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Dear Friend of Abingdon Elementary School:
Not to be melodramatic, but the very identity of our school depends on our ability to work together here. Please take a moment to read this; to pass it on to fellow Arlingtonians who care about Abingdon; and to sign the letter at the bottom of the page. You can send it to school with your child (it will be forwarded to the PTA). Or you can mail it to the PTA at Abingdon Elementary School, 3035 S. Abingdon Street, Arlington VA 22206.
So, you ask, what's going on?
The Arlington Public Schools (APS) is projecting a possible budget shortfall of about $47 million in fiscal year 2011. And, they're going through an exercise right now of picking out potential cuts to the budget to fill in that hole.
On Monday, November 9th, they released a list of potential cuts which included eliminating exemplary programs -- and that means NO MORE PROJECT GIFT, NO MORE WHEEL CLASSES!
Now, this is only a list of possible cuts. It is not a done deal. We can make a difference if we work together and make it clear to APS that eliminating Project GIFT would mean gutting our school. It's not just an add-on to our school's programs; it's our school's very identity. Abingdon's special programs shouldn't be eliminated.... it should be emulated!
For most schools, exemplary programs are a great add-on to the programs and curriculum that they offer. But, for Abingdon, our Wheel Classes are at the very core of everything that we do. APS could cut some exemplary programs and then restore them in the future when funds are again available. But, eliminating Abingdon's exemplary programs would pretty irreversibly gut our school's very identity.
Project GIFT is how Abingdon students get communications, architecture, science lab, math lab, Suzuki violin, and more as early as kindergarten.
Eliminating Project GIFT would radically alter Abingdon as we know it. It's not the sort of change that we can make one year and try to reverse the next.
Our Wheel Classes supplement our regular classroom curriculum, expanding the time and enhancing the manner in which our children learn.
Our Wheel Classes give our teachers more time to do their planning so that we can eliminate early release Wednesdays; again, giving our children more time in the classroom.
Our Wheel Classes bring out special talents in our children through interactive and non-traditional teaching methods.
Our Wheel Classes have proven their worth, as Abingdon's students -- even those who face the greatest challenges -- are succeeding more and more each year.
APS needs to know that in a simple cost-benefit analysis, the costs to Abingdon students dramatically outweigh whatever savings/benefit APS would gain.
Project GIFT costs a total of $115,000. For that annual price, it's amazing what the school is able to provide. It seems clear this must be a bare bones operation. If the funding is taken away, there's no amount of shifting that won't impact the kids in the classroom! There's simply no cost-benefit analysis that APS can do that doesn't demonstrate that cutting Project GIFT is a bad use of resources.
And, check out the powerpoint below to see how Abingdon's test scores have improved under Project GIFT's influence! (Many thanks to Kate Maxwell, former PTA co-president and mother to one Abingdon girl and a prospective Abindon boy, for sharing the graphs with us and also with the School Board at their November 17th meeting!) Tina Masciangioli (former Abingdon PTA co-president and mother of 2 Abingdon boys) also shared a wonderful memo done by Mark Macekura (APS Special Programs Coordinator) in February 2006 with the preliminary evaluation of Project GIFT. Just a snippet:
The full memo is attached below. It's a wonderful evaluation of Project GIFT at its inception. And, we all know it's only gotten better over time!
So, now you want to know: What can I do to help?
1) We had a great presence at all three public budget meetings the week of November 9th. There are also opportunities to share your thoughts with the Superintendent by phone or email: 703-228-6015 or pkmurphy@arlington.k12.va.us.
2) Will you sign a letter to APS explaining how important it is that Abingdon's Project GIFT not be cut? You can find it below. Print it out and get it to the Abingdon PTA (3035 S. Abingdon Street, Arlington 22206) so we can present it to Dr. Murphy and to the Arlington School Board. It's in English and Spanish. And, please feel free to add to it or just write your own letter. From the heart is always best! Ask your neighbors and fellow Arlingtonians to sign one too. When Abingdon is a strong educational community, the surrounding community benefits -- that's just as true for local residents, homeowners, and taxpayers who have kids as for those who do not.
3) Attend a meeting with the School Board! School Board meetings (at 1426 N. Quincy Street) include public comment time. You can sign up electronically to speak up until 4:00 pm the day before the meeting at http://www.apsva.us/15401081151356423/blank/browse.asp?a=383&BMDRN=2000&BCOB=0&c=57801&15401081151356423Nav=|&NodeID=649. The next meeting is:
Thursday, December 3 (7:30 pm)
You can also go to School Board Open Office Hours (1426 N. Quincy Street, Room 105) any time between 5:00 and 7:00 pm to talk one-on-one with a member of the School Board:
Monday, November 23 (with Sally Baird, School Board Chairman) Monday, November 30 (with Emma Violand-Sanchez) Monday, December 7 (with Ed Fendley) Monday, December 14 (with Abby Raphael) Monday, December 21 (with Libby Garvey) If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us. This is so important. We really appreciate your help.
Thank you for your interest in Abingdon! Michelle Marston Donna Felipe
PTA Co-President PTA Co-President |