In light of the proposal to change Bayside to a K-8 school by 2016 and the recent College Park Mandarin K-8 Petition and in keeping with the district's preference to not have multiple themes on a single campus, we are gathering past, present, future, and potential SMFC parents’ support to respectfully request that the School Board strongly consider moving the 4th/5th GATE classes to the Bayside campus in 2016 and simultaneously bringing middle school Mandarin back to College Park to create a single-track K-8 Mandarin campus.  This would be concurrent with the proposed K-8 Bayside STEAM implementation in 2016.  

This has several advantages, including GATE students having a continuous 4th-8th grade GATE program on one campus, and only have to move schools once in 4th grade rather than once in 4th and once again in 6th to stay with the GATE program.  Years ago the program began with only a handful of students. Bayside GATE continues to grow and expand stronger every year.  The GATE community at both schools is very proud and strong, and parent participation amongst the groups is high.  The program would be able to retain more GATE students when they transition from 5th to 6th grade as it would be a smoother transition happening on ONE campus, a more attractive situation to parents considering GATE than two years at one campus and three years at another.  Please, no more confusing switching of schools to continue in a given program.  Each GATE program (4/5 and 6-8) would retain their identities but would simply be located together on one campus by 2016.  The 4th-grade GATE kids at College Park currently would get to finish out their 5th grade year at College Park.  Swap the Mandarin middle school rooms at Bayside out for two 4/5 GATE classrooms currently at College Park, and let's get focused!  Considered simultaneously with College Park’s petition, it’s a mutually beneficial combination of goals!   It’s a win-win exchange between a part of the Mandarin program and a part of the GATE program, in order to simplify, unify, and strengthen each program.  It really doesn’t make sense to have a GATE program in a Mandarin-Immersion school. A 4th-8th grade GATE program on one campus JUST MAKES SENSE.

Parents of SMFC students, including Bayside GATE students, are supporting the College Park parents in their request via petition for the School Board to consider turning College Park into one continuous K-8 Mandarin Immersion program on one campus.  A Mandarin program on one campus means easier sharing of resources such as a Mandarin library and Mandarin after-school help.  As a part of the School Board's proposal to make Bayside a K-8 school, we request a simultaneous consideration that The SMFC School District move the 4th and 5th grade GATE classes to the Bayside campus for one continuous 4th-8th grade GATE program, in a STEM/STEAM enviroment, which is a much more productive fit.  The school district has plans to vastly increase enrollment at Bayside in the coming years, let’s be sure to keep Bayside streamlined to STEM/STEAM and GATE.

This is a friendly request for School Board consideration of this 4th-8th GATE idea.  The District is hearing a lot of individual voices, this petition is intended to unify our voices on the GATE issue.  We will submit this consideration to the SMFC School Board in order to get it on their discussion agenda for the January 22 meeting, in hopes that it would be considered valuable input for the vote on the STEM/STEAM Parkside/Bayside K-8 Proposal.   Please pass this on to any other GATE parents you know who might help support this exciting possibility.