See the letter the parents submitted to the school board below:
June 15, 2015
Dear South Orange Maplewood Board of Education Members:
We, the undersigned parents of current and prospective CHILA
students, respectfully request that the Board of Education pass a
recommendation that the CHILA program remain in place without changes to the current
program structure for the 2015-16 school year for both returning and new
students. Continuing the program in its
current form, which includes separate classes for CHILA students will provide
the incoming Superintendent, Dr. John Ramos, with an opportunity to evaluate
the program.
Although Mr. Memoli has stated twice to the school board that
CHILA remains in place, the information that has been supplied by him indicates
that the “administration is looking to minimize the number of students who
require the program by creating opportunities for the students’ success through
individualized plans.” We do not know
what this means and we have been told that CHILA guidance counselor and
teachers have been re-assigned to regular guidance and classroom
instruction. Further, the CHILA students
have been told that they will be returning to regular classroom instruction
which is causing some students to withdraw from school and pursue the GED or
other options such as the military. As school
board members, we are sure that you are well aware that the life trajectory for
people that do not complete high school is far different than those who do and
has significant economic, social and psychological consequences.
CHILA has been an extremely valuable alternative program for
numerous students in the district. It
has helped children like ours who were off track for graduation to get back on
track. CHILA should not be altered or
dismissed without a thorough understanding and review. We are making a reasonable, moderate request
to ensure that the young people currently in the program and those in need of
the program have this option available to them for another school year. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
David
Britton (father of prospective CHILA student)
Joseph
Ford (father of two current CHILA students) Marina Hernandez Ford (mother of two current CHILA students)
Bruce Fryer (father of current CHILA student)
Leslie Kantor (mother of current CHILA student)
Mary MacDonald (mother of prospective CHILA student)
No comments:
Post a Comment