On Dec. 10 at a BOE meeting, Dr. Colleen Palmer said that no matter which outcome, the district will probably have to let some teachers go. The “Ursus” staff does not support this part of the plan for next year.

Having a school and classrooms taken away is hard on students, but having teachers, the people who educate you, who teach you, who are with you while you grow up, is even more of a loss.

After debating nine options, Dr. Palmer and the BOE are going to go with a plan to move the 6th grade to elementary schools and make BMS become a 7 and 8 school. This is going to lead to relocation of staff, and possibly letting some go.

But, whenever possible, please try not to cut back on teachers.

Sure, many students joke that they dislike their teacher, and that they can’t wait until they won’t have to see them again. But in reality all students forge a special bond with their teachers.

Letting teachers go now only to have to fill their positions later when the town straightens out this mess is a waste. If you like their work now, losing them and having to find unknown replacements is not productive. These teachers know the system already and have shown they can be flexible in times of need. Many of these teachers are the youngest faculty members and therefore are already the future of the District.

If the district can, please allow team teaching or more support classes to keep teachers. Don’t cut counseling staffs; keep these teachers to handle the new stress that will come with the shift in buildings. Don’t cut back on these people whose job it is to forge bonds and help us through problems.

We know that there will be cutbacks, and the district will have to face hard decisions, but please, if the district couldn’t save our buildings, or our work spaces, at least save our teachers.