There’s been much debate about school size, with many worried about the proposed combined elementary school at Doyon (Fact: if built, it would be bigger than 98 percent of elementary schools in Massachusetts).
I have the honor to work in Everett Public Schools as a physical therapist for elementary school kids.
In this role I travel to several different schools, working with children with varying levels of motor challenges.
Two of these schools that I visit are small, and the other two are large.
I have seen and felt firsthand the difference between working in a small school as compared to working in a large school.
Of course, one is not ‘good’ and one is not ‘bad’ because fantastic children and staff are in both.
However, I have found it undeniable that the small schools function better and are more attuned to each child’s needs.
In the small schools, the principal knows who comes and goes through the front doors.
She knows me, a physical therapist working with students who need specialized services, and this fosters collaboration and improved communication.
Just as importantly, she knows every student and the home situation and family from which they come.
She knows what child doesn’t have a winter coat and what children come in hungry, and she knows how to address these immediate needs.
The principal fosters this knowledge of key details and she attracts staff who do the same, making a huge difference in kids’ lives and their readiness to learn.
Put simply, this can happen much easier in a small school. As Kimberly Mavroides wrote in last week’s letter to the editor, overwhelming research confirms that small schools foster tighter relationships and the educational outcomes are better — most especially for those children who are at an economic disadvantage or have special needs.
On a personal level, we have experienced how the community of a small school, in our case the Winthrop school, can become an integral part of your family life and support structure.
We have found this level of care and commitment from Winthrop school staff.
This invites engagement on all levels. I have no doubt parents at Doyon feel the same about their school.
Because isn’t that what education is all about? A dynamic process of learning about ourselves, each other and the world around us that is built on relationships?
As a mom of two young children and a huge proponent of our public schools, I urge you to vote “No” on the combined school project at the May town meeting. It’s way too big. We can do better.
Stacey Keane
East Street