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December 20, 2007 We are a group of concerned parents and residents who have joined together to work with the Amherst Public Schools to deliver on its promise to provide an intellectually engaging and challenging curriculum for all our children. We feel strongly that our schools should set high expectations, offer academic support, and cultivate intellectual curiosity for all. Over the last few years, numerous parents have individually discussed their concerns with the Superintendent, principals, and School Committee members. Parents have received the message that the district’s policies run counter to an interest in creating a learning environment that challenges children at their own levels. This effect is particularly visible in the math and science curriculum, as evidenced by the elimination of differentiated math in seventh grade, the absence of organized participation in science fairs, the proposed elimination of ninth grade biology, and the absence of AP Chemistry in the high school. Although many teachers in the district individually provide such challenges already, many others do not. This has created an inequitable and uneven learning experience for children in which only certain classrooms provide the type of enriched and differentiated learning that benefits all students. It is time to change that philosophy in a way that will be to the advantage of all We applaud and support the many school initiatives aimed at fostering a diverse and multi-cultural community, as well as those designed to meet the needs of disadvantaged and special needs students. In fact, when schools fail to provide a sufficiently rich, varied and challenging curriculum, it is precisely these students, as well as those that work above grade level, who are most hurt and affected. We feel strongly that the hiring, mentoring, and retention of excellent teachers who can engage and support all students in an environment that values academic excellence are the keys to an outstanding education. This takes administrators who share such a commitment and the skill to hire well, mentor effectively, make difficult tenure decisions, and rely on evidence in making curricular changes. We, the Amherst Committee for Excellence (ACE), are writing to request time on the agenda of both the regional and Amherst School Committee meetings to discuss this important issue and develop strategies for accomplishing our goal. Please contact Steve Rivkin (256-2330, sgrivkin@amherst.edu) or Catherine Sanderson (256-4977, casanderson@amherst.edu) to let us know the dates of meetings to attend. We look forward to working with you to achieve this goal in the upcoming months.
Sincerely,
Tedd Ackerman Arnie Alper Reed Alper Patricia Appelbaum Elizabeth Aries Katherine J. Atkinson Stephen M. Atkinson Sarah Auerbach Scott Auerbach Benjamin Bailey Paul Bailin JP Baird Karen Barkey Andy Barto Doreen Beard Ann Becker Klaus Becker Elayne Berger Emery Berger David Berkman Iris Berkman Claire Bertrand Samuel Borden Susan Borden Luke Bouvier Meg Bouvier Alisa Braverman Sergio Breña Susana Breña Kathleen Brennan James Brennan Amy Brodigan Cheryl L. Brooks Greg Brooks Beth Brown Carol Burr Cameron Burr Richard Burrow Laura Cadonati Claudia Canale-Parola Michelle Chandler Henry Chang T. Susan Chang Lisa Chasan-Taber Scott Chasan-Taber Erin Cherewatti Malobi Choudhuri Ivan Chow Miang Chow Beata Ciesielska Maciej Ciesielski Sean Clarke Ethan Clotfelter Andrea Coleman Jeffery Cooley Robin Corder Richard Corder Nicola Courtright Christoph Cox Bridget Dahill Nick Darnton Jen Davies Veena Dhankher Robin Diamond Diane Dix Claudia Donald Alison Donta-Venman Mary K. Dunn Sara Eddy Missy Vineyard Ehrgood Naomi Elliott Catherine Epstein Jennifer Fabrizi Steve Farnham Todd Fay Ellen Feld Yaniris Fernandez Sally Fitz Tom Flittie Simone Flynn Robin Fordham Stephen Frasier Monika Garner Stephanie Gelfan Jyl Gentzler Sarah Goff Daniel Gordon Caroline Goutte Hilda Greenbaum Louis Greenbaum Lise Halpern John Hanley Laurie Hanley Liz Hare Jill Hathaway Leah Hebert Dan Hebert Miles Herter Penny Herter Beverly Hill Willie Hill Jonathan Hirsh Amanda G. Hixon David Hixon William L. Holladay Elly Hosea Joseph Hosea Edy Howe Ralph Howe Gale Hubley Rand Hutcheson Eleanor Hutchinson William Hutchinson Neil Immerman Jennifer Jackson Philip Jackson Michael Jacques Rama Janaswamy Paul Jodka Abby Julien Andrea C. Kandel Craig Kannel Janet Kannel Michael C. Kiefer Carol Solomon Kiefer Ken Kleinman Eric J. Knapp Lori L. Knapp Thomas Knight Karen Koehler Ali Korbel-Burrow Kenda Kroodsma Sandip Kundu Kate Webster Kurz Peter Kurz Ray La Raja Taryn La Raja Kevin Landau Susan Landau Aaron Lansky Gail Lansky Mathew Lebowitz David Levenstein Adrienne Levine Barbara Levine David A. Levine Edward Levine Fred Levine Bing Liang Thomas Lincoln Ellen Brout Lindsey Bill Lindsey James Linfield Lynn Logan Robert Logan Darren Lynch Kristen Lynch Judith Lytel Dimitrios Maroudas Navneet Marwaha Anthony Marx Joe Masteika Jim Masteralexis Lisa Masteralexis Gloria McCann John McCann Janet McGowan Catherine McGraw Alyssa Melnick Becky Michaels Meredith W. Michaels Peter Michaels Julie Miller Martin Miller Rebecca Miller William Miller E.J. Mills Angela Mills Barbara Morse T.J. Mountziaris Sharmila Muratoti Dave Murphy Sarah Murphy Shobana Murty Sundar Murty Andrea Muschinski Stephen Nagy Susan Nagy Gopal Narayanan Chuck Nelson Nick Nichols Yanik Kerr Nichols Susan Nicholson Walter Nicholson David Noonan Susan Noonan Devin Norwood Greg Oates Gary Orlinsky Demetra Papademetriou Lisa Perlbinder Blair Perot Sandy Perot Fred Perry Wendy Plummer Kinga Pluta Samir Podder David Porter Rosalie Porter Tom Porter Stephen Poulin Mary Prentakis Tammy Rahhal Chris Raker Thomas Randall David Ratner Nancy Ratner Paula Rees Todd Rees David Reffsin Nancy Reffsin Jennifer Reynolds Howard Rhett Irv Rhodes Carol Richardson Bart Rietkerk Pam Rietkerk Hana Rivkin Steve Rivkin Paul Rockwell Michael Rosenblum Eva Rosenn Michael Rossen Mario Rotea Caren Rotello Vince Rotello Barbara Rothblatt Sheldon Rothblatt Heather Row Julia Rueschemeyer Matthew Sadof Kim Salditt-Poulin Catherine Sanderson Nancy Sardeson Pat Schilling Suzanne Schilling Stephen Severin Anurag Sharma Mary C. Sharma Elizabeth Sharpe Jill Shulman Peter Siegelman Hava Siegelmann Adam Siegel Susan Silk Beth Lisa Silverstein Jane Simonds Norm Simonson Stacy Simonson Kathy Soule-Regine Peggy Speas Rob Spence Blake Spirko Michele Spirko Bruce Stanforth Elizabeth Walton Stanforth Joseph Steig Leslie Sternberg Lisa C. Stoffer Sarah Stookey Judith Strayer Kerry Strayer Michael O. Sugerman Stanley Swiercz Randall D. te Velde Shubha Tewari S.Thayumanavan Lynmarie Thompson Baer Tierkel David Tobin Stacy Tobin Kate Troast Elizabeth Trobaugh Ted Trobaugh Andrea Turcatti Sarah Turgeon Carrie Turkot Eva Valenta Araceli Valle Jeffery Van Peski Sharon Vardatira Peter Venman Dan Viederman Mary Jo Viederman Peter Wan Bruce Watson Sheryl Waxler Tom Webb Liz Welsh Debbie Weyl Kevin Weyl Molly Whalen Nate Whitaker John Willoughby Stephane Willocq Joel Wolfe Traci Wolfe Jessica Wolff Marian Wolfsun Ann Woodbridge Libby Margaret Woodbridge Ned Woodbridge Katie Wright Ellen Yan Julianne Yanko James E. Young Megin Ziomek Peter Ziomek Eric Zoltan Melanie Zoltan John Zyskowski Mary Zyskowski |
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