Binford Middle School fate decided, details released, informational meetings continue

The under-enrolled school shall become a combined fine arts academy and Advanced Placement and career readiness program.

February 10, 2015; 10:41 AM • by Richard Hayes

Update #1 — February 10, 2015; 10:35 AM

The RTD continues its coverage of the changes at Binford with an article yesterday. One of the pressing questions from many parents was who gets to go the is new model.

Who gets to go?

The hope is, the school draws about 525 students next year, up from about 200 this year. With only 224 students living in the Binford zone, there will be 300 or more seats to fill. Preference will go to students currently at Binford under open enrollment waivers. Any seats left — and school officials predict there will be 200 or more — will be available in open enrollment.

There will be a series of meetings to clarify any questions the public might have:

7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 10, Huguenot High School, 7945 Forest Hill Ave.
7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 11, Broad Rock Elementary School, 4615 Ferguson Lane
6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 12, Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School, 1000 Mosby St.
7:45 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 12, Ginter Park Elementary School, 3817 Chamberlayne Ave.
7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 18, Binford Middle School, 1701 Floyd Ave.

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Original — December 16, 2014

From the RTD’s Laura Kebede: “The Richmond School Board voted Monday night to convert the under-enrolled Binford Middle School into a combined fine arts academy and Advanced Placement and career readiness program.” Their decision blends two of the four options the School Board considered. I’m not sure how they’ll go about executing that vision (we’ll learn more in January), but at least they have a plan.