Manchester NH Residents-If you have kids in school? You need to read this immediately

ATTENTION PARENTS who have children in the Manchester NH School District

News Release October 3, 2011 regarding School Re-disticting

I wanted to update you all on the plan to redistrict our children by the Superintendent of schools Thomas Brennan, Ther Mayor and School Board which are in the works to switch schools so that K-4 will be together, 5-6th grade will be together , 7 and 8th grade will be together and then maintain the High Schools.

They have not placed a link on their website as they said they would for their survey. I have a copy of the survey, please email me at sctprop@aol.com and i can email it to you and you can fill out and send it in or send back to me and i will do it for you.

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This plan and these politicians are NOT taking into consideration the impact it will have on our children.

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This is the current proposed plan

East side divided into Northeast and Southeast

Northeast

                                                        Current                                      Proposed

McDonough                                       K – 5                                        5 – 6

Smyth Road                                       PK – 5                                       K—4

Webster                                             K – 5                                        K—4

Weston                                              K – 5                                        K – 4

Wilson                                               K – 5                                         K – 4

Hillside Middle                                  6—8                                         7 – 8

Southeast

                                                          Current                                    Proposed

Bakersville                                          PK – 5                                        K – 4

Beech                                                   K – 5                                         K – 4

Green Acres                                         K – 5                                         K – 4

Hallsville                                              K – 5                                         K – 4

Highland Goffe’s Falls                         K – 5                                         K – 4

Jewett                                                  PK – 5                                       K – 4

McLaughlin Middle                            6 – 8                                           5 – 6

Southside Middle                               6 – 8                                           7 – 8

West side

                                                         Current                                      Proposed

Gossler Park                                      K – 5                                              5-6

Northwest                                          K – 5                                              K-4

Parker-Varney                                   PK – 5                                             K-4

Middle School at Parkside                6 – 8                                               7-8

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Virtually every home owner in the city with kids in school, moved to a specific neighborhood so our children would be able to be in a specific school area. Living very close to Green Acres and Mclaughlin Middle school was our choice so my daughter could enjoy what those schools had to offer. I do not want her bussed to an another school across the city. Even those who call for rentals request specifc school districts. It affects all of us.

THE NEGATIVES I SEE ARE:

1. Students will face a huge shock being uprooted from their current school, current friends, current teachers and taken from an atmosphere they feel comfortable with. They will be starting over in some cases. They will face a shock, that as involved parents, we try and protect them from

2. Students will face less opportunities for activities, band, chorus and sports They are NOT taking into consideration how this will affect our children. By combining 5-6 and 7-8 grade they will cut our childrens opportunity to play sports, band, chorus and other activities in half. You will have twice as many students trying out for 1/2 as many spots as we currently have for each activity. That leaves quite a few students out in the cold instead of enjoying playing their favorite instrument, sport or activity.

3. Students will be bussed from neighborhood schools we moved to be in to across town INCREASING busing costs to the city and us citizens who may see an increase in taxes.

4. We the parents are NOT being listened to what WE want. Politicians that do not have children currently in Manchester Schools should not be disrupting and causing pain and suffering to so many children and their families.

5. Adds more transitions for students when the Educational Research shows it should be minimized.

1. Example 7^th grade at McLaughlin moves to 8^th grade at Southside and then moves to 9^th grade at Memorial. 3 major transitions in 3 years.

                 b.Over the years it would be K-4 Early Elementary,
                     5/6 upper elementary,  7/8 Middle School then 9 – 12 at HS
                     giving transition years of grades 4 to 5, 6 to 7, 8 to 9 – 4 transitions

6. COST CUTTING IS OUT THE WINDOW WITH INCREASED COSTS

1. Furniture, equipment, supplies and materials for academic and unified arts will need to be moved from McLaughlin to Southside and Hillside. Furniture, equipment, supplies, and materials will need to be moved to McLaughlin from 6 schools. This will happen in 8 weeks over the summer when buildings are being cleaned. This will affect 18 buildings.
   
   A great need for staff training and retraining, district-wide. This should happen before all of the moving occurs.
   
   A need for more nursing coverage in 5/6 and 7/8 schools.
   

   There will be huge lunches and a need to add more lunches. Increased costs for kitchen staff.

7. The 7/8 schools could become “powder Kegs” with the concentration of so many 7^th and 8^th grade students together with their unique discipline issues.


WHAT CAN YOU DO?

There is an election in November, ask the candidates how they feel and vote for the ones that will protect our kids, our families, our schools and our teachers

I dont know wherte Wmur and the Union Leader is on this controversial issue, buit let them know we have an issue.....

SPREAD THE WORD

1. PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT

2. PLEASE RE-POST THIS

3. PLEASE FORWARD IT TO ALL YOUR FACEBOOK FRIENDS, NEIGHBORS, RELATIVES

4. PLEASE ASK YOUR CANDIATE AND TAKE THE TIME TO VOTE FOR THE RIGHT ONE

5. PLEASE CONTACT THE MAYOR AND TOM BRENNAN AND ET THEM KNOW HOW YOU FEEL.

I need your help and our children and our students need your help...

You can also contact your school officials and elected officials