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NORTHWESTERN HIGH SCHOOL
Eby Gary Poretsky new and improved Forest Park High over recent months, and efforts are
very summer, rumors swirl as to School building. underway on several fronts, including
the fate of Northwestern High 1) coordinating school start and ending
School, a prominent presence in Of course, this plan has raised times to ensure an even flow of stu-
the Northern Park Heights com- numerous concerns with varying parts dents coming and going, 2) working
munity. Before presenting the of the community. Parents and alumni with MTA to locate and increase bus
facts to date, a little background of both schools are concerned about stops to help funnel students directly
information is in order: the students from rival schools being into and out of the school, 3) summer-
under one roof. Residents around the time relationship-building sessions with
In 1960, enrollment in Baltimore Northwestern campus are concerned students and leaders of both schools,
City public schools was around about whether the students coming in 4) planning for a community welcome
170,000. Today, it is less than half that. will treat the community respectfully. and familiarization with incoming stu-
Not surprisingly, the City uses less than Many Northwestern alumni object to dents and faculty, and 5) school police
two-thirds of the current space in its the entire enterprise, arguing and community police discussions.
183 school buildings. The numbers are Northwestern should stay open and
even lower in high schools, with almost revamp its curriculum to become a The principal, staff, and alumni lead-
half of the space going unused. Not magnet school. ership from Forest Park visited
only are the buildings not fully occu- Northwestern in late May and strongly
pied, they are often in bad shape. Most Baltimore Councilwoman Rikki expressed their commitment to cooper-
are in poor condition, and almost a Spector has been working with con- ation and the shared values needed for
quarter are over 70 years old.1 stituents and other stakeholders to success. The closing process for
reach a satisfactory resolution. The Northwestern in 2017 is being man-
In an attempt to address these primary concern here in the 5th aged by City Schools Office of New
issues, Baltimore has introduced its District is the stability of the neighbor- Initiatives, which will hold community
21st Century School Plan. The idea is hood and wellbeing of the residents. meetings this fall, prior to the Board of
to have fewer, better buildings. This As of this writing, it appears the stu- Commissioner’s vote in December, the
means closing some schools, and refur- dents will be at Northwestern come exact dates of which will be
bishing or rebuilding others. The two August, and the community and announced.
local high schools directly affected by school will need to work together to
this are Northwestern and Forest Park. ensure that this transition is a smooth A Northwestern-Forest Park Co-
one for all involved. Location Update is being distributed by
Both schools serve the greater Park email every two weeks, and will also be
Heights area, but enrollment dictates The City Schools office responsible posted on the 21st Century Schools
that only one is necessary. Based on for managing the work of renovating website, http://baltimore21stcentu-
this, a decision was made to close and building new schools is also in ryschools.org/community-engage-
Northwestern and refurbish Forest charge of helping to address our com- ment/design-and-construction.◆
Park. But to do this, the students from munity’s concerns about the students
both schools will share the of Forest Park sharing space with the 1 http://www.baltimorecityschools.org/cms/li
Northwestern campus while Forest students of Northwestern for the next
Park is renovated. Then, in August of few years. The 21st Century Buildings b/MD01001351/Centricity/Domain/8784/P
2018, the students will relocate to the Office has met with many stakeholders
DF/2012June-JacobsReport.pdf
124 u www.wherewhatwhen.com u
Eby Gary Poretsky new and improved Forest Park High over recent months, and efforts are
very summer, rumors swirl as to School building. underway on several fronts, including
the fate of Northwestern High 1) coordinating school start and ending
School, a prominent presence in Of course, this plan has raised times to ensure an even flow of stu-
the Northern Park Heights com- numerous concerns with varying parts dents coming and going, 2) working
munity. Before presenting the of the community. Parents and alumni with MTA to locate and increase bus
facts to date, a little background of both schools are concerned about stops to help funnel students directly
information is in order: the students from rival schools being into and out of the school, 3) summer-
under one roof. Residents around the time relationship-building sessions with
In 1960, enrollment in Baltimore Northwestern campus are concerned students and leaders of both schools,
City public schools was around about whether the students coming in 4) planning for a community welcome
170,000. Today, it is less than half that. will treat the community respectfully. and familiarization with incoming stu-
Not surprisingly, the City uses less than Many Northwestern alumni object to dents and faculty, and 5) school police
two-thirds of the current space in its the entire enterprise, arguing and community police discussions.
183 school buildings. The numbers are Northwestern should stay open and
even lower in high schools, with almost revamp its curriculum to become a The principal, staff, and alumni lead-
half of the space going unused. Not magnet school. ership from Forest Park visited
only are the buildings not fully occu- Northwestern in late May and strongly
pied, they are often in bad shape. Most Baltimore Councilwoman Rikki expressed their commitment to cooper-
are in poor condition, and almost a Spector has been working with con- ation and the shared values needed for
quarter are over 70 years old.1 stituents and other stakeholders to success. The closing process for
reach a satisfactory resolution. The Northwestern in 2017 is being man-
In an attempt to address these primary concern here in the 5th aged by City Schools Office of New
issues, Baltimore has introduced its District is the stability of the neighbor- Initiatives, which will hold community
21st Century School Plan. The idea is hood and wellbeing of the residents. meetings this fall, prior to the Board of
to have fewer, better buildings. This As of this writing, it appears the stu- Commissioner’s vote in December, the
means closing some schools, and refur- dents will be at Northwestern come exact dates of which will be
bishing or rebuilding others. The two August, and the community and announced.
local high schools directly affected by school will need to work together to
this are Northwestern and Forest Park. ensure that this transition is a smooth A Northwestern-Forest Park Co-
one for all involved. Location Update is being distributed by
Both schools serve the greater Park email every two weeks, and will also be
Heights area, but enrollment dictates The City Schools office responsible posted on the 21st Century Schools
that only one is necessary. Based on for managing the work of renovating website, http://baltimore21stcentu-
this, a decision was made to close and building new schools is also in ryschools.org/community-engage-
Northwestern and refurbish Forest charge of helping to address our com- ment/design-and-construction.◆
Park. But to do this, the students from munity’s concerns about the students
both schools will share the of Forest Park sharing space with the 1 http://www.baltimorecityschools.org/cms/li
Northwestern campus while Forest students of Northwestern for the next
Park is renovated. Then, in August of few years. The 21st Century Buildings b/MD01001351/Centricity/Domain/8784/P
2018, the students will relocate to the Office has met with many stakeholders
DF/2012June-JacobsReport.pdf
124 u www.wherewhatwhen.com u
