www.KeepTravisOpen.com

Keep Travis Open Community Group is a grassroots organization based in San Antonio, Tx. We're advocating for a college prep academy for our elementary students for fall 2008.

It all started back on Feb. 4, when parents, teachers, and the community heard on the news that 6 schools were on a proposed closing list. The reasons given ~ declining enrollment & limited resources ($$).One week later (Feb. 11) our school had it's meeting with the superintendent. Two weeks later (Feb. 25) the board voted to close the schools.

They didn't give us enough time to address the situation or fix it. They also NEVER came for community input on such an important matter. It was as if they already knew what they would do and it didn't matter what the public wanted. Does that seem right to you?

We organized as quickly as we could and were able to get an amendment made on our behalf. This amendment allows Travis Elementary to continue on as a college prep academy. Sounds good, doesn't it?

The problem is that now our Superintendent Robert Duron and a few members of the board feel that it would be best to place a high school in our campus. A high school in an elementary school. Can you imagine high school kids on those itty bitty potties? or sitting in those itty bitty chairs? lol

But remember what I wrote earlier ~ the two reasons for closing our school were declining enrollment and limited resources ($$). Well, if that were true, would it make sense to send 312 elementary students away only to bring in 60 high school kids?

Not to mention the fact that this district already has 8 high schools and each and every one of them a magnet school. The high schools truly do have a problem with declining enrollment. But to start this new high school they will be taking kids from those 8 schools to start a 9th. Doesn't that seem to make the problem of declining enrollment worse?

And let's talk about money. This elementary school has been around for 110 years. It's always been an elementary school. The district will have to spend money (that they say they don't have) to completely redo the bathrooms, to completely furnish the classrooms, and to create a high school library. Does this make any sense if you say you have no money????

You can help us by checking out our website www.KeepTravisOpen.com and writing the trustees and telling them that this community, this neighborhood NEEDS a college prep academy for elementary students!

Thank You!