A community meeting about Evans High School ends on a sour note...

As usual, this school board has made all of their decisions under the table & couldn't care less what the community members concerns are. This school board has to be stopped. They are deliberately trying to ruin communities. First they take Ocoee kids out of Ocoee HS & force them to "Wekiva" which is supposed to be the APOPKA relief school, without ANY regard for the children they are abusing by doing this. Then they try to destroy the College Park community by moving the children of Edgewater HS to Evans, Thank God that didn't work. What a victory for those children. Now they are trying to move Evans so they can destroy both the communities of Pine Hills and Ocoee. We have to stop these power hungry morons. Their job is to represent the children of these communities, not to destroy them because the board members have personal agendas. Children NEED to stay in their community schools to retain a sense of pride in both their school and their community. Everyone needs to stand up for their kids & communities, we have to stand up to the evil that is the Orange County School Board.

All I wanted to ask was " is it ethical for a school board member's husband to be the sellers representative when the school is buying land at a premium development price, instead of a more reasonable undevelopment price?"

I attended last nights non community meeting at Evans High School. No sign in sheets, no community input. No advertising, we heard about the meeting

The presentation by the students were fantastic, the band, choirs, the AP and IB programs speeches.

Then the adults talked and spoke -
Lets name them

Madlene St. Clair - SAC President
Debbie William - OCPS
Debbie Brown - OCPS
Dr. Debbie Poe - OCPS
David Christen - OCPS
Jaradene Thompson - State Ed Representative
Kat Gordon - OCPS Board Member
Ann Gieger - OCPS Board Member
Pastor of the Raising Sun Ministries

Presentation stated School moved because it is not safe enough for students at Evans presently, they decided to move the students 4 miles west.

Then they all stated that the old site would continued to be used as an education center for Pine Hill, and the community would be able to use the buildings, sport facilties, and Auditorium.

Cards were passed out to attendees to write questions on them and turn in after the presentation for a question and anwer forum.

After the presentation was over, and again, it was great.

Cards were passed forward and reviewed by Ann Gieger, SAC President, and David Christen. The gang of three read each of the questions, and read them, and read them, and continued to read them. I hope they know everyone saw them read all the cards. Slowly, turning one card at a time, then reading the new question. Slowly, shaking their heads has they read. It was really neat to see that.

Then, Ann Gieger announced that they cancelled the question / answer forum. They were not going to answer of the questions submitted. Wait - They did answer one question:
Why did OCPS rebuilt Colonial, Boone, Jones, and planning to built Edgewater on site - Answer- not enough land to rebuild on site at Evans.

Then out came the petitions. Community Meeting, what a joke. It was a petition drive.

Another act of OCPS to spend county school money to obtain petitions from Pine Hill showing support to move the school. I got news for you, Pine Hills doesn't support moving Evans, and they are mad as heck with OCPS. Unfortunately, no one has the answer how to stop em. How the heck can you stop OCPS power. I wonder if Germany residents said the same about the Nazi?

God help us, pastor!

The OCPS Board Members and Superintendent demonstrate a lack of direction, leadership, courage and financial responsibility. Only four of the eight individuals are trained and/or educated in the art of Educating Students. Moving a child from point "A" to point "B" does not educate a student, it hinds the uneducated students from view. Tutors for each student that requires one to learn the lesson is what is need. Pay or provide scholarships to the smart students for assisting the "at Risk" student to graduate from OCPS is the answer not wasting billions rebuilding schools that do not need it, such as Evans, This system was successful in the one room school house. Keeping it Simple, OCPS, that works the best.

Please support Clarcona Rural Settlement fight against OCPS over landuse and property rights
Support www.stopevansmove.org

I've said it before, but one of the worst things OCPS has done is name that school Ocoee High. That gave people the mistaken impression that it is a community school. OCPS doesn't have community schools, they follow district-wide policies, like the rest of Florida. Your kids are not being "abused" by being sent to school with people from, oh my gosh, Apopka. Such drama. And Vandergrift wandering around the campus with a Mayor of Ocoee High School hat on looks like the ignorant redneck that he is. Please tell him that next time you see him. Either that or hand him a hayseed to put in his mouth to complete the ensemble.

Very Concerned Parent wrote:

As usual, this school board has made all of their decisions under the table & couldn't care less what the community members concerns are. This school board has to be stopped. They are deliberately trying to ruin communities. First they take Ocoee kids out of Ocoee HS & force them to "Wekiva" which is supposed to be the APOPKA relief school, without ANY regard for the children they are abusing by doing this. Then they try to destroy the College Park community by moving the children of Edgewater HS to Evans, Thank God that didn't work. What a victory for those children. Now they are trying to move Evans so they can destroy both the communities of Pine Hills and Ocoee. We have to stop these power hungry morons. Their job is to represent the children of these communities, not to destroy them because the board members have personal agendas. Children NEED to stay in their community schools to retain a sense of pride in both their school and their community. Everyone needs to stand up for their kids & communities, we have to stand up to the evil that is the Orange County School Board.

Thanks FSM for your reverse racist remarks. Hayseed? I can't beleve you used the "H" word. Who are you so we can sue you and get millions.

Hayseed? We are tired of people calling us Hayseeds. We can't get jobs because the color of our Hayseeds.

Evans needs to stay in it's own community. If it moves, it is just one more entity that has left the area. I live in Clarcona and Pine Hills is our neighbor. Pine Hills needs to clean up their city to promote economic development and leaving their historic High School to build a new one doesn't say much about Pride in Pine Hills. Building a new school doesn't make Evan's students grades better. OCPS should not have let Evans HS run down in the first place. We gave them half penny sales tax for schools and they still cry poor. It would be cheaper to renovate than to move this school.
I moved to Clarcona for its rural charm...that seems to be fading with all the development near by. They want to destroy our quite lifestyle further by placing Evans right across the street from 1 acre home sites. They got their way with the 9th grade center and now this!! We have no voice??? Think of the "Friday Night Lights" and traffic nightmares. Where Evans is now it should stay.

I would be against any high school in what is left of my rural community. I would like to preserve what little is left. I think developers, school boards etc just want to do what they want to Clarcona with no regard to what the property owners want. I am sick and tired of the subdivisions and the traffic that they bring. Apopka Vineland Rd is a traffic nightmare to get out of my own driveway now since they put in Country Run and Oak Landings. Not to mention all the developement in Ocoee off Clark Rd. Now a High School!!

That's par for the course. They pull you into these meetings to tell you what they want to tell you but when you put them on the hot seat with a few questions you get "Oh your turning a positive meeting into a negative one". What ever happened to "PRODUCTIVE" meetings?
Buffoons, vote them all out.

did you see the way comrade geiger had the gestapo police standing by in case you asked a queston at "her" public meeting. didn't hitler start this way? It was funny to watch her shuffling the question cards, looking for one that they wanted to answer.So much for peoples rights, and they educate the children. SHAME
They even passed out a script.

wwwstopevansmoveorg wrote:

Thanks FSM for your reverse racist remarks. Hayseed? I can't beleve you used the "H" word. Who are you so we can sue you and get millions.
Hayseed? We are tired of people calling us Hayseeds. We can't get jobs because the color of our Hayseeds.

I bet FSM stands for "fairly small minded"

It's extremely frustrating to witness the false information being fed to the Pine Hills students. The only impression I walked away with last night was the sound of cry babies "They got a new school, we want one too!!!"
They boasted about how great Evan's is and all the academic programs they offer. That's wonderful!!! Sounds like you're all set then! Why do you need to move?
And on another note, not to single the guy out, but the principal at Evans seems to me a bit clueless. He has great ideas about technological programs that will certify students for the work force right out of high school. This is, I agree, a great idea.....for a school with students. Try making your main focus actually getting kids to GO TO SCHOOL before wasting money on programs very few will use. Has he ever looked at the drop out rates at Evan's High? There's a bigger issue here - lack of motivated students.
As for the students I saw last night - I was very impressed. They were talented, motivated, bright young men and women. On that note, I completely agree that the students of Evans High deserve the very best, as does every motivated student all over the world. But I also think if they have loyalty to their school (which they claim to have) they should have loyalty to their school's community. Rebuild Evans on it's current site and this time, don't let it fall apart. The kids deserve better than that.

No offense, if Evans High is going to be built near the Ocoee 9th Grade Center, I can gurantee traffic and crime will increase in Ocoee. You're going to have people from Pine Hills, good or bad, coming to the Ocoee area to attend basktetball, football games, etc on top of Ocoee High's school functions and that's going to create problems for people that live nearby. It's the same thing if you build a mall instead of a high school.

wwwstopevansmoveorg wrote:

Thanks FSM for your reverse racist remarks. Hayseed? I can't beleve you used the "H" word. Who are you so we can sue you and get millions.
Hayseed? We are tired of people calling us Hayseeds. We can't get jobs because the color of our Hayseeds.

I'm damn proud to be a hayseed. And you better hire me because I'm one or else I'll scream racist and discrimination.

Well, I just had what I hope is my first and last run in with OCPS, the inadequate school board and THEIR way. Clearly, the best interest of what I was just told is 179K students is not their first and foremost objective. I tried to "play the game" at what is considered to be a 5 star school and my child lost in a huge way.
Dont think for one minute their pathetic ways just affect the D and F rated schools-they make sure to spread the incompetency to even what is considered the best of the best.

The decision to move Evans High school is based on what is best for our students. Our students deserve the newest and best technology just as much as every other student in the county. The curren location of Evans High School is land locked, and would be cost prohibitive. I am sympathetic to the people who want to improve the community of Pine Hills, and it is our desire to include the community in building school spirit, but the school board is only responsible for providing the best education possible to its students, and providing Evans High school with a new facility shows their commitment to doing just that. The community issues need to be directed to the Orlando city commisison and the Orlando police department.

Lynne Newsom wrote:

The decision to move Evans High school is based on what is best for our students. Our students deserve the newest and best technology just as much as every other student in the county. The curren location of Evans High School is land locked, and would be cost prohibitive. I am sympathetic to the people who want to improve the community of Pine Hills, and it is our desire to include the community in building school spirit, but the school board is only responsible for providing the best education possible to its students, and providing Evans High school with a new facility shows their commitment to doing just that. The community issues need to be directed to the Orlando city commisison and the Orlando police department.

How can the school board pay for a trailer park and a shopping center in College Park and not even consider purchasing a pawn shop and barber shop in Pine Hills. Where's the logic in that.Go ahead, tell us,the land is too exspensive. Also OCPS is responsible for the current deplorable condition of Evans,they neglected the kids. Edgewater is an older school, but it is in far superior shape. Why? Who's fault is that? again OCPS. you stated that the ocps is responsible for providing the best conditions for the students,WELL YOU AND OCPS FAILED the test.

Pine Hills leaders should take note about the most important question that Anne Geiger wouldn't answer at the event.

There was a petition circulating calling for using the current Evans site as a vocational / technical training center if the school were moved.

When asked whether the community had her commitment to such a training center, all Anne Geiger could do was tapdance around the question with politician-speak and say everything *except* "YES."

Remember, this is the government official who said that moving Evans High was a done deal and no one could do anything about it. It turns out that's not the case. Why should she be trusted now?

West Orlandoman wrote:

I attended last nights non community meeting at Evans High School. No sign in sheets, no community input. No advertising, we heard about the meeting
The presentation by the students were fantastic, the band, choirs, the AP and IB programs speeches.
Then the adults talked and spoke -
Lets name them
Madlene St. Clair - SAC President
Debbie William - OCPS
Debbie Brown - OCPS
Dr. Debbie Poe - OCPS
David Christen - OCPS
Jaradene Thompson - State Ed Representative
Kat Gordon - OCPS Board Member
Ann Gieger - OCPS Board Member
Pastor of the Raising Sun Ministries
Presentation stated School moved because it is not safe enough for students at Evans presently, they decided to move the students 4 miles west.
Then they all stated that the old site would continued to be used as an education center for Pine Hill, and the community would be able to use the buildings, sport facilties, and Auditorium.
Cards were passed out to attendees to write questions on them and turn in after the presentation for a question and anwer forum.
After the presentation was over, and again, it was great.
Cards were passed forward and reviewed by Ann Gieger, SAC President, and David Christen. The gang of three read each of the questions, and read them, and read them, and continued to read them. I hope they know everyone saw them read all the cards. Slowly, turning one card at a time, then reading the new question. Slowly, shaking their heads has they read. It was really neat to see that.
Then, Ann Gieger announced that they cancelled the question / answer forum. They were not going to answer of the questions submitted. Wait - They did answer one question:
Why did OCPS rebuilt Colonial, Boone, Jones, and planning to built Edgewater on site - Answer- not enough land to rebuild on site at Evans.
Then out came the petitions. Community Meeting, what a joke. It was a petition drive.
Another act of OCPS to spend county school money to obtain petitions from Pine Hill showing support to move the school. I got news for you, Pine Hills doesn't support moving Evans, and they are mad as heck with OCPS. Unfortunately, no one has the answer how to stop em. How the heck can you stop OCPS power. I wonder if Germany residents said the same about the Nazi?
God help us, pastor!

Looks like the crazy one is you!

It amazes me to no end to see the hate Ocoee residents about a school that has no chance to better itself without moving.

Maynard Evans High School is an F school for two reasons.

The over 65% ESE poplation. If the students can't comprehend the FCAT test, how do you expect them to make a passing grade. It's like me giving you your driving test in Latin and expect you to pass with only 2 months of coursework.

And the second reason is due to the high Immigration population at Evans High. Alot of the students who attend the school can NOT read, write, or speak English. Let alone pass the test that gives no leiance to the handicap.

How do you expect a school to possible raise to a higher grade, when the majority is pulling the grade down.

Moving the school would cause rezoning, thus enabling our ESE numbers to drop and increase our school grade and diversty.

Those who stand in the way of that are allowing the cycle to continue and not allowing Evans High School students to gain the oppurunities thier children have.