Don't Fear Change, Support the 112 Referendum: Letter

The following letter was written and submitted by Missy Feldman.

My children are fourth generation Highland Park residents and will be the fourth generation to matriculate through the school system. Our family members have attended Elm Place, Ravinia, Edgewood, Indian Trail, and now my oldest attends Oak Terrace.

My husband and I moved to Highland Park so that we could give our children that which we both had growing up; a top-notch education.

When I first heard about the possible referendum, I was absolutely, 100% opposed. I didn’t want my kids bussed across town; I didn’t want a large middle school; I didn’t want my children to lose the opportunity to go to Northwood since it’s right down the street from me. I worried about the continuation of the Dual Language program. But in reality, I was just scared of change.

After attending numerous informational meetings, I have learned there is nothing to fear.

This referendum is the best choice for our children and the future of our community: all buildings updated for 21st century learning and to be ADA compliant; tuition free, full-day kindergarten; and safety features like sprinkler systems and safety vestibules. Most importantly, there will be a brand-new state of the art middle school campus, offering more options for fifth graders including STEM, varied and multiple extracurricular sports; more opportunities for our gifted students; as well as services for second language learners and students with special needs.

Yes, it will be a large middle school campus but not a 5-8 middle school, and that is what’s important to understand. It’s a 5/6 building and a 7/8 building; these two wings will share spaces. Many years ago, Elm Place was a school that housed fourth through eighth grades. In fact, I was the first fourth grade class to attend Elm Place school. It was set up just as this middle school campus will be set up. The fourth and fifth graders had their own space, and we shared the common spaces with the other grades. People keep proclaiming that having fifth graders in the same building as middle schoolers would be detrimental to the fifth graders; based on personal experience, that is not true.

Students will be divided into small groups and teams within their grades; it will actually feel like a small school within a big school. Yes, our children will take busses, but less than 12 percent of students in the district actually walk to school these days. Riding a bus is a small price to pay for a first class education.

The district cannot afford to continue to function when our old buildings need constant, expensive repairs, and district costs are rising faster than its revenues. The Board of Education has provided draft plans should the referendum fail, showing the closure of schools, larger class sizes, and program cuts. This isn’t a threat or bullying. It is a reality. Ravinia, Elm Place, and Lincoln will close in 2017/18 to help offset a $4M budget gap, yet, some in our community are demanding another option. After four years of studying and researching over fifty options, there is no other option.

Change is coming whether we like it or not. Embrace it and give our children the opportunity of a lifetime.

Join me in voting “YES” for the referendum on March 15. Let’s Move 112 Forward.

Missy Feldman