Keep Nava and E.J. Martinez schools open
The Santa Fe Public Schools Board of Education will vote Tuesday, May 29, on a proposal that, if passed, would close Nava and E.J. Martinez elementary schools. I am writing to express support for longevity for Nava and E.J. Martinez (“SFPS considers if any schools should close,” May 9).
At the same time the board is preparing to vote on whether to close our schools, the city is moving forward with developing plans for the former campus of the Santa Fe University of Art and Design. Smart, creative use of the midtown campus will benefit all the people who live in Santa Fe, not just those who live in the nearby neighborhoods.
Of particular interest to me is the addition of reasonably priced housing on the campus, an undeniable need in our community. Two of the conceptual “visions” being considered for that space — Midtown Fusion and Collaborate & Connect — include large numbers of housing units. This is fantastic news. Opportunities for higher education, space for workforce training, a community theater and library, an art park, and office space for nonprofits, film and emerging media companies also are elements of these conceptual visions.
With added housing will come, presumably, additional students to the midtown area. Under current enrollment boundaries, elementary school students living on the midtown campus would be zoned to attend Nava. The Midtown Fusion and Collaborate & Connect visions also include construction of a street grid that would link the campus to Franklin Miles Park, so students who live there would be able to walk safely to Nava.
As a parent and property owner, I can tell you that having safe, walkable access to an exemplary elementary school would make living on the midtown campus very attractive. That’s why I say that Nava Elementary is part of the excitement and opportunity for midtown. I see Nava Elementary as an asset to our community now and an even greater asset in years to come.
Board member Kate Noble said that demographic projections the district is using to study possible closure of Nava and E.J. Martinez elementary schools do not include information about the potential uses of the midtown campus (3:11:11 on the YouTube video of the SFPS board meeting, May 15, 2018). This should be a significant variable in the board’s decision-making process. The proposed closures wouldn’t take place until 2021 — 3 1/2 years from now. I appreciate the board’s interest in giving families time to plan, but I believe one full school year of notice is sufficient.
The district will lose little by waiting to make this decision. Even if they vote to close Nava and E.J. now, they will still be paying to operate those schools over the next few years. In fact, the district has something to gain by waiting — more information about the future of the midtown campus. What if residential growth in our neighborhood necessitates land purchase and construction of new elementary schools in five or 10 years? Closing these schools before plans for midtown have been finalized might be costly for taxpayers in the long run.
Keeping Nava and E.J. Martinez elementary schools open maximizes potential benefits for our city. I believe it would be wise for the board to learn more about possible development on the midtown campus before making a decision that has such significant impact on the future of the city of Santa Fe. I would also like to encourage the city to diligently pursue a timely decision about the future of the midtown campus, which will allow the board to make an informed choice.
I hope the members of the SFPS Board of Education will weigh these variables and vote to keep Nava and E.J. Martinez elementary schools open.