The University School, an oasis for troubled public high school students, is in danger of closing, according to long-time owner Nick Macol. From Linda Conner Lambeck, CT Post:
Jocksan Robledo, now 18, was a young man with a temper that kept him in a constant spiral of fights and suspensions at Harding High School. He was given three choices: He could stay at Harding on probation, go to jail, or go to The University School.
Robledo asked for two days to think about it. He decided to attend The University School.
“I honestly didn’t know what I was going to do. I was stuck between the three (choices). I decided to give this school a shot and it changed my life. It changed my attitude,” said Robledo.
But Robledo may soon have another choice to make. The 120-year-old private institution that runs two programs exclusively for city high school students is slated to close under the district’s reorganization plan.
Interim Schools Superintendent Paul Vallas wants to relocate the 39 students placed in The University School’s New Start alternative education program to a new afternoon alternative education program called “Twilight,” which would be based in the city’s three comprehensive high schools. New Start is an alternative education program designed to give high school students a clean slate and second chance at school success in a new setting.
Read more here.
In the article Paul Vallas is quoted, “All my high schools would love to pick and choose kids. I can’t have a program that basically decides which kids it will take not take,” he said. I wonder if that statement will hold true when his friends’ Charter Schools receive contracts to operate in Bridgeport?
Some damning commentary about Vallas in John Pelto’s recent opinion column. It can be accessed through a link at My Left Nutmeg. The more I read about this guy the less I like about him and his agenda.
*** Hope funds are found to keep it open ’cause it’s helped lots of people. *** HELP ***
Mr. Nicholas Macol was my sixth-grade teacher at Whittier School. Mr. Macol was the best teacher I ever had, it was more than just the “3Rs.” Mr. Macol really cared about his students, a lot of us lived in the PT Barnum Apartments right behind the Bridgeport City Dump and Mr. Macol was deeply concerned. He made learning fun and we knew he cared about us but he had a way that made us THINK. I wish Mr. Macol the best.