LETTERS: MAKE EXCEPTION FOR 5TH, 6TH GRADERS

To the editor:

I want to commend all the people who have put in many hours on the compromise we have before us on the school boundaries. I would agree with many others that the most recent map looks closer to what was suggested in the past. It comes closer to the neighborhood-school concept and addresses other issues too. It has been said that the compromise is making more people happy. I'm glad for this.

I'm asking the Board of Education to consider another way of making even more people happy. The issue is grandfathering.

I understand that it is not feasible to grandfather every grade or future siblings. This would defeat the purpose of the whole plan. However, after looking at the numbers given me by Mr. Giles, I still do not understand why we cannot give the option of grandfathering to the present fourth and fifth graders. There is no significant change in class size at Clippard, Alma Schrader or Franklin whether or not you grandfather.

The following comparisons are for present fifth-grade students: Alma Schrader class size is presently three classes of 30-31. It would remain that way with grandfathering. Without grandfathering, it would be three classes of 29-30.

Clippard's class size is presently (and under grandfathering) three classes of 25. Without grandfathering, it would be three classes of 23.

Franklin, which doesn't contribute to Alma Schrader or Clippard, presently has two classes of 21-22. With grandfathering, it would be 21-23. Without grandfathering, it would be two classes of 19.

I argue in favor of grandfathering present fourth and fifth graders because they have less time to adjust to their new school before moving on to the seventh-grade Schultz building.

At least four teachers have told me fifth and sixth grade are pivotal years, with new concepts, more difficult concepts and higher expectations, not to mention puberty changes are starting. Why do we want to uproot them now.

Younger grades will have more time to adjust. Some families may not be interested in grandfathering because of younger siblings and not wanting to be split between schools. Other families, like ours, may have one lone fourth or fifth grader and would like to see them finish where they are.

I would rather my son stay at a school where he knows the rules, expectations, teachers and principal in addition to his fellow classmates, if the class size is going to be anywhere close to his present situation. Kids who are grandfathered already know what to do to toe the line at that school. They wouldn't have to adjust socially and authoritatively, not to mention finally being top dog at their school and finally getting to do whatever they've grown up seeing past sixth graders do.

My son looks forward to being involved in the Clippard choir next year as he did this year. Yes, every school offers music, but this choir group goes beyond that. They arrive at school at 7:30 a.m. two or three days a week to practice. They have fund raisers and have sought out business sponsors to help with expenses related to being asked to sing in a variety of places. If he is not grandfathered in, he misses this wonderful opportunity in his sixth-grade year.

I implore the Board of Education to grandfather in the fourth and fifth graders. Ask the families affected by the changes, and give them the option to remain where they are if they want to. The faculty and students are making it work where they are now. They can continue this way for another couple of years, if it is in the best interests of the students.

CINDY HUEY

Cape Girardeau