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VIEWS ON ISSUES FACING OUR STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY
SAFE & QUALITY LEARNING
Anything less than 5 days in-person instruction inhibits our students’ learning, development, and emotional well being.
Virtual learning is a safe, acceptable model in which we strive to replicate the excellence expected in an in-person experience. Our learners and families who participate in a fully virtual learning model should not be penalized for this choice, nor be forced to accept a sub-par experience.
As in-person learning is expanded, an aggressive COVID testing system should be adopted to minimize the effects of quarantine requirements on otherwise healthy students and staff.
Our teachers need more support. All measures for ensuring safety in the classroom should be implemented, including vaccination for those teachers who want it as soon as possible.
Resources and training should be provided so that our teachers can continue their commitment to dual platform learning and creatively engage our students in virtual education. An expanded in-person learning presence should improve, not detract, from the virtual learning experience, and vice versa.
The administration should clearly communicate with the board and with the Lower Moreland community any progress and any setbacks that are experienced with the dual platform learning models. In addition to case positivity rates, reporting quarantine numbers weekly or bi-weekly via email will help families make informed decisions.
The collective voice of our teachers needs to be amplified at board meetings as key stakeholders. Their involvement in learning model implementation and planning is critical. Not only are LM’s teachers our children’s educators, they are our neighbors and parents who deserve our support more than ever.
Community energy and resources should be mobilized to help develop out of the box, creative, and innovative solutions. These grass-roots solutions should be given opportunity to be presented to the board and administration in a standardized, formal process for consideration as we face challenges as a community for consideration.
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION
It is our responsibility as a school district to best prepare our students to be responsible global citizens who value fairness, accountability, and diversity as they pursue their individual passions and meet their fullest potential.
Student input should be incorporated into revising a Code of Conduct that strives for a higher level of collective accountability and a standard of behavior that the diverse LM community deserves. A revised Code of Conduct should address the responsible use of social media platforms, anti-bullying, and anti-hate speech.
The community should have direct input as to the composition of the proposed community Diversity Council, composed of students, faculty, administrators, and community members. The Diversity Council should play a substantial role in decision making processes, not just to play an advisory role.
Working collaboratively with the diversity consultant and community Diversity Council, the school board and administration should develop educational opportunities that commit to anti-racism principles. Training should extend to all levels of the community: faculty, staff, administration, students, and members of the school board. Workshops and education sessions should be offered to the greater Lower Moreland community so that parents and other concerned citizens who want to learn about these issues can grow together.
A permanent DEI officer should be appointed to oversee program development and implementation, and to be a point of contact for all related matters. Such an officer should not be solely responsible for the development or implementation of this curriculum. This is our shared responsibility.
The school board and the community Diversity Council should hold the superintendent and administration accountable for ensuring DEI training and educational opportunities remain an ongoing point of business, not limited to a 3 year hired consultancy.
Added 7/21/21:
Critical Race Theory (CRT) is not being taught in the LMTSD, and it is my belief that CRT has no place in K-12 curricula.
CRT is a methodology for examining legal and systemic issues, not an ideology.
CRT is not synonymous with culturally responsive and inclusive teaching.
While I do not think CRT belongs in schools, I do believe that educators should be encouraged to have honest discussions about race and equity.
TRANSPARENCY AND COMMUNICATION
The school board and administration suffer from a lack of transparency and poor communication that has led to public discontent and frustration that their voices are not being heard and their concerns are not being taken seriously.
School board meetings should allow for real-time, verbal and written public discussion of issues and concerns. The school board's incorporation of verbal comment by community members in its meetings is a welcome incremental step, but it still does not allow for true, timely dialogue, and it continues to marginalize communities for which written or spoken English is not their preferred mode of communication. Likewise, written communications coming from the school board need to be more inclusive in language options.
The public deserves more substantial responses to submitted public comments. Written responses from the school board should be individualized and less repetitive, allowing board members to indicate their individual views on a topic and provide personalized responses. At a minimum, this can be accomplished by a checklist system indicating individual board members’ approval after each response.
A NEW HIGH SCHOOL WITH HIGHER EXPECTATIONS
I believe Lower Moreland should strive to rank in the top 10 Pennsylvania high schools in 10 years. I believe public school systems - with enthusiastic involvement and careful investment from the community - can be world class school systems that produce highly competitive students. Such an expectation of excellence begins with the community holding itself to higher standards.
The construction of the new Lower Moreland high school facilities offers a rare opportunity to think how best our community can commit to supporting its students for years to come. This involves state of the art facilities that are forward looking and designed to produce students and student-athletes of the highest caliber. All partnerships with any community resources and businesses should be explored when possible to cut costs and improve efficiencies.
Expand curriculum offerings and support for sports and other extracurricular activities to provide our students a varied choice of inclusive opportunities to allow for their personal growth across the spectrum of all abilities and passions. These can and should involve world-class offerings in STEM, the humanities, language and culture, and the fine arts.
The school board should properly reflect and communicate the priorities of the Lower Moreland community for the new high school design in its decision making process.