I am writing this as a parent from Sugarloaf School, and I truly cannot understand why Mrs. Tara Knowles (Bunnenberg) is being let go. She has been teaching here for eight years, and she is one of the most caring, dedicated, and genuine teachers we have ever had. Last year, she had the highest teacher scores in the state, which speaks for itself—she is not just a kind person, she is an incredible teacher.

My son had her in second grade, and the impact she had on him is something I will never forget. He still calls her the best teacher he has ever had. When the school year was coming to an end, he cried every single day for a week because he didn’t want to leave her class. He would come home from school in tears, saying how much he wanted to stay with her. As a parent, seeing your child feel that strongly about a teacher tells you everything you need to know about the kind of person she is.

I also have a younger daughter, and I was truly hoping she would have Mrs. Knowles when she reaches second grade. That’s how much trust I have in her as a teacher and as a person. Teachers like her are rare. She doesn’t just teach—she cares, she connects, and she makes children feel safe, supported, and excited to learn.

Right now, our county is already short on good teachers. Letting go of someone like Mrs. Knowles is not just a loss for one classroom, it’s a loss for the entire school and community. We need more teachers like her, not fewer.

Please reconsider this decision and allow Mrs. Knowles to continue doing what she does best—teaching and caring for our children at Sugarloaf School.