The bad news...

The bad news is that the Littleton Public School board decided to close my son's school. Walt Whitman has been operating since...I think 1961 and really was fantastic. The other school closure is Ames elementary, also a very excellent school.

I went with Rachelle to the school board meeting on Thursday night, omgosh the 'time for citizen comment' was slated for a half hour, and we had over 70 people sign up (max time 3 minutes) and so thus that time was 4 hours long! I wasn't going to comment originally but no one was saying what I wanted to say. I know it's emotional, closing a school, but c'mon if the last 10 people got up and cried about how sad it is that their kid has to be bussed now and how hard it will be on their kid, do you need to do that as well?

Not to say I'm not upset or annoyed about the whole thing. I just know that the parents are likely to be more traumatized by the changes than the kids are. In fact, the other elementary, Ames-which is a great school, 5th in the district (we heard this 800 times btw), now the kids will have to be bussed to another school and there were all these parents saying you couldn't have a sense of community when they are bussed...which is not true. My kids have always been bussed past the closest school to Whitman and I love the sense of community I have with them, or at least with those who attend, this open enrolling thing sometimes makes neighborhood schools difficult to maintain anyway. :( But anyway...

Rachelle got up and asked great valid questions and did a wonderful job. Like I said, I wasn't planning on getting up, but a friend of ours had left earlier (oh about 10 pm) and his name came up and I just looked at Rachelle, she looked at me and I just decided to take his place! Sudden public speaking is nerve wracking I'll have you know! But I was able to ask my questions and make my points, most of which were not addressed by the other 70 people! Whew! Not that my brilliance and comment did any good, the board simply hemmed and hawed for another hour and then voted to shut the schools anyway. I am pretty long winded, but I am not sure I could maintain that kind of hot air for 6 hours and then vote against the entire audience and be able to sleep well!

I just want answers...the details, the nitty gritty stuff, not the overall picture crap. I'm fine with the board trying to stay under budget, and be fiscally responsible and all that, just tell me, where exactly where my kid go, will he take a bus or do I have to drive him now, what happens to our fantastic teachers, what kind of sweet deal did you make and with whom in order to use the Whitman building productively and cost effectively now, how will they help adjust the kids into new schools without them falling through the cracks (and heaven forbid they do poorly on CSAP scores!!). All that stuff...not heard a peep. :(

Good news, I cleaned my room, and the nightmare of a linen closet, the hallway at the top of the stairs and the evil and dreaded coat closet! And listening to a book on Cd/tape/mp3 is a very good way to get cleaning done. I'm really enjoying "Inkheart".