Op-Ed 15

There is a wide variety of sports teams here at Westhill. However, as a student with alpine ski racing history and a passion for the sport, it is frusturating not to be able to compete at the high school varsity level. I feel as though if we had a ski team, it would be a great addition to our athletic program.

There are several opportuni-ties for high school racing in Con-necticut, seeing as Greenwich, New Canaan, and Darien all have ski teams. Our team could prac-tice at Ski Sundown on week-ends, where we would prepare for slalom races and learn rac-ing techniques. Ski racing takes

more skill and practice than does recreational skiing. Turns, gate approaching, lower body move-ment, and deep carving must all be perfected in order to perform well in races. It takes a lot of ath-leticism, endurance, and overall physical/mental strength to gain the skill sets necessary.

While high school ski teams generally do not make cuts, only advanced skiiers would get the chance to compete and seriously progress in the sport. I have many friends here at Westhill who have competitive skiing experience and who also share the hope for a team. For those who ski often, even with-

out the competitive edge, practice will allow them to advance and fall in love with racing.

Although our team would certainly be small at first, I feel as though we would gradually devel-op and improve. With an effective coach, hard work, and time com-mitment, Westhill skiers would be open to great opportunity.

Even though efforts to make a ski team have failed in the past, hopefully more students will push for one next year. It is a great pos-sibility, and I’m sure our athletic director and administrators will see it through.

—Natalie Carroll, ’13

Having four snow days in one month is very rare, but this January most students’ fantasies of consistent snow days came true. Unfortunately, excitement over these days off was extinguished for most when rumors began cir-culating about Stamford Public Schools taking days off February and/or April break to make up for all the lost time. There were origi-nally four snow days built in to the end of the year in anticipation of snow, but it has become appar-ent that 4 are not enough. Well, as of Tuesday, February 8 Stamford Public Schools voted that schools would be open on Monday, April 18. Moreover, any more snow days from now until April will also be made up during April break. I do not think this is a good idea at all due to the results of a recent sur-vey that showed most parents and teachers did not favor this option. Allow me to explain why.

Stamford Public Schools con-ducted a survey taken by 3,809 parents to determine the best way to make up for all our time off, the options being to hold school during April break, February break, both February and April break, or sim-ply adding more school days to the end of the year. The results reported that 42 percent of families wanted to make up the time in February, 19 percent were in favor of making up the time in April, 20 percent were in favor of adding days to the end of the year, and 19 percent believed the time should be made up during both April and February break. Furthermore, in an online survey taken by 1,297 staff members, 42 percent favored making the time up in February break, 16 percent were in favor making the time up in April break, 16 percent favored taking time from both breaks and 39 percent favored making up the time at the end of the year. (Yes,

these numbers add up to 113 per-cent, thanks to Stamford Public Schools and all their mathletes). Anyway, I am very surprised to see that Stamford Public Schools will be cutting into April break. Based on the aforementioned survey, it is clear making up time during Feb-ruary break would leave the most people happy, thereby making it the best choice for time off.

Since their decision will in-variably affect the vacation plans of so many people, the decision should have been based on what those most affected by the deci-sion, namely families and staff, say is best. Due to the results of the survey, it has been made clear that the smallest number of people would have problems with Febru-ary break. Why Stamford Public Schools would even have a survey if they were going to completely disregard the results makes no sense to me.

Moreover, it was brought up at the meeting that cutting Feb-ruary break would be a bad idea because some have already made vacation plans and we would be forcing them to cancel their plans or miss school. Though this is a valid point, I believe it is greatly lessened by the fact that plenty have already booked vacation plans for April; I for one imagine that more people have made plans in April due to the results of the survey. Also, I would think people who have made vacation plans are not going to cancel them for one extra day of school. Had they put the extra day of school in during February break, people who have made vacation plans would still go on their vacations just as people who were planning to vacation in April are still going to vacation that week whether there’s a day of school or not.

Finally, as one of the many

students waiting for the end of the year (only four and a half more months!) I don’t like the idea of losing vacation time in the spring. So this means we get our winter break and then go all the way to the end of the year with no full week off. Furthermore, I feel that since all this time was lost in the winter it just makes more sense to lose the time from winter break. I think it would be better to take the opportunity to make it up now and not have to worry about it later.

So that’s that, the inner work-ings of the nine people who made that decision remain confusing to me. We may never know how much the forgotten survey cost, but what-ever it was, the money could have been better spent on more salt for the school sidewalks —take it from someone whose butt has been pain-fully acquainted with the ground.

—Aidan Hart, ’14

Popular opinion seems disregarded in make-up day decision

Student pushes for ski team at Westhill

Illustration by Katie Zabronsky / Managing Editor

Developing a budget for a school district as large as Stam-ford is no easy job under the best circumstances.

The economy of the past few years has caused most school dis-tricts around the country to tighten their belts. This year Dr. Starr de-veloped a budget that is very lean , trying to balance the needs of stu-dents with the reality of taxes in the City of Stamford.

Special Education is a very costly part of any school budget

and Stamford is no different. Dr Starr’s proposal has some sig-nificant cuts to Special Education. These cuts will result in loss of staff and require staff to do more with less. The district is bound to provide the services that are man-dated on an identified student’s IEP (Individualized Education Plan) that is legal and binding. I am sure that great care was taken to ensure that all of the services students re-quire would be maintained.

Of major concern is the prog-ress that students have made will no longer be seen. If Special Edu-

cation teachers have larger casel-oads due to cuts, they would need to work with larger groups of stu-dents at a time. Given the vast dif-ference in their learning needs, this becomes more difficult.

It appears as if Special Edu-cation is being cut more than other areas, which is unfair. Why take away from students who are among the neediest in the district? I know that as a department, we will continue to provide students with the level of support needed to

make them successful in school. The members of the Westhill

Special Education Department are a wonderful group of profes-sionals who are dedicated to the students they work with as well as other students who approach them for help. I am confident that after the budget is approved and the cuts are final, the Westhill Special Education Department will continue to provide the same level of support to the students they service.

—Special Education Department Head Mrs. Cuttitta

It appears as if Special Education is being cut more than other areas, which is unfair. Why take away from students who are among the neediest in the district?

Special Ed. receives unfair cuts