Thursday, June 23, 2011
Open Letter to Secretary Skandera
Parent Amanda Woeger submitted this letter to State Education Secretary Hanna Skandera and invites anyone who agrees with it to use it as well.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
Dr. and Mrs. Woeger are wonderful people. When their daughter was in my class the Woegers were helpful, generous, and supportive.IT WAS A GREAT YEAR! I thank the Woegers for the many hours they've given to help and improve our school. However, I disagree with the content of this letter. I believe the School Board made a difficult decision in good faith. And I believe there was a lot of community discussion and in-put before the decision was made. I also believe that Mrs. Woeger should run for a School Board seat in the next election.
ReplyDeleteIt is with great respect that I look at the elementary school teachers in Cloudcroft, and in particular I would like to point out Mrs. Adams, Mrs. Welsh and Mr. Daniels, the teachers that my kids were fortunate enough to be taught by. In my opinion they are the kind of teachers that Cloudcroft needs to minimize the impact of a 4 day week in terms of education.
ReplyDeleteIt is apparent that we can and do disagree in a few points, and that is just fine. I think we all are grown enough to be able to put aside differences, and still work respectfully and friendly with each other. I will be glad to tour any class through the facilities in Sunspot, and I invite every teacher to contact me personally with any request to that respect; I promise to make their and the students' experience as enjoyable and educating as possible.
Some may wonder why of all it was my wife and (much less so) I who took the lead in a strong stand against the 4 day week. To be frank, it didn't help that we were caught by surprise, a feeling that I think most parents had. But let us put that aside for now; what is more important is that a decision about a 4 day week impacts most of all the families. I don't believe there is any doubt about that.
For a move this grave, I think there has been a lack of research, planning and sensitivity by the current school administration and board. One would have thought that to justify this decision there would have been comprehensive proof given to the families from the onset that (1) all other options had been researched, and there was no other way to deal with the budget problem (2) there was some sort of proof that this actually will take care of the budget problem. One should be able to expect a vision, a plan, *something* to ensure (3) that (e.g. through monitoring) the quality of education is at least maintained if not improved in Cloudcroft, and (4) that through anticipation (e.g. by continuous careful assessment of the own school's enrollment, the developing situation in Sante Fe, etc.) future budgetary developments will not result in another disaster.
Personally, I think (1) has been negelected (even though often enough disputed by the School Board, but they have not convinced me whatsoever). Item (2) has been addressed by Arlan Ponder in the June 20th School Board meeting: "Are we sure we save as much as we think? NO!" (a careful, believable, publicized calculation might have helped him and everyone else), and we have been desperately waiting for anything that comes close to items (3) or (4).
Is the school administration and school board solely responsible for the situation? No, certainly not, but some of the shortfalls (e.g. through careful enrollment monitoring and corresponding budgeting) could have been anticipated, and plans could have been developed prior to the actual budget problem. Instead, once the the situation arose, there was a panic.
I believe Mr. Daniels is absolutely correct: the School Board made a decision in good faith. Personally, I do expect much more than that.
But people tell my wife and me to stop complaining and not divide the community any more than we already have. I have my own point of view as to how progress can be made, and problems should be tackled: obviously continuous "check and balance" is needed between public and school board and school administration. Much more importantly, open, civil, honest, and fair discussions amongst public and school administration/board have to occur. In my opinion, there was no discussion with the public - the inherent definition of "discussion" requires *two* parties offering their arguments and points of views.
We will draw our conclusion, and take the measures appropriate to us.
At this point, those are likely to be to pull our kids out of the Cloudcroft Elementary School.
Friedrich Woeger
I wish I could be as eloquent as Friedrich. Personally, I truly appreciate all of the time and attention that he and Amanda have put into researching the 4-day week, other options besides the 4-day week, the effects of the condensed schedule on learning, etc. I wish that the administration at the school had done the same thing before they suggested it to the school board!
ReplyDeleteIf lobbying for what we believe is in the best interest of our kids' education is divisive, then please put me in the divisive column, too.
Over and over I have heard teachers, administrators and parents complain about education in New Mexico. The state ranks at the bottom of the pile...and I haven't heard anyone disagree with that consensus.
It saddens me that those in favor of the 4-day week and reducing our instruction time to just above the minimum mandated by the state are now content to meet the state's minimum standards...while in the same breath saying how lousy our state ranks when compared to the rest of the nation!
And Mr. D...the board voted to approve the condensed schedule back on May 5th. I was at the special meeting, held at 1 p.m. I have podcasted that meeting for all to hear. Do not be under the delusion that there was a lot of discussion, thoughtful exchange or community input. There wasn't.