OPINION - Supporting New Elementary School at Wheelock

Medfield MA

19 September, 2021

9:44 AM

Description

Letter of Opinion... Dear Medfield Community, I am writing to you to express my full support of our new elementary school being built on the Wheelock School campus. Working in schools for over a decade, often between multiple buildings, I have a thorough understanding of how the multiple schools within a district work together to serve our students well. In my current position, I have the pleasure of working as an administrator between two elementary schools on the same campus. Working together, we serve students in our lower school from PK-3 and then in our upper school from grades 4-6. During my recent run for an open seat on the Medfield School Committee, I wrote an article about my philosophy on education and what I thought was most important to consider as we work to prepare all of our students to be kind, responsible, respectful, inclusive, informed members of and contributors to our society. Schools that do this well, value teachers, curriculum, equity and inclusion, and collaboration. In my daily work with students, families, and teachers, these are things that I consider most often. By building our new elementary school on the Wheelock School campus, this is how we can support our students through these four areas. School Staff is the single most important part of education. Hiring and retaining exceptional teachers and staff, and engaging them in meaningful professional development, allows schools to meet the needs of all of our students. While some have pointed out that having both schools on the same campus would save the district money in staffing, it is equally important to recognize the added value in being able to attract, hire, and retain exceptional teachers and staff with the opportunity to create full time positions split between the two schools. As an administrator working in two schools I have first hand experience with this enormous staffing benefit. Curriculum must always be engaging, authentic, and rigorous. This is how we continue our tradition of academic excellence and prepare our students to be lifelong learners and leaders. Having two schools on the same campus will allow the district to share curriculum resources, curriculum specialist staff, increase collaboration, and ensure smooth transitions for students as they advance through their education in Medfield. Equity and Inclusion in schools helps to narrow and close achievement gaps, and it is what is best for all of our students and their families. Two schools on the same campus will increase the efficiency of bus transportation and ensure that all students have an easy and reliable way to get to and from school everyday. Additional shared staff can meet the academic and social emotional needs of all students and work to create more inclusive and equitable schools. Again, easier transitions between the two schools are better for students and create more equitable opportunities. Collaboration allows us to fully build upon our individual strengths for the benefit of our students. By building our new elementary school on the Wheelock campus we can create a level of collaboration that could not otherwise exist. Allowing staff to easily have contact with one another between the two schools, participate in professional development opportunities together, share materials, resources, and spaces, so we can best serve all of our students. Our students deserve the best possible education we as a community can provide for them. This is possible by building a new elementary school on the Wheelock School campus. Support this project and support the future of our students! Sincerely, Robert Worth, South Street, Medfield