Dear Superintendent Holmen & LWSD Board of Directors,

What would Redmond Elementary School look like if it lost 10 of its best teachers? RedEl teachers are struggling and we need to do something about it before it's too late. Teachers are faced with unrealistic and unbalanced standards compared to other elementary schools in our district.

• At RedEl, teachers have some of the highest number of students with IEP’s.
• At RedEl, teachers have multiple students with complex learning needs.
• At RedEl, teachers have the most influx of new students, many of whom are non-English speaking.
• At RedEl, teachers have the highest number of students dealing with trauma, abuse, homelessness and an achievement gap.

The teachers at RedEl are getting the same support or LESS, compared to teachers at other schools. Yet, the workload of our teachers is MORE than at other schools. How is this fair? Why would a teacher stay at RedEl if they could go somewhere else where they felt more supported? 

RedEl does have paraeducators to help support IEP’s in the classroom. However, the sheer number of students with complex IEP’s (including physical aggression) outnumbers the amount of paraeducators we have. Paraeducators are helping the students with complex IEP’s and as a result, not meeting the minutes of students with less complex IEP’s in the general education classroom. RedEl needs more paraeducators to support classroom teachers. 

RedEl has one counselor to help with the social and emotional needs of its students. Yet RedEl has some of the highest number of students dealing with trauma, abuse and homelessness. At over 600 students total, one counselor cannot meet these needs. RedEl needs more counselors. 

What does a class look like with fewer paraeducators and counselors? Teachers are spending more time in class doing behavioral management and protecting the students from physical aggression than teaching the curriculum. Teachers are spending significant time supporting students with complex needs, newcomers, and behaviors. Teachers are feeling defeated because they can’t do their job and meet all of the students' needs. 

What does it mean for us parents? Our students are not reaching their maximum potential. Our students are not learning the curriculum they need because their teacher is stretched thin. Their teacher needs to decide if managing the IEP vs. student trauma vs. teaching math is the most important thing to do today. Their teacher needs to decide if protecting the students from physical aggression vs. talking to a student who has been abused vs. teaching students how to read is what will be the priority. With all the complex socioeconomic and cultural factors at RedEl, RedEl needs smaller class sizes. 

As parents who love the RedEl community and celebrate all the socioeconomic and cultural diversity, we implore you, superintendent Jon Holman and LWSD school board to sit in on a class. See firsthand, what the struggle is like. Hire more paraeducators and counselors, and cap the class sizes at RedEl. We are on track to lose some of the best teachers at RedEl and our children will ALL suffer. 

Thank you,

RedEl Parents