Ford library plan disappoints some

LYNN – Brenda Gibb is livid over a plan instituted by Superintendent Catherine Latham that will shrink the size of the Ford School’s computer lab and result in the loss of the library.”I’m a grandparent. I have grandchildren here and my children went here so I’m second-generation Ford School,” she said while volunteering at the school’s Harvest Fair. “If they take the computers and the books away what will these kids have for the future?”The Ford School is facing an overcrowding issue with its four first-grade classes. To alleviate the problem, Latham said she planned to even out the numbers and move the smallest class into what is now the computer lab, which would leave plenty of room for new students. The computer lab would then be shifted to the empty classroom.Parent Diane Baker said the problem with that plan is the classroom will only accommodate half the computers leaving the rest to be spread out among the fifth-grade classrooms or put on rolling carts.Principal Claire Crane said the change also does nothing to remedy another overcrowding issue with the fifth grade, which currently spends half the day in the library and the other half in the lab. With the loss of the computer lab the library will have to become a permanent classroom, which means it will cease to be a library.”If they take away the library how will our kids learn to love to read?” Baker asked. “How do we enhance their imagination?”Baker said she is also concerned that students won’t have the access needed to computers. According to Baker there are 40 special education students who take part in “Imagine Learning” a language and literacy program students do independently on the computer. She’s concerned that those students, who are already struggling with English, will slip further behind if access to the program is cut.Olga Dela-Santo is one of those students who take part in the program.”I like it,” she said. “It helps me with my reading and my times tables because they do times tables too.”Her father Carlos Dela-Santo said he is also worried that his daughter will fall behind and he plans to join Baker and Gibb in fighting the restructure.Latham said the change is only for one year but Baker said it is too long.”Along the school walls you see academic awards and inspirational quotes,” she said. “But we can’t teach to that without the proper tools.”Chris Stevens can be reached at [email protected].