Raymond garners support for new, $12 million school

Plan would combine Lincoln and Studebaker primary centers

By MICHAEL WANBAUGH
Tribune Staff Writer

SOUTH BEND -- With the future of Lincoln and Studebaker primary centers at stake, school trustees tipped their hand during a special public hearing Monday night at the Education Center.

It appears a new building serving the two neighborhood districts is in the cards.

"I definitely want us to move forward with this," said South Bend Community School Corp. board member Ralph Pieniazkiewicz. "It keeps with the Plan Z neighborhood schools (concept) and keeps those kids close to home."

That enthusiasm was echoed by other trustees and the only two members of the public who spoke during the meeting.

Earlier this year Superintendent Joan Raymond recommended that trustees close the 94-year-old Lincoln building after the upcoming school year to help balance the 2005 budget.

Last week she presented three options for reassignment of Lincoln students.

Option A would have Hamilton Primary absorb the entire Lincoln district. Option B would split the district between nearby Studebaker Primary and Hamilton.

Option C would convert Studebaker into a career center and build a new, $12 million school to serve the two neighborhoods.

"I knew how difficult it would be to save Lincoln," Beverlie Beck, a teacher at Hamilton, told the board. "When I saw the option to build a new Lincoln I was delighted. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for considering this."

Beck graduated from the ninth grade at Lincoln in 1947 and later taught there for 12 years. She also represented the southeast-side neighborhood for eight years on the South Bend Common Council.

Emily Robinson, who will have a child at Lincoln this year, also spoke in favor of option C. She then gave Raymond a list of about 60 signatures supporting a new school.

Trustee Jo Blacketor asked how a new building would affect property taxes and racial compliance as mandated by the 1981 Consent Decree.

Raymond insisted that such a project would not raise taxes and that the Justice Department would likely have final say in any shift of student population.

Looking beyond Lincoln, trustee Sheila Bergeron suggested a board work session to develop a longer-range facility plan for the corporation.

A final decision on Lincoln must come via a board vote. No vote was taken Monday.

Staff writer Michael Wanbaugh:

mwanbaugh@sbtinfo.com