The letter to the owner

Here is my proposal from last November. It seems as though, shockingly enough, they weren't really listening were they???


I would like it known from the outset that I am writing from a personal professional level regarding the current state of the Center-Based High School. I cannot assume that I speak for anyone else. I understand that (this) is both a business and an educational facility and would like to present a tidy, quiet, respectful area allowing for the program to be more easily sold to prospective parents and/or investors, however I feel we are missing an integral part of the special education student body.

All of the students in the high school, and I have had dealings with each and every student since the beginning of this year, are decent kids. In my opinion, this has been the best group of kids I have EVER had the pleasure of helping. The decision has been made to remove these children, and I do not want to make any waves about that. However, I would like to try to show people what can be done with these particular students that have been “removed” from the center-based program. (Regardless of our perspective, each student feels as though he/she has been “kicked out.”)

I have worked with kids since I was just a kid myself. In fact, I was part of a tutoring program with 1st graders when I was in 6th grade. I was also an unidentified, by school processes, Emotionally Disturbed child from about eleven onward. I can hope that the previous gives you an understanding as to why I feel I can make some things work that others cannot. I not only understand these students, I WAS one of them. I grew up in a single parent household on public assistance. I share a similar experience as well as having the educational background for 31 years. (I was also more or less a parent from about the age of 12 after Mom had to work). I have two adult sons who have gone through the teenage years and one 19 year-old godson who is actually from this very area, Glenville. Clearly, my qualifications are evident.

Being a matriculated educator and having been in the field since 1988, I have more educational experience than anyone else in the high school and most of the school as a whole. Special Education is not only my forte, but my passion as a born advocate for the, “less fortunate.” Let us sit down and talk so we can come up with something that will serve the, “bad kids,” as well as the supposed good ones. After all, we know that once the bad kids are gone, one or more of the good kids has to become the bad kid(s).

I have a general idea as to what is needed but require space, a budget, at least two other teachers to start, and supplies. I figure we would probably start with about 15 students, as that is the approximate number moved from the center-based program, which should be the cap for the time being. I would need support staff, a “quiet room,” the ability to be within the area most of the time, a schedule that is set but flexible, and a certain amount of autonomy to create and update the program as is needed.
11/29/2006