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_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
June 26, 2019
Scottsdale Unified School District
7575 E. Main St.
Scottsdale, AZ 85251
Cc: Nick Noonan
Dr. Kriekard & SUSD Governing Board Members:
Cocopah Middle School has an engaged parent and teacher community that is committed to helping improve the educational experience for our students. We are dedicated to supporting our administration and staff.
Reflecting on the past year, we would like to provide feedback from an APT perspective on the use and allocation of staff resources. We are aware that the district generally allocates resources on a per campus basis. While appropriate for a majority of schools; the rule is inadequate for Cocopah, your largest middle school campus, which has enrollment numbers exceeding 920 students and has a current waiting list.
We are asking the district to re-evaluate staff resourcing on our campus for the 2019-2020 academic year. There are many student to staff ratio imbalances in multiple areas needing improvement:
- Staffing Cocopah with only one Vice Principal is inadequate based on approximately double the student ratio per Vice Principal that exists at Chaparral. There are a myriad of issues that need to be handled with this transitional age group that could be addressed more effectively with an additional VP.
- Likewise, our Counselors are understaffed. We have 2 Counselors, which equates to one Counselor for every 450+ students. Students confront significant challenges during middle school (for example the increase in bullying), and given the importance of these formative years it is critical that students have access to counselors. The ASCA* recommends a counselor to student ratio lower than 250:1. We are not asking for this ratio, but when student mental health is at the forefront of school wellness and safety discussions, we should have at least one more counselor here.
- Similarly, one Nurse is inadequate for 900+ students. This poses a significant risk from a liability standpoint for the district.
Please reconsider applying the “general rule” regarding resource allocation to our school. Instead, apply a more appropriate student:support-staff ratio to determine what positions would best serve our students. The APT appreciates your consideration.
Sincerely,
Lara Vineyard, APT President 2018-2019
| 94 | Ms Jennifer B. | Parent |
| 93 | Mr Randy L. | |
| 92 | Ms Carrie B. | sons at Cocopah |
| 91 | Ms Noelani G. | Parent |
| 90 | Mrs Robin M. | Parent |
| 89 | Ms Jennifer A. | |
| 88 | Ms Jacque B. | Parent |
| 87 | Mrs Laura E. | Parent |
| 86 | Mr Thomas C. | Parent |
| 85 | Mrs Lori C. | Parent |
| 84 | Dr. Matthew K. | parent |
| 83 | Dr. Lynne W. | parent |
| 82 | Ms Irene S. | Parent and APT Member |
| 81 | Mrs Bethany A. | Parent |
| 80 | Mrs Monica A. | Parent |
| 79 | Mrs Danielle M. | Parent |
| 78 | Mrs Kim P. | Parent |
| 77 | Ms Alissa B. | Parent of student |
| 76 | Ms Belinda L. | Parent |
| 75 | Mrs Jessica K. | Scottsdale |
| 74 | Dr. Andrew G. | Past and current parent |
| 73 | Mrs Brenda G. | Past and current parent |
| 72 | Mrs Diana K. | Scottsdale |
| 71 | Ms Barbara W. | Parent |
| 70 | Ms Jennifer C. | |
| 69 | Ms Randy D. | Parent |
| 68 | Ms DeeDee D. | Parent |
| 67 | Mrs Monica M. | Parent |
| 66 | Ms Ben L. | Parent and APT volunteer |
| 65 | Mrs Jackie W. | Parent |
| 64 | Mr Nicholas D. | Parent |
| 63 | Mrs Holly D. | Mother |
| 62 | Mrs Whitney H. | Parent |
| 61 | Mr Barry B. | Parent |
| 60 | Mrs Angela B. | |
| 59 | Ms Shelby R. | Local business owner |
| 58 | Mrs Wendy C. | Cocopah Parent |
| 57 | Mrs Elana K. | Parent |
| 56 | Mrs Teerin H. | Parent |
| 55 | Mrs Tina S. | |
| 54 | Mrs Ariella L. | Parent |
| 53 | Mrs Laura M. | |
| 52 | Mrs Maria N. | Parent and APT Member |
| 51 | Ms Kelly F. | Past and current parent of Cocopah students |
| 50 | Mr Ken S. | parent |
| 49 | Mrs Kathy C. | |
| 48 | Ms Shelly D. | Parent current and incoming students |
| 47 | Mrs Cherie K. | Teacher, Future parent |
| 46 | Mrs Juli M. | Former parent |
| 45 | Ms Sharon N. | Future parent |
| 44 | Mrs Maxine B. | |
| 43 | Ms Alba C. | Parent |
| 42 | Ms Andrea A. | Future Parent |
| 41 | Ms Michelle R. | |
| 40 | Mrs Heather F. | Future parent |
| 39 | Mrs Sabrina L. | 2020-2021 incoming parent |
| 38 | Mrs Tracy M. | Parent |
| 37 | Ms Christine S. | Future parent |
| 36 | Ms Raymond P. | |
| 35 | Ms Gena Z. | |
| 34 | Ms Aimee F. | |
| 33 | Mrs Rebecca P. | Parent |
| 32 | Mr Cory M. | Parent |
| 31 | Mrs Susie O. | Parent |
| 30 | Mrs Amy B. | Parent |
| 29 | Mrs Nicole K. | Parent |
| 28 | Mrs Bridgett S. | Past and future parents of student |
| 27 | Mrs Jennifer M. | Former Parent |
| 26 | Ms David Z. | Parent |
| 25 | Mrs Jane P. | |
| 24 | Dr. Anthony N. | |
| 23 | Mrs Kimberly Z. | |
| 22 | Ms Heidi P. | Parent |
| 21 | Ms Elizabeth H. | Parent |
| 20 | Mr Ian F. | |
| 19 | Ms Jenna P. | Parent |
| 18 | Mrs Brenna P. | Parent |
| 17 | Ms Sheryl B. | Parent |
| 16 | Ms Melanie U. | Incoming cocopah parent |
| 15 | Ms Bryn D. | parent |
| 14 | Ms Tanya K. | |
| 13 | Ms Cheri S. | Educator at Cocopah |
| 12 | Mrs Chanen B. | Parent and APT member |
| 11 | Ms Linda L. | Parent and APT volunteer |
| 10 | Ms Elizabeth F. | Parent |
| 9 | Mr Scott V. | Parent |
| 8 | Mr Bradly D. | Parent of student |
| 7 | Ms Siobhan U. | Parent |
| 6 | Mrs Patti P. | Parent |
| 5 | Mrs Courtneay O. | parent |
| 4 | Mrs Cari M. | parent of student |
| 3 | Ms Michel G. | Scottsdale |
| 2 | Mr Patrick M. | Parent & APT treasurer |
| 1 | Mrs Lara V. | parent |
*https://www.schoolcounselor.org/asca/media/asca/Publications/ratioreport.pdf
___________________________________________________________
More Support Staff Needed at Cocopah Middle School
The option to sign this letter is now closed.
End date: Aug 05, 2019
Signatures collected: 94
94 – signature count
