Last in a series
Re “Look Who Has Approval – Culver Park”
If you compare the Chosen Bungalow that will be the new home of Culver Park High School next week with the two smaller bungalows discarded in mid-summer, School District Supt. Dave LaRose was saying, the new portable was in better condition from the start.
“A new roof was installed fairly recently and there was an exterior paint job,” he said. “This space actually has a restroom in it for the students, whereas before, we were going to have something external. That, in itself, is more positive.”
A month ago when Mr. LaRose arrived from the Northwest to begin his new position, he unexpectedly encountered a huge facilities mess for the continuation school that seemed to also catch holdover employees off-guard. The portable buildings that were loudly billed as Culver Park’s new home embarrassingly turned out to be well below state standards, which the previous administration ignored or resisted before departing.
Since Aug. 1, Mr. LaRose’s messages about Culver Park have been urgently upbeat. No section of the school community has needed a backpat more.
Overhauling the Outlook
Accessible daily and as fresh as chilled milk just delivered to your front porch, the Superintendent has sprayed sunshine and effectively drowned out a growing cancer of pessimism.
Five minutes after unpacking, Mr. LaRose shifted his unswerving attention to the Culver Park emergency as the third and largest portable in the parking lot behind Farragut Elementary was hurriedly renovated.
“Our emphasis,” said Mr. LaRose, “has been on cleanliness, upkeep, some of the aesthetics around a positive, clean teaching and learning environment. We will be supplementing it with office space that will have restrooms and a staff lounge. Those will be essential to creating a school environment.”
What are the principal differences between the Chosen Bungalow and the two smaller ones that failed health and safety standards?
“Admittedly, with my role and my timing, it was letting go” of the portables identified as Nos. 2 and 3. “I am speaking in generalities because I didn’t spend much time with 2 and 3. I can tell you on my walkthroughs that visually, you can see a more attractive, appealing facility.
“The way we are creating office space, with a courtyard, benches, tables and umbrellas for our students, these are just part of our upgrade. (Asst. Supt.) Eileen (Carroll) is working with a parent group on beautification. (New Principal) Veronica (Montes) has done a great job with walkthroughs and advocacy for her campus to make sure this is a place they can call their own for 2012 and 2013. She has been communicating with them.
“As I shared before, I have sent a message to staff, an intimate staff that is working with a very special population of our students…I definitely want to connect with them.
“Hopefully, we will be welcoming them to a campus they can start to feel good about.
“We will acknowledge if there have been mistakes in communication and we will be thoughtful about what we do long-term.”
