There are times when people believe that school visits by bigwigs is all for show and nothing really ever comes of it. That is not true. These are potentially life-changing moments that can put young people on trajectories they would not have even seen, much less thought possible.
Such was the visit of Chancellor Richard A. Carranza to the Boys & Girls High School Campus in September at the request of State Senator Velmanette Montgomery.
Below is a letter from Chancellor Carranza to Senator Montgomery regarding the results of that visit.
October 18, 2019
Dear Senator Montgomery,
Thank you for hosting and facilitating the meeting at Boys and Girls High School campus on September 26th. Your advocacy, along with that of the schools’ leadership and the broader community, is incredibly important and appreciated. Our schools do better when they have leaders like you at their side. As promised, I am sending this letter to update you on some of the items that we discussed.
During the meeting, a number of projects with potential capital needs were raised. The School Construction Authority (SCA) has informed me that their architects and engineers have visited the campus beginning on October 16th to assess the feasibility and cost of the following projects:
. Completion of a welding area
. General electrical upgrades throughout the school
. Upgrades to bleachers in both gyms
. Upgrade to track and field area, including the restrooms
My office, in partnership with the SCA, will follow up with you in November to discuss next steps and timelines.
During the meeting, concerns were also raised regarding the process for placing under-credited and over-age students at the schools on the campus. We believe that our schools should serve all of our students, and we also want to always make sure our enrollment processes are as easy as possible for our students, families and schools. Immediately after our meeting, members of the Office of the First Deputy Chancellor and the Office of Student Enrollment met to discuss the concerns raised. We are working on a comprehensive plan to improve this process and will be able to share that plan with you and the school by the end of October.
Thank you again for all you do for our schools and our students, and I look forward to continuing our discussion.
Sincerely,
Richard A. Carranza
Chancellor