A New Year Brings New Hopes
As we enter a new year, I’d like to thank the dozens of volunteers and hundreds of supporters that contributed to making 2008 a very intense and thriving year for the Key Biscayne High School initiative. Thanks to them, and the numerous activities they supported, we made history with the Islander News proclaiming the initiative “2008 Newsmaker of the year” in its December 31 edition.
We have just left behind the most challenging and exciting year in the decades-old pursue of a quality high school for the children of our community. From the hiring of world renowned consultants by the Village in early 2008, to the exclusion of the high school in the CIP draft in late 2008, the initiative experienced many hopes and disappointments. Perhaps the filing of the charter school application on August 1, and its unwarranted withdrawal on September 9, respectively marked the peak and valley of the journey.
The school initiative made significant progress throughout 2008. We learned: (1) that we pay over $51 M in taxes to the School Board each year, yet M-DCPS uses a miniscule fraction of that money to operate the deteriorating KB K-8 Center; (2) how best practices in education and facilities design can be applied to our community to create a world-class high school – perhaps one of the best in the country; (3) about municipal charter schools, the process of filing an application, and of how many other municipalities are enjoying the benefits of local control of schooling - and keeping more of their tax-dollars at work for their communities; (4) how the school facilities would only take 20,0000 to 25,000 sq. ft. at most, and easily housed within our Village; (5) how this multi-purpose facility - hosting the school in the mornings during school year - could become the pride of our community as a lifelong learning center - operating 365 days a year and offering arts, cultural and recreational programs for residents of all ages.
Most importantly, we learned we can make it possible without raising taxes, while obtaining tangible benefits – civic, cultural, social and economic – to all residents and local businesses.
2009 holds many hopes. We hope: (1) our elected representatives will exercise their leadership and whole-heartedly steer the community to expeditiously define “how” we can implement the charter school within our Village – working with volunteers of the advocacy group and other community members willing to devote their time and effort; (2) these same officials will look beyond individual preferences and believes, respecting constituents with a conviction in their right to a quality public K – 12 education in their communities in return for the taxes they already pay; (3) a planning phase is initiated in early January that will allow the filing of a charter school application by this summer, and the opening of the school in the 2010 – 2011 school year.
At the same time, 2009 brings some fears. We fear: (1) 2009 may become one more year of empty political statements and dilatory tactics disguised as cautionary tales; (2) some residents without a need for a high school may not envision the benefits of a lifelong learning center – as some did not see it at the time the Village Green or Community Center were being discussed.
As we enter the promising 2009, we’ll increase our advocacy efforts and trust the hopes are realized. I encourage all residents to work together, as a united community, to overcome the fears and address the opportunity of giving our 3,000 plus children – without the right to cast a vote - the choice of attending a world-class high school in their community.
The school and lifelong learning center will bring educational excellence to Key Biscayne. A school we can call our own, a source of pride for students and all residents, and a financially responsible gift that will be treasured by future generations.
Thank you.
Angel Martin
