EE.UU:Principal’s allies win LSC seats at George Washington HS

ChicagoSunTimes/17/04/2016/Por: Lauren Fitzpatrick

Resumen: El jueves, en lo que resultó ser una de las elecciones más reñidas de la
escuela en la ciudad, Arias volvió a ganar como representante de la
comunidad con 173 votos. Doce padres de George Washington High School compitieron por seis asientos
abiertos en el consejo encargados de la contratación y evaluación de
director de la escuela y la aprobación de su presupuesto. Ocho miembros de
la comunidad más competían por dos aberturas del consejo durante las
elecciones celebradas en Washington y el resto de las escuelas secundarias
de la ciudad. Varios padres que aprobaron los cambios
de la escuela durante los últimos cuatro años. Se han visto las mejoras: tasas de aceptación de la universidad y de asistencia están en alza, y Washington ha jactado tasa más alta del distrito «buy-in» – que significa
que atrae y mantiene un mayor porcentaje de estudiantes de los alrededores
del vecindario que cualquier otra escuela.

Noticia:

The last time Veronica Arias ran for Local School Council at George
Washington High School four years ago, she won a seat as a parent
representative with 39 votes.

On Thursday, in what turned out to be one of the most contested school
elections in the city, Arias won again as a community rep — with a whopping
173 votes.

Washington’s turnout was relatively high after the current LSC chair led
efforts to oust a popular principal — efforts that blew up at the school’s
public meetings. Tina Perez and allies declined to renew Principal Kevin
Gallick’s contract. Many credited Gallick and his team with leading vast
improvement efforts at the school, which is a stone’s throw from the
Indiana border.

Students protested at those meetings and inside the school.

“I think the community heard it,” Arias said. “The community heard it and
the community wanted to make sure the kids were taken care of.”

Twelve parents of George Washington High School competed for six open seats
on the council tasked with hiring and evaluating the school’s principal and
approving its budget. Eight more community members vied for two council
openings during elections held at Washington and the rest of the city’s
high schools. That’s in a year when many of CPS’ schools failed to attract
enough candidates at all for the school-level elections.

Well aware of the situation, CPS also sent an election monitor to the
school, the district confirmed.

Some parents allegedly wanted to contest the results, but as of Friday, CPS
hadn’t received any official complaints.

Perez retained her seat with the fifth-largest number of votes — 83 — but
apparently has lost her majority, as well as enough supporters to form a
quorum by themselves. She did not return a message seeking comment.

At least one of her teacher allies was defeated and replaced by one of the
principal’s most ardent supporters. Several parents who approved of the
school’s changes over the past four years won or kept the other places.

Arias has seen the improvements over the past several years.

College acceptance and attendance rates are up, and Washington has boasted
the district’s highest “buy-in” rate — that means it attracts and keeps a
higher percentage of students from the surrounding neighborhood than any
other school.

Gallick’s contract has not been renewed. He couldn’t be reached for
comment. If no one is hired by July 1, when new LSC members take office,
CPS will make an appointment to head the school.

Fuente:
chicago.suntimes.com/news/principals-allies-win-lsc-seats-at-george-washington-hs/