Supporters Turn Out for North High

Post and videos by the Hawthorne Hawkman

Due to another hearing I was at, I missed both the rally and the first part of the School Board meeting.  I captured as much of it as possible and will share that on my Youtube channel and NXNS.  In the videos above, Superintendent Johnson lays out her proposal for a new North High.  The big question marks come surrounding the external consultant who will help develop a plan, and the "design team."  Who will those people be, and how will they be selected?  Can these people be put in place in a way that builds and repairs community trust?

Those clips are somewhat dry, but the fireworks REALLY got started with the public comments...

Reactions from Johnson's New North High Proposal

Post and photo by the Hawthorne Hawkman

I'm guessing by now most everyone reading NXNS has heard Superintendent Johnson's proposal to continue with a phasing out of North High, take a year off to develop a new model, and re-open a new North High in 2012.  (although not necessarily in the same building; we'll get to that)  In looking at chatter on Facebook, the Strib, and elsewhere, reactions to the plan are varied - ranging from calls for a failing school to be shut down immediately to feelings that this "plan" has nothing of substance that is different than Johnson's original proposition.

While my initial response did not embody such extremes, it was still mixed.  My first thought upon hearing Johnson's new idea was, "This might be as good of a deal as we're going to get."  My SECOND thought was...