District budget

Dear Editor:

This letter is in response to the survey put out by the Stanwood-Camano School District. After reading the survey I decided to put a name and face to some of the proposed cuts.

I have been with the district for 20 years. During that time I have not had a negative evaluation or had anyone express concern about my job performance. In spite of this I will lose a portion of my hours if the district acts on the proposed cuts.

I currently work two jobs to make ends meet. It is a choice I make so I can do what I really love and that is to help teach children. I did not anticipate the district reducing my hours even though I am one of the most senior para-educators in the district. I think the survey is a good idea but it can be very misleading.

I would like to address a few of those proposed cuts. I currently work 6.5 hours a day, which is full time for a para-educator. I work on Wednesday mornings during the staff professional development time. Since para-educators are part of the school staff it seems logical that we would be involved in staff development. I am always thankful for the opportunity to collaborate with my coworkers so we can continually improve our teaching strategies.

I spend my days working one-on-one with children and in small groups. I also work part-time in our school library, checking books in, shelving books, helping to catalog and process new books, helping children find books and then getting them checked out.

I collaborate on grades with the librarian. Between the librarian and myself it is quite a challenge to help 24 first-graders find a book they like and get it checked out. Quite honestly, it would be almost impossible for her to accomplish all that needs to be done without an assistant.

The cuts they are proposing to the elementary library, music and P.E. specialist positions concern me, also. At my school two of these positions are filled with people who have been respected teachers in our district for many years. The person filling the third position has only been with our district for two years but that does not lessen the impact these cuts would have. The impact of the cut would be far reaching.

It would cut three people’s hours to save only a .6 position.

At my school, the librarian, music and P.E. teachers also teach reading. With the cuts, we would lose them as reading teachers, which would affect the size of our reading classes.

Cutting hours from a position might seem like a good way to save money but the actual effect of that decision has a negative impact that reaches farther than most people are led to believe.

I could not afford to work for the Stanwood Camano School District if they decide to cut para-educator hours as they are proposing. I would be devastated to leave my job after 20 years.

I don’t think anything can compare to seeing the sparkle in a child’s eye as they learn something new. I have been blessed to work at a job that I love and I would hate to lose it.

There are some tough decisions to be made. I just hope they are made with respect for the employees while weighing the actual money to be saved.

Heidi Harter Camano Island