As a parent of three children at Argonne Elementary, I have spent years working with other parents to foster a nurturing and supportive environment for our cherished community of parents, students, and teachers. Not just for my children, but for all students who attend Argonne, we urge the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) to reconsider the proposed budget cuts for the 2025-2026 school year due to the negative impact they would have on our local school.

The budget cuts proposed by SFUSD and the California Department of Education (CDE) are illogical, harmful, and unconscionable. 

1) Teacher Reduction: Three full-time teacher positions will be cut, increasing class sizes and reducing individual student support. These cuts will weaken the quality of education and disrupt classroom stability. Currently, 360+ students rely on these positions for critical academic support.

2) Reduction in Kinder Enrollment: Kindergarten enrollment is being forced to drop from three classes to two, despite Argonne being a thriving, fully enrolled school. Cutting enrollment now means losing a kindergarten teacher immediately and risking more reductions each year. Last year, Argonne was asked to expand by adding a TK class—this reversal is both contradictory and harmful.

3) Negative Impact to PTO: Our Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) has worked hard raising money to address the needs of our students when site budgets were not enough. The CDE’s decision to strangle the PTO’s ability to fund an upper grade class size reduction teacher where it is warranted, and a reading specialist where it is desperately needed, means the loss of more student-centered staff — THIS IS WRONG. It also breaks the promises the PTO made to our community when we asked for their donations. This betrayal of trust and reason will only drive away families that have the most financial support to offer our public schools.

These actions are indefensible. They do more harm than good. Argonne Elementary is a thriving school with a dedicated workforce that is fully staffed and consistently well-enrolled. Our proactive PTO has tirelessly raised funds to support our children’s education, yet disappointingly we are being informed that we cannot continue to do so. We believe this jeopardizes not just our school processes but directly affects our children’s education.

Considering that Argonne Elementary is one of the top-rated schools in the SFUSD—scoring high marks in both academics and parent involvement—the proposed budget cuts would be detrimental. This proposed budget would significantly reduce valuable resources that contribute to Argonne's exemplary performance in nurturing competent citizens.

Please help us keep our kindergarten capacity where it is and support the PTO’s ability to meet student needs when district funding falls short. Together, we can ensure a bright future for our children and our community.

We urge you to join us in this mission to oppose the proposed budget cuts for the upcoming SFUSD school year. Every signature counts and adds voice to this crucial cause. Let's protect our thriving community and the quality of education we provide to our children.

Please sign this petition today. Help us convince the California Board of Education to:

1) Reverse the Decision to Cut Three Full-Time Teaching Positions – Maintain existing staff levels to ensure manageable class sizes and high-quality education.

2) Maintain Current Kindergarten Enrollment – Argonne must continue offering three kindergarten classes to meet demand and prevent further staffing cuts in the future.

3) Allow PTO Funding for Essential Positions – Restore the ability of the PTO to support critical student-centered staff, including reading specialists and class size reduction teachers.