OPINION: "Our Kids Deserve Better than FINE"

Medfield MA

10 November, 2021

10:01 AM

Description

OPINION.... Our Kids Deserve Better than "Fine" Despite the fact that this vote is meant to have the greatest impact on our kids and their future, the students have been left out of a great deal of the recent conversation about where to build a new elementary school in our town. The need for a new, updated elementary school to replace the current outdated Dale St. elementary school is the only thing agreed upon by all, yet conflict over how and where to complete this project will likely bring substantial costly delays in delivering on this long-overdue, much-needed, replacement school. First off, I am a huge believer in the dedication and talent of our Dale St. teachers and recognize their unwavering commitment to our students and their success. In the current cramped and rundown Dale St. building they go above and beyond and outside and inside and in closets and in hallways, sometimes when it is 100 degrees, to help our students meet their learning goals. Like any profession or skill set, imagine what these teachers could achieve with a better set of tools. And in this case, the tools we are talking about are all the new elements that will be incorporated into a new elementary school building. These elements will help enhance and enrich their teaching and as a result, bring about better learning for our children. The SBC and Arrowstreet took teacher feedback on what elements would make teachers more effective in their roles and put forth an amazing building and design plan incorporating these elements at the proposed new school site at Wheelock. There are state-of-the-art learning spaces dedicated to special education. There are adjoining breakout spaces that allow small group work to take place right alongside and in view of the classrooms. The building supports the school community by providing multiple spaces where groups of classes or even the whole school community can gather to learn and grow together. The thoughtful amenities in this building will be treasured by our teachers and students. As a former third grade teacher and special education assistant, I cannot begin to stress how meaningful this space design is. Sadly, I think this amazing design and space and what it could offer to all of our 4th and 5th grade students was overlooked by a great number of voters. From the Dale@Dale team, the focus for saying no to the new school at the Wheelock location has been based on cost, size dismissiveness, procedural dissatisfaction, open space concerns, water system impacts, traffic increase speculations, a change from traditions associated with the old building location. Not a single mention of student well-being and student growth and learning potential within the walls of a school building. All external, superficial dislikes about the new location. Now Dale@Dale will argue that they are not at that stage of planning yet, but that they will pursue plans to build all these student-focused elements into their design too. But here is the question--how will they protect our students' learning environment while knocking down parts of their school building? When questioned what an add/reno or new build at Dale St. would be like for our children who would be experiencing school in a construction zone, some key Dale@Dale proponents claimed "Through it all, the children will be fine, they will be fine." This is from a group who will not settle for anything less than complete control and perceived perfection related to cost, location, water impact and traffic scenarios. How does one reconcile how all these points need to fit a "perfect vision" that Dale @Dale themselves promise while the learning lives of the students, the group with no voice yet most impacted by this decision, are judged to a lower standard and considered to be just "fine?" In addition, Dale@Dale shared a partial story as they highlighted the Cabot school in Newton as a cheaper, model example of what could happen at the Dale St. location. Yet they left out a really important fact about this project. What did they do with the kids during construction? Thankfully, Mark Nardelli, a principal in that district, clarified for us at the Special Town Meeting, explaining that Newton had a fully-operational swing space available that they moved the students to during construction. So Newton took into consideration the well-being of the kids and had a better than "fine" option for the kids and their teachers during the construction period. Is "fine" good enough for your kids? Is it good enough for your grandkids? Is it good enough for your neighbor's young kids? If everyone on the D@D team had a 1st grader right now would we even be here today? I don't think we would because "fine" isn't good enough in 2021. I think our kids deserve better than "fine." They deserve the best we can give them. And we have that option in front of us, yet it will take compromise from some and sacrifice from all to make it a reality. Now is the time to put the kids' needs before our own. I don't believe this happened with our most recent vote. I believe the Dale@Dale supporters put themselves and their personal wishes before the kids and that is not "fine" with me. Our kids deserve better. Vote YES for the new school at the Wheelock location. Jill Werner, Garry Dr.