Copy of Communication to DCSD Central Office

In response to the continued holding pattern I reported last evening, the following email was sent to DCSD School Choice administration, Evansdale's Regional Superintendent (Cynthia Brictson), and Dr. Jose Boza (who facilitated Evansdale's focus groups).  This email was sent from my personal account and was not an official School Council communication.  I provide this information here to facilitate full disclosure of my interactions with the central office on this matter.

Begin copied communication:

Good evening,

My original email appears below.  I had been assured by Ms. Copeland that an update would be available by today, Monday, February 4, 2013.  As a reminder, the proposal has now been in the central office for 8 weeks, and open enrollment starts in less than one week.  Ms. Copeland called me late this afternoon to indicate that no decision had been reached yet. 

Our School Council meets tomorrow at 5 PM.  I anticipate a very large community turn out at this meeting as they are expecting an answer on this subject.  It will be an embarrassment to both DCSD and Evansdale if a decision has not been reached prior to that meeting.  This decision will have substantial repercussions for our community regardless of the direction of the outcome.  It is extremely disrespectful of the families who currently attend Evansdale, whether in-district or at-large, and those planning for next year, to withhold this decision for such an extended period of time without even an attempt to engage in a dialogue.  The complete disregard DCSD has shown for the families who committed their time and input during the process, Dr. Boza who facilitated, Evansdale teachers who submitted input, and our school Principal who managed and coordinated the focus group event, is a travesty.  We came together as a community to provide a solution, and the process within the central office has been devoid of dialogue, efficiency or transparency. 

I look forward and hope for a response tomorrow, but given past history, admit I am not optimistic that anything beyond another delay will be shared with the Evansdale community.  The speculation among the families in our community has been that DCSD will simply ignore our request until it is too late to act, and it appears that this may be precisely the case.  In fact, many were reluctant to engage in the extensive process last fall because of the absence of faith in the central office of DCSD.  I did not share this opinion and trusted in the process.  I  believed that with the extensive course of action we undertook to design and vet the proposal, that surely DCSD central office would recognize our efforts and act in the best interests of our school.  I am shocked and dismayed to see that the distrust that runs rampant among DCSD constituents is founded in reality.  I had expected much more from DCSD despite all evidence to the contrary.  I truly hope that you will choose to engage our administration in a dialogue prior to the School Council meeting at 5 PM tomorrow.  For the past five months we have been asking for the DCSD central office to work with us to a resolution of this very important challenge to our school.  I hope that our efforts have not been completely in vain.  I remain available to discuss our proposed changes, or the underlying issues, with any member of the DCSD central office or Board of Education.

Best Regards,

Gretchen Neigh