To the editor:
Our family moved here a little over a month ago, and my two children just had their first week at Great Salt Bay Community School. I felt moved to thank everyone who has participated in creating a fabulous public school.
I am stunned with the level of attention and caring across the board: from the bus driver who looks my child in the eye, shakes her hand, and says, “You let me know if you need anything at all,” to the teachers who met with my kids before the start of the school year to reassure them, to the principal who stands outside to personally greet the children at the door on opening day.
It goes without saying the teachers, staff, and administration have created a great school to be proud of. Equally important is every taxpayer who ever voted to fund the school and its programs, and every organization that partners with the school to enrich educational opportunities for children.
I would like to say that the whole country has communities that value their kids and their local public schools. Sadly, this is not what I have seen. I am a former public school teacher, and worked at a public school that didn’t even supply Xerox paper for teachers. I have spent time in schools in Baltimore that look like prisons.
In my opinion, there are teachers everywhere who are doing their best with what they have, and are not to blame for the problems in many public schools. The difference is whether or not the community chooses to fund its schools and value all who are in them.
You have a great thing going here. Please don’t ever take it for granted.
Holly Arbuckle
Newcastle
