Plan would put students further behind

I am the mother of a student at Helen Haller Elementary school who was diagnosed with a developmental delay and has an IEP (individual education plan). His first year as a kindergartener was pretty much a wash.

This year he’s re-doing kindergarten, per my request, and is finally making academic progress. He thrives on routines; even the smallest change can foul up his day. I know him best and understand what’s best for him, and I know that re-configuring our elementary schools is not best for him.

If the reconfiguration stands, I know he’ll have another “wash” year. All of us parents and teachers want our children to succeed, which is why we oppose the reconfiguration!

Unfortunately, most kids with IEPs will fall further behind if this plan is implemented.

Tiffany Van Selus

Sequim

Give school reorganization plan a chance

I have read about the planned realignment of the Sequim schools and have been surprised (and disappointed) at the quick and negative response from some of the members of the district.

It reminds me of the recent vocal minority rejection of the MAT clinic, which is now operating successfully in our community … without all the horrible consequences that the nay-sayers of this facility had predicted.

I understand that change is scary for people. But given what I have read about how districts operate differently throughout the country, it seems there are both positive and negative issues related to either alignment. And, there is no “one size fits all” or any one significantly “better” way of doing things.

Given the past less than stellar academic scores in the school district, and given that there has been a large turnover in the school administration in recent years, I think it would be reasonable to think that maybe some changes should be made.

I am confident that the board has done its due diligence in hiring a well-qualified superintendent and that it has decided to move forward with this alignment model after serious study and consideration. So, why not give it a chance?

Although none of my five children attended school in the Sequim School District, they did attend a rural Midwest school during a similar configuration change and they rode the buses for about one hour each way. This was not easy, but they all learned the valuable skill of being able to adapt to change and, surprise, they are now all successful adults).

Maybe those opposed should give this new model a chance to succeed before categorically rejecting it. Who knows, maybe academic scores will actually improve as a result.

Stephanie Sherman

Port Angeles

Daughter ‘devastated’ by change

I have two kids at Helen Haller Elementary this year, that have IEPs (individual education plan). Next year, my daughter will be joining her two older brothers, whom she is close to.

My daughter has looked forward to joining her brothers at Helen Haller since she saw her brothers get on the bus for the first time. Every day she asks when she will be able to go to school with her brothers.

Now that the school board members have voted on this reconfiguration, she is devastated. My boys are very protective of their younger sister and have also been looking forward to her joining them at Helen Haller in the fall.

Helen Haller staff works with me to help support my boys at school and understand my family dynamics. This reconfiguration will greatly affect my close-knit siblings.

I have been joining in the protests and meetings to push back against the reconfiguration. We are asking the community to help us push back as well, whether you have kids in school or not, please help our students, teachers and parents get the school board and superintendent to reconsider their vote.

Kathleen Mendoza

Sequim