Let’s work to make our schools great

Posted 9/19/16

To the Editor:

If you live in Warwick or pretty much anywhere in Rhode Island, you most likely have heard about the school consolidations and ensuing drama and general chaos associated with it. …

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Let’s work to make our schools great

Posted

To the Editor:

If you live in Warwick or pretty much anywhere in Rhode Island, you most likely have heard about the school consolidations and ensuing drama and general chaos associated with it. I’ve been following it and I’ve been feeling increasingly nervous and morose about the whole situation. This feeling was exacerbated by the fact that I sent my first child off to kindergarten last month to a Warwick Public School.

I unfortunately wasn’t able to attend the recent school committee, but I am privy to the details that surfaced. They were unsavory and disheartening to say the least. Furthermore, I learned that my former elementary school would be closed after this year. That elementary school is John Brown Francis.

I want to talk a bit about John Brown Francis (JBF). JBF was an amazing school. I honestly had the best elementary school experience a child could have. One that I could never properly articulate or appreciate. Those teachers helped shape me into a lifelong learner, a compassionate human being, a creative spirit and a functioning member of society. These incredible people were not only educators, but parents to us when our parents weren’t around, counselors, friends and so much more. They helped us to spread our wings and instilled a sense of wonder and decency in us. They laid the foundation for a bright future. Every single one of my elementary school teachers challenged me while also making learning fun and accessible. They were not simply babysitters; they were the best and brightest. They were amazing educators. To this day I reference stories I read in elementary school, I sing songs to my children that I learned in elementary school and I still remember the feeling of joy that I got from learning in elementary school. They are the best representation of a public school education.

 Aldrich Junior High, though a bit more challenging for me personally (a back brace and short haircut can do that to a gal), was a defining time in my life as well. I owe much of that to some of my teachers. I encountered teachers who saw potential in me. People who advocated for me when I needed it most. People who made me feel like I wasn’t alone in the world. They were understanding of the fact that I had recently undergone surgery and that my junior high experience couldn’t be a “one size fits all” type of experience. They enriched me. They challenged me. They helped me become the person I am today. They were a fine representation of a public school education.

For high school I went to Pilgrim Senior High. And though it may not have been a state of the art facility or the most appealing to look at, it was a fine school with many amazing teachers. There were teachers who thought outside of the box. Teachers who highlighted our capabilities and believed in us. Teachers who were willing to go above in beyond. In my junior year of high school, two of my teachers took a group of us to France. It was my first experience out of the country and was incredibly eye opening. I would later spend nine years of my life working at Brown University as a Study Abroad Advisor. I truly believe that trip to France ignited my passion for travel and other cultures and laid the groundwork for my future career. My experience at Pilgrim was what a high school experience should be. It is an excellent example of what a public school education should be.

 Things weren’t always perfect in my public schools and why should they have been? We had asbestos problems and teacher strikes and less than picturesque school grounds. Nevertheless, even though things weren’t perfect, they were perfect enough for me and for a lot of other students.

My family never entertained the idea of sending me to a private school. It wouldn’t have been financially feasible, but it also never even occurred to us. There was no need when we had perfectly good public schools in our neighborhood.

I swore my children would never go to a private school. This was before I actually had children and before I witnessed what was taking place in my once beloved neighborhood schools. Now, I never say never. But I sure as heck hope I won’t have to send them to a private school. I am the product of a public school education. It shaped me; it prepared me for attendance at a fine university and for a career in higher education at an Ivy League institution. It was the type of experience I wish for my children and yours. So, let’s work together to make our public schools great. Let’s stop the bickering and bureaucracy. Teachers: remember why you chose this profession in the first place. School Committee Members: Think about students and teachers as actual human beings and not just numbers. Parents: Take action. If you don’t like what you see, get involved. Let’s stand united. Let’s actually get things done. Stop the battle cry of “I’m sending my kids to private schools” and put your time, energy and money into making the public ones amazing.

Jessica Carnevale Forcier

Warwick

Comments

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  • richardcorrente

    Dear Jessica,

    If everyone cared the way you do, we wouldn't have the mess we have today. Your children are blessed to have you as their mom.

    Richard Corrente

    Tuesday, September 20, 2016 Report this

  • JessCForcier3

    Thank you, Richard for your kind words and support. Best of luck to you in the upcoming election.

    Warm Regards,

    Jessica Carnevale Forcier

    Thursday, October 13, 2016 Report this

  • JessCForcier3

    Thank you, Richard for your kind words and support. Best of luck to you in the upcoming election.

    Warm Regards,

    Jessica Carnevale Forcier

    Thursday, October 13, 2016 Report this