a good piece of reporting but nowhere is seen the name of the one person who had to give the OK to close out hyde park high school after taking 10s of millions of dollars from the state agency to renovate the school in the not to distant pass. this is why carol johnson is paid more money than the person making all the decisions in the city, that being the blithering nitwit bagman mayor, one thomas bigmachiavelli menino. when arne duncan, obamas sec.ed is in town, theres mayor nitwit up close and personal in the photo ops and stories. when the you know w hat hits the you know what cuz of his constant meddling in any and all decisions, he's tougher to find than judge crater. ma

Massachusetts School Building Authority is right in taking a stand here. This is what happens when you don't have people in charge who have a historical perspective. I don't blame Carol Johnson, even though she could have "Googled it" and found the information herself, Mike Contompasis or Tom Payzant really should have given her a heads up, when BPS first proposed closing the Hyde Park Educational Complex (HPEC). Especially Dr. Payzant, since he accepted the Gates money to create it! Small Schools are not sustainable budget wise, considering that the Universities, Hospitals, Museums and Non-profits, are not paying their fair share for Boston municipal services! Wait until the "small schools" moving into the HPEC find, in a year or two, they will be consolidated administratively. I can already hear the screams.

BPS's current School Relocation Plan, which it also calls "access to excellence," would unnecessarily move the Mission Hill School K8 from the building that has been its home since it was founded by the community in 1997, and would also move the school out of its Roxbury community. The building is well-suited to allow MHS K8 to expand in place, rather than spending $12 million or more to gut the building and convert it into a high school for Fenway High's relocation. Further, 60 percent of students at MHS live within the school walk zone; moving the school goes against the city's stated goals of having neighborhood schools closer to home and putting fewer kids on school buses. Concerned citizens have an opportunity to oppose this move through a parent-led petition at the "Change" web site.

Allston Bob: The only thing that is going to follow the Mission Hill School (MHS) to the Agassiz Building is the name. The MHS community will evaporate, as the School Community at the Clap School did when it became and "innovation" school. Who would want their children in a windowless, airless building, devoid of natural light and air? Who would want to teach there! Especially considering that the Agassiz Building already has reported mold and air quality issues. Do you really trust BPS Inspectional Services to fix it? You have to wonder about the people in charge, what are they thinking! BPS also plans to open the Margarita Muñiz Academy in the Agassiz Building, why? Margarita Muniz Academy is only rolling out the 9th grade in September 2012, why can't they be a "school within a school" at English High building down the street? English High has vacant rooms on the first floor, that were once used as classrooms, but since the student population at English was reduced to 750, these classroom remain empty. In addition, the "community center" has vacated English and those 1st floor rooms are vacant. Muniz School planned on using the English sports facilities, if they were located in the English building, they could share the cafeteria, library, auditorium, nurses office and gyms. Instead of having to replicate them at the Agassiz Building, for a school with a couple of classes. BPS has been sharing "small schools" in the same building since Gates. Since the English principal is leaving, the Muniz principal could lead both schools and save the city some money. There are a couple of schools in BPS that already share principals. Is the BPS going to pay full principal's salary, in addition to the nurse, guidance, student support and librarian in the Agassiz Building with only a couple of 9th grade classes? It is ridiculous to renovate the Agassiz Building in this economy for them, when a high school facility, that could accommodate them, is just down the street.

The petition to stop the move of Mission Hill School is here: http://chn.ge/SaveMission

The BPS administration is weak. No one should be surprised by this latest story. As a taxpayer I am concerned that approx 1/3 of our city's budget is in the hands of these knuckleheads.