Colleagues,
Superintendent Myers-Small just proposed to the Board of Education that some schools be closed, some relocated and some merged with other schools. She also proposed changes to grade configuration that would result in a return to separate large Middle Schools – a recipe for disaster. This plan was developed without any consultation or involvement of teachers or their union.
At a time that students need more stability, lower class sizes, more social/emotional supports and more alternative placement options, the Superintendent’s proposal would lead to more disruption, more crowding, and more trauma. It also lays the groundwork for maxing out class sizes and future teacher layoffs. We, of course, will oppose this ill-advised plan and expect that families of our students will too.
If the school board approves these recommendations, we will immediately demand Impact Bargaining to negotiate the rights of affected teachers. But more immediately, RTA officers will meet with our members at the affected schools to learn their perspectives, hear their concerns, answer their questions, and share whatever specific information we have.
While the proposed changes affect some schools more directly, they would affect all other schools also. That is why we will keep you all informed about the progress of our efforts to keep our District from making an already bad situation even worse.
Adam Urbanski, RTA President