Despite the low turnout, those who came were glad they did as they got the chance to listen to MHS principal Craig H. Garrison talk about the issues confronting him and the school.
Parents in attendance last Saturday could not agree more: MHS needs parent participation.
Majority of those who attended and heard Garrison talk about the projects and the changes that he wants done at MHS said they were enlightened on several issues.
A mother of a ninth grade student who requested her name to be withheld, said, “His presentation is OK. I like that he has plans for MHS.”
She said she agreed with Garrison that there has to be parent participation.
She said, “We need to improve participation of parents so the others would know his plans and what they can do to help.”
She said the presentation was “great” and she said the others need to hear it.
A mother named Lisa said she has a daughter who is a senior student at MHS. “I approve of his presentation. It was good that he was assigned here. He has a lot of plans that if he were supported, he can help a lot of students.”
She said she noticed that most parents were not there.
“Many have misunderstood Mr. Garrison,” she said.
She said it would have been a great opportunity for them to come and be informed of what is really happening.
Zeny, who has two kids at MHS, said, “As a parent I would really like to be involved. Changes are happening here—huge changes with the initiation of the principal. All parents should support the principal in effecting these changes.”
Lorna Aglubat, a Joeten Motors employee and a concerned parent, said, “I like Mr. Garrison’s presentation and what he plans to do at MHS which will benefit our children.”
She also said parents should participate in PTA meetings so they will be more involved in what is happening with their children.
“The school needs us parents. We cannot expect the school to do it on its own,” said another parent who requested anonymity.
She said that parents demand change, but “we should be part of that change. I support the principal in making those changes.”
Malou, a homemaker, said, “I am satisfied with the explanation. I saw the footages and the pictures of what really happened. I am happy that he is doing these changes for the future of our kids.”
Juan Sablan, a concerned citizen, said, he was pleased with the presentation made by Garrison. “We should listen to Mr. Garrison on what changes need to be made.”
He said the proposed changes by Garrison could be replicated in the other schools.
Build and they will come
MHS principal Craig Garrison believes that the school should be a place where students would like to be at all the time.
And for students to stay longer on campus, MHS is finding ways to make it more attractive to students, Garrison said.
He told an audience composed of parents, teachers, and concerned citizens that majority of the structures on the campus are already 40 years old and need to be changed. Some structures necessitate immediate repairs to avert accidents.
“This school by design is like Rome… with all structures built around the coliseum,” he said.
He said accidents are waiting to happen at the parking lot that has been “trapped” with all other developments around it.
He said he plans to move the parking lot closer to the major thoroughfare — Beach Road — that will eventually decommission the traffic lights.
The current parking lot, he said, he plans to convert into a grassy playground for the students.
He reported also that the last of the six water tanks had already been removed.
He also unveiled his plan to work on the sidewalks, doors, school cafeteria, among other projects.
He said he would like to have all sidewalks “resurfaced” and make them work.
“Every sidewalk is just horrible,” he said.
For A Building alone, Garrison said he expects to spend $1,500 in labor alone or $10,000 for all buildings.
This would have been funded by money from Educational Tax Credit program that is to be suspended once the governor signs it into law.
There are approximately 2,000 doors on campus that are 20 years old and need to be replaced. He reported that each door would cost about $500 to replace.
He said if he could he would convince the teachers to adopt a door from their earnings in the after-school tutoring program.
He also disclosed the plan to build an enclosed, air-conditioned cafeteria that can accommodate 700-800 students.
Moving of funds
In an interview with Variety, Garrison talked about projects and the funding.
He said he had to find a way to finance some of the projects.
He said a multitude of contracts had already been executed with ARRA funding and those that had not been executed were subject to losing the funding.
Garrison said, “I really needed to look at those to see if I were getting my money’s worth. It appeared that there was room for improvement in that area. I could look at the contract and perhaps put more of an effort in another area in the school than it was existing in the current area under the contract, which still fit the contract guidelines or otherwise within the scope.”
He said they looked within contractual parameters, pulled out the money and moved it to another project.
This was how they worked on the quad area.
“The quad area took about $18,000 off from a project that was canceled,” he said.
He told Variety that another project was the roofing of one of the hallways and height extension of the hallways to allow service vehicles to pass through into the quad area.
“I moved over I think about $35,000 to do the projects I needed to do: renovation, repairs, and modernization.”
Garrison said that money made possible the renovation of the primary hallways, quad stage area with the new amphitheater, the Paseo, and the stage itself.
