View source for Bush K-8 School

{{Infobox Bham School
|name           =Bush K-8 School
|image          =
|established    =1901
|closed          =present
|address  =1112 [[25th Street Ensley]]
|map     =({{Locate_address_inline | address = 1112+25th+Street+Ensley | zoom=17 | type=h }})
|neighborhood =Ensley
|district       =9
|cluster       =V
|grades         =K-8
|principal      =Sakema Porterfield
|enrollment     =475
|enroll-year    =2012
|colors         =blue & gold
|mascot         =Bulldogs
|website        =[http://www.bhamcityschools.org/bushms bhamcityschools.org]
}}

'''Ernest F. Bush K-8 School''' (originally '''Ensley School''') is a school serving Kindergarten through eighth grade in the [[Birmingham City Schools]] system located at 1112 [[25th Street Ensley]] in [[Ensley]]. The principal is [[Sakema Porterfield]].

The first Ensley School was built in [[1901]] by the [[City of Ensley]] at the corner of [[Avenue G Ensley|Avenue G]] and [[23rd Street Ensley|23rd Street]]. It was financed under the provisions of the newly-ratified [[Alabama Constitution of 1901]]. A $7,000 loan for school construction was repaid from a special tax on saloons.

The cornerstone of the new building was laid on [[August 14]], [[1901]] and construction was completed in October of that same year. The two-story brick schoolhouse was designed by architect [[William Spink]] for 600 pupils. It featured a hipped roof with towers marking the inside corners where the wings joined the central building. Tall arched windows punctuated the thick walls at regular intervals. One thing the school lacked was a lunchroom. Students brought their own lunches and ate in the classrooms or outdoors. The opening of a candy shop across the street provided an opportunity to supplement their lunches with sweets.

By [[1903]] it was renamed for [[Ernest Bush|Ernest Forrest Bush]], the first superintendent of schools for Ensley. Ensley School became part of the [[Birmingham City Schools]] system in [[1910]] when Ensley was annexed as part of the [[Greater Birmingham]] consolidation. The high school grades were transferred to the new [[Ensley High School]] the same year.

The [[Birmingham Board of Education]]'s "[[Birmingham School Survey]]" of [[1923]] found that the 22-year-old school was serving 703 students in the first through seventh grades. A report on the physical condition of the school by F. B. Dressler of the U.S. Bureau of Education found the building "not suitable for further service", stating that "the whole building reveals decrepitude and decay and should be abandoned at the earliest possible moment."

The board followed that advice and immediately commissioned architect [[David O. Whilldin]] to design a new Bush School to be built adjacent to [[Ensley High School]]. After an addition was completed in [[1928]] the school fully replaced the older Ensley School. Further additions were completed in [[1952]] and [[1957]].

In [[1961]] the board approved the addition of a gymnasium and three classrooms at the school. The addition was designed by [[Henry Sprott Long]] and constructed by [[Henry W. Greene]] for $83,000. Another expansion was completed in the 1990s.

In [[2009]] plans were made for $7 million in renovations to [[Councill Elementary School|Councill Elementary]], but interim superintendent [[Barbara Allen]] suggested joining the student body with that of Bush Middle School in a new K-8 school. Councill students were transferred to Bush in [[2013]]. That same year, Bush K-8 School was deemed a "failing school," under the terms of the [[Alabama Accountability Act]] permitting parents to claim tax credits to transfer students to another school.

In early [[2014]] the board reconsidered the proposal to build a new school, proposing to apply $7 million toward renovating and upgrading the existing building. Some parents opposed the change in plans, arguing that the community had been promised a new school, that the renovation would not allow for pre-kindergarten program, parking improvements, and improvements to playgrounds and athletic fields. Some also complained that students were getting sick in the existing building, possibly from mold. An investigation led by the [[Jefferson County Health Department]] found "a single, isolated instance" of mold in a locked supply closet and removed it.

In June of that year the Board approved going forward with the renovation plan and made arrangements to bus students to the recently-closed [[Center Street Middle School]] until it was completed. Some residents petitioned to reopen the former Councill Elementary, but Superintendent [[Craig Witherspoon]] responded that it was in poorer condition than Center Street.

Architect [[Nolanda Hatcher]] prepared bid documents including several options for renovations, which were presented in a public meeting on [[August 31]], [[2016]]. When construction bids were submitted, however, they were all significantly more than the $6.5 million budget, even without additional options. Superintendent [[Kelly Castlin-Gacutan]] recommended in July [[2016]] that the renovation be shelved and the budgeted funds rolled back into deferred maintenance needs system-wide. Her handling of the decision caused friction with community leaders and is thought to have factored into her dismissal by the Board of Education in September.

==Principals==
* [[A. A. Lyons]], 1901
* [[W. H. Bowen]], 1901–1903
* Huffstuttler
* [[R. E. Tidwell]], -1911
* [[J. T. Vaughan]], 1923–1930
* [[C. P. Bowman]]
* Wampler, 1916
* [[J. R. Vaughn]], 1956
* [[Ethel Knight]], –2008
* [[Vanessa Byrd]], 2008–
* [[Genita Matthews]]<!--Nolan-Matthews-->, –2017
* [[Sakema Porterfield]], 2018–

==References==
* ''Ensley City Directory'' (1903) Birmingham: Ensley Directory Company/Roberts & Son, Printers
* Wilson, Mrs A. C. (n. d.) "[http://cdm16044.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p4017coll2/id/10927/rec/1 Sketches of the Early History of Bush School and Community]" typescript at Birmingham Public Library Newspaper Vertical File Collection - via {{BPLDC}}
* {{BBOE-1923}}
* "[https://cdm16044.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p4017coll2/id/14241/rec/3 Schools Adding Near $3 Million In New Facilities]" (January 21, 1961) {{BPH}} - via {{BPLDC}}
* {{Prince-1982}}
* Gray, Jeremy (February 23, 2010) "Councill, Bush merger opponents voice concerns." '{{BN}}
* Chandler, Kim (June 18, 2013) "Alabama Accountability Act: 78 schools listed as failing/ Current private school students not eligible for tax credits." {{BN}}
* Belanger, Evan (April 11, 2014) "Birmingham City Schools officials to revisit issue of new K-8 school for Ensley community." {{BN}}
* Belanger, Evan (May 13, 2014) "Birmingham school board rescinds new Ensley school, approves Bush K-8 renovation." {{BN}}
* Belanger, Evan (May 21, 2014) "Birmingham school officials announce results of mold investigation at Bush K-8 School." {{BN}}
* Wright, Barnett (October 6, 2016) "[http://www.birminghamtimes.com/2016/10/superintendent-fired-after-tense-email-exchange-meeting-with-community Superintendent fired after tense email exchange, meeting with community]" {{BT}}

==External links==
* [http://www.bhamcityschools.org/bushms Ernest F. Bush K-8 School] at bhamcityschools.org

[[Category:Ensley schools]]
[[Category:Birmingham schools]]
[[Category:Avenue G Ensley]]
[[Category:23rd Street Ensley]]
[[Category:25th Street Ensley]]
[[Category:Avenue K Ensley]]
[[Category:1901 establishments]]
[[Category:1901 buildings]]
[[Category:William Spink buildings]]
[[Category:1923 buildings]]
[[Category:David O. Whilldin buildings]]
[[Category:1928 buildings]]
[[Category:1961 buildings]]
[[Category:Henry Sprott Long buildings]]