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Read Letter - Closing my sons school-HELP!
By Janet Black
Written Feb. 25, 2010
A letter written to Ms. Alana DeLong, Calgary-Bow
Dear Ms DeLong, I know you care about the people of Bowness/Alberta through your involvement with advocating for people needing a "hand up". I wanted to bring to your attention the proposal to close Sir William Van Horne High School. The reason for closure is listed as poor attendance and yet this school has provided a extremely necessary service for children in Calgary who do not fit in to the regular school system. I have attended a meeting with the local school board siting the decreased attendance at this school and the need to reintegrate the children back into the regular schools. To me this is just rhetoric as the children go to Van Horne because the supports and services and expertise has not been found in the regular setting where teachers are already pushed to the limits. They are measuring success based on numbers who graduate but as a University Instructor I know this measure of success is not accurate for these students-most have learning disabilities/have suffered abuse/etc-My son is high functioning autistic-success must be measured by who does not go to jail, who can get a job when they leave-how they can contribute to society in a positive manner-not only whether or not they graduate. Please look into this matter. I know you are smart enough and care enough to look beyond the stats and think critically about what the closure of this school would actually mean to these children (and yes, though they are teens, they are still children according to the law). Again, with the predicted cutbacks in education it is these kids that stand to lose out once again. I have experienced what happens when promises are made to support these kids in the regular system and it doesnt happen! They feel isolated, lonely, frustrated, "not normal", and they drop out and the cycle of a downward spiral begins! Please help! As a voter, a Mother of a child with a disability, a Registered Nurse and University Instructor and ask that you look carefully at this serious issue. Respectfully, Janet Black
Written Feb. 25, 2010
Dear Ms DeLong, I know you care about the people of Bowness/Alberta through your involvement with advocating for people needing a "hand up". I wanted to bring to your attention the proposal to close Sir William Van Horne High School. The reason for closure is listed as poor attendance and yet this school has provided a extremely necessary service for children in Calgary who do not fit in to the regular school system. I have attended a meeting with the local school board siting the decreased attendance at this school and the need to reintegrate the children back into the regular schools. To me this is just rhetoric as the children go to Van Horne because the supports and services and expertise has not been found in the regular setting where teachers are already pushed to the limits. They are measuring success based on numbers who graduate but as a University Instructor I know this measure of success is not accurate for these students-most have learning disabilities/have suffered abuse/etc-My son is high functioning autistic-success must be measured by who does not go to jail, who can get a job when they leave-how they can contribute to society in a positive manner-not only whether or not they graduate. Please look into this matter. I know you are smart enough and care enough to look beyond the stats and think critically about what the closure of this school would actually mean to these children (and yes, though they are teens, they are still children according to the law). Again, with the predicted cutbacks in education it is these kids that stand to lose out once again. I have experienced what happens when promises are made to support these kids in the regular system and it doesnt happen! They feel isolated, lonely, frustrated, "not normal", and they drop out and the cycle of a downward spiral begins! Please help! As a voter, a Mother of a child with a disability, a Registered Nurse and University Instructor and ask that you look carefully at this serious issue. Respectfully, Janet Black
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