John Rex Elementary

[OKCisOK4me]

A couple of ground level pics traveling eastbound on Sheridan...

[UnFrSaKn]

John W. Rex Elementary Charter School (November 4 2013) - a set on Flickr

[Pete]

^
Awesome Will!


Glad to see the Hunsucker project moving along as well.

[OKCisOK4me]

Funny that the elementary school site was home to Devon Tower construction employee parking at one time!

[metro]

Brick is almost complete on the gynasium (westernmost building). I'll try and post a pic this week.

[Pete]

Some new photos courtesy catch22:

[DoctorTaco]

John Rex Charter Elementary School Holds Community Forum Jan. 21
Pre-K through 2nd grade classes to begin in fall of 2014

OKLAHOMA CITY – Parents and caregivers wanting more information about the much-anticipated John Rex Charter Elementary School (JRCES) are invited to attend a community forum on Jan. 21 at 7 p.m. in the auditorium of the Ronald J. Norick Downtown Library at 300 Park Avenue.

School leaders will discuss the enrollment and application process, plus the many opportunities available in fall of 2014 for incoming Pre-K through 2nd grade students.

“We are actively seeking young imaginations to be part of the John Rex inaugural class,” said Dr. Joe Pierce, head of school. “This is Oklahoma City’s first urban downtown school. Students who reside within the designated attendance boundaries will have first priority for enrollment, and we’ll accept applications from outside of our attendance zone as well.”

JRCES is a tuition-free public charter school built with funding from MAPS for Kids and in partnership with Oklahoma City Public Schools and The University of Oklahoma, who sponsors the charter. Construction of the 79,000 square-foot campus at Sheridan and Walker will be complete this summer. Prior to the new school year, students who live within the defined attendance area must “opt-in” to reserve their spot.

“Any child in the John Rex district is guaranteed a seat in a classroom; however, it is important families understand the process for enrollment and application. We must have their information early to ensure all 280 seats are filled this fall.”

Enrollment and application packets will be available at the community forum, or they can be picked up beginning Feb. 1 at the John Rex Welcome Center in the Oklahoma Tower near Park Ave. and Harvey. To check hours of operation, or to view a map of the designated attendance boundary, please visit Welcome.

[Zuplar]

Just curious, but lets say I live downtown, and have kids. So they go to this school, but where from there? What middle school and then high school? I know families haven't wanted to move downtown because of the lack of good schools, but this appears they are slowly fixing that issue. Is the thought that right now those downtown have young children or no children so they are eventually going to build the others or is there no larger plan on building middle and high schools for this area?

[shawnw]

Presently Taft and then NW Classen would be the path.

[betts]

There has certainly been discussion about middle and upper schools because I've heard Cathy O'Connor mention possible sites.

[Zuplar]

Presently Taft and then NW Classen would be the path.

Ouch. Wonder if they are going to ever try and tie that in with Classen SAS.

[shawnw]

No, Classen SAS is a magnet school. Also, next year it won't have 6th grade.

[Mr. Cotter]

CSAS is a magnet, and I don't see that changing to a magnet + zoned. Downtown residents can apply.

[DoctorTaco]

No, Classen SAS is a magnet school. Also, next year it won't have 6th grade.

Rex will have a sixth grade. Another popular option for high school are the two Harding Charter schools near 33rd and Shartel. This still leaves a gap for middle school for those kids that can't get into Classen SAS. Most of the kids I know who live downtown who *want* (and whose parents want them) to go to a better school than Taft/NW Classen do so with apparent ease. Again middle school seems like the biggest drawback at the moment. It is kind of Classen SAS or bust, although i know a minority of people who make the commute to Belle Isle Middle School.

All of this leaves the questions of income inequality/kids whose parents aren't totally engaged with the process/kids whose parents can't drive them to Belle Isle, etc. on the table.

[shawnw]

Rex will eventually have sixth grade (year 5).

Harding Fine Arts is probably easier to get into than Prep. But then if you can get into HFA, Classen SAS as a VPA major shouldn't be an issue.

I don't know why, but Taft seems like a rough school (by personal experience and hearing from other parents). My daughter had some challenges there. She seems to be thriving at NW Classen so far though, and I don't understand the disparity because it should be the same kids going across the street. She hated going to Classen SAS, and didn't want to go to the same school as her sister. Not sure what the answer is. Not sure how you get that "rough feeling" out of Taft. Or at least make people want to go there (or not mind going there anyway).

[Zuplar]

I think since Taft/NWC is the route, then maybe improvements could be made there. That's got to beneficial in general for those schools. Because frankly those moving downtown are going to have greater incomes. Maybe this is exactly what those schools need to bring them to a better level closer to their suburban counter parts. IMO schools is a big part of getting people to take downtown living seriously.

[OKCisOK4me]

I don't understand why it'd feed into NW Classen which is all the way over on May Avenue north of NW 23rd. It'd seem more appropriate that the kids would feed into Douglas High School. Are they afraid the minority count would discourage affluent families? Someone is going to have to be the pioneers and we should be well past race being an issue. Actually seems more of a socioeconomic issue more than anything which is quite ludicrous to me in this day and age.

[shawnw]

Just how the lines are drawn...

Taft Boundaries | Middle School Boundaries

NW Classen Boundaries | High School Boundaries

[shawnw]

I think a bigger question might be, when Rex opens, will they just cut half of Wilson's area out, or will they remap the entire district at the elementary level?

[OKCisOK4me]

Just how the lines are drawn...

Taft Boundaries | Middle School Boundaries

NW Classen Boundaries | High School Boundaries

So it looks like everyone in Maywood/Deep Deuce area will be in line to go to Douglas and whatever middle school is over that way, unless the parents try to gain a spot for their child at the new school. That's good.

[shawnw]

Douglass is 7-12...

[Lazio85]

Downtown John Rex Elementary School by lazio85, on Flickr

[Zuplar]

Wasn't Douglass an F school. That might actually be worse. I think that's got to be addressed somehow. I imagine this new elementary is going to be a quality school and you can't have the middle and high schools being crap IMO.

[ljbab728]

All of this article will become available and there is so much great information I didn't want to just pick out parts of it to post.

http://www.oklahoman.com/article/3924535?embargo=1

[Pete]