Mr. Sweeney:
As I stated previously, I do not believe that you addressed my questions and concerns adequately. Unfortunately, at my job, in my position, I am unable to call you during the day, so I am responding to you via e-mail. I have bullet pointed my comments to your responses.
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Dear Mrs. Mackey:
Thank you for your letter.
First let me apologize that you received your first information on the bottom of your child’s backpack. By now you should have received, from me, a letter in the US Mail describing the hour release and the very specific purpose for the release.
· I received the letter in the mail yesterday, Tuesday, June 21, 2011. In looking at the minutes from the Board of Education Meeting the change in school hours was discussed on May 26, 2011. Why did it take over a month to notify parents?
· Also, with such a big change that would affect many families, why were the parents not inlcuded in the decision making process or better informed about these changes?
While I do understand that the hour can cause some hardship on families, it is for the exact same reason you quote, increasing student achievement, that we are scheduling this time with very specific activities and responsibilities for every teacher to meet the needs of individual children.
· It is not just an hour we are talking about. It is an hour, every Monday of the school year, which adds up to 33 hours of missed learning time for the children.
As I mentioned in my letter, each week teachers will be expected to review student academic data, lesson plans and assessment results to plan for the next week, design lessons to meet the needs of individual children, and discuss how each student is progressing. The extra hour will have an impact on student achievement in the future.
· You argued during budget sessions that a budget increase was needed to prevent a decrease in student achievement. How is taking away 33 hours of class time not affecting student achievement?
In addition, as you know, there are many many times during the year your child’s teachers are taken out of the class for professional development, curriculum work, and committee work resulting in your children having a substitute in the classroom for the day or days. This behavior has ended. I will no longer take your child’s teacher out of the classroom for the listed reasons leaving the best teacher in class with the children. Of course, our teachers might miss school when they are ill and a substitute will be required, but a teacher absence will not be directly related to the district removing them form class to complete tasks.
· You stated in the minutes of the May 26, 2011 meeting that this was done for a budget savings of $35,000 because you would no longer need to use substitute teachers during the day. Is $35,000 not worth 33 hours of missed learning time? With a substitute, there is still some learning activity taking place in the classroom. A budget increase was granted, however with this decision the town is saving money, but the children are losing valuable learning time and the parents are the ones burdened with additonal taxes and increased childcare costs.
I have publically said and will continue to do so, I will be monitoring the time very very closely and will not ask the board for this time in subsequent years should the time not be used appropriately. I have also publically guaranteed increased test scores, almost immediately, but within 3 years for sure, if we as a district implement very specific research based practices that have an impact on student achievement; this being just one such strategy.
· You state you have publically guaranteed increased test scores “immediately, but within three years for sure”; please clarify if it is now or three years from now?
I ask your help and support of this very important strategy to increase our children's achievement.
· I cannot support this decision since, as a parent, I was not even included in the discussions. I welcome any changes that will increase the education of the children in this town, however I question the way it is being done. What if your 3 year timeline doesn’t work? What are your alternate plans to help the children and teachers of this town succeed in their academic and professional careers?
I would be happy to talk with you further about this initiative. 860.292.5701
· I hope each of these points will be addressed at the Board of Education meeting on Thursday.
Thank you again for your letter. I will provide the BOE copies.
Wayne Sweeney
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