WE, THE UNDERSIGNED, AS CONCERNED PARENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS OF THE BEVERLY NEIGHBORHOOD IN CHICAGO, URGE YOU, OUR LOCAL LEADERS, CHICAGO BOARD OF EDUCATION MEMBERS, AND STATE LEGISLATORS, TO TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION TO PRESERVE SUTHERLAND’S CURRENT FUNDING AND ITS TIME-TESTED, SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS. Sutherland School has always operated on an extremely tight budget, receiving no federal funds and scant discretionary dollars from the state. But with careful planning, meticulous allocation, dedicated teachers and staff, and supportive parents, we accomplish well above what could reasonably be expected. From its strong kindergarten program through its challenging and polished International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme, Sutherland offers much more than the usual neighborhood school experience. It has been a cornerstone of the Beverly community for 85 years, and is one of Chicago’s leading K-8 public schools. It serves a diverse cross section of neighborhood children, including many with special needs, and consistently posts ISAT scores well above the state and CPS norm. It offers a rigorous curriculum taught by serious and dedicated professionals who work tirelessly to provide our children with a rich educational experience. Yet currently proposed funding cuts threaten critical teaching positions, would increase some class sizes to unacceptable levels, and could end Sutherland’s highly regarded, longstanding full-day Kindergarten program. The full-day Kindergarten program has never been more in demand, with 89 applications received for the upcoming school year. Students who attend full-day early education programs have repeatedly shown greater progress in literacy, math, general learning skills, and social skills. These benefits have been shown to extend to later grades. Sutherland’s full-day Kindergarten is a springboard to future academic success for students as they progress to the upper grades. Sutherland School MUST maintain an adequate number of classroom teachers for all grade levels, and keep our class sizes at a reasonable number—NOT at the proposed and completely unacceptable 35 children per room. Keeping our teaching staff intact is far and away the single most important priority for our school. We are not asking for more than our fair share — we just need to maintain the base formula that has made Sutherland School the success story it is. The proposed cuts could dramatically alter the character of our school, threatening its vitality, its academic accomplishments, and its stature in the community— unraveling the very fabric at the heart of its success. PLEASE SUPPORT SUTHERLAND SCHOOL. OUR CHILDREN, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD — AND OUR FUTURE — ARE DEPENDING ON YOU!

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