Did you know that Chelmsford is still facing more budget cuts that will directly affect our schools, the staff, and our children’s education?

Additional funding from the State is just a Band-Aid…it does help a little, BUT we are still facing a loss.  What does this mean for our schools?

One of the biggest cuts is the elimination of the Kindergarten PSP’s.  

What do this mean?  

Kindergarten Aides:

• Are an integral and vital part of our current kindergarten program.
• They work daily with small groups of children during project time.
• During whole group activities, they may take one or two children aside to work on catching up on something they have missed. In whole group activities, they might also be sitting close to students who need additional reminders or other types of help to participate most effectively in whole group lessons.
• When working with young children, there are times when another adult presence is an important safety factor. At times children may need to be escorted to the nurse or to the office and may not be able to get there on their own.
• At times there are certain “crowd control” issues when another set of hands is needed, such as getting ready to go outside for recess in the winter or escorting students to the lobby to be picked up by their parents, while the teacher escorts the rest out to the bus.
• Losing our kindergarten aide will have a direct impact upon our kindergarten program and upon the educational experience we can offer our students.

What can you do?

Contact the following people, either through a phone call or email.  Voice your concerns!  We need to act fast as the town meeting is next week!  

Superintendent:

Dr. Moser:  MoserR@chelmsford.k12.ma.us

School Committee:

Kathy Duffett:  duffettk@chelmsford.k12.ma.us

Kevin Porter: porterk@chelmsford.k12.ma.us

Christina Walsh:  walshc@chelmsford.k12.ma.us

Angelo Taranto:  tarantoa@chelmsford.k12.ma.us

Evelyn Thoren:  thorene@chelmsford.k12.ma.us

Town Manager:

Paul Cohen:  PCohen@TownofChelmsford.US


Selectmen:

Clare Jeannotte:  clarejeannotte@hotmail.com

Pat Wojtas:  pwojtas@aol.com

Sam Chase:  clochase@verizon.net

Bill Dalton:  wfdalton300@yahoo.com

Phil Eliopoulos:  philip.eliopoulos@verizon.net




Write letters, email, or make phone calls to our local state representatives and senator (listed below).  Voice your concerns about the budget woes and Chapter 70 funding.
 
State Representatives                   
Legislator's Name    Boston Phone #    State House Room #    Precinct / District       
Corey Atkins             617-722-2080            26                            1 & 9 / 14th Mldsx       
Thomas Golden        617-722-2430            236                           2,6,8 / 16th Mldsx       
Geoffrey Hall             617-722-2320            34                            3,5,7 / 2nd Mldsx       
David Nangle            6 17-722-2230           39                            4 / 17th Mldsx       

State Senator                   
Legislator's Name    Boston Phone #    State House Room #    Precinct / District       
Susan Fargo            617-722-1572                504                       1 thru 9 / 3rd Mldsx    

 

 

Actions you can take to help

Sample Letter to our Representatives:  Letter to Representative

Write to our School Board members and Board of Selectman to ask them not to cut our Kindergarten Aides next year.
  Sample letters:   Letter to our School Committee - from a parent
                             Letter to our School Committee - from 2 Kindergarten Teachers

Proposed Budget Cuts 2008:  Proposed budget cuts 08

Contact Information for the Board of Selcetman and School Committee:
                             Contact Info. for the Board of Selectman and School Committee