Tulsa Now Should Support Relocating TSAS Downtown

[Double A]

To all the wonderful TSAS families and supporters,

Last year everyone was so helpful with communicating our concerns and our questions to state and local business leaders and elected officials.  Your letters and calls most certainly helped clarify our concerns and provided first hand input for everyone to better understand these issues.

I have included at the end of this message, my most recent  letter to the editor of the Tulsa World, explaining a new concern that has come up.  If you have the chance to look at the September issue of Tulsa People, check the article beginning on page 60.  This involves your tax dollars being spent on a school that hopes to accomplish what TSAS has already done.  What a wonderful opportunity it would be for John Brock and his foundation to channel his enthusiasm and funding connections towards helping TSAS continue to do what he envisions with his proposal.

Sen. John Williamson, R-Tulsa, has already filed a bill to fund this vision (Senate Bill 928) for $5.5 million per year, averaging $27,000 per student annually.  A contribution of land has been requested from the City of Tulsa and $20 million in private donations is projected as a need to build facilities.

My question is why?  TSAS already is a school with this same vision and we have demonstrated success both academically and artistically.  What we need is the backing of the city and private foundations to help us achieve this vision by having land and a new building dedicated to TSAS.  So again, if you have contacts or wish to send letters of support for TSAS, it would be MOST appreciated.  As I say below, why reinvent the wheel or dress it up when it already exists and is TSAS!
Thank you again for entrusting your child's education and future with our school.

Sincerely
Pat Lubas
Director, TSAS





August 30, 2007

Letters to the Editor
letters@tulsaworld.com


Tulsa, watch out!  It looks like someone wants to reinvent the wheel
with your tax dollars.  A feature article in the September issue of
Tulsa People entitled "A New Claim to Fame" describes a new project by
local philanthropist John Brock to bring a statewide arts high school
to Tulsa, similar to the math and science school, OSSM, in Oklahoma
City.  He explains how his grandson attended the Oklahoma Summer Arts
Institute at Quartz Mountain in photography, loved it and is currently
attending the Art Institute of Chicago.

There is already a school in Tulsa, a charter high school, Tulsa School
of Arts and Sciences (TSAS) that has accomplished much of what Mr.
Brock hopes to begin.  Last summer four TSAS students participated in
the summer arts program in photography at Quartz Mountain out of a
total of eighteen from the state, with many other students also
attending during previous years.  The Art Institute of Chicago
currently has three students from Oklahoma; two of them are TSAS
graduates! And we are already in the process of forming "art-nerships"
with the Jazz Hall of Fame and others to enhance and enrich our
programs.

Mr. Brock compared his school's vision to having the success of OSSM's
academic record.  Not only does TSAS have the arts background and
success, we also currently have the third highest ACT composite average
in the state and are second highest in the Tulsa area with End of
Instruction (EOI) results of satisfactory or better.

TSAS has accomplished all of this on the public school allocation of
less than $5000 per student.  Mr. Brock wants the taxpayer to support
his dream for $27,000 per student.  Why reinvent the wheel, with
diamond studded spinners when, after it rolls along, the destination is
the same?

He hopes to have land donated by the City of Tulsa. Yes, please, we
would love that - and private contributions of $20 million to build
facilities - we certainly would appreciate that too!  TSAS has the
staff, the history of success and the educational know-how.  We would
enthusiastically welcome the financial support of Mr. Brock's
foundation and the City of Tulsa to find a more permanent location, yes
- downtown would be ideal.  We could save a lot of repetition and
duplication of services and for far less tax dollars.

Let's build upon what we now have and together with TSAS, Mr. Brock can
realize his vision of arts excellence in Tulsa.

[TheArtist]

Sounds to me like they should use those funds to expand the program they have now. And if it could be downtown, especially near the Brady Arts District or OSU Tulsa, all the better.

I wonder if it would be plausible or acceptible to encourage OSU Tulsa to have an arts program? Something like that could have such great synergies with downtown and the expanding Brady Arts District. Better than Stillwater imo and more opportunities for the students to get exposure or sell their work.

[sgrizzle]

I would like to see the TSAS expanded as opposed to building a new school. Also, as I understood it, TSAS is open to TPS students only, whereas OSSM is open to students statewide.

[Double A]

Just think what a draw it would be to get folks to move downtown if students who live within the IDL would have automatic enrollment at TSAS? This could be the missing link to downtown revitalization and to realize the dream of a full fledged arts district downtown. I hear there is some space for lease in the new City Hall.

[Kenosha]

I have long thought that the Tulsa Club building would be ideal for an Arts and Design school...Plenty of room for administration, studios, and the top floor, which was a ballroom, would be an ideal dance studio or a gallery.  It's a great building...

[Double A]

Just imagine if TSAS could be located in the Brady District near the Matthews Project. I think it could spur the nearby OSU and TCC campuses to take a look at expanded curriculum in Music and Fine Arts Programs. Don't forget that TSAS also excels at Math and Science which could be very useful in regards to the nearby Vision 2025 OSU Advanced Technology Research Center. Not to mention the fact that the Tulsa Achieves program could keep many of the best and brightest of Tulsa's young, not only in town for college, but in downtown. I think this might increase the likelihood that these downtowner students for most of their young adult lives would have such deep relationships and roots in the community that they would desire to stay in Tulsa, making the city more desirable for companies to locate here, due to the highly skilled, well-educated, workforce available. A great public high school like TSAS downtown could very well be the spark that ignites a synergy downtown that explodes into the scenario above, maybe not. I think it at the very least deserves a honest evaluation and debate. We don't have to reinvent the wheel, or even redesign it. TSAS is clearly the best bang for the buck, IMHO.

[sgrizzle]

quote:Originally posted by Kenosha

I have long thought that the Tulsa Club building would be ideal for an Arts and Design school...Plenty of room for administration, studios, and the top floor, which was a ballroom, would be an ideal dance studio or a gallery.  It's a great building...

You'd have to steal it first.

[pmcalk]

quote:Originally posted by sgrizzle

quote:Originally posted by Kenosha

I have long thought that the Tulsa Club building would be ideal for an Arts and Design school...Plenty of room for administration, studios, and the top floor, which was a ballroom, would be an ideal dance studio or a gallery.  It's a great building...

You'd have to steal it first.

Maybe eminent domain?  I would say a public school is a public use.  A school at the Tulsa Club is the best idea I have heard in a while.

[osvpa]

hello everyone.

i am representing the proposed oklahoma school for visual and performing arts (osvpa). i will be more than happy to address any questions or concerns.

tsas is a great school. my best friend graduated from tsas three years ago. we are not trying to compete with tsas.

the big difference between tsas and osvpa is that tsas is only open to tulsa public school students, while osvpa would be open to every student in the state.

[osvpa]

also, osvpa does not have to be in tulsa, we just thought it would be the best place for it.

[sgrizzle]

quote:Originally posted by osvpa

hello everyone.

i am representing the proposed oklahoma school for visual and performing arts (osvpa). i will be more than happy to address any questions or concerns.

tsas is a great school. my best friend graduated from tsas three years ago. we are not trying to compete with tsas.

the big difference between tsas and osvpa is that tsas is only open to tulsa public school students, while osvpa would be open to every student in the state.

While you might be intentionally trying to compete, the overlaps are somewhat evident. What is planned so that these two schools could compliment each other or partner?

[swake]

quote:Originally posted by osvpa

also, osvpa does not have to be in tulsa, we just thought it would be the best place for it.

Sounds great and the Tulsa Club Building idea is perfect.

[osvpa]

quote:Originally posted by sgrizzle

quote:Originally posted by osvpa

hello everyone.

i am representing the proposed oklahoma school for visual and performing arts (osvpa). i will be more than happy to address any questions or concerns.

tsas is a great school. my best friend graduated from tsas three years ago. we are not trying to compete with tsas.

the big difference between tsas and osvpa is that tsas is only open to tulsa public school students, while osvpa would be open to every student in the state.

While you might be intentionally trying to compete, the overlaps are somewhat evident. What is planned so that these two schools could compliment each other or partner?

because we would be a statewide school, our student body would come from all over oklahoma. the admission process would be very competitive, so only a couple students from each district would attend. i dont think that a tsas student would be too interested in osvpa because tsas already has a great art program.

[osvpa]

i have a pdf that talks about the goals and curriculum of the school. if anyone wants a copy i would be more than happy to email it to them.

[YoungTulsan]

If osvpa wants a school in Tulsa, admitting only the best and brightest and bringing them into Tulsa, I see that as a good thing.