Thank you, Mr. Markling

[Ahmie Yeung]

I heard through the grapevine that Mr. Markling is in large part responsible for the modular buildings being in use at Grant for the first time in I don't know how long. This is my son's 3rd year at Grant (he started there in Kindergarten). He was diagnosed with Audio Processing Disorder last spring and the open classrooms were adding to the difficulties (though the staff was very accomodating in as many ways as they physically could and I really appreciate it). After going to Curriculum Night, I have to say I am really impressed with the quality of the modular building - I thought it would be much more bare-bones that it is, they even have their own bathrooms in there that are much nicer and HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE. I'm also extremely pleased with the team-teaching mentality the 2nd grade teachers are demonstrating, I expect my child will really be able to shine this year. From what they were describing, they are going to be doing a lot to reach out to tactile/kinesthetic learners like I am and I suspect my son is. I have been repeatedly impressed by Lakewood teachers in general, but I absolutely have no criticisms of any of the teachers (or their creativity in adapting to a less-than-idea physical environment) at Grant. Thank you, Mr. Markling, for making their jobs a little easier by giving them access to rooms that are a better fit for children like my son especially (and I believe the majority of children do better when they are able to hear the ONE adult who is trying to speak to them instead of trying to filter that adult's voice into focus over the adult instructing the class on the other side of a free-standing blackboard and some cabinets, as he had in Kindergarten and 1st). As a taxpayer, I'm also very glad to see those physical resources not sitting apparently unused (at least for instructional purposes).

Now, if we could just have Pre-K at all the schools. Going from Horace Mann where my 2nd son is at Pre-K to trying to get to Grant in time for dismissal 15 minutes later is driving me a bit batty (and the Pre-K kids are RARELY out when they're supposed to be, so it's usually more like 3 minutes later by the time my 4yr old is actually in the van and buckled!). From the looks of things, Grant doesn't have the physical space for the Pre-K program now though.... Things will be interesting when my 3rd son is ready for Pre-K in three years I guess! And... also for what it's worth - this is the kind of issue I was trying to point out to the Phase 3 subcommittee that was in charge of figuring out where to put students while construction is going on... their recommendation (made primarily by people who do not and will not have elementary aged children if/when construction happens) was to group children into buildings by grades instead of by geography of their homes. This means that my 3 kids may be split into 3 different schools when I have one in Pre-K, one in 2nd, and one in 5th, supposing construction is going on at that time. That will NOT make for a happy taxpaying mama, if I can't try to manage all this by having my eldest walk my 2nd home because they're not in the same building so having them meet up is extra challenging and unpredictable.



Ahmie


Ahmie