Monday,
December 10, 2012
I'm Chuck Lapre. This is my 6th year as a social studies teacher at the Roosevelt Middle School. I'm also proud to serve as the Secretary-Treasurer of the New Bedford Educators Association.
Tonight, I'm here as part of the effort to save our school. The Roosevelt staff believes that the proposal to co-locate the Esperanza Innovation School in our building will have disastrous consequences.
The burden of housing another school in our facility will destroy the small learning communities we call houses. One of the main reasons New Bedford converted from a junior high to a middle school model was to create schools that specialize in the unique social-emotional and academic needs of adolescent learners. The loss of space in our building could force us to abandon this team and house concept.
Sharing the core facilities of our school, including the cafeteria, gymnasium, computer labs, and library will result in decreased opportunities for the students that already attend our school. It would send a powerful message that students who attend middle school in the South End don’t matter.
The resources of our school and the district are severely limited. Roosevelt, like most of the other schools in the city, suffers from severe shortages in supplies, texts, and technology. We believe the city's limited funds would be better spent on improving existing educational programs, rather than the expensive building modifications that would be needed at RMS to serve younger students.
Before I wrap-up, please allow me to address some remarks specifically to Ms. Pollock and Mr. Livramento. Yes, I have been publicly critical of your position on Innovation Schools. Tonight, I extend to you an Olive Branch. I hope you will abandon your misguided views and join the new Southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island Coalition to Save our Schools which will work to ensure quality educational opportunities for all of our children.
The Roosevelt staff strongly urges you, the elected members of the School Committee, to reject both of the Innovation Schools proposals.
Thank you.
3 comments:
Excellent statement Chuck. There are many many unanswered questions regarding these so call innovation schools. The one thing we all know is that they are going to give cushy jobs to a few and take away money from the district which we can't afford.
Weren't the members of the School Committee elect, as they so often put it, improve the education for ALL students in New Bedford? One has to wonder when the NBPS was reduced to a school population of less than 500 students!!!
Great letter Chuck. When the vote comes, Jack Livre"meanto" should recuse himself because he is part of UIA.
I applaud Chuck Lapre's statement to the school committee, and especially those aimed at Marlene Pollock and Jack Livramento. No one is taking into consideration the students who already attend RMS and the teachers who work there as well who will be affected by this radical change. I too, urge the school commmittee members who support innovation schools being placed in two of our existing schools to re-think their positions on these not-so-great ideas for NBPS.
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