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SANTA FE PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Elementary Garden's Future Draws Concern

Posted on: Thursday, 16 March 2006, 09:00 CST

By John Sena, The Santa Fe New Mexican

Mar. 16--The garden at E.J. Martinez Elementary taught Marita Prandoni's children about leadership skills and teamwork. But now she's worried other kids won't get the same lesson. Prandoni has a daughter in the school's fourth grade and a son who attended when he was younger. Both have worked in the school's vegetable garden. The school district plans to relocate a kindergarten playground to where the garden has sat for about nine years. The garden might be moved or eliminated. "It's a total tragedy if it gets removed," Prandoni said, "and if it's moved, it will need serious resuscitation." Prandoni is one of many parents who called school-board members or district officials since finding out the garden might be on the chopping block. The calls paid dividends Tuesday when the school board tabled approving the plans until they heard from parents at a meeting scheduled for today. Miguel Castillo, who has two children at the school, said he's concerned that parents were not kept in the loop about the proposed changes, which also include a remodeled kitchen, renovated classrooms, installing new carpet and tile in classrooms and making changes to the school's parking lot. "They're not consulting with the people who are the real stakeholders," Castillo said. "The garden, that's the most egregious thing. That's the one that pulled on so many heartstrings." Gary Echeagary with Harris Consultants, which is planning the project, said plans to change the school's parking lot require moving the kindergarten playground. Planning standards for Santa Fe Public Schools note that kindergarten playgrounds must be separate from the playground of other students and directly accessible from classrooms. Because the garden sits near an entrance to the school's kindergarten classrooms and is sheltered from wind by the gymnasium, it makes a good spot for the kindergarten playground, Deputy Superintendent Bobbie Gutierrez said. Echeagary said Harris Consultants would help relocate the garden if parents and officials agree to it, but Prandoni said moving the garden away from a horno, banco and tile fresco that were built around the garden would take away from the garden's aesthetic quality. Gutierrez said she understands parents' concerns and conceded there was a misunderstanding in the planning process. Gutierrez said she and board President Mary Ellen Gonzales will be at tonight's meeting to hear concerns. The meeting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. in the school's library . Contact John Sena at 995-3812 or jsena@sfnewmexican.com.

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Copyright (c) 2006, The Santa Fe New Mexican

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Source: The Santa Fe New Mexican

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