Fwd: Introducing K-3 Small Groups at Aspen

[Lauren Coupland]

Dr Steinhaus, Ms Guy and Members of the board, 

I wanted to convey to you how disruptive it has been to announce a change to a small group without a plan already in place.  Since the decision was made I have been trying to get a concrete schedule.  My children have multiple school provided and private therapies per week.  Since your school board decision to implement small groups starting on 9/21, I have received 10 different emails each with some piece of the new schedule, the latest of which came today, the last day before small groups start.  I have had to cancel or attempt to reschedule (often unsuccessfully) multiple therapies for my children with less than a weeks notice.  

I understand that small groups are optional, but even opting out wouldn't fix the problem, as I have scheduled their appointments based on the schedule for their remote days.  However, changing specials, and other ancillary services have disrupted what was a carefully crafted schedule.   My children are on the spectrum.  They thrive on routine.  We try to prepare them well in advance of any schedule changes for a smooth transition.   That is impossible when I am notified of schedule changes with only a few days notice.  

Today one of my emails included a new district calendar.  Your vote to start hybrin on 10/19 was intended to place it at the beginning of the second quarter.  However, a mistake was made, and it was placed during the week of conferences, when elementary has no school Thursday and Friday.  I understand that there was an attempt to rectify this by moving the gold group to a Tuesday in person day.  However, this throws into chaos the carefully crafted schedule for specials, ancillary or IEP services, outside therapies, and parent's work schedules.  

You cannot keep changing the plan with such little advance warning.  It throws the lives of all the staff, students, and families into chaos.  When you vote for a model change in span of mere weeks, with no plan or schedule currently in place, you are placing an undue burden on teachers and families.  I am not sure if you are unaware of the amount of work it takes to reschedule these precarious, complicated plans, or if you simply do not care about the harm you are doing.  I urge you to require a complete plan and schedule for hybrid, by each school, and including detailed plans for arrival, dismissal, lunch, recess, specials and all ancillary services to be published and reviewed by all stakeholders a minimum of 2 weeks (ideally four) before any model change.  

This constantly changing schedule is untenable.  I have never wanted to homeschool, but for consistency's sake, we may have to consider it if there isn't a major shift in how this district and this board operates.  I would greatly appreciate a response from each of you on how you plan to address this lack of consistent planning, schedule, and communication. 

Lauren Coupland

From: Michele Altherr <mi.al...@laschools.net>
Date: Sat, Sep 12, 2020 at 7:13 AM
Subject: Re: Introducing K-3 Small Groups at Aspen
To: Daniel Coupland <dan.co...@gmail.com>

Mr. and Mrs. Coupland,

I understand that you want to work out services for Sam and Owen as soon as possible.   We want that too.  However, please understand that the specials schedule is complex and it impacts every teacher in the school.  Also, in an effort to minimize some of the changes this year we are developing the schedule so that the small group specials schedule for kindergarten and third grade will also work with the hybrid model should we switch to that.  

Also, in order to minimize changes I want to be sure to give you the correct schedule and one that does not need to be fixed two days later.  Currently it looks like kindergarten and third grade will continue to have afternoon specials two days a week.  Our support services also have highly complex schedules and they will need time to adapt their schedules.  

I hope that by providing you information on our process you will understand that we are currently working on it as quickly as possible and want to do it well.   Also, Sam and Owen will receive their service hours with as little disruption as we can manage.

I wish you well,

Mrs. Altherr

On Fri, Sep 11, 2020 at 5:58 PM Daniel Coupland <dan.co...@gmail.com> wrote:

Michele,

Thank you for the information. When can we expect schedule information for the specials? My boys get both school-provided and out of school services and therapies that will likely need to be rescheduled around this new school schedule, and there isn’t a lot of time between now and September 21st. 

Thanks,

Dan

On Fri, Sep 11, 2020 at 5:37 PM Michele Altherr <mi.al...@laschools.net> wrote:

Click here to read the small group parent letter.

 

 

 

 

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Michele Altherr

🐯Principal, Aspen Elementary School 

Los Alamos Public Schools

Los Alamos, NM

Phone:  505-663-2306

Email:  mi.al...@laschools.net

Aspen's Learning Resources for Families Website

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