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Parents and students press district on Hannah Caldwell heating, AP exam fees and transparency
Summary
During public comment at the Oct. 15 board meeting, residents and students urged faster repairs to Hannah Caldwell’s closed pre-K wing, raised concerns about meeting transparency and asked the district to reconsider charging students for AP exams.
Several parents, students and staff used the Board’s public-comment period on Oct. 15 to press district leaders on building conditions, meeting transparency and student costs.
Matthew Chase and Sharish Jones Caesar told the Board that Hannah Caldwell’s pre-K wing had been closed, that students were relocated to a cold gym and that parents were not adequately informed; they said the conditions raised safety and communication concerns. Superintendent Dr. Gerald Benaquista acknowledged the report, said a crew worked over the weekend and that the district is awaiting a mechanical engineer to identify and fix the intrusion.
Virginia Jeffries publicly questioned compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act and Board Policy 0167, stating that the Sept. 10 minutes are incorrect and that a recording of that meeting does not exist. The record shows the Board Secretary read the required OPMA notice and minutes were approved at the Oct. 15 meeting; no corrective motion to amend the Sept. 10 minutes was recorded in public session.
Students and parents also raised the cost of AP exams. A 12th-grade student, Andrew P., said AP exams are $103 each and described the fee as “a major blow to students.” Dr. Benaquista said Mrs. Koon and Dr. Rodriguez will look into the matter and report back to the Education Committee; the Board did not commit to district funding for AP exam fees during the meeting.
Library staff and volunteers described increases in accessible reading materials. Mrs. Koon read an email from Lisa Krauze, Kawameeh Middle School’s School Library Media Specialist, outlining purchases of VOX Books and large-print titles and noting plans to demo Decodable read-along materials to support multilingual and special education students.
Why it matters: Parents stressed that timely repairs and clear communication affect student safety and learning; the AP exam concern touches college access and equity for low-income students. Administrators assigned follow-up actions but did not announce immediate remedies at the meeting.
Next steps: Administrators said they will investigate AP exam funding options and will pursue mechanical engineering assessment and repairs for Hannah Caldwell; the Education Committee and district staff are expected to provide updates.
