Sat Mar 13 2010
As parents of children attending Highland Elementary, we were saddened to hear the School Board's proposal to close "a" school, a likely candidate being Highland. We have been students in many different academic arenas and are witnesses to the fact the educators and Highland community are truly superior, beyond the state's top-ranked "Excellent with Distinction" label. The staff's dedication and sense of community felt at Highland are extraordinary.
We believe closing Highland or any school and displacing students is not in the best interest of Stow's children. The proposed school closing would take place due to budget issues, not decreased enrollment, so among other things a significant concomitant increase in class size is likely, affecting Stow's entire student body.
The quality of our school system is a direct reflection of our community. Unfortunately, the SMF voters have spoken on the issue of school support, as recent levies have all been defeated. As such, the School Board believes a levy is out of the question as the expense is too great. Up to this point, the School Board has gone to tremendous lengths to make cuts that would significantly reduce the budget (by more than $3 million), but have minimal impact on the academic environment of our students.
Unfortunately, we appear to be out of "insignificant" cuts, and estimates suggest that by 2012, SMF schools will have a deficit exceeding $3 million. As this process continues, the decisions to be made will only become more difficult and affect a wider swath of the student and citizen population (whether you have children in the school system or not). Thus we are left with difficult decisions. What will we as a community do? Leave it up to the School Board? Close schools? Cut teachers? Citizenship is difficult and requires us to engage one another and to make our voices heard.
Jim and Lea Dudones
Stow
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