Support shown for Lafayette, Greene schools in South Bend

SOUTH BEND — As members of the South Bend Community School Corp. board listened to several people sound off on many issues Monday, horns honked a few yards away on St. Joseph Street. That’s because parents and staff of Lafayette Traditional School were waving signs at motorists to spare their school from closure. "We had to erect this school community from the ground up using pure grit and determination," said fourth-grade teacher Anne Lewandowski, who was among those who had a hard time making it into the packed, four-hour meeting. Lafayette went through a transition a year and a half ago as it took on the traditional format. Corporation officials say its enrollment, 217 students, is still below capacity. As the school corporation faces $8.2 million in budget cuts, one idea is to close Lafayette and then lease the whole building to the local Head Start preschool program. Students would then move to Coquillard or Warren primary center. Warren would become traditional. Lafayette parents and teachers say Warren would be too far for some parents to stay involved — a key component of traditional schools. "The Lafayette family that has evolved as a result of our neighborhood location, long hours, ingenuity, dedicated and loyal parents and staff is one that should never be taken for granted," Lewandowski said. Teacher’s aide Kathy Jaworski from Greene Intermediate Center and a couple of her relatives spoke to the board in support of Greene. Another budget-saving idea is to close Greene, a school on the city’s far south side. According to corporation officials, its 405 student fill only 48 percent of the building’s capacity. "I’m not sure what that’s based on," she said, asking that the corporation closely scrutinize the numbers and the effects before making a decision. She admits that she doesn’t have the answers, but said, "There’s way more that needs to get looked at." Staff writer Joseph Dits: jdits@sbtinfo.com (574) 235-6158