New Haven Independent

Posted by: Sick of it all | December 17, 2009 2:33 PM

How about giving this a rest? Some of us are actually moving on physically, mentally and/or emotionally. Facts are facts-the school has been built, those who opposed it are out some serious money, neighbors hate one another. ENOUGH!!!

Posted by: Leslie Blatteau | December 17, 2009 2:57 PM

Why is it that the one predominantly white neighborhood in New Haven (East Rock) has a "neighborhood school"? Are there any other "neighborhood schools" in our city? How are these schools and their respective student bodies configured?

Posted by: Eld Streeter | December 17, 2009 2:58 PM

Quote: "Everit Street neighbor Mark Wuest criticized the city�s handling of the issue. He said he has no problem with kids walking to school, but fears an influx of traffic on his residential street.

'We have been given no assurances that the issue of vehicular traffic has or will be addressed in any meaningful way,� Wuest wrote in an email message.' "

Wow, Mark Wuest [...] didn't seem to have a problem with contributing to that influx of traffic [from the Hooker swing space], which ALL went down our residential Eld St.(which will never be the case for Everit).

Why do some of these Everit Street people think that they are so special?

Posted by: Norton Street | December 17, 2009 3:42 PM

Leslie,
Is that a serious question?
My understanding is that there are two kinds of schools: public and private. Within public schools there are two types: magnet and neighborhood.
Here are some of the neighborhood schools:
Clarence Rogers-West Rock
Katherine Brennan-West Rock
Beecher-Beaver Hills
James Hillhouse-West Side
Lincoln-Bassett-Newhallville
Wexler/Grant-Dixwell
Troup-Edgewood
Wilbur Cross (even though it acts kind of like a magnet, its not)-East Side
John C. Daniels-Hill north
Hill Central-Hill
Truman-Hill
John S. Martinez-Fair Haven south
Columbus-Fair Haven west
Fair Haven Middle-Fair Haven east
Strong-Fair Haven east
Clinton Avenue-Fair Haven north
Bishop Woods-Quinnipiac Meadows
Rose/Woodward-Quinnipiac Meadows
Nathan Hale-East Shore/Morris Cover

A lot of schools are broken up into k-4, 5-8, 8-12 with some variations.

Posted by: streever | December 17, 2009 3:51 PM

this is a win for the neighborhood. Thanks Justin.

I suggest that the school ask the NHPD to do targeted enforcement occassionally: getting a 100 dollar ticket even once should scare most parents who abuse the system.

Posted by: sjbj | December 17, 2009 4:03 PM

Actually, Hillhouse, Daniels, Martinez, and Ross/Woodward are all magnet schools. See: http://www.nhps.net/magnets.
There are several other neighborhood schools in the city, including some in neighborhoods that are not predominantly white. And, btw, East Rock is not the only predominantly white neighborhood in New Haven. How about we stick to discussing the real problems New Haven and its school have, rather than creating a false debate about only neighboorhood schools and only predominantly white neighborhoods?

Posted by: teachergal | December 17, 2009 4:12 PM

Since Hooker is a neighborhood school, there will be hardly any buses — just a special education bus and two smaller buses.

I'm with Lesley, why is this a small neighborhood school in a predominantly white/Yale bred neighborhood. And only 3 buses, are you kidding me? No wonder it is New Haven's best kept secret and no one can get in from out of district but can get in all of the other schools without a problem.

Norton Street...i personally know for a fact that one of the neighborhood schools you are talking about is not and buses from several districts of the city.

And Everit Street dwellers, get over it, 3 buses????you really got too much time on your hands!

Posted by: jawbone | December 17, 2009 4:12 PM

Parents will drop off by vehicle on Everit; better get used to it.
Elicker came to this throw-down a little late. He deserves some, but not much, credit. Brison deserves none.
Leslie Blatteau, Hooker is the most diverse elementary school in the city. Children from over 30 different countries go to school there. East Rock is far from being predominantly white. The check out line at Nica's is another story, though.

Posted by: neighborhood and magnet schools | December 17, 2009 5:04 PM

Leslie - I am not sure why you pose the question about neighborhood but you can look at list of magnet schools on the website. As I recall Justin Elicker had an interest in the question of neighborhood schools when he ran.

Some correction to Norton St. The following are magnet schools
Beecher
Troup
John C. Daniels
John S. Martinez
Rose/Woodward

The system has moved to pre-K to 8 except for Betsy Ross. A few of the elementary schools have a split (as Hooker does) into pre-K-4, 5-8

What concerns me is that more of our children cannot walk to all New Haven schools.

Posted by: emm | December 17, 2009 5:25 PM

Hooker is really the only true neighborhood school within the New Haven public school district. Speaking from first hand experience, many of the students who attend the New Haven school I work at DO NOT live in the defined area of the city as stated by Norton Street. I know this to be the case with several other non-magent "neighborhood" schools in the district as well.

Posted by: Mark Wuest | December 17, 2009 5:48 PM

Eld Streeter...please identify yourself. You obviously know who I am, just as you apparently know all about my children. You must also know that my wife and I have been long time supporters of Worthington Hooker School and especially the new facility on Whitney Avenue.

Yes my kids were dropped off at the St. Stan's facilities, a location which has housed a large church and school for years and is located well beyond the walking distance for most 3-6th graders living in the East Rock community. Any school or church traffic on Eld Street has been there off an on for years and like it or not, people decide to live on Eld Street knowing what the traffic situation is. The situation on Everit Street is quite different.

Prior to the announcement that Hooker School was going to locate on the Whitney Avenue site, Everit St. was a quiet residential street. There was no commercial or institutional traffic regularly using the street. While the Whitney Avenue site was being designed, parents, teachers, administrators all agreed with neighbors involved with the project that any future vehicular traffic associated with the school on Everit was not desirable in order to preserve the residential character of the street. As such, the building was designed with its front door and drive-way on Whitney Avenue. Knowing the broad consensus on traffic issues and the supposed desire by all parties to keep the residential character of Everit Street intact, Eld Streeter, you probably also know, that my wife and I bought a house on Everit Street, very near the new school.

I and my neighbors are hardly special as you suggest and I have no idea why you seem to harbor such disdain for those of us who try to maintain the charm and character of our East Rock streets and neighborhoods by questioning the city leaders when they make decisions without widely consulting with those of us most directly impacted by their actions.

Posted by: Norton Street | December 17, 2009 5:52 PM

SJBJ,
Thanks for the link, I gave up rather quickly trying to find the info and just did the list from memory, but regardless of the irrelevant accuracy in this case, the point was that there are many neighborhood schools (maybe I should have just said that?)

Is the last picture in this article the finished rear facade of this building? If so, I hope parents don't mind that their children will be attending a prison.

Posted by: East Rockette | December 17, 2009 6:50 PM

I'm very glad to hear about the plans for a walking-bus, and look forward to hearing more.

The back-gate policy puts those of who have children at the school AND friends who live on Everit St in a funny position. I'm trying to figure out if I will be "allowed" to drive up Everit St, park the car outside a friend's place, walk a child to or from the school gate, and then visit friends for coffee??

Funnily enough one of the nicest things about living on the same street as the school has been the social aspect, of which the trickle of traffic has been just one element. Perhaps as the demographics change on Everit, the same will come to seem true up there.

Posted by: streever | December 17, 2009 9:11 PM

Eld street, I understand your feelings about the gate, but think it's a bit unfair to target Mr Wuest. His side loss & yours won: there is no need to be a sore winner & target him from behind an anonymous name! At least use your name if you are going to pick on someone who isn't even an elected official in any way, just a working dad who lives in--roughly--your neighborhood.

Posted by: EVST Yimby | December 18, 2009 12:20 AM

Streever wrote: "I suggest that the school ask the NHPD to do targeted enforcement occasionally: getting a 100 dollar ticket even once should scare most parents who abuse the system."

Ticket for what exactly 'Streever'? ...

The truth is that there IS no relevant law or precedent--we Everit Street residents are free to legally drive down and park on any other public street when ever we please just as all my fellow citizens are free to legally drive down and park on Everit Street when ever they so choose.

Needless to say, the remaining, what, 40% of the school children who need to be dropped off from out of district; Beaver Hill, Dixwell, Newhallville, Fair Haven, Eastshore, Hill South, Downtown, Hill North, Dwight/Chapel or Westville, are certainly more than welcome on 'our' public street.

Peace on Earth and Good Will toward all People.

Posted by: Mark Wuest | December 18, 2009 7:33 AM

Thank you "Streever" (who ever you are) for standing up for a more transparent on-line discussion, but the issue is not whether my side lost or the other side won but rather how the City made the decision.

As is, we have an Alderman who has said that the School will post a guard at the gate to keep traffic from becoming an issue (the City does not have money for police, garbage pick-up or teachers and they now want to hire guards to enforce a poorly conceived policy?). We have a school administrator who is saying that there may not be money to hire a guard. And even if the city can get the story straight, what is the guard actually going to do? Arrest people? That is the problem, no one has said what they will do when parents do what is easiest, avoid the traffic on Whitney Avenue and decide to drop their kids off at the Everit Street gate. So much for safe-streets, when that first child runs out into the street to hop into a double parked car.

The School has ignored the recommendations of the very committee (SBBAC) appointed by the Mayor to assist in the design of the school; a committee whose efforts on the behalf of the school and neighbors were intended to assure that the millions of dollars of tax payer moneys were spent in a way that solves the programatic needs of the school and community.

As now contemplated by the City and School, traffic will build on what until now was a quiet residential street as parents drop their children off at a gate which will permit them to walk past the garbage bins for the school and the driveway off Whitney Avenue that was designed for just that purpose. I had actually looked forward to having the School as a neighbor, but instead, I am upset at the City for wasting my tax dollars and for making programatic changes to a community project without adequately consulting the community the project serves.

Posted by: streever | December 18, 2009 8:15 AM

EVST Yimby:
Double parking?

If the drop-off problem is as severe as the neighbors think,I can't imagine the cars will be able to park nicely. I'm sure people will double park, just like they do on Audubon for the Neighborhood Music School.

Alternatively, the city could just make it a no-parking zone in front of the gate & give out tickets for that. Lots of options.

Mark, of course it's a more complex issue, sorry to boil it down: it just felt like Eld Street was taking a cheap shot and it felt like a bit of poor sportsmanship. Streever is my real name buy the way--I live on Avon street.

Posted by: Mark Wuest | December 18, 2009 9:17 AM

Streever...thanks. As “Eld Streeter” has no problem trashing people anonymously, or publicly discussing the private educational choices my wife and I made regarding our children, he or she may also know that Avon Street is where the Wuest’s started our family here in New Haven.

Get well.

Posted by: Correction | December 18, 2009 10:18 AM

Evst YIMBY:

Got news for ya....Ever try to park on St. Ronan without a parking permit? We are NOT able to park freely everywhere in New Haven. What planet are you from anyway?

Posted by: ELD STREETER | December 18, 2009 10:33 AM

Mr. Wuest- I hope your children can continue to enjoy traveling to their school, all the way across town and back, on all of our quiet residential streets, past the charm and character of all those other people's homes.

I'm not attempting to 'trash' you but I am questioning what appears to be hypocritical nimbyism.

Again, major concessions have already been made to you and your neighbours-with driveway access now blocked off from Everit St. most of the children that need to be dropped off will do so from Whitney but you will probably get a few that are dropped off from time to time at the back gate. No one is suggesting that parents break the law by double parking like on Loomis Place at Foote etc, (projects ignored by activist-brown nosers?) but you can't prevent people from driving down and parking legally on Everit.

We are fortunate to be able to walk or bike most of the time but what COULD work for all is that the Everit residents reasonably live with a few short drop offs.

Posted by: Ree | December 18, 2009 10:36 AM

Teachergal, I assume that you live/work outside of the Hooker district? This school is too small to take all of the kids who live in the East Rock neighborhood so almost half are in the East Rock Magnet district. Even kids who live on the same street go to a different school. Avon Street from Orange to Livingston is in the Hooker district, Avon from Orange to Foster is in the East Rock Magnet district. Yet when you look at the directory, there are quite a few kids from way out of the district who go there. Quinnipiac Ave, Fountain St, Sherman Ave etc aren't in the Hooker district yet there are kids who live there who attend Hooker school. Hooker is not the elitist school you seem to be trying to make it out to be. It's just too small to take in as many out of district kids as other schools may be able to while maintaining enough spaces for the kids who actually live in East Rock.

Posted by: Consider the Content | December 18, 2009 11:30 AM

Streever, regarding commenters who wish to remain anonymous, most of the comments on the NHI are made anonymously as per the rules designed for this website, and for obvious reasons. From what I've read on this site, including the opinions of others, you seem to continuously attempt to control debates by smearing fellow citizens with your cheap anonymity shot whenever it suits your agenda or when you disagree with an opinion.

Given what I've read, I'd personally be more prone to consider the content of your posts if they were made anonymously.

Posted by: streever | December 18, 2009 11:48 AM

"hypocritical nimbyism":

Inaccurate. You are engaging in a logical fallacy, painting Wuest as a hypocrite because he didn't stand up for your rights. No one complained about drop-offs before, so Wuest did not ignore complaints.

This is like saying that I'm a hypocrite for not donating to the homeless shelters 3 years ago but doing it for the last 2 and asking others to join me.

The only way Wuest would be a hypocrite is if he came out IN FAVOR of drop-offs in front of Eld despite neighborhood protest. He did not.

All he is saying is that the city needs to do more to address the issue. Has he ever contradicted his thought on this? No, because he's never stated it before, nor does he (apparently) live in a way which does contradict it.

You are trashing him--unfairly, unwarranted, and illogically. I'm opposed to the gate being closed, but I'm also opposed to your conduct--there is no need to paint people who disagree with you as hypocrites and jerks.

your particular claim (hypocrite) is not accurate in any sense of the definition of hypocrite: Wuest is not enjoying some special benefit, as far as you know, unless you had asked him not to drop his kids off on Eld Street and he continued to.

If I'm wrong, please explain in what way he is a hypocrite.

Posted by: EVST YIMBY | December 18, 2009 11:58 AM

Correction wrote: "Got news for ya....Ever try to park on St. Ronan without a parking permit? We are NOT able to park freely everywhere in New Haven. What planet are you from anyway?"

Can't we get through this with out the usual spin? I'm from the planet where we were discussing the issue of quickly dropping children off at their school, not extended parking. There are no Parking Permits presently required to park on Everit.

Re St Ronan, people don't get ticketed for dropping off children at the Bethesda School etc.

Posted by: City Hall Watch | December 18, 2009 12:01 PM

Wuest:

I agree with you in regard to how the city makes decisions and its lack of respect for the people directly affected by its decisions. We are nearly always the last consulted and our advice, nearly all of the time is routinely ignored. Of course, they don't mind raising our taxes to pay for those same decisions and never take our advice on that either.

A small fact, oft ignored, is the cost of these schools. $36.5 million was spent for a school housing less than 300 students. That comes out to $128,500 per student. That is a stunning number.

Posted by: Mark Wuest | December 18, 2009 12:23 PM

Eld Streeter, Let’s be clear, my neighbors and I know that the streets are public places and we welcome all who would like to visit the street where we have chosen to live. We only ask that when doing so you obey traffic laws just as we respect the same laws on your street.

Although I disagree with the decision by the School and City to allow access to the School from Everit Street, I do so not as so called nimby, but as a citizen who is concerned about the process by which the school has decided to disregard previous commitments it had made during the design of the school.

The Whitney Avenue site was a compromise, compromise is inevitable in an urban environment. But the Whitney Avenue site was the best location for the school given the other alternatives which would have necessitated destroying homes or places of business, or locating it so far away from the existing school that walking would not have been an option for most students. It was in that spirit of compromise that the project was designed in the way it was…with both pedestrian and vehicular access from Whitney Avenue. You suggest that major concessions were made, well if traffic from the school onto a residential street is that concession, I suggest that was done to promote the very concept of safe streets that others on this discussion promote. There was never a driveway blocked off as Eld Streeter suggests unless one includes the curb cut for a derelict 2 car garage which sat at the northeast corner of the property prior to the renovations and construction of the new school.

For the school administration to unilaterally decide that the property will now include pedestrian access from Everit Street without a clear process to prevent vehicular traffic from becoming an issue, is my complaint. A poorly made decision by the school which disregards the commitments it had made previously will inevitably lead to a less than desirable outcome.

Posted by: wait | December 18, 2009 12:48 PM

It seems as though much of the angst is left over from everything that happened in the process of getting the school built. How about waiting to see if the number of cars using the back entrance really is excessive and then work on a solution if necessary? I live on a street pretty darn close to the 'back' of a school where there are a lot of drop offs each day. Yes, people park in front of my house, more cars go by than usual but in the end the amount of activity is probably one hour out of the day - at most. I understand the argument that the activity level on Everit street will change and be different from what it was before, but maybe, just maybe, it won't be as bad as you think.

Posted by: outsider | December 18, 2009 1:03 PM

Leslie/teachergal, in a city as wonderfully diverse as new haven there are bound to be a few predominately white schools, some predominately black, or hispanic, and probably a number of mixed schools (predominately does not mean entirely). It sounds to me like this school is fairly diverse: 60% of the students live in the neighborhood (which means 40% dont). And (assuming Jawbone is correct) it sounds like many nationalities are represented. New Haven has done a great job investing a ton of money into all the schools, I dont think this one is getting special treatment. It sounds like the school has a reputation for being a good school, but that shouldn't be held against it. If you're upset that its hard to get into this school bc its a good school, lets focus instead about making some of the other schools just as good. If the school took 100% of its kids from ER, or was given special treatment from the city I think you would have an argument. But it looks like that isn't the case.
It looks to me like the NH schools sytem is very diverse compared with other parts of the state and country. As a tax payer without kids, I hope all the schools continue to improve and thrive.

Posted by: outsider | December 18, 2009 1:08 PM

NHI, It is not cool that someone would come on this site and make public information about another reader's children (their last name, what age they, where they go to school, etc).

I think the editor should have removed/rejected that post.

[Editor: You're right. Removed that portion. Thanks.]

Posted by: East Rockette | December 18, 2009 3:01 PM

Thanks to EVST Yimby for the refreshing and kind reciprocity on the subject :-) Agreed that particular children should not be named (or shamed) but I think Eld Streeter's point stands: Mr Wuest's children and his car were welcomed on our street and it would be nice to see the same courtesy extended.

I'm with Walt: why not wait and see if it's a problem. Also, why not trust your neighbours to do the right thing? Here on Eld, double-parking has never been an issue, and you'd think it might be: our street is narrower and has fewer driveways and thus more on-street parkers than Everit.

Streever, Eld St residents have never called for tickets for drop-off parents who park without tags, because that would be mega-unneighbourly. In the 5 years we've lived here, only once have I had to ask a drop-off parent to please move their car so I could park out the front of our own house. Otherwise, no problems.

These are people we're talking about: friends, neighbours, fellow citizens, parents, grandparents. It's so weird to see them (us) being implicitly painted as crazy drivers bent on terrorizing peace-loving Everit Streeters in their quiet homes by hot-rodding down the street and bowling children over like so many skittles. Just doesn't happen here, just won't happen there.

I wonder: who's actually at home on Everit St that will be materially inconvenienced by a couple of dozen drop-offs and pick-ups per day? It's certainly a quiet street, but maybe there's such a thing as too quiet? Eyes on the street, walking eyes and driving eyes, are a good thing, and the new school community will be functioning as a free default daytime neighborhood watch. 'Twould be sweet to be welcomed for that alone.

In any case, I don't think Mr Wuest needs to worry. The school community has been informed about drop-off protocols, and I imagine they will observe them faithfully. And the presence of a gate for walkers is a great and sensible thing.

Posted by: Tim | December 18, 2009 7:00 PM

I almost hate to mention this but does anyone in this neighborhood work a regular 9-5 job? I mean, I live on the same street as Forest School in West Haven and I'm never inconviencened by either the buses, walking children, or the parents dropping them off as I'm at work during those 10-15 minute periods. I think everyone should just relax and if a problem develops handle it then. Honestly, sounds like a lot of angst about nothing.

Posted by: Mark Wuest | December 18, 2009 7:05 PM

East Rockette and all, you are missing the point entirely. My argument has nothing to do with your rights to drive where you want to, go right ahead and burn as many hydrocarbons as you please. Stop by and visit your friends who live on Everit, you are still welcome just as you have always been welcome. Just please do not queue up at the gate to drop off and pick up your kids at the school.

My argument is not with you but rather with the City which has decided to ignore commitments it made to the community.

If your next door neighbor decided to invite 100 people a day to stop by for coffee every morning and tea every afternoon and put a six foot tall iron fence along the sidewalk after your neighbor had committed to create a pleasant landscaped buffer respectful of the other yards on the street, you would be upset to say the least. You would probably call the Planning and Zoning Department or the Poice to complain about the traffic and eyesore that they have created on your street.

That is what is happening here...my neighbor happens to be a school and it had committed to consult with its neighbors prior to deciding to invite everyone over for tea every day. My neighbor happens to also be the Planning and Zoning Commission so I really have no place to file a complaint about the ruckus they have caused.

Yes, some of you live on a street with another school, but you bought your house knowing about the traffic associated with it. Everit Street residents were told in public meetings by the City that it was going to respect the existing residential character of the street, prevent vehicular traffic from changing from its current levels and consult with its neighbors about how its students and teachers were to access the school before they did anything. ...

I spoke to a reporter about these issues, trying to be a good citizen exposing the abuse of public trust which has occurred. I have made it clear that I support the location of the school on Whitney Avenue.

A few of you have taken this opportunity to personally attack me and my family for where I live, for where my children attend school, how I decide to see my kids safely to school everyday. I have been called a hypocrite, and the Lord only knows what else that did not make it into print. GET A LIFE. This is not about you or me, it is about a breach of the public trust.

Posted by: Proposal | December 18, 2009 8:24 PM

East Rockette will you marry me?

You hit the nail on the head on each aspect of this contrived issue. You Rock!!

Posted by: Proposal | December 18, 2009 8:24 PM

East Rockette will you marry me?

You hit the nail on the head on each aspect of this contrived issue. You Rock!!

Posted by: Proposal | December 18, 2009 8:24 PM

East Rockette will you marry me?

You hit the nail on the head on each aspect of this contrived issue. You Rock!!

Posted by: strangerthanfiction | December 19, 2009 12:15 AM

This whole affair has really been a very sad one for New Haven. All this dispute and conflict over a nice little neighborhood school. The delay and cost to the city has been terrible. But what about the cloud of tension that has hung over the Hooker School community for years now? The Everit St. folk who challenged this every step of the way and took it all the way to the CT Supreme Court should know that their incessant gripes have meant that neighborhood kids have been in cramped swing space for years longer than they had to be, critical years in their young lives. Do they know that the pettiness and high stakes turf war they waged has cast a long shadow of agitation over the School community that has surely weighed on the kids as well? Everything's going to work out fine. Can't the Everit folk just relax now and let the kids enjoy the nice, peaceful education they deserve instead of getting an education in adults behaving badly??

Posted by: Sam | December 19, 2009 8:21 AM

After 4 1/2 years at two different temporary school locations yesterday was our last day and we are very excited about our new school. It is a bittersweet feeling as my sister and hundreds of other children missed out on it altogether so ppl don't want to hear it anymore

We live across town but will be dropped off nearby and walk the rest of the way with our friends.

Here is a picture of one of the two beautiful Copper Beach trees that they saved and East Rock, seen from the Library Media Center
http://picasaweb.google.com/ElmCitySam/HookerBeechTree#5416857738866732034

Posted by: teachergal | December 19, 2009 9:42 AM

Outsider and Ree:
I do know New Haven very well as I grew up here and work here. But NH teachers can work their behinds off and never be able to make their school in the image of Hooker. The populations are very different despite what people who are alligned with Hooker are likely to think. They may be multicultured but not in the same way that other NH schools are. People need a reality check and should come in and visit some of the schools to get a first hand view.
Elitist is a word that I did not use nor was trying to imply. That is your word. Hooker has always had the "cream of the crop", despite it's diversity, and that's it. It has always been the dream school in New Haven. Good for them and those that go to school there and work there. Maybe those teachers should transfer out, get a taste of the real world and spread their wisdom to other failing schools. But wait, once you get a job there you don't leave until you die or retire. I wonder why?

Posted by: neigborhood | December 19, 2009 11:03 AM

the school's cultural diversity comes from the yale grad students from other countries that live in the neihborhood and send their children there.

Posted by: robn | December 19, 2009 11:59 AM

MARKWUEST,
The city listened to neighbors and in a public process, verified by legal challenge, decided that it's reasonable to put a neighborhood school on this site and that its reasonable to put a gate on Everit St so children can walk a safe distance to school on a public sidewalk that everybody wants to remain peaceful. They did so acknowledging that the outside risk of daily disruption for Everit St neighbors (excluding summer months and weekends) is limited to two 1/2 periods when most residents are probably at work. Your incessant tirade is the most selfish collection of complaints that I've ever read on this site.

CITYHALLWATCH,
Your assertion that, "...the cost of these schools. $36.5 million ...comes out to $128,500 per student...a stunning number...", fails to recognize that if the school stands for 50 years (a conservative life expectancy), the cost is $2,600 per student. Its a good investment that will seem amazing in 2060, when the price tag for such a school will likely be 7X as much (I used 1958-2008 CPI to generate the multiplier).

Posted by: Allan Brison | December 19, 2009 1:59 PM

I agree with Mark in that a process was devised through the SBBAC which came to a policy decision on the issue of the gate; and that that process was summarily overturned and ignored by the BOE in the last weeks before the school's opening.

This is not the way public policy should be implemented. However one might feel about the issue itself, the process should have been respected until such time as a new public process was devised to re-open the question. This was not done.

I also feel that the anonymous bashing that has occurred is totally out of place and should not be allowed by the Independent. Print newspapers, for example, do not, as far as I know, publish anonymous letters. While I understand that anonymity allows for the expression of ideas that might be impossible or undesirable otherwise, I feel it should be treated as a privilege that should not be abused.

Commenters who voice opinions deserve to be treated with respect. Mark should be commended for voicing his viewpoint, not bashed.

I might add that many of the people on the block who agree with Mark on this issue, are among those who, like Mark, worked very hard in favor of the site for the new school. This is a different issue with a different cast of players.

Posted by: WHAT HE SAID | December 19, 2009 2:23 PM

"Posted by: Bob Solomon | October 27, 2009 3:22 PM

Any discussion of "compromises" is disingenuous. There were years of discussion and supposed agreements. When people on Everitt Street did not get their way, they honored the agreements by filing suit. The CT Supreme Court held the suit to be without merit. Then, the losing plaintiffs want to know what happened to all of the compromises and agreements. Here's what happened - you succeeded in delaying the construction for two years through litigation. You lost. No one who was involved in the process thinks you have acted in good faith. Then, after all that, Allan Brison comes in to "compromise." Since the litigants have already lost, there really is nothing left to compromise, so what Brison is really doing is siding with the litigants to get something they could not get from litigation. Every Hooker parent and every supporter of public schools should understand that Mr. Brison has done nothing to help public education and has sided at every turn with obstructionists who do not support public school and do not want public school children on their block."

Posted by: robn | December 19, 2009 5:27 PM

ALLEN,

It isn't "bashing" to illustrate the selfishness of Everit St residents who are apoplectic about a playground gate. My understanding is that there was no policy nor any promise made about a rear gate...but even if there was, technocratic complaints in the guise of democratic defense is a diversion from reprehensibly uncivil selfishness. Its a playground gate on a public sidewalk on a public street. Get over it.

Posted by: strangerthanfiction | December 19, 2009 5:36 PM

It may be "different characters" but it's the same old tune out of the Everit St. folk. What the Everit St. residents did was basically go to war through the legal system with the city and the East Rock neighborhood. Given the hell the Everit St. folk have inflicted in this matter, I believe the city has shown great deference and consideration to their concerns. Again, it's a nice little neighborhood school. I'm disappointed that Mr. Brison has chosen to leave office on this note.

Posted by: OFF THE TABLE | December 19, 2009 6:14 PM

Behold

Alas, after those terribly oppressed Everit Street multimillionaires forced the city to spend all those tax dollars on lawyers, there's no money left for originally PROPOSED Everit appeasement's like the big fancy serpentine fence and 'pleasant landscape buffer' plantings (that, BTW, exist at no other NHPS).

Just because you didn't get exactly everything you wanted doesn't mean that the city didn't listen--the city DID listen to everyone, and in the end, elected to follow the advice of 'PRACTICAL TAXPAYER', straight from the 07' comment section of this very website:

"Posted by: PRACTICAL TAXPAYER | August 12, 2007 2:07 PM

Dear Citywide School Building Committee, as mentioned above, the expensive serpentine fence and buffer plantings were a friendly pre-lawsuit olive branch extended to that Everit St. group but these items eat up tax dollars and play area and do not benefit the school children at all. Save needed money and maximize needed play area by simply keeping the existing mature trees along the Everit St. sidewalk and running a simple and straight fence here.

Serpentine walls were for growing fruit and are an impractical aesthetic luxury the greater community can no longer afford:
http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0307-1243(198024)8%3A3%3C69%3AWIHASW%3E2.0.CO%3B2-F

Also, the grass play field should not be bisected or interrupted by a permanent walkway; more money and play area can be saved by routing any Everit St. pedestrian access, firemen or otherwise, to the North, to a walkway on the South side of the driveway."

http://www.newhavenindependent.org/archives/2007/08/with_several_sc.php

And so it came to pass.

Posted by: Mark Wuest | December 19, 2009 6:17 PM

Bob, you know that this has nothing to do with the lawsuit. The city promised the community that the use of the gate would be discussed. They have not done that.

I have been a long time supporter of the school on Whitney Avenue. I would just like to see the city honor the agreements they made.

If the City and many of those in this discussion have somehow decided to "punish" everyone with an Everit Street address for the actions of a few people who decided to exercise their legal rights (some who no longer live here), then that is really quite sad.

Posted by: Bob Solomon | December 19, 2009 7:07 PM

Gee, what a surprise to see what I said in response to a different thread. My originial comments were in response to the aldermanic election and particular comments directed to Hooker parents.
We drove 3000 miles in 6 days to get to the opening of the new school, and it's disappointing to see the same issies replayed. So, that said, since I was quoted:
Mark Wuest supported the school site. He is willing to put his name to a view that he knows will not be popular with everyone, including some of his friends. I do not agree with Mark's position, but I respect him and his right to be heard. Just because the site allows anonymity does not make it right.
On the merits, when parking issues came up at the Livingston Street site, were people do sometimes double-park, I timed the period of congestion. In the morning, when it was the worst time, the congestion lasted 8 minutes, from 8:25-8:33. The congestion was not as bad in the afternoon.
Norton Street - go take a look at the front of the school. It is a beautiful urban school.

Posted by: Proposal | December 19, 2009 7:21 PM

Now I am torn. Bob Solomon or East Rockette. Whoever accepts my proposal first I will marry or have a civil union with.

100% right on Brison. The man has an axe to grind against Public Education and Hooker in particular for whatever reason. While Justin focused on virtually every other issue in the Ward, Allan suffered from the myopic view of his street and his street alone. His landslide election loss was a resounding statement by Ward 10 that it will not be consumed by one street and its self-created place in history.

A street does not a ward make and a gate does not a school make. Just as Allan should have thought of the majority of the ward when he decided to side with these few folks on one street, those folks should also think about the balance of the ward and the students who will have a great place to learn for many, many years to come.

Posted by: anon 2.0 | December 19, 2009 10:31 PM

The school looks nice. Today, as we awaited a snowstorm, I drove by and saw window washers at the building in a cherry picker, finishing off the job. Anyone care to guess what THAT overtime runs? Saturday? Snow storm? Sheez. Our tax dollars at work.

I am sure the kids and parents are excited to be in a new building. As a taxpayer however, I find the cost of the building obscene. Hooker, and the new arts high school downtown? Why an arts high school downtown? Hello?!?!?!
Yeah, I know, Juilliard is at Lincoln Center. But the Shubert is not Lincoln Center and these are high school kids.
Great examples of our leaders' edifice complex.

Sure, one side won, the other lost. Myself, I am predicting many traffic incidents and probably one major pedestrian/bike/car accident before the end of this academic year. I hope not, but I think so.

And Everit Street will be the new Q bridge. Porperty values within the drop zone will go down.

Posted by: East Rockette | December 20, 2009 12:51 PM

Mr/Ms Proposal: the moment they legalize bigamy in CT, I'll see you down at City Hall :-) (Heck, trigamy, and Mr Solomon can join us in wedded bliss.)

The fence and the plantings aren't too bad, if a bit corporate-functional. A serpentine wall would have been lovely there; a grove of fruit trees, a series of square-foot gardens at the bottom of the playing field... as the song goes, "This promise of paradise, this nearly was mine." Ah well. Maybe we can train some Concord grapes along that fence, swap out the Japanese holly for highbush blueberries, and take it from there. Anyone up for a neighborhood gardening bee come springtime?

Anon 2.0, you reckon property values will go down on Everit St? Hard to fathom how that'll happen when everyone else is paying a $100K premium, on average, to buy in the Hooker zone. But if prices do drop, you can guarantee any houses for sale will go to nice families who relish the thought of living within walking distance from school. Win win.

Thanks for that great photo, Sam! I'm excited to see that view in person when school opens on Monday (snow notwithstanding!).

Posted by: Bob Solomon | December 20, 2009 12:55 PM

Mark - Issues of public space are difficult, especially when there are competing interests. Just because the BOE decided to keep the gate open does not mean that Everitt Street is being punished. It means that a group of well-intentioned and thoughtful people disagree with you. There has been an extraordinary amount of public input over the years and at some point someone has to make a decision. The notion that there is something improper because that decision did not conform to the advice of Mr. Brison's ad hoc group is sort of silly. I was invited to one of the meetings after they started, and many people viewed it as the least open of the many meetings concerning Hooker. That said, there has been a lot of talk about an "agreement" to keep the gate open. I believe, as do others, that there were many discussions about possible compromises in an effort to reach consensus. When some people did not get everything they sought, they filed suit. Yes, I believe the law suit changed a lot of things. Law suits do that. If you feel like a victim of the law suit, join the crowd. Our chidren spent two unnecessary years at St. Stans. We dropped them off on Eld Street, and remained happy with the education they received. Still, we waited for the new school. We live on Huntington Street, which will be impacted more than Everitt. I view some of those impacts as positive, like a new traffic signal and a crossing guard, not to mention that on 12/21, all three children will walk to school (but not on Everitt Street). I do sympathize with your position, but I also think it's part of a much larger whole.

Posted by: Bob Solomon | December 20, 2009 1:11 PM

Anon 2.0

1. The Hooker School on Livingston Street celebrated its 100th year. The cost is not excessive. If you do not like the building, so be it, but I believe that it is a wonderful example of a New Urbanist public building, capturing the neighborhood quality of the old Hooker School and presenting an attractive face to Whitney Avenue. Where should be spend public dollars if not for schools? (Most of the cost is paid b y the State and, frankly, the school construction cost is a drop in the bucket for what the State should be doing for the urban communities that provide so many tax-exempt services to the suburbs.)
2. Eat Rock property values are high (in part) BECAUSE of the Hooker School. AFTER the decision to build the school at the current site, Everitt Street sales reached new heights, including a sale for onver $1 million by a seller who claimed at a public hearing that he could not sell for any price because of the school. Those are the facts. For everyone unhappy enough to sell, there will be 5 buyers who will be delighted to pay exhorbitant prices to live on Everitt Street, near both Hookers.

Posted by: Mark Wuest | December 20, 2009 1:35 PM

Tomorrow is opening day at the new school and if I were not so busy at the office, I would have walked around the block to the front door on Whitney Avenue and welcomed the students and teachers to their well deserved new home. The new building is a long awaited and welcome addition to the original school at Livingston and Canner and our neighborhood.

Posted by: East Rockette | December 20, 2009 3:28 PM

Assuming that school begins at the usual time tomorrow (chance of snow day delay?) there will be a charming inauguration ceremony around 8.30, with songs and music.

Mr Wuest, please don't stand on ceremony and walk around the block, especially in this weather! That really would be frostbiting off your nose to spite your etc. The pedestrian gate will be open from 7 a.m. to 8.50 a.m., and is there precisely to make things easier for those who arrive on foot from the East, including students, volunteers, parents and indeed the occasional Wise Man or three. (Probably best to park the camels elsewhere, even so).

Speaking of which, warmest and sincerest seasonal greetings to all readers, and a happy solstice tomorrow. What an auspicious and symbolic day to (re)open a school, eh? It may seem dark at the moment, but the days will only get longer and brighter, and the merry chime of children playing in the garden, as Oscar Wilde reminds us, will surely hasten the spring along:

He saw a most wonderful sight. Through a little hole in the wall the children had crept in, and they were sitting in the branches of the trees. In every tree that he could see there was a little child. And the trees were so glad to have the children back again that they had covered themselves with blossoms, and were waving their arms gently above the children's heads. The birds were flying about and twittering with delight, and the flowers were looking up through the green grass and laughing. [...] And the Giant's heart melted as he looked out. 'How selfish I have been!' he said; 'now I know why the Spring would not come here. I will put that poor little boy on the top of the tree, and then I will knock down the wall, and my garden shall be the children's playground for ever and ever.' [...]

Years went over, and the Giant grew very old and feeble. He could not play about any more, so he sat in a huge armchair, and watched the children at their games, and admired his garden. 'I have many beautiful flowers,' he said; 'but the children are the most beautiful flowers of all.'

Posted by: robn | December 20, 2009 4:23 PM

If anything, this lively debate has produced (either accidentally or by freudian slip on Bob's keyboard) a new apohorism...."Eat Rock".
I'll get T-Shirts printed up for eveybody.

Posted by: Sam | December 20, 2009 6:57 PM

NORTON STREET,
The back of the school is mostly the orig recycled church building--here's the architect's drawing of the front:
http://picasaweb.google.com/ElmCitySam/NewWHSShirts02#5417452564546983522

Posted by: strangerthanfiction | December 20, 2009 10:31 PM

It looks like a great new school. It'll be an asset to the whole neighborhood, even the Everit St. side. Five years from now, guaranteed, all this will be water under the bridge. These scars will heal. Everyone may not be singing Kumbaya together, but they'll be getting along just fine.

Posted by: Ned | December 21, 2009 8:23 AM

I wonder how kids will be able to walk to school, in the winter, when sidewalks are not shoveled and city and private plows pile up mounds of snow at every pedestrian crossing and drivers refuse to stop for pedestrians in crosswalks (just based on my personal experience)...

Posted by: anon 2.0 | December 21, 2009 8:26 AM

"The back of the school is mostly the original recycled church building." Huh?

For Bob. Hi Bob. I think you should re-read my post.
1. I like the building, in contrast to what you stated.
2. I think the costs, many of them, are hidden in traffic control and enforcement, litigation, and things we shall soon discover.
3. Your data about house prices are all BEFORE the school opened. While I can tell you are happy about the opening, which my post stated that of course kids and parents would be, the folks owning immediately next to the school will have a big reduction in the value of their house. This happens all over the U.S. every day--ask some realtors. The question--which is as yet unanswered-is whether that reduction will extend beyond the immediate neighbors or not. Just questions Bob, not facts.
4. Holding my breath regarding traffic accidents.
5. Oh yeah, the costs of holding up the Whitney Ave traffic, the flooding of traffic on other routes to circumvent the bottle neck--get ready State Street, Orange, Ogden, St Ronan, Edgehill, Prospect, Edwards, Lawrence etc.

Posted by: East Rockette | December 21, 2009 8:30 AM

Hey, Sam, I read that T-shirt as "Worthington Hooker School REMIX." Which works, in the context!

Strangerthanfiction, like your user-name, you are so right. Future generations will be all "huh?" as they paddle up Everit St in their coracles. But hopefully it will settle down sooner than that.

Looks like the inauguration ceremony is running earlier than I thought. Happy Opening Day everyone, and a Happy Solstice. Here comes the sun, and I say: it's all right.

PS "Eat Rock": local equivalent of "bite me" or a micro-variant on this sentiment, or both? Love it, but I hope it's not how we carry on from here! How about "Eat, Rock!"? That's a manifesto I could get behind, and there's a fair amount of scope for both in this little city.

Posted by: Bob Solomon | December 21, 2009 12:23 PM

Sadly, this was not even close to the worst typo I have made over the years.

Posted by: Bruce | December 21, 2009 12:24 PM

Wow. Give this a year and I think everyone involved is going to wonder what the fuss was all about. I moved right next door to an elementary school -- this was one of the main reasons we were attracted to the property. There is nothing more pleasant than the sounds of kids playing in the school yard in the summer or greeting neighbors with their kids walking to school. We maintain a private walk between the properties to allow neighborhood children to walk to school without having to go out into the street. This school and the gate are a benefit to the neighborhood.

Posted by: robn | December 21, 2009 12:47 PM

ANON2.0

Bob's facts are as good as it gets. Recent house purchases were done with buyers aware of the coming school. Lets face it...its a school system that gets parents to camp out the night before admissions as if it were a WHO concert. This neighborhood is now even more highly desirable.

Posted by: sjbj | December 21, 2009 1:39 PM

Anon2.0 I REALLY hope you are right about your property values plummenting prediction. Because our family and the families of about 10 of our friends would be THRILLED to buy an affordable home on Everit St and send our kids to Hooker. But, let's just say I'm not holding my breath...

Posted by: seriously, wait | December 21, 2009 2:03 PM

Mr. Wuest-

I'm glad to hear that you did support the school but saddened that the gate is causing you so much heartache. I can't tell if it is because you feel you weren't listened to, or if it is actually the gate that is upsetting. As I said earlier, I moved to a street at the back side of the school, but despite your assumptions, I really didn't have any idea of what the traffic would be like. How would I? I was moving in from out of the area so it was a surprise...but a pleasant one. 1/2 a day (maybe) twice a day, 10 months out of the year. And having that traffic I think is, as one person pointed out, a good thing. I hope over time that you'll agree that it isn't your worst fear realized.

Posted by: seriously, wait | December 21, 2009 2:25 PM

should have proofed better...that is "1/2 an hour a day (maybe) twice a day..." Not 1/2 day.

Posted by: John | December 21, 2009 4:12 PM

I love that you call this story Hookergate.

Posted by: WOW | December 21, 2009 7:43 PM

wow all you have to do is look at the FOOT school and see what there street looks like. They're double and triple parked then when there are field trips watch out. Also for the "NEW HOOKER" there is no parking infront of the school from 4pm-6pm so where do you park if they have after school functions. Enrollment in the "NEW HOOKER" is only going to increase isn't that the point of $36.5 million school

Posted by: LIGHTS OUT | December 22, 2009 9:55 AM

...concessions for Everit Street like NO gym windows on the east-south-east gym wall so a few E-St. neighbors wouldn't have to see any 'horrid lights' during minimal evening activities. Would've been nice to let that natural light in and be able to see EAST ROCK, blue sky, clouds and tree tops from inside the gym-and not through the crosseyed diffusion of glass block either.

Oh well, now that you succeeded in nixing the benefits of those windows to thousands of future children the only thing to do is make the most of it by filling up that great blank outer gym wall canvas with a florescent mural like on East Rock Global Magnet School's wall near Willow Street...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/buildgreenart/4101142450/sizes/l/in/set-72157622795942356/

Posted by: SAVE THEIR MURAL | December 22, 2009 12:22 PM

Perhaps the fiberglass panels of East Rock Global Magnet School's huge �upward mobility� mural could be saved for them and displayed on the New Worthington Hooker School's gym wall until their new school is completed...AND/OR, a giant legal 'free wall' for NEIN, OLA, Note, Runs
& other local graffiti artists to tag:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqLgiUv5FEk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKy2NnWIzMc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRR8WM7vAZE

http://newhavenindependent.org/archives/2009/06/punchout_at_rin.php

Posted by: taggrboyz | December 22, 2009 2:49 PM

Stoked NH has the 1% for Art Program to fund our Everit Street Graffiti Project:

http://picasaweb.google.com/TAGGRBOYZ/EveritStreetGraffitiProject#5418142990813281298

Posted by: taggrboyz | December 22, 2009 7:45 PM

OK, we measured the mural today-if East Rock Global School needs WHS to preserve their mural during construction it'd fit on the outer gym wall facing Everit AND still have plenty of space left over for free graffiti throw ups:

http://picasaweb.google.com/TAGGRBOYZ/EveritStreetGraffitiProject#5418220607910462370