It's not my intention to discuss the politics of STPS.
The complex physics of the lives affected is more important to me as a resident of Tower Grove South than the math of STPS bottom line. I also concerned about a mammoth building being shuttered in TGS but that's at the bottom of my list.
There's 250 students at Mann which is operating at capacity.
I asked Mann principal, Brian Zimmerman about the number of children living in TGS: 200 and for 52% of them English is a second language.
These children are from refugee families where the parents speak less English than their children. Who will advocate for these families? Who will explain to them the complex politics involved in their neighborhood school closing? And, what will the impact of the shuttered building have on Tower Grove South?
Concerned with these issues, The TGS Block Captain Steering Committee (a group of five volunteers here in TGS) are holding an open meeting at Mann School on Monday, Feb. 23 at 7 PM.
Speakers:
Brian Zimmerman, principal of Mann
Andrew Gondzur, President, PTO Mullanphy School and TGS block Captain Coordinator
Chad Beffa
Holly Knights of Urban Future, a program housed within Mann School.
Ariel Burgess. Director of Resettlement, International Institute.
15th Ward Alderwoman Jennifer Florida.
Michael Allen of the Ecology of Absence blog: http://ecoabsence.blogspot.com/ (the only blog I make the time to read)
Unconfirmed Speakers:
Mayor Slay
Cara Jensen of OPEN SLPS
Please join us at this meeting,:
Feb. 23 at 7 PM at Mann school gym (on the east end of the building).
On a recent visit to Mann I found a copy of the original plans by Ittner. What I like best about Mann School is the two copper vents on the roof. They serve to cool the building in the summer and vent the boiler in the winter. One hundred years after being built they are sill functional.
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