Keep Advanced Math Opportunities Available to Chenery Students
- Heather Barr
- Closed on
- Target:
- Belmont School Committee, Belmont Schools Administration
- Region:
- United States of America
This petition is now closed. More information about future opportunities will be forthcoming very soon.
Currently, the Belmont Public Schools offer interested students the opportunity to take a placement test, which allows them to skip a year in math if they demonstrate mastery of the material. This option has been in place since 2010 and becomes available to students at the end of 6th grade.
On November 13, 2019, Chenery parents were informed through a paragraph in the Chenery Middle School Parent/Guardian Newsletter, that the School Department was recommending the discontinuation of this opportunity to students moving forward. The topic will be discussed at the Belmont School Committee meeting on Tuesday, November 26, and a formal decision is expected to be made in December.
We, the undersigned, feel that the advanced math opportunities are beneficial and should be kept available to Chenery students for the following reasons:
The program addresses fundamental educational needs of certain students and is consistent with Belmont’s support of differentiated learning;
In-school acceleration options provide opportunity to all students, not just those with the financial resources to pursue additional enrichment for their children through private means;
Lack of appropriate math placement reduces students’ growth mindset, as they are denied opportunities to develop problem solving skills, persistence, and resiliency;
When students are not appropriately challenged, they are more likely to act out, become disengaged from school, and experience depression and anxiety than those who are challenged.
We urge you to keep advanced math opportunities available for Chenery students.
The Keep Advanced Math Opportunities Available to Chenery Students petition to Belmont School Committee, Belmont Schools Administration was written by Heather Barr and is in the category Education at GoPetition.