More Portables For RCES

PETITION (June 2006)

WE, THE UNDERSIGNED PARENTS OF RCES STUDENTS, wish to collectively voice our deep concerns about the changes being brought forth in the 2006-2007 school year that affect the music and art classrooms. It is our hope that this petition will prompt the administration of RCES and MCPS to reconsider its decision to put music and art on mobile carts and, instead, to allocate the much-needed additional portable classrooms to accommodate the growing student population at RCES for the 2006-2007 school year.

For the record, we, the undersigned:

(1) are deeply concerned about the negative impact that the loss of dedicated music and (1) art rooms will have on the quality of the education our children will receive at RCES

(2) affirm our belief that high-quality music and art instruction are critical components to a well-rounded primary education

(3) affirm our belief that high-quality music and art instruction have a direct correlation to improved academic performance

(4) DO NOT believe that music and art taught from mobile carts constitutes high-quality music and art instruction

(5) recognize that RCES is one of the best elementary schools in MCPS because of its ability to provide high-quality instruction across all academic areas, including specials, and do not want to see our school
lose its edge

(6) feel that our children need and deserve better than this, and that taking away these classrooms is a gross disservice to our children and the quality of their educational experience

(7) recognize the need for additional reading and math classrooms due to a growing student population

(8) DO NOT believe that our music and art classrooms should be sacrificed in order to accommodate the growing population for the above-stated reasons

(9) STRONGLY REQUEST ACQUISITION OF ADDITIONAL PORTABLE CLASSROOMS FOR
THE 2006-2007 SCHOOL YEAR to accommodate the growing population at RCES

(10) agree that portable classrooms are not a long-term solution to this problem but are nonetheless an expedient interim solution until more permanent solutions (e.g., redistricting, new school construction) can
be realized and are still more preferable than mobile carts.