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Subject: From Concerned Parents

Dear Mr. Young,

We have recently been alerted that the Cabot School Social Worker position and 4 classroom teachers would be eliminated with the projected budget cuts of ’08-‘09. We are aware during these tough financial times that all budgets are constrained.

We implore you to maintain the Cabot School Social Worker position. Susan Kass is Cabot’s Social Worker and plays a key role within the school. She provides support to parents and students and serves as a liaison with outside consultants and service providers. Her role also requires sustained work with teachers. Cabot’s Social Worker is integral in supporting issues related to family crisis, social skills support, and problem solving around a host of developmental issues. She supports the bully prevention programs. Overall Susan Kass helps to maintain a healthy and safe school climate for all of Cabot’s students.

Removing Cabot’s Social Worker position in conjunction with the reduction of at least 3 classroom teachers at Cabot will make effective teaching at the Cabot School more difficult. Teachers will find themselves with larger class sizes of approximately 28 students and no one to turn to in order to handle the many behavioral problems that arise within a class. Susan Kass is there to fill in all those necessary gaps so that the teachers can teach. Above all else, Susan Kass is exemplary in her role.

Thank you for your consideration in this matter.

Sincerely,

Michelle Markert, Parent of 2 first graders and one 2nd grader
Lauri Meizler, Parent of 1 first grader, 1 second grader and 1 fifth grader (and a K coming in next year)