald. Herald coverage from future issues follows. The May 5 letters were prompted by an earlier Herald editorial and a letter from a Canter party alleging that decisions were being made affecting Canter at Murray meetings without inviting persons from Canter to explain about Canter.

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Essay

Why many parents change schools in the upper elementary grades. It's the bottleneck and complications of finding "good" seventh and eighth grade positions and not wanting their children to make repeated changes at these crucial ages.

This makes retention hard for good schools without a 7th-8th grade program. (In this case, it also points out how hard it is for HP public schools to compete with the private schools, esp. U of C Lab School: some say HPK's social settlement, as it were, to maintain an "interracial community of high standards" is now built on private schools. But the attracting schools are not all private.) When a Murray parent representative and newly elected LSC president announced she had to suddenly accept a 5th grade position for her child a lab school, she told the Herald that since she expected her daughter to change schools in the coming years, she felt she had to take advantage of the acceptance now, rather than compete with everyone looking to get their children into competitive 7th and 8th grade magnet programs. Several parents, according to the Herald August 18, 2004, cited children leaving in earlier grades as a growing trend at Murray. There are very few spots in good 7th and 8th grade programs, so it is best to enroll one's child in a magnet school with 7th and 8th grade at an earlier grade... Another parent rep. was lost in 2004 when his 5th grade son transferred to Sheridan, a public school with a 7th and 8th grade program.

Herald coverage, editorial and letter of April 28, 2004 that sparked the current debate.

Anti-Canter parent slate elected to Murray council, by Lenore T. Adkins

Three out of six parents elected to Murray Language Academy's local school council during citywide elections last week are opposed to sending Murray sixth graders to Canter Middle School for seventh and eighth grade, citing the middle school's average test scores and small physical plant.

In contrast, Murray students routinely test in the 90th percentile and city officials recently christened its $10 million, 30,000-square-foot annex.

On the day of the election, parent Dawn Harris and candidate La Joyce Hill passed out fliers illustrating the slate, calling out, "Bring back your seventh and eighth grade," to potential voters entering the school at 5335 S. Kenwood Ave.

Murray parents Tracy McCann, Toosdhi Haywood and Cynthia Smith, who won, all ran on a slate that intends to return the seventh and eighth grade to the school. Murray parent Scott Perkins, who also won a seat on the council, does not oppose Canter, but has said Murray students should have the option of remaining at Murray.

But Murray parents Lori Watts-Branch and Estella Reid, who were also elected to the council argue council members should partner with Canter and turn it into a sh cool that would attract Murray students.

As it stands now, according to Murray principal Katherine Konopasek, one or two sixth grade students will attend Canter in the fall. The rest of the 30-studient class have been accepted at various academic centers, such as Mark Sheridan and Skinner Classical Schools. One or two students attending marks the lowest number of students Murray has sent since Canter turned into a neighborhood middle school two years ago.

"I'm concerned now where there are a lot of parents not sending their kids to Canter," Konopasek said last week.

None of the current council members who ran for reelection to the Murray council won, including Sharyn Madison-Jackson, George Jackson and longtime member Tony Wilkins, paving the way for a brand-new council and one that supports Konosapek. Wilkins has seen his popularity at the school plummet due to supporting Canter and attempting to remove Konosapek from Murray. Wilkins had served on the council for five years....

Since just one community representative was elected to the council, the new members will appoint another after they take office....

 

Herald editorial: Balancing good goals against sacrifice: Canter: a neighborhood goal

Even noble goals should be abandoned when the sacrifice proves too dear. The trick lies in knowing the difference between tough times and useless sacrifice.

In last week's local school council elections, a slate of parents opposed to sending Murray 6th graders to the new Canter Middle School won seats on the Murray council. Their goal: to terminate Murray's status as a feeder school and restore Murray's 7th and 8th grade program.

The project to turn Canter into a middle school for Hyde Park students has always been a neighborhood effort. But Murray's participation is increasingly dismal. This year, of a class of 30 sixth grader's, only "one or two" will attend Canter, reports Murray principal Katherine Konopasek.

For those wanting to restore Murray's middle school grades Canter is too weak, it's test scores are to low and its building too small. The academic sacrifice, they say, is simply too high.

Canter is experiencing growing pains. But to abandon the school in its infant stages is to abandon a vision of aa strong K through 12 public education track in Hyde Park. Murray's isolationist position implies every school for itself--exclusive and harmful to neighboring schools. As a Canter teacher writes in a letter this week, it is not fair for Murray parents to be making decisions and holding discussions about Canter without inviting Canter parents, teachers and students to their meetings.

Perhaps the political and educational leaders in Hyde Park--all of whom strongly support the Canter program--should host a meeting on public education and its future in Hyde Park. The neighborhood needs to defend Canter, and show Murray parents a broader vision.

The abandonment of Canter will sacrifice generations of Hyde Park children who cannot afford private schools or who lose the competitive lottery to get into Murray. And that sacrifice is too high.

Invite Canter to table

by Jack Paranjape, teacher, Canter. April 28.

In the spirit of mutual respect and openness, the next time someone decides to have a meeting concerning the future of Canter Middle School, it would be nice if the Canter community is invited and encouraged to attend.

Success of Canter not dependent on Murray

by Tracy McCann

I am not anti-Canter (Middle School) as this paper has printed many times. That statement implies that I don't want Canter to be successful. I don't feel that the success of Canter is dependent on Murray (Language Academy) being one of its feeder schools.

Canter has an excellent principal an dedicated teachers. We at Murray want canter to succeed. Many merely want the option of retaining our students in a magnet school program through high school, as all other magnet schools in Chicago are allowed to do.

I and other parent sat Murray are not anti-Canter. We want what's best for all the children of Hyde Park. This paper's anti-Canter statements merely casts unfair views about both schools.

Schooling is a personal, not community decision

by Cynthia E. Smith, Murray parent, LSC parent representative

In reference to your 8/28/05 headline "Anti-Canter :SC parent slate elected to Murray Council," I would like to clarify my position. I agreed to be part of a slate of candidates who ar not only active parents of Murray PTO, but who are also concerned about several other issues at Murray, particularly: improving educational services for children with special needs; open and effective communication; and the revitalization of the 7th and the 8th grade. All of these issues are of equal value and concern to Murray parents and were listed on the flyer in support of our candidacy. Our platform is not exclusively focused on Canter and continuing the 7th/8th grade, which is what you have lead your readers to believe As an incoming LSC parent representative it is our responsibility to listen to and discuss the concerns of our parents. Revitalizing the 7th and 8th grade program is a pressing concern of many parents at Murray. Secondly, there is no "Anti-Canter" sentiment amongst our newly elected LSC. Dr. Epps is a dynamic leader and will make Canter a premier middle school. I want Canter to succeed and I hope it will be a viable option for my children when the time comes. But the fact remains Canter had a rough start and was saddled with negative feedback the first year, and as a result, many Murray parents are having a hard time rationalizing the decision to support Canter. There was also some disconnect with Canter when Murray was pulled from Area 15. As a magnet school that accepts students from many parts oft he city, Murray parents should have the choice to continue participating in "options for Knowledge" that includes a 7th an 8th grade at Murray and/or Canter Middle School.

In reference to the editor's column, I would not characterize our concerns with "abandoning the vision" of a strong K-12 education track. when parents move their children from Hyde Park public schools to other prominent K-8 private schools in Hyde Park, do you characterize their "choice" as abandonment? I certainly do not. The reality is, parents have to do what is best for their child and family unit, which is a person decision. I respect that Canter's success is a neighborhood goal, but some Murray parents will soon face this dilemma of choosing a school for 7th grade and will need more than the "broader vision" that you speak of. I welcome additional discussion on this issue from Hyde Park educational leaders and hope that more understanding will result from such a discussion.

Open discussions should include Canter and others

by Janak Paranjape, May 12

Three years ago, five Hyde Park-Kenwood schools entered into an agreement that dropped the seventh and eight grades in four of the schools including Bret Harte, Murray, Ray and Shoesmith and made the fifth school, Canter, the middle school for all of those attendance areas. The idea was to create a structure of schools that would work together to meet the needs o the areas's children and to further unify the communities of Hyde Park and Kenwood.

The agreement was made after much discussion, argument and compromise, ending in a commitment from all five schools to support the creation of a Hyde Park-Kenwood middle school. Recently, a group of Murray parents have been meeting to consider reneging on this agreement, and it has been suggested that these meetings do not affect any school communities other than Murray's . Such a suggestion is erroneous on two counts.

First of all, Canter should be at the table. Public statements regarding the quality of any institution have the potential to greatly impact the institution and th people it serves. Furthermore, assuming that these discussions are being conducted in a climate of mutual respect and good faith, one would think that input from the Canter community would be of vital importance in order to make an informed decision.

Secondly, Bret Harte, Ray and Shoesmith should be at the table as well. When one group enters into an agreement with other groups (as Murray did with the four other schools three years ago), any decisions regarding the agreement absolutely concern all parties. Therefore any discussions should really include all five schools.

We really should stop having this exchange exclusively in the Herald. It is time that we start working together for the betterment of the children and community of Hyde Park-Kenwood as the original agreement intended.

Murray meetings not about Canter's future

by Brian Linder, Murray parent

Although the point is well taken, Mr. Paranjape and the Herald editorial are mistaken about including Canter in the Murray discussions. The meeting they are referring to is about Murray students and what their options are for 7th and 8th grade. Murray parents are not making decisions or holding discussions about Canter without including the Canter community, they are discussing and trying to make decisions about Murray.

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At the October 2004 LSC meeting, Alderman Preckwinkle was asked for advice on how to return the grades. She declined, saying return of the grades is "not a good idea."

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Murray group's committee on feasibility of 7th and 8th grades reports on hard realities. Some future possibilities.:

Murray lacks space for extra grades

Hyde Park Herald, November 24, 2004. by Kiratiana E. Freelon

Murray Language Academy's effort to return its seventh and eight grand caught a snag last week when Middle School Prep committee chair Tracy McCann informed the local school council that the school lacks the room for two seventh and two eighth grade classrooms. Along with requesting the Chicago Public School's Board of Education to return the seventh and eighth grades, the committee will also have to request money to convert and old library and computer lab into classrooms.

"We would be asking for money on top of permission," McCann said. "Is that a battle we still want to take on?" McCann, a parent representative on the local school council, started the Middle School Prep committee to analyze the possibility of bringing back the seventh an eighth grades.

According to Principal Katherine Konopasek, Murray's population has increased by 180 students since the Murray building expanded two years ago. Murray housed one class per grade as a K-8 school four years ago. Now, as a K-6 Murray houses two classes per grade.

"I understand the parents' concern," said Konopasek. "But there is a bigger picture. The [Chicago Public School board] would have to sign off on it. There would be funding that would be needed from the board to the school to convert classrooms and we would need extra textbooks and furniture."

James Deanes, officer of schools and community Relations at CPS, said the committee might not have to ask CPS for additional money. Instead, the CPS department of demographics could help them conduct a comprehensive assessment of how they are using the building to make sure they are making the best use of the space their have.

But before they even reach that point, the committee must determine what they want, Deanes said. Then the committee, with the help of CPS, should determine the impact of their want on other schools in Hyde Park. If the parents still want to return the seventh and eighth grades, that could affect the other schools in the middle school cluster, Deanes said. He said he's never seen such a large board policy [like establishing a middle school for Hyde Park] that affects several schools reversed for one school. Deanes added, however, that his department will work with the committee to help it accomplish its goals.

McCann wants the seventh and eighth grades returned to Murray and said she will research the issue to meet the best needs of the parents. "The LSC will not make a decision on it until parents really want it, considering everything, she said.

Despite the costs, Jules Packnett, a parent of a fifth grader, said he still wants Murray's seventh an eighth grades to return. "It will be at least four years before Canter [receives a new addition]," Packnett said. "We have to start putting [down] the force now."

Last year, only one Murray student enrolled in Canter middle school. Parents cited Canter's shaky start and physical condition as reasons for their resistance to the school. Fourth Ward Ald. Toni Preckwinkle announced in October the 534d Street Tax Increment financial District held enough money to begin preparations for a new Canter addition.

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Murray LSC votes to request CPS to restore 7th and 8th grades

Six council members on March 16 voted to make a formal request to restore the grades, 4 abstained, none opposed.

Hyde Park Herald, March 30, 2005. By Kiratiana E. Freelon

After three years of complaints over the grade transformation at Murray Language Academy... local school council parent representative Tracy McCann officially requested the Chicago Public Schools Board of Education to return the school's seventh and eighth grades at it meeting March 23.

"When the decision was made to make Murray a sixth grade school, the majority of the parents were against it," McCann said. Murray, along with Ray, Shoesmith and Bret Harte schools--dropped it seventh and eighth grades in 202 after Canter Middle School, 4959 S. Blackstone Ave., converted into Hyde Park's first neighborhood middle school. But Murray parents started to resist Canter because of a shaky start and subpar physical condition, they said.

McCann leads the council's middle school committee, whose goal is to evaluate the return of the seventh and eighth by the fall of 2006. The committee prepared a report, which McCann gave to the board during the meeting.

"That [Murray transformation] was born out of a great deal of public input and debate," said [CPS] board President Michael Scott. "I was hoping that it would all work out there."

Chief Educational Officer Barbara Eason-Watkins invited the Murray parents to a meeting at Canter Middle School, 4959 S. Blackstone Ave. "[Canter Principal] Dr [Carolyn] Epps is doing a great job and working in conjunction with the Kenwood seventh and eighth-grade magnet," Eason-Watkins said. "I think you would be surprised with what is going on there."

After the meeting McCann insisted that Murray parents were not trying t disparage Canter. "It's about what we can do at Murray," McCann said.

James Deanes, CPS director of local school councils and community relations, expect the board to make a decision after it analyzes the report and meets with the Murray parents, which may be by the next board meeting April 27. He doubted the board's willingness to return the Murray seventh and eighth grade. "That was a very controversial, long-fought battle and I don't know how willing the board is to just arbitrarily overturn it." Deanes said.

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April 2005: CPS tells Murray 7th, 8th gone for now

Hyde Park Herald, April 27, 2005. By Kiratiana E. Freelon

Chicago Public Schools informed the Herald Monday that Murray Language Academy's seventh and eighth grades would unlikely be reinstated in the near future. Area 15 Instructional Officer Virginia Vaske recounted a meeting last friday in which CPS Chief Education Officer Barbara Eason-Watkins informed Murray and Canter parents that returning the Murray seventh and eighth grades next year would affect the Canter program and the school board likes give new programs a least five years before instituting any dramatic changes.

"[Eason-Watkins] made it very clear that the community initiative that changed the Hyde Park elementary schools to only going to sixth grade needs to have additional time to show it can be a success, Vaske said. The meeting also served to highlight the positive developments at Canter Middle School, 4959 S. Blackstone Avenue. The school plans to start a new gifted program this fall and hopes to strengthen the Kenwood Academy High School and Canter relationship that allows Canter students to take classes at Kenwood. Kenwood also allows Canter to use its gym.

The school boasts a high-achieving science program; two of its eighth graders will participate in the state science fair next month. But some Murray parents still have doubts about the future. "I think this is a great plan for the five years down the road, but I am really concerned about how it is going to address the kids right now," said Murray local school council representative LaJoyce Hall. Hall said that she things Epps is doing a wonderful job at Canter and she would send her fifth grader to Canter as long a Epps still heads the school. "I think she is going great things with what the [board] is giving her," Hall said.

Murray local school council representative and middle school committee chair Tracy McCann, who [was waiting for?] parents to discuss the meeting[?].... Some Murray parents felt Canter lacked the resources it had been promised at its inception. Last year only one Murray sixth grader transitioned into Canter.

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