Murch Families,

There will be a MDT Community Meeting on Wednesday May 3oth from 4:30 to 6:30 to address issues that have recently come up.  Following is a summary of the issues.

About a month ago, Murch was awarded $100,000 in unexpected revenue as a result of a new allocation by Mayor Fenty to all schools in the city.  The MDT agreed to support the strong recommendation from the principal that the funds be used to hire an assistant principal.  Marcia Jackson, who has served this year as a ‘resident’ as part of the New Leaders program, agreed to fill that position.

After the principal announced that she would not be at Murch next year, Marcia Jackson announced that she would not fill the AP position, and several parents raised the question whether, in light of these changes, an AP position was the best use of the $100,000.  They suggested that there might be other uses for the funds, such as a math specialist, that would enhance the instructional program for the school overall.

Last week, several parents of rising 6th grade students raised a concern about the size of 6th grade classes next year, given that there are plans for just two classes, as we had this year. Our current projections are for two classes of about 26 children each. Some parents feel that this class size is too large, creating classroom management challenges, and compromising the academic program. They advocate that a third 6th Grade teacher be hired using part of the $100,000 so that smaller classes can be achieved.

Finally, questions have been raised about the space available for special education next year.  Currently, half of the Special Ed students meet in a classroom in the main building (that prior to this year housed one 6th Grade class).  The other half of the Special Ed students meet in the small white trailer located in the parking lot.   This trailer is in very bad condition.  The plan currently is to bring all Special Ed students into the main building next year.  To achieve this goal, a new trailer has been requested which would house a resource classroom (art or music).

When all these issues were raised at last Tuesday’s MDT meeting, the MDT decided that it was not in a position to make a final decision about use of resources without discussion and input from both teachers and parents.  Teachers met on Thursday and came up with the following recommendation regarding how to use the $100,000 to address the above issues.

Re staff: While there was concern as to how a new principal would deal without an assistant principal, teachers were reassured by the Principal’s sense that having a full time counselor and two full time administrative staff in the front office would lighten the load.

Therefore, the staff recommends that Murch hire a third 6th grade teacher (this slot will have to be budgeted at $75,000.00), and that in addition, the $25,000.00 left over should be used for a half time inclusion special ed teacher.  We would need to find an additional $13,000.00 to afford a special ed teacher.  Absent finding this money, the $25,000 could be used for a special ed aide. 

Re space: With or without a 6th grade teacher, we do not have the space within the building, with its current configuration, to house two special ed teachers, OT/PT and the speech and language teacher.  The teachers’ proposal to address space issues is:

**  Art moves into the trailer - hopefully a new trailer but if not, as long as the existing one has not been condemned, into the old trailer. If we are in a position to have no trailer (one has been removed, the other is "coming,") art would be itinerant, i.e. the art teacher would bring supplies on a cart and teach art in the regular classrooms.

**  The existing art room would be divided into two rooms, one for each of the two special ed teachers.

**  OT/PT and speech and language will have the following spaces for their use, depending on size of their group(s) and activities:  the "science" office between Ms. Levy and Ms. McCoy's rooms; part of the Library and the gym, depending on schedule of activities in the later two areas.

In addition, the full time reading specialist will move into the office currently used by Ms. Jackson.

Since this teacher recommendation was made, some parents have raised concerns about moving art to the trailer.  Others have raised the earlier suggestion of using the resources for a math specialist to benefit all children in the school.

 

1)      coming to the community meeting on Wed 5/30 between 4:30 and 6:30

2)      sending an email to your MDT parent representatives at MurchMDT@gmail.com

3)      posting a note to the Murch forum

4)      submitting a note to the MDT folder on the HSA table.

 

Thank you for your interest and support of our school.