The first and most important question is: What is the best thing we can do for our children?
The best thing we can do for our children is to give them a small and nurturing school setting, where all the staff know all the children. Children have their best chance to thrive in this setting. This small miracle is already happening in Ipswich. There’s an old adage that says: “Don’t meddle with success.”
What I say is my opinion, but it is strongly supported by research on school size and I know it to be true from my own 17 years of teaching small groups of children in several locations, including Ipswich. I have also spoken with colleagues from my previous teaching in the Ipswich Schools, and all of them strongly favor the two school model.
The second question is: Can Ipswich afford to give our children the option of two small schools?
Can we find a way to accomplish this without substantially increasing the cost? If we believe in the importance of continuing to put the child first, we must look at all reasonable options in order to find a way to fix what we need to fix and keep two small schools. In our community there is good will and caring, and also the flexibility to explore the idea of keeping two small, vibrant schools for the future of Ipswich and our children.
There are many things to consider in this debate, but our school plans must focus first and foremost on the children and what is best for them.