Sunday, June 23, 2013

The cuts to our school system will be DEVASTATING!

Dear City Councilors,
I am asking for you to reconsider how your decision to make further cuts to our school system will be DEVASTATING! How is it that we, the parents and teachers of the children of our future must sit back and watch how you are easily making decisions at the upper level without understanding the immense impact it will have at the classroom levels (where it counts)? Take into consideration how our students will be robbed of the arts. Additionally, how do you expect our teachers to properly meet the needs of our students when our resources, planning time, and services have greatly diminished -although, class sizes will continue to grow? Why it is your priority is to immediately cut within the school system? Do you realize your decisions today will forever shape the future of thousands of children? Shame on you for not even realizing or caring about the most important issue- our children! You certainly can make cuts in administration. Why have we not heard a proposal for that? Hiring an assistant superintendent with over $100,000 salary was financially irresponsible as was approving the innovation school. Where is the money coming from?? 

You might also want to take into consideration the impact this will have on teachers. Class sizes upwards (possibly) over 30 students is overwhelming. Please, for a moment, imagine... Planning with less time- I do at home, accurately correcting and assessing student work and data,- I do at home,
30+ standards based report cards three times a year ( I do at home), managing behaviors and social-emotional issues on a daily basis with responsibility to ensure the safety and welfare of ALL students-
By the way, I am married an have two children. When could you propose I might be able to fit family time into my schedule? That's right- my family has to suffer.

Have you considered the minute daily routines that will be affected? Answering parent notes and making necessary phone calls would be impossible.

By the way, teachers- your job will be measured based on how well your students score on benchmarks and the MCAS testing!!! Makes perfect sense! 

You are setting yourself up for teachers having to leave on stress leave (additional money for disability from the budget) AND paying for a long-term substitute teacher ( from your so- called budget). By making these cuts you have cut the teachers legs off at the knees and then want us to "run- get it done". 

Is there an ulterior motive? By creating these cuts you are in essence setting our schools up for failure and thus making us a level 4 district! The state will take over and bring their money with them! Guess who everyone will be pointing their fingers to? That's right, " the teachers didn't do their jobs." You will not be taking the fall for that now, will you? Please respect education enough to find cuts elsewhere. If your daughter and/or son were students, even if they were teachers, what do you think would make the most sense?

I am having voters remorse from our city counsel to our school committee. I beg of you, as a product of the New Bedford Public Schools, a parent of 2 children who attend schools in this district, a teacher who is passionate about my students, and as a ward 3 voter....make things right.
Amy Cavanaugh


4 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's amazing how people in power forget the most important little people our school children.

Anonymous said...

You rock Amy!

Anonymous said...

Now you know why in the past teachers weren't allowed to get married or raise a family.

Anonymous said...

You're right. These cuts are going to be devastating. Who will want to come to work here in the future when thing, hopefully, get on a solid footing? This School Committee and Mayor have done irreversible damage to our school system. Wonder if the School Committee will take the newly posted Asst. Supt. of H/R and Renaissance School postings off the table. That move will save a minimum of $1 million.

All of this is giving New Bedford Public Schools a bad reputation throughout the Commonwealth of Mass and most likely in Rhode Island.

Great job School Committee and Mayor.