[This message was sent to the School Board]
Larry, I have spent considerable time at the Middle School. I have a sixth grade son attending WMS. I am very familiar with the team teaching approach and agree that the Middle School is one of the most modern schools in the state. Perhaps if you would re-read the comments I sent with my original e-mail you would understand that not one of the comments said anything negative about the teaching approach used at WMS or anything negative about the physical beauty of the building or the modern facilities available within the Middle School. In fact, most parents at Goodview are very familiar with the team teaching approach because it is used in Pod 3 at Goodview School and has been used there for quite some time. None of the comments mentioned any concerns regarding the teaching style used at WMS or said anything about whether our kids would get a better or poorer education at WMS than they are getting at Goodview. Perhaps you didn't read the comments...if so, let me summarize them for you. The majority of the comments were sharing concerns for the social and developmental aspects of sending 10 year old children into an environment filled with 12 - 14 year old kids. 10 year old children are not ready to deal with some of the situations they will encounter at Middle School. We are asking that our kids not be forced to grow up too fast. Let our children be children. There were some comments indicating a concern that our children were being moved to the Middle School simply for fill new space rather than because it is in the children's best interest. I wish that you would read or re-read the comments because your response to my e-mail indicates to me that you really did not "hear" the comments being made concerning our young children. Thank you, Diane Buswell ----- Original Message ----- From: Laber, Larry <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: 'The Buswell's' <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; Ed Thompson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; Todd Rasmussen <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; Fred Peterson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; Laber, Larry <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; Steve Kranz <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; Brant Deppa <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; Sharon Erickson-Ropes <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Cc: 'SB posting to web site' <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Tuesday, March 05, 2002 2:37 PM Subject: RE: Goodview Survey Results > Diane, > Thanks for the input but I really wish you would spend some time at the Middle School and see how the 5th graders are taught, the enviornment they are in and just how well it does work. When I look at 5th graders, I make every effort not to focus on individual schools so it isn't that I think that Goodview is doing a poorer job of educating than the Middle School. I want all the 5th graders in the district to take advantage of the team teaching within the house, I want them to take advantage of one of the most modern schools in the state. > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: The Buswell's [SMTP:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > > Sent: Monday, March 04, 2002 5:39 PM > > To: Ed Thompson; Todd Rasmussen; Fred Peterson; Larry Laber; Steve Kranz; Brant Deppa; Sharon Erickson-Ropes > > Subject: Goodview Survey Results > > > > Dear School Board Members, > > > > Recently a survey was distributed to all Goodview School parents concerning the idea of sending 5th graders to the middle school. The question on the survey was: > > Should 5th grade students remain at the elementary school level throughout the Winona Area Public Schools? The possible answers to the survey were: Yes, No, Undecided > > There was also space for comments. > > > > We sent out 186 surveys of which 89 were completed and returned. While the response rate was under 50%, I believe it is significant to note that 94% of the responses were YES, only 3% were No, and 3% were UNDECIDED. > > > > Like I said, the response rate was not high but I believe the comments included on the returned surveys are worth your time to read and consider. > > > > The list of comments (on the attachment to this e-mail) is long but PLEASE read them and give these comments some serious consideration. > > > > I understand the need to do "something" to resolve the unfortunate financial situation our school district is in however, I truly hope that you have looked at ALL possibilities for a solution. I, along with many other parents, are concerned that our children's safety and childhood innocence is being put behind financial concerns as far as priorities go. > > > > PLEASE READ THE ATTACHED LIST OF COMMENTS and GIVE THEM SERIOUS CONSIDERATION. > > > > Thank you, > > Diane Buswell > > Concerned Parent for our district but mostly for our children << File: RESULTS OF GOODVIEW SCHOOL SURVEY.doc >> > ------------- This message was sent to the School Board of Winona Area Public Schools. To send a message to the entire School Board, address it to [EMAIL PROTECTED] All messages sent to that address are viewable by the general public. A public archive of emails sent to and exchanged between school board members is available at http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]
