>>Valley Patriot>>
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(04/04/07)
In the Face of Acusation
Peter Larocque, Lawrence School
Committee
One of the accusations towards the Lawrence
public schools is that we are putting so much HOPE in the
new Lawrence High School that is being built. Well, that
is very far from the truth!
Truth be told is that our hope and confidence is in the
teachers in the Lawrence High School and throughout the
entire school district. Take a good look at what they
have now at the Lawrence High School building.
They have an old, rundown building that is being used way
beyond what it was originally designed for.
The roof leaks and the basement gets wet when it rains.
Bathrooms are overworked and the cafeteria is
overcrowded. The classrooms and hallways are also
overcrowded. Because of the overcrowding, discipline also
becomes an issue. Thus, the reason for a new high school
being built! So, yes, many of these issues that deal with
the physical building will be non-issues at the new high
school.
But the truth of the matter is that our HOPE is that
since we know that with all the faults of the old
building on Haverhill St., that EDUCATION is happening!
Children are learning. WHY? Because of the quality and
caliber and character of the teachers of the Lawrence
High School. I believe that our teachers in the entire
Lawrence public school system are second to none! They
are asked to do miracles day after day with little to no
parent involvement! But they show up the next day for
work and for that
I am very thankful and proud to stand by them.
Now take these same teachers and place them in a new
facility and new learning environment and a ratio of 1 to
20. You tell me whats going to happen!
Six new high schools being built on one campus. The new
Lawrence High School campus will have a college
atmosphere that all Lawrence parents who send their
children to Lawrence public schools will be proud of. If
I sound excited about this wonderful opportunity for the
children of Lawrence, it is because I am!
So is my HOPE in a building? My answer to that is that I
am excited about the new buildings, but my HOPE is in the
teachers and students who will occupy those new buildings
on the new Lawrence High School campus. My expectations
are high, my goals are clear, the future of the students
in the new Lawrence High School is bright!
So if we can get all us adults on the same page and show
our children in Lawrence that, yes, we can work together.
That their EDUCATION is important to all of us, then
maybe all of our HOPES and GOALS can become reality!
Peter Larocque is a member of the Lawrence School
Committee. He was elected by the Lawrence City Council to
fill the unexpired term of Amy McGovern. You can email
him at pamelalarocque@hotmail.com
*Send your questions comments to ValleyPatriot@aol.com
The March 2007 Edition
of the Valley Patriot
The Valley Patriot is a Monthly
Publication.
All Contents (C) 2007, Valley Patriot, Inc.
We publish 12,000 newspapers and distribute in Andover,
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Methuen, Haverhill, Chelmsford, Georgetown, Groveland,
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Lawrence, Dracut, Tewksbury, MERRIMACK, Hampton &
Salisbury Beach, and Lowell.
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