ACTION ALERT!
THIS NEEDS YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION
JEFFERSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PROJECT GOES TO SCHOOL BOARD
WHEN: Thursday, December 21st at 5:00 pm
WHERE: School Administration Building, 1000 W. Stone St.
Fayetteville cares about its neighborhood schools and the closing of Jefferson Elementary concerned many Fayetteville citizens. Immediately following its closing, the School District conducted a series of public meetings to determine the future of this important educational asset. The feedback from over a year of public meetings repeatedly identified our community’s desire to see the Jefferson School building continue to serve a civic function. This building has too proud a history to be chopped up into apartments or torn down to make way for new construction.
Initially, two groups submitted proposals for using the building – an arts-focused group and a social services-focused group. Since that initial process, both groups have joined forces. Working together to develop a comprehensive vision for the Jefferson Center for Arts and Education, we strongly believe that this project will provide an immediate return for the neighborhood and the City of Fayetteville while protecting the School District’s bottom line. The new vision includes:
- Large and small artist studios on the second floor
- 140-seat theatre in the former cafeteria and library for community meetings, performing arts groups, school performances, lectures and film series, etc.
- A gymnasium for a dance studio and public event space with continued gym use by the Head Start program
- Office space/classrooms for Head Start, Adult Education, and the Washington County Single Parent Scholarship Fund
While some management details remain, the vision packet provides a detailed proposal of what could be done to protect this important building, while providing needed services to the citizens of Fayetteville. The Jefferson Center for Arts and Education will be an economic asset for the City of Fayetteville; it will be a community asset; it will be a cultural asset; but it needs your support.
Please voice your support for the Jefferson Center for Arts and Education. The School Board members and their contact information are below. Please send an email stating your support for the vision and that it is vital for the school district to allow the former Jefferson Elementary to remain a community asset. One board member, Howard Hamilton, does not have an email address listed. Please call him or fax a letter.
Steve Percival, President, spercival@wregional.com
Howard Hamilton, Vice President, 442-0150, 444-3004 (fax)
Susan Winborn Heil, Vice President, s.heil@sbcglobal.net
Chris Bell, dane4@arkansas.net
John Delap, jdelap.iatm@cox-internet.com
Tim Kring, tkring@uark.edu
Tim Hudson, tim.hudson@ozarkguidance.org
Your support is greatly needed and appreciated.
Sincerely,
The Jefferson Team (Cindy Arsaga, Ralph Nessom, Doug Walsh, Rob Sharp, Daniel Hintz)
