School Board Considering Burbank Proposal

TPS families sounded off Monday night on the district's plans to retool alternative education. News On 6 education reporter Ashli Sims reports Doctor Michael Zolkoski's new alternative program isn't even official yet and it's already stirring up controversy.

Burbank Academy would be a small, therapy-intensive school that caters to students with substance abuse or mental health issues.

The program would be capped at 60 students and be housed at Bell Annex. It's that location which has many folks in the White City neighborhood upset.

Bell Annex is right next to Bell Elementary school. Parents say they still use the annex for tutoring and reading programs.

Half a dozen people, many from the White City area, showed up to Sunday night's meeting to tell the school board this is the wrong place and wrong time for this program.

"Ya'know, at some point during the planning process someone said we've got place for this it's going to be at a grade school or right next to a grade school and no one at the table said ya'know that might be a problem," said Joyce Buckner, White City Resident.

"Given the catastrophic failures at Tulsa Academic Center last year, why rush to establish a new program? Three or four months of planning cannot be adequate for a program that addresses such complex issues," said Julie Hall, White City Resident.

The Tulsa School Board was supposed to vote to establish Burbank Sunday night, but they pulled the item from the agenda. They're hosting a community meeting about the school Thursday night at Bell Annex.