Last update/Submission of Petition

Hello all,

Thank you for supporting the petition for the RPS Board to make the logical vote to hold off on pushing these sweeping and dramatic changes through our district in approximately one month. So far we have learned:

• DWO schools will become neighborhood schools first, even though educational research shows having choice schools benefit the school district as a whole.
• The Longfellow model will disappear, even though educational research has shown that their calendar model is most beneficial to students. 
• Dr. Pekel is not interested in delaying this, nor even putting forth a survey on start times, even if it is simply keeping these "as is" for one year while a new referendum goes to vote next fall. 
• This change affects 22% (and more) of elementary students. It is a bit offensive when he and his team keep saying it ONLY affects 17% of students, that number is averaged down with high school students (8%) who are affected the least by a direct move because they can drive... even more students are truly affected with losses of friends and classmates.
• There has been no alternative presented, nor any cost for each of the 10 components provided. 
• One of the three groups he consulted with (none from rochester) is CESO: https://theceso.com/about/ 
• Too many students, across almost all schools, will be hurt by the closures, as was seen at the Dec. 12th Board meeting
• MOST IMPORTANTLY: the Riverside community is a gem. These teachers and staff provide resources far beyond what will ever be provided with any merge. These heroes to our community are being punished in the name of "equity". They live equity, support, and sacrifice for their community. They don't "study" these things with others in academia who have never experienced hardship. They live it, aide with all of their hearts, and are the real change the world needs. We don't need to save 1% of a 300million dollar budget. We need more of them. 

Urge the School Board to vote "no" across the board.

I will present this petition on 1/2/24 as  1/09/24 is when the updated proposal will be presented. If you agree with this, please encourage others to sign. If not, that is fine too!