She also said that Boston Arts Academy, which under her original facilities proposal in July was to relocate to the Latin Academy building, would remain in the Fenway building it shares with Fenway High School - but would expand to take over the entire building. That, in turn, would send Fenway High elsewhere in a series of other location changes.
The new proposal, which is scheduled to be presented at tonight’s School Committee meeting, pleased many at Latin Academy who had protested the proposed move to Hyde Park.
“That’s great news,’’ said Dmitry Smelansky, a Latin Academy parent from Brighton, in a phone interview yesterday.
But Smelansky, who believes Latin Academy needs new science labs and other upgrades, said he also hopes “there will be a plan to invest in this school and solve existing problems.’’
Johnson’s reversal on relocating Latin Academy adds to a growing list of her proposals that have fallen apart under public scrutiny. In each instance, Johnson has said she simply is being responsive to community concerns, but the start-and-stop approach has frustrated some supporters and has raised questions about the level of research and public engagement that has gone into developing the proposals.
In the case of Latin Academy, students, teachers, parents, and alumni analyzed blueprints and other documents that raised a critical question: How can Latin Academy’s more than 1,700 students fit into Hyde Park High, which was designed for 1,100?
The question prompted Johnson to tour Hyde Park High on Labor Day in search of answers and to pull back the proposal for further analysis.
Johnson, through a spokesman, declined to comment yesterday afternoon.
“The superintendent is not commenting on the facilities proposal until she has the opportunity to communicate directly with families,’’ Matthew Wilder said in an e-mail.
He also added, “I would just caution that what was shared [in the conference meeting yesterday] is not the complete plan.’’
