For families at PS 90, the possibility of losing their school as they know it is more than a change of address. Parents, students and staff say the building on A Street has become a close-knit community, and they fear that proposed changes could disrupt the relationships and routines they have come to depend on.
Its heartbreaking. It really is, Verneta Jones, a parent said. I cant imagine my son going to another school. I really cant.
Buffalo Public Schools is considering a plan to repurpose the Early Childhood Center on A Street into a pre-K special education center as part of a broader proposal involving eight schools.
The proposal has prompted an emotional response from families and staff members who say PS 90 is an important part of their childrens educational experience.
This school is my favorite school. I have been learning with all my favorite teachers, Christopher Harrison, a student said.
WATCH: This Is a Family: PS 90 parents, students fear losing their school
This Is a Family: PS 90 parents, students fear losing their schoolAnother student, who has attended the school since preschool, said the possibility of leaving would mean losing a place filled with memories.
I dont want this school to close because I have been in this school since I graduated from preschool and made some good memories at this school, Harrison said.
Glenda Reyes, whose son attends pre-K at PS 90, said the school provides a sense of familiarity and connection that extends beyond the classroom.
This is just not a school full of staff members. This is a family, Reyes said. If you want your kid to be known by every teacher or staff member, down to the lunch ladies, they know your child.
Other parents are worried about how the proposed changes could affect their children next school year.
What do we tell her? What do we tell our kids next year, when they go on the bus, they are going somewhere else? Jones said.
Staff members share those concerns, describing PS 90 as a place where relationships among educators, students and families help create a sense of belonging.
Ripping apart our School 90 family is ripping apart our entire family and our community, Monica Waraich said.
Staff members also questioned whether converting the building into a pre-K special education center would limit opportunities for students in general education and special education to learn alongside one another.
Those students deserve to also be with general education students, their nondisabled peers, so they can see what the real world is like, Karen Stefaniak, a second grade teacher said.
Rather than repurposing the building, some staff members are advocating for alternatives that would allow the school to continue serving a broader student population.
One staff member proposed maintaining a pre-K-through-fourth-grade school, or considering a pre-K-through-second- or pre-K-through-third-grade model, with a balanced student population and services to meet students needs.
For those who work and learn at PS 90, the debate extends beyond the proposed use of one building. They say preserving the school is also about maintaining connections within the East Side community.
Families and staff members are urging district leaders to consider their concerns before moving forward with the proposal.
The next public meeting is scheduled for Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. at PS 156 Frederick Law Olmsted. The school board is expected to vote on the plan Wednesday.
