Tuesday, January 15, 2008

budget cuts

our county is going through fiscal difficulties and is starting to make lists of programs that could get cut, will get cut, wont get cut, and ones that maybe, possibly will get cut.

right now our year round schedule isn't on the list, but some other schools with the same schedule are. even though they promise us we're safe for next year, i'm terrified that this is a sign that our special calendar only has a few more years in existence.

Year round schooling has so much to offer our community. Our kids spend more time in school so they have more time to practice their English, practice their reading and math skills, and have more time to get out of their small apartments. They have opportunities they wouldn't have otherwise as they would not be going to summer camps if not for our intersession classes. Almost more importantly, they make new friends and meet new teachers. One of the proven ways to encourage children to come to school and work hard is when children feel there is more than one adult looking out for them in the school (Ruby Payne). With intersession our kids get to meet two other teachers outside of their normal classroom. Intersession builds our community with more teachers familiar with more children. It helps our kids know they belong in our school and that school is a place to feel safe.

Please, please cut our budget for staples, paper, and tape. Take away the programs nobody uses anymore, but do not take away our year-round schedule.

2 comments:

noretreat said...

Eloquently said. I so agree.

Crimson Wife said...

Why aren't the parents taking advantage of all the wonderful opportunities D.C. has to offer? Most summer programs have specifically set up scholarships to allow low-income kids to attend. Why aren't the parents applying for these?

Learning doesn't only happen by sitting in a classroom filling out some boring worksheet. Children IMHO need far less of that and far more experiential learning. Why read some dumbed-down textbook about the Wright brothers' flight when you can visit the Smithsonian & see their real plane?