To the editor:
Dear grownup: You may have heard your student talking about the future of his/her "special" classes for next year. Unfortunately, our local school board is looking at ways to cut costs in our school district and one of the ideas they have is to eliminate physical education, art and music in grades K-3.
As parents and teachers, we do not want to see this happen. We all know the importance of these classes to our students. It's through the arts that children find new ways to express themselves. Through physical education children are introduced to new sports and taught the benefits of lifelong physical activity. Not every child excels in reading or math, and these other classes allow them to explore different ways of learning and discover what makes them tick.
Please help us try to save these essential programs by coming to the special budget meeting on Wednesday, May 16 at 7 p.m. in the board room of the administration building. Parents have a voice and can make a difference. With calm, responsible dialogue we can make our concerns known to the school board. They are not against us or our children. Sometimes, they just need to be reminded that the hefty decisions they are making are affecting our littlest learners in a big way.
It's time to come together for our children. Let's make a difference.
Dianne Shearer
President of the Association of Mifflin County Educators, Teachers, and
Concerned Parents
