Email from a concerned parent

Email from a former Wenatchee School District parent when she heard about Wenatchee Learns and the possibility of an alternative to Make Your Day.

----- Original Message -----

Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2012 5:09 PM

Subject: Re: Wenatchee Learns Survey

Dear Jennifer

I no longer live in Wenatchee, but wished to share a few comments. We left Wenatchee in summer 2010 despite how much we loved the area. Jobs were an important part of the reason for our move, but even more so was the school system. We loved the area enough, that I considered a career change to stay there, but I did not want my children to attend public school in Wenatchee. It is the only place that they "hated" school. I looked at the private schools, but one was too militant and the other was not entirely fitting our belief system. I considered home schooling, but was not ready to make that leap. I attended meetings and try to be an involved parent while in Wenatchee, as I felt the MYD program in Wenatchee was much too punitive. I remember that the first person I met when registering my then first grader was the disciplinarian. Honestly, I don't know what her title was, but instead of "Hi and welcome", it was an explanation of what would happen if my daughter misbehaved in school.

Our current school district is night and day compared to Wenatchee, from the first day. My children did well academically in Wenatchee, but now they are excelling and love school, again. They are no longer anxious about  going to school and I do not have to fight to get them up and out the door, as was becoming the case in Wenatchee. They no longer have headaches and stomach aches unless they are actually ill. I know that major life decisions are seldom based on one factor, but  schools were one of the primary reasons for our move. A parent has only so many years to make a difference in a child's life. If needed, I would make a career change to keep my kids in school where we live now.

Danielle

mother of Risa and Keith

Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2012 6:53 PM
Subject: Re: Wenatchee Learns Survey

Thank you so much for sharing your story.  It gives me strength and courage to continue to advocate for change in our schools.

Jennifer

Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2012 8:00 PM

Subject: Re: Wenatchee Learns Survey

Good luck. If using my story or any part of it is useful, you may use it, though, I am sure that you have plenty of stories from parents of school age children and it is likely unnecessary. If I were still in Wenatchee, I would do all feasible to push the school district to adopt a positive evidence based program. 

Danielle