Save Alternative Education--AGAIN

6/29/08

Dear School Supporters,

We have another moment of truth for Alternative Education in WJC.

And even though it's summer (and partially because it's summer and some may not be following closely), WE REALLY NEED YOUR HELP.

Once again, IN JEOPARDY is the program for suspended and expelled students (formerly CEO, now the Academy for Life and Learning, known as ALL).

At the last School Board meeting, the administration presented a plan to send all suspended and expelled students to Enterprise Academy, an alternative school in Newport News, ELIMINATING the local program for these students.

The School Board is asking for public input and they need to hear from you.

Please take a minute out of your summer to CLICK HERE to contact the School Board and the Superintendent ASAP and ask them to implement the recommendations of the WJC Alternative Education Task Force and allow the ALL program to continue to serve suspended and expelled students LOCALLY and to do so in a program held during regular school hours with full-time teachers.

This is very likely our last chance to save this program. Once it is gone to Newport News, it is not likely coming back.

In terms of academic achievement, preliminary results for the ALL program are promising. Of the 10 eight grade students in the program, 9 passed their reading SOL exam. Reported levels of parental/guardian and community involvement in the program have been high.

The parental involvement component would be greatly diminished if the program is sent to Newport News.

The WJC community would have diminished connections with the program, and the program's involvement in the WJC community would also diminish, due to the distance from us.

These are key components that relate to the program's success that we would be losing.

Again, please take a moment to contact the School Board and Superintendent and ask them to retain a local program for suspended and expelled students and implement the program as the Alt Ed Task Force recommended.

Thank you for supporting our schools, and all our students.

Mike Ludwick