When the Anne Arundel County Council Members vote on the FY13 County Budget in May 2012, we need their support for funding for the renovation of Severna Park High School this year. Don't let this project get delayed again. Give this project your support and help us get the votes we need!
By signing this petition you are telling your elected representatives that you support SPHS in FY13 - SPHS NOW!
As you may know, the proposed renovation has a number of benefits, including:
a. Facility will meet all EdSpec requirements as well as all building, life safety, energy, and accessibility codes and standards.
b. Better facilitation of inter-discipline instruction, with more efficient interior circulation.
c. Efficient site design: activities are grouped together - curricular and extracurricular.
d. Upgraded technology throughout to enhance teaching and learning experiences
e. Flexible spaces for future curriculum changes.
f. Safer traffic patterns with full separation of bus queuing and parent drop-off areas.
g. LEED certified acoustics, lighting, and temperature.
h. Daylighting in all classrooms.
Top 10 reasons this project should be approved this year:
1. Six years ago, SPHS was determined to be a "Priority 1" school by the Strategic Facility Utilization Study* (SFU Study), with a target project of 2-4 years. Even if the project's funding is approved this year, the project is still 5 years delayed.
2. SPHS was given one of the lowest scores in the SFU Study and this affects the educational services it is able to provide. In the SFU Study, SPHS received a poor rating in the category of educational suitability - meaning that the facility has numerous problems meeting the needs of the educational program. SPHS was rated as poor in terms of technology readiness, lacking the necessary infrastructure to prepare children for today's technology-driven world.
3. SPHS does not meet a number of safety codes. The SFU Study notes that SPHS does not meet State educational specification requirements, or current life safety and building codes, parts of the building do not have fire sprinklers, as required by fire codes, and emergency vehicle access do not meet current codes.
4. For the FY13 proposed budget, Lothian Elementary is the only school with a lower MGT* score than SPHS on the list of school projects. Despite this, the SPHS project sits at #22 on the list of priorities submitted to the County Council by the Department of Education this year.
5. The proposed project is the most cost effective solution available. The proposed project costs 20 million dollars less than scenario B (renovating existing spaces) and will allow students to stay in place, with little disruption, while work is undertaken. Further delaying the project will only increase its cost.
6. Delaying this project means a conscious decision to prevent 2000 Severna Park High School students from having access to the following academic programs every year - programs which are available to students elsewhere in the county and in other school districts:
a. The Science, Technology, and Math Program
b. The Performing Arts Program
7. Delaying this project means that 2000 Anne Arundel County students will continue to:
a. have their school experience marked by workarounds to outdated facilities
b. use substandard facilities which don't meet security, safety and hygiene standards
8. Delaying this project means that we have accepted that 2000 Anne Arundel County students should not have the same high level standards in grade level configurations, alternative education, International Baccalaureate, or Advanced Placement opportunities found elsewhere in the county and state.
9. Delaying this project means a conscious decision to continue to send 2000 Anne Arundel County students into a facility with validated and undisputable safety concerns. Examples of safety concerns relate to air quality, temperature, and vehicular traffic.
10. The only reason the funding of this project continues to be delayed is lack of sufficient support at the County Council. We need our County Council elected representatives to make FY13 the year for this project to move forward not for our representatives to stand in its way.
*The Strategic Facilities Utilization Study developed by MGT of America, Inc. was presented in 2006 and guides the County's strategic facility's planning process. Scores reflect a Combined Score for Prioritization Purposes (Based On 50% Weight to Condition, 30% Suitability, 10% Grounds and 10% Technology Readiness).