It was with sadness that I read the article concerning the grade alignments planned for Central Bucks School District. As a retired CB elementary school teacher of 33 years and so many years ago, I was proud of the fact that Central Bucks had the wisdom not to follow the crowd of districts rushing to make that kind of alignment back in the 1960s and 1970s.
I understood at the time the need for some districts to deal that way for financial and administrative reasons but felt CB could afford to remain above that fray and that the district understood the advantages of doing so.
More specifically, my concern as a sixth grade teacher was — and still is at age 86 — the doubtful benefits in attempting to assimilate graduates of fifth grade into the middle school environment. Indeed, I have always strongly felt that some sixth graders were not really ready for that big change as well.
I understand the need for the superintendent to make it all as attractive as possible and that the success of this change depends primarily on the efforts of teachers and staff to make it work. But I wonder if he has the intimate sense of the added pressures felt by students and parents or truly believes his touted psychological and educational benefits.
Good luck to all.
Art Waite, formerly of Doylestown
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