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letters to the editor
Updated: April 24, 2012 12:39PM
District 34 budget cuts
When my husband was relocated from England over 7 years ago we needed to find a house near to Chicago. We chose Glenview because of its reputable school system. I wonder, if these proposals were to go ahead, whether a realtor would be recommending this area so heartily to another new family.
I am aware that cuts need to be made during this difficult time, however I feel that many of the proposals, initial and additional, need to be reviewed more carefully.
I write as both a concerned parent, wanting the best education for my children, and as a former teacher who understands the day to day implications of these proposals.
When I attended the meeting on Feb. 15, I was somewhat relieved to hear the new superintendent tell us that throughout this process one of the main goals was to protect “Tier 1: Day to Day instruction where possible.” As the evening wore on and I reviewed the information and listened to the comments being made by the many parents, it became clear to me that “Tier 1” was not in the least bit protected; in fact it fell extremely low on the priority list.
I feel that there was a lack of information regarding how these proposals will have an affect on our children’s education; the only research that appears to have been done seems to have been by the parents themselves!
As an educator my concern for the reduction of educational associate positions is extremely high. There is no substitute for small group or one to one support.
Many children require this kind of assistance at some point in their educational career. This type of intervention allows children to get back on track so they do not fall into the category of children who need constant special needs support. To increase class sizes and reduce support staff would be a detriment to both children and teachers.
It is hard to believe that in the 21st century when technology is at the forefront of education and illiteracy is of great concern that the board is proposing to remove the specialists who implement and develop these areas.
As a community we all want the best for our children and as an educational board I am quite sure that the best is most often represented by numbers and league tables. We have blue ribbon schools because we have fantastic teachers, assistants and specialists in their field. We do not have blue ribbon schools because we have a large overpaid administration team! Please do not take away the very resources that drive the success of our schools. I urge the board to rethink these proposals and make deeper cuts from administration, and to consider, carefully, and with more data, the impact on educational standards.
The decisions that are made by the board have a greater impact than just what happens in the schools; they impact everyone living in Glenview. They have some tough choices to make: I only hope they make the right ones.
Zoe Shepherd
Glenview
