This Monday April 23rd will be the public’s last opportunity to speak to the Tredyffrin Easttown School Board prior to their vote on a measure to demote many of our most effective T/E teachers.  This demotion measure would force the resignation of many of our most educated teachers and would be a substantial disruption to the T/E educational program.  Instead of threatening to demote teachers, the Board should return to the bargaining table and join with us to develop solutions to our financial problems.  The district has the resources to bridge the gap to the future while these solutions develop.

Questions that must be asked at Monday’s board meeting:

• Isn’t talent retention paramount for all successful organizations? Does it make sense to demote our most experienced and well-educated teachers who are the foundation of a superior education for our students?

• Shouldn’t the Board seek solutions that protect our best programs and the highly-experienced teachers who make these programs a success? Shouldn’t cutting these teachers and such programs wait until all other options are exhausted?

• The reserve fund is 26% of revenue. Other local school districts have fund balances of 8% to 10%. The Pennsylvania School Boards Association recommends a balance no greater than 5%. What should our priority be? Protecting a small portion of the fund balance or preserving our award-winning program and teachers?

• Why can’t the School Board create a temporary bridge to the future by using some of its reserve to resolve next year’s budget deficit?

• Should we forecast and make short-term decisions using worst-case scenarios for the next five years when the financial future is uncertain and recovery is gaining momentum?

• Why are there no Board members at the negotiations table? Wouldn’t we be more likely to come up with creative solutions to our financial problems if the Board was at the table?

We ask these questions because we care about our school district. Many of our teachers have spent their entire adult lives working here. We want the best for our students and our community. And because we are invested in T/E, we think that it is imperative for us all to work together to bridge this financial gap rather than dismantle the school district we know and love.

Please make your voice heard at this Monday’s School Board meeting.

The meeting is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

T/E School District Administration Offices
West Valley Business Center
940 West Valley Road
Suite 1700, Wayne, PA
Meeting Room 200