GISD to build five-foot fence at Woodland
by By Cherry Rushin
(Posted 11/20/2009 04:30 pm)
newsdesk@grahamleader.com
Good fences make good neighbors according to Robert Frost. The idea of having a fence at all angered some residents of the neighborhood surrounding Woodland Elementary School.
“The neighborhood has really been rather upset about the fence. One reason they are really upset is because no one knew anything about this fence until we read about it in the sports editor’s article,” said Eva Lou Hagelstein, resident of the area.
She referred to the Nov. 11 edition of The Graham Leader in which Clay Stewart wrote a column giving the Graham Independent School District kudos for planning to build a fence around the Woodland playground.
As a representative of the neighborhood, Hagelstein addressed the school board during an open forum at its regular meeting Tuesday. She said a fence is not required.
She said because the playground is flat and open, it is easy for a teacher to observe. Also she said that the likelihood of a child being abducted from the school yard is low.
“The idea of a child being abducted from the school playground statistically is pretty far-fetched because if a student or if a child is abducted and taken, the abductor is going to want to be in an area where they will not be seen. Statistically, when this happens, a child is going alone by himself in an area the abductor thinks no one will see them,” said Hagelstein.
She said the nearby residents have always taken pride in the school and care about the safety of the children who attend.
“The neighborhood has watched over that school for a long, long time,” she said.
Hagelstein said the residents would prefer a fence not be built, but if one is to be built perhaps a compromise could be reached.
“No other elementary school in Graham has a six-foot-tall fence. Most of the people thought, ‘Well, it’s going to look like a prison over here.’ ... If the fence is going to be built, the neighborhood would like to request a compromise of a four-foot fence instead of a six foot fence because there’s a lot of difference aesthetically,” she said.
Hagelstein finished by handing each of the board members a write-up of the request and a petition signed by 28 people.
Another resident of the neighborhood, Vicky Mays, also addressed the board concerning the matter.
She said she had three children who have gone to Woodland and she was not worried about them at school, nor is she worried that the Woodland playground is unsafe now.
“The only thing that I could see that the fence would benefit are the parents who do not pick their children up until 4:45 in the afternoon. Those are the ones that the fence is going to be beneficial for,” she said. “I don’t think we need a fence as a babysitter. We just ask you to really think about this. It is a neighborhood, it’s not Highway 380. I mean, look at the difference. We don’t want our community, our neighborhood, determined to that.”
On Friday, Superintendent Beau Rees said he made an administrative decision to begin construction of a five-foot fence Tuesday.
“After researching the fences at Pioneer and Crestview, as well as pricing for fencing, the administration has decided to build a five-foot fence at Woodland,” Rees said. “This accomplishes the school district’s goal of providing a safe playground environment.”
by By Cherry Rushin
(Posted 11/20/2009 04:30 pm)
newsdesk@grahamleader.com
Good fences make good neighbors according to Robert Frost. The idea of having a fence at all angered some residents of the neighborhood surrounding Woodland Elementary School.
“The neighborhood has really been rather upset about the fence. One reason they are really upset is because no one knew anything about this fence until we read about it in the sports editor’s article,” said Eva Lou Hagelstein, resident of the area.
She referred to the Nov. 11 edition of The Graham Leader in which Clay Stewart wrote a column giving the Graham Independent School District kudos for planning to build a fence around the Woodland playground.
As a representative of the neighborhood, Hagelstein addressed the school board during an open forum at its regular meeting Tuesday. She said a fence is not required.
She said because the playground is flat and open, it is easy for a teacher to observe. Also she said that the likelihood of a child being abducted from the school yard is low.
“The idea of a child being abducted from the school playground statistically is pretty far-fetched because if a student or if a child is abducted and taken, the abductor is going to want to be in an area where they will not be seen. Statistically, when this happens, a child is going alone by himself in an area the abductor thinks no one will see them,” said Hagelstein.
She said the nearby residents have always taken pride in the school and care about the safety of the children who attend.
“The neighborhood has watched over that school for a long, long time,” she said.
Hagelstein said the residents would prefer a fence not be built, but if one is to be built perhaps a compromise could be reached.
“No other elementary school in Graham has a six-foot-tall fence. Most of the people thought, ‘Well, it’s going to look like a prison over here.’ ... If the fence is going to be built, the neighborhood would like to request a compromise of a four-foot fence instead of a six foot fence because there’s a lot of difference aesthetically,” she said.
Hagelstein finished by handing each of the board members a write-up of the request and a petition signed by 28 people.
Another resident of the neighborhood, Vicky Mays, also addressed the board concerning the matter.
She said she had three children who have gone to Woodland and she was not worried about them at school, nor is she worried that the Woodland playground is unsafe now.
“The only thing that I could see that the fence would benefit are the parents who do not pick their children up until 4:45 in the afternoon. Those are the ones that the fence is going to be beneficial for,” she said. “I don’t think we need a fence as a babysitter. We just ask you to really think about this. It is a neighborhood, it’s not Highway 380. I mean, look at the difference. We don’t want our community, our neighborhood, determined to that.”
On Friday, Superintendent Beau Rees said he made an administrative decision to begin construction of a five-foot fence Tuesday.
“After researching the fences at Pioneer and Crestview, as well as pricing for fencing, the administration has decided to build a five-foot fence at Woodland,” Rees said. “This accomplishes the school district’s goal of providing a safe playground environment.”
