As one of many parents who has sought the addition of a foreign language program in the elementary schools, I applauded the school board’s directive to Supt. [Louis] Cavallo to expand to all students the Spanish program at the middle school (which was currently available only to honor students). What a step in the right direction!
Unfortunately the solution, ending the current academic full year program and replacing it with exploratory Spanish, a 12-week course, is a step backward instead of forward, and is not in the best interest of our students. An exploratory language program is merely an introduction to a language and not a program for language acquisition.
Hopefully Dr. Cavallo and the school board will listen to the outcry from parents and students and open the door for other solutions to truly expand the language program to all middle school students (and eventually to elementary school students).
I believe the members of the board and Supt. Cavallo are dedicated to improving our schools and benefitting our students, so hopefully they will heed the call for another solution.
I encourage people to sign the petition being circulated in support of maintaining/expanding the current year-long Spanish language program and to voice your opinion and offer solutions.
Kelly Rice
Forest Park
