Dear Community~
As a parent, Marshfield resident, substitute, volunteer, and school board member, I hear the concerns here on FPF regarding the spending amount per student, salaries increasing, taxes increasing, school safety, teachers wellbeing, and our school health as a whole.
I'd like to share what I know.
Twinfield school has been a welcoming place for our children for the last 3 years (and before!) The administration and staff have worked very hard to create a culture of belonging and creativity. Walking down the halls you can admire students work, dreams (written and drawn), and positive affirmations created and shared by students for students.
The positions previously funded by grants that the school board, teachers, and administrators are asking you to integrate into our yearly budget are:
1) Mindfulness classes, (serving Pre K through 12th grade and also family programs)
2) A full time student support station staff person for junior high and high school students (who as a cohort across the nation are experiencing extreme depression, anxiety, mental health issues and suicide.)
3) Two interventionists for the upper grades, and two for the lower grades (not all full time, and perhaps not forever.) The interventionists will support students with math and language development, as well as assist with behavioral issues that are arising post pandemic.
As a parent, I believe that the more adults available to help our children improve themselves emotionally and mentally the better, for them, our whole community and for their futures.
I have read folks complaints about being able to measure the progress of our students if we are asking tax payers to spend $3,643 more per student~ Well, these are the positions that will improve the test scores. (A trackable progress measure.) Helping children FEEL BETTER and Giving them the instructive attention to work through difficulties and unknowns. (Tracked differently, and yet, more meaningful than test scores!?)
It is worth noting as a testament to Twinfield's educational practices that Twinfield students took FIRST and THIRD place in the 13th annual State of the Union Essay Contest this year. This was out of 382 high school students across 31 VT high schools.
And to the community members that are already feeling the penny pinch, I would direct you to page 19 in the Twinfield Union School District annual report. The graph on this page shares the income grouping and what percent of your income will go towards the school budget. There are 4 brackets, most will only pay between 2-2.56% of their income.
Everyone's opinions matters.
Please join us on Tuesday, February 28th, 6pm in the library at Twinfield to share your concerns, ideas and ask questions.
Let us work together to create the best learning atmosphere for the youth in our community.
Sincerely,
Erin Barry, Marshfield representative