New Futures is a safe and positive environment for pregnant and parenting students. Here students can have the freedom to obtain a high quality education while caring for infants and toddlers.

My name is Alicia Fout. I am a student representative for New Futures at APS SuperSac meetings, a group of students who go to APS to give advice on reducing drop out and improving the school environment. Recently my peers, their parents, and myself have been informed of an addition to eCADEMY virtual school.

eCADEMY shares a campus with New Futures and Freedom High School. Many of the New Futures classes are in eCADEMY, as is our school library, which was built with New Futures' funds. APS has proposed an addition of 120-300 students to eCADEMY. These students would be housed in the eCADEMY building alongside New Futures students. In addition, eCADEMY has not worked out the logistics regarding cafeteria and health office usage by the new students, nor have they established a security plan to ensure the safety of New Futures students and our babies.

At the meeting on May 3rd, 2016, when we were discussing the amount of students that would eventually participate in this program, Debbie Elders went on to state that there is "not enough space for 300 students" which is contradictory to their long-term plan of increasing enrollment to 300 students.

At the same meeting we asked Debbie Elders if New Futures will continue to be able to use the library for our programs on the days that their students are present. Her response was "if there's space."

APS has been working on this plan for at least a year and a half and has not taken the time to inform students, parents or teachers of New Futures, nor have they taken the time to hear our opinions on these issues.

We are aware that the students being moved here may be from detention facilities and programs for students with behavioral issues. It is also well known that teenagers may not have the best temperaments and sometimes break out into fights. If this were to happen around a pregnant woman or a mother with an infant or toddler, this could be disastrous. We at New Futures understand this because we are parents, but we are worried that other students may not have the same understanding.

At the May 3rd meeting, Todd Resch and Debbie Elders informed us that the eCADAMY students would not use the cafeteria at the same time as New Futures students. However, in a press release to KRQE News 13, APS stated that “we’re still working out lunch logistics..."

Also Todd Resch and Debbie Elders informed us that the new students would not use our health office, but APS has informed KRQE News 13 that "We haven’t yet addressed this issue..."

Another concern is parking. The parking lot in which eCADEMY proposes to accommodate its students’ vehicles only has 24 spaces. This is not enough space for 120 students.

This addition of new students during the day will cause a disruption to New Futures' positive and safe environment. As a student and a parent of a one-year-old I am doing everything in my power to ensure that my school is safe environment for myself, my son and other students and children at New Futures High School.

On May 3rd, Debbie Elders and Todd Resch came to New Futures is discuss concerns for the addition. At the meeting we recommended that the new students come to eCADEMY after 3:30 pm, after New Futures population has left, but this has been rejected with no reason offered as to why.

By signing my petition you agree that APS should not add this new program without our advice and consent, as well as a consensus among New Futures, Freedom High and eCADEMY as to how this change will be implemented. Also, that you are concerned that this may be a safety hazard and having these students in the same building as New Futures students will disrupt the safe and carefully protected New Futures environment.

When you sign this petition, you contribute a great deal to helping keep New Futures Safe for Students and their Children.