AISD’s IDEA: What’s the Plan for Martin Middle School?
To the AISD Board of Trustees:
My name is Luke Muszkiewicz, an Eastside resident and father of a Metz Elementary 3rd grader.
With your decision to replace Allan and eventually Eastside Memorial with IDEA in-district charter schools, I’m here to speak on behalf of parents who are struggling to understand what this momentous change means for their neighborhood and their children.
If IDEA is just another choice, then you must give the parents who wish to opt out of IDEA the information they need to do so and make clear your commitment to invest in Martin Middle School and Eastside Memorial.
Until late last week, AISD hadn’t made clear how parents could indicate their choice. It is now my understanding that parents will receive a letter by February 10th informing them of the process for opting out of IDEA, with their decision due by February 24th.
Next steps should include bilingual meetings held at the schools, clarification on the recent decision to keep Pre-K at Allan, and an effort not to “sell” IDEA but rather to fairly represent all options.
Your recent decision to assign every graduating 5th grader in the Martin attendance area to IDEA for 6th grade will exacerbate under-enrollment, so what is the plan for strengthening Martin? If the intention is to downsize Martin and close the doors once IDEA scales up to include 8th grade, let’s be honest about that. If not, we deserve a plan of action that will make Martin a compelling option for Eastside families.
And how will Eastside Memorial retain teachers, make academic progress, and continue activities through 2014-2015, after which IDEA will begin co-locating 9th graders? What about through 2017-2018 when, according to your web site, the final group of co-located 12th graders will graduate. Has anyone stopped to consider what this slow death will actually mean for those students committed to graduating from Eastside Memorial?
I ask that you publicly address these questions and concerns as soon as possible.
By Luke M. Muszkiewicz
Public comment at AISD Board of Trustees Meeting on 1/30/2012
