Ardmore Parent Forum & Movie Night

Join us at Ardmore on Friday, Jan. 20 at 5:30 p.m.

In the library: PTSA will hold a Q&A and brainstorming session to prepare for the Jan. 25th community meeting with BSD, where we will discuss potential school closures or consolidations. Ardmore Principal Mrs. Gasaway will present staff priorities.
In the gym: Watch “Minions: The Rise of Gru”! Bring blankets, pillows, & other comfy seating. Movie snacks and drinks will be available for CASH purchase. Proceeds benefit Ardmore PTSA.
We need volunteers – FREE movie candy for helpers! Sign up here

!!! BSD forum on Ardmore school closure is Wed., Jan 25 !!!

BSD is coming to hear Ardmore’s input on whether to close our school, or combine Sherwood Forest Elementary with Ardmore, on Wednesday, Jan. 25 from 6-7 p.m. This meeting is our opportunity to share the impact that their decision will have on Ardmore’s students, families, teachers, and community. Doors open at 5:45. Childcare will be provided. Please make every effort to attend!

IMPORTANT – PLEASE READ:

Ardmore has an opportunity to show leadership. We are all feeling frustrated with these potential changes, but we can best advocate for our Ardmore community by collecting information to calmly present next Wednesday to the Bellevue School District. They need to know: what unique factors, issues, and impacts exist at Ardmore that they don’t know?

This is our chance to share what makes Ardmore successful. And we ARE successful. Where other schools have struggled during and after Covid, Ardmore has thrived, increasing test scores and innovating our teaching and behavioral programs. What programs and processes do we have here that work well – and must be protected? Which groups of people (students, teachers, community) must keep support or stay together?

Remember: Our building is not what defines us. WE define us. Our building is not what makes us special. Our kids, families, and community are what make us special! No matter where we are located, we are a strong, diverse, caring community. We can continue to thrive, even in a bigger school. We can lead in a tough situation. We need to tell BSD what REALLY matters and how to help us with funding, transportation, staffing, or any other factor that will help Ardmore (and Sherwood) continue to be the best school possible, no matter which building we’re in.

Our community needs to be ready to answer these questions:

If Ardmore closes and our ~280 kids go to Sherwood Forest:

How does that impact our students and their education?
What are the impacts to Ardmore families?
What programs and practices at Ardmore MUST be protected and transferred? Why?
What impact have specific teachers, staff, and leaders at Ardmore had on your children?
How does Ardmore moving to Sherwood Forest protect, or damage, equity and inclusion?
Does our building serve this larger school more or less effectively?

If Sherwood Forest closes and their ~320 kids come to Ardmore – same questions:

How does that impact our students and their education?
What are the impacts to Ardmore families?
What programs and practices at Ardmore MUST be protected and transferred? Why?
What impact have specific teachers, staff, and leaders at Ardmore had on your children?
How does Ardmore moving to Sherwood Forest protect, or damage, equity and inclusion?
Does Sherwood’s building serve this larger school more or less effectively?

If some Ardmore or Sherwood students are sent to Bennett Elementary to “load-balance”:

Same questions as above
Is this a better or worse solution for Ardmore families? Why or why not?

Are there other options BSD should consider? Why? Examples:

Moving Advanced Learning to Ardmore to raise our enrollment
Locating the new Arabic language program at Ardmore – same reason
Is Ardmore a good home for these programs? Why / why not?