Letter to BCPSS

The following is a letter written to an assistant of Bonnie Copeland, Baltimore City Public Schools CEO. This outlines the general requests of our school. As of today, there is a meeting scheduled on Tuesday with the CEO and mayor to find an agreement.

Dear Kerry,

I'm sorry I was unable to take your call this afternoon. My students, teachers and parents are my primary responsibility even in the midst of organizing to save our school.

I have called David Stone and was made aware of his two suggestions: become a charter school or add two students per class. He also made mention of his efforts to help us to obtain after-school funding.

We talked at length, but my response was relatively simple. Even as a charter school, we would only receive $5,300 per student. We need $7,500. Our school has assumed much of the responsibility that the BCPSS central office typically assumes and yet, we receive no compensation for our efforts. We are asking that the 59% of the System's per pupil expenditure be allocated to New Song and that 41% be retained for Central Office purposes. Currently, we receive 41% and Central Office retains 59%. This is both a reasonable and feasible request. Certainly, BCPSS hopes that every school would be able to meet all the standards set forth in the Master Plan and therefore become eligible for a similar funding allocation. It would make your jobs far easier if you didn't have to do the work that schools should be capable of doing for themselves.

In regard to the idea of increasing our class size, David responded before I did. We have a successful model; we are not changing it.

While I appreciate David's efforts to raise money for our extended day and after-school program from the City, it still means that New Song Academy is dependent upon outside resources for fundamental operating expenses. Even if we receive after-school funds now, they will not be guaranteed in the future. We need the School System to ensure that New Song Academy remains a respected educational institution in the City. For decades, there have been only a handful of schools in Baltimore City that people have clamored to enroll in – it's time to add another school to that list.

Please ask Dr. Copeland to reconsider her position on increased funding for our school. We are running out of time for BCPSS and New Song Community Learning Center to declare a "win-win" agreement that sets forth hope that one day every child in the Baltimore City Public School System can be a member of a successful school community. We cannot continue to focus on sustaining failure; if we do, where is the hope for our children?

I speak on behalf of our Board, teachers, parents, students and supporters when I tell you that we will not stop our organizing efforts until we have accomplished our goal of securing funds to continue operating New Song Academy.

Respectfully,

Susan Tibbels

Executive Director

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New Song Academy
1530 Presstman St.
Baltimore, MD 21217
410.728.2091

newsong.academy@gmail.com