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Saturday, April 16, 2016 • Vol. 62 • No. 16
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Parents want Love Elementary to become a magnet By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com
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Ebru Erdini is zoned to Love Elementary, but says she never really gave it a chance. “I was aware of negative things on the forums,” she said. “I knew it was other parents like me, on the outside looking in. I wanted to know more.” That opportunity came when she sent her special needs youngest child, to the Preschoolers Achieving Learning Skills program, or PALS, at the school. “In two weeks he was a completely different child,” said Erdini. “I felt a bit guilty. We had never given it a chance.” Her oldest child attended Harvard Elementary and now is at Hamilton Middle School. Her middle daughter went to the paid Pre-K program at Harvard last year and was accepted into the gifted and talented program there for Kinder. But because of
her experience at Love and because of her daughter’s positive reaction during a school tour, Erdini is sending her to Love in the fall. “My daughter loved the name,” said Erdini. “The staff is very friendly. She wants to go right now. I like that she’s going to be fluent in Spanish with the dual language program.” That’s not all Erdini is doing. Recently, she spearheaded an online petition on Change. org called Magnet for Love Elementary. As the letter with the petition states: “[Love] needs an influx of new effective educational tools to encourage diversity. In short it needs to be designated and funded by HISD to become a Magnet School.” The idea is that by getting a magnet designation, Love will get the financial resources See Magnet P. 5A
Photo by Betsy Denson Love Elementary has room for 80 more children. Most students come from the school zone, but the hope is that if Love becomes a magnet, the school will be more attractive to those outside the zone.
I would love to help!
eileen
The expression says it all - the beloved “Climbing Tree” in Candlelight Park is now nothing more than a stump in the ground, leaving more questions than answers for this girl and others in the area who enjoyed the presence of the old tree.
Gamel Hartman
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eileenhartman@kw.com 5050 Westheimer Suite 200
Educational
LEADERS Saluting our Teachers
Everyone has a favorite teacher or two while growing up. As part of our special World of Learning section, we turned to our local schools to find out which teachers received nods as Teachers of the Year. Join us as we salute our accomplished educators and wish them luck in potentially being named HISD’s Teacher of the Year.
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Decision in GOMO suit coming soon By Jonathan Garris jgarris@theleadernews.com Members of the Garden Oaks Maintenance Organization are clearing up misunderstandings about a lawsuit filed by a local homeowner regarding the group’s deed restrictions, a suit which is expected to have a final decision from a judge some time this week or next. A post to the Garden Oaks community website provides details into the current status of the ongoing lawsuit. GOMO had originally brought a lawsuit against Peter and Katherine Chang in 2012 in an effort to enforce a deed restriction prohibiting structures on residential plots “other than [a] one detached single-family dwelling not to exceed two stories in height and a one or two car garage.” A representative with GOMO said that what remains outstanding at this point is whether or not attorney’s fees will be awarded to the Chang’s and their amount and whether GOMO can exercise its authority to enforce deed restrictions on their property. Other residents in the community, particularly those who attended a February community meeting, voiced their concern that the decision would apply to all properties; however the GOMO See GOMO P. 5A
Beloved Candlelight Park tree vanishes
Rescue Crisis Local non-profit Rescued Pets Movement is now facing financial difficulties as it continues its efforts to rescue stray cats and dogs across the Houston area.
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The INDEX. Church
7A
Classifieds
7B
Coupons
5A
Food/Drink/Art Obituaries
1B 8A
Opinion
4A
Public Information Puzzles Sports
2A 4A 9B
Yale Street Bridge rebuild to begin
By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com
By Jonathan Garris jgarris@theleadernews.com
It was the case of the disappearing tree. An Oak Forest resident recently took his daughter to Candlelight Park to check out the progress of the trees the city planted to replace the ones killed by the drought of 2011. “But we always have to visit ‘The Climbing Tree’, an old, crooked, and beautiful oak tree,” the father said. “Any kid that knows the park knows this tree for its majesty and entry-level climbing opportunity. Most times we are there, a woman strolls the park by herself offering friendly hellos. One day I asked her about the climbing tree and she told us that the tree was an adult specimen in the 1950s, when she moved here.” Of course on a recent visit they had trouble finding it because it didn’t exist – because only the stump remains. “My mind raced with reasons why such a decision would be made - proximity to the street? Liabilities over climbing? Whatever the reason I am beside myself and my children are the definition of sad.” This family was not the only one. “My daughter was so upset when this tree was cut down,” said Cindy Madi. “She was almost in tears.” The Leader endeavored to find out why. After a call to Public Works, who confirmed the take down was not part of one of their Capital Improvement Projects, the answer was found at the Houston Parks and Recreation depart-
While some might be sad to see it go, TxDOT officials are ready and willing to begin the demolition of the historic Yale Street Bridge in the Heights. The 85-year-old bridge over the White Oak Bayou will come falling down, so to speak, despite being named as one of only seven bridges in the Houston area on the National Register of Historic Places after being added in 2011, according to the group’s website. A sign placed at the bridge indicates it will be closed April 18 through Dec. 31 2017. According to a TxDOT report from 2014, inspectors deemed the bridge functionally obsolete in 2013. The proposed replacement bridge would be designed with a “12-foot-wide outside lane, an 11-footwide inside lane, and a 8-foot-wide sidewalk in each direction on the bridge” following public input. In order to meet federal and state crash rating requirements,
See Tree P. 5A
Contributed Photos “The Climbing Tree” had no lack of support from youngsters and adults alike.
See Bridge P. 2A
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