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Teachers Turn to Fund-Raising to Fix Crumbling New Orleans' Schools

Posted on: Monday, 22 August 2005, 03:01 CDT

Three days remain before New Orleans Public Schools start, ending a summer marked by school closings, the threat of teacher layoffs and a grim probe into dire financial circumstances.

But NOPS principals and teachers have already put a lot of their own time and money into readying their schools for students.

Across the district, principals talk about buying floor wax for their schools, asking teachers to fix crumbling structures in the building and fund-raising for other items.

It's very odd and it's very sad that that has to happen, said Sajan George, managing director for Alvarez & Marsal and chief operating officer for the school district. I understand why they're doing it but the reality is that principals shouldn't have to fund- raise for basic supplies, whether they're cleaning supplies or anything else. I'm not blaming the principals, they're trying to get schools ready and not waiting for the system, but it saddens me that they have to do that.

A total of $15 million is budgeted annually for cleaning supplies and custodial workers for the 120 schools in the district, according to George. When asked if that was enough, George said he's assessing that right now. Everything is being reviewed and analyzed.

George said an outside vendor, A Minority Entity Services Inc. of Norco, is responsible for supplying cleaning supplies and floor wax to the schools.

Have they done so in a timely manner? No they haven't. It's one of the issues we're working through with the vendor, George said. He has been meeting with AME representatives for nearly a month and will meet again today.

AME President and Chief Executive Officer Burnell Moliere, said the company has never been late delivering supplies. He said the school district owes the company $1.5 million for work already completed through July.

Despite the debt dispute, AME officials say they will handle their obligations.

We have been cleaning the schools since 1999, Moliere said. The schools have always, without fail, been ready for opening day.

But as of last week, with less than seven days before school begins, George said only a little more than two-thirds or about 80 of the 120 schools in the district were ready for school.

To bolster the efforts of businesses such as AME, help for opening day has come from unusual places.

Joseph S. Clark Senior High School Principal Collins Woods said his Treme-area school raised about $15,000 for cleaning supplies, new carpet, flooring, new school signs, two-way radios and professional development. The school raised the money through district donations, school alumni and the parent-teacher-student organization.

Tulane University also donated about $1,000 to paint the inside of the school bright red, pink and teal.

The look and feel of a school sets the atmosphere. The school has to be a conducive environment for students, Woods said. I think most principals would be ill advised if they didn't go in and do some of these things. I did those things to move in a positive flow.

But national educators say it's not normal.

That level would be unusual, said Bruce Hunter, associate executive director for the Arlington, Va.-based American Association of School Administrators. In most of America, it would be part of the school budget. It's not unheard of - there are other places in America where schools are badly funded - but it's not common. It says something really nice about teachers and principals in New Orleans that they're willing to go the extra mile for the kids.

(Copyright 2005 Dolan Media Newswires)

Source: New Orleans CityBusiness

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