Editor, The Herald:

As we move closer to the fifth grade reconfiguration announcement for Cumberland County Elementary School, I thought it was interesting to ask my nine year old daughter (3rd grader) how she felt about the 5th grade transition. She will be in 4th grade next year and will be facing the same transition as the current 4th graders. She started at Cumberland in January of last year and went directly into the trailers located behind the elementary school.

On several occasions, she would come home saying she was too hot or too cold and how difficult it was to move around by going out in the weather when she needed to move from class to class. The deterioration of these mobile units will end up costing even more to complete the needed repairs. She also made a point by saying that she saw one of her teachers fall and became scared of falling herself. Anyone can fall but having to constantly deal with outdoor conditions can cause a series of unnecessary incidents. As parents we expect our children to be safe during their time at school.

My first visit to the Middle School took place this week and I found the building to be immaculate. If you are a parent of an elementary student in Cumberland and have time to visit the middle school, then I recommend a visit. I was told that I could take a tour if I would let them know when I'm coming. The classrooms I saw were neat, clean, well-structured, and designed with a specific grade in mind. When making the transition from a different school, I was concerned about the quality of education my child would receive. Only being in this school system one and a half years, I can honestly say that the class size and teacher involvement here at Cumberland constantly positions our students for a successful college matriculation.

I had mixed emotions when I first received my letter explaining the plan but have since seen how this would help the school. Dr. Griffin has been very open to discussing any concerns from the parents or the community. Attending the school board meeting on November 14th, no public comments were made concerning the new recommendation. This communicated to me that the public has had time to voice any concerns and are now ready to handle the new transition. All school board members took the time to come out into the audience to meet everyone in attendance. This creates a positive atmosphere and one that I am proud to be a part of. I am proud to say that I have seen Cumberland grow into an outstanding academic school. Joining one of the advisory boards helped to open my eyes to the incredible amount of time spent by the staff at Cumberland. As parents, we must continue to work with our school system to further develop our children into the adults of the future and this country.

Pam Hartley, Parent

Cumberland County