To the editor:

On Wednesday, March 10, we attended an open-house tour at Langley Middle School and came away with a vivid positive impression of a thriving community of students, teachers and volunteers happily interacting in a comfortable, albeit somewhat down-at-the-heels physical environment. We were fortunate to have two school board members on the tour.

We were very touched by the teachers’ heartfelt earnestness in expressing their views of the critical importance of maintaining LMS, rather than being moved to the high school as is currently projected by the board. These teachers’ main concern is that many of the programs, learning situations and critical physical activities will not transfer to the high school, due mainly to severe lack of space. No amount of dollars could come close to recreating even a small semblance of the environment that is available at LMS. Physical activities, woodshop, home ec, all those programs that involve, encourage and give a sense of accomplishment and well-being to those students less academically inclined will suffer. Library, computer accessibility, science; all would suffer.

The further list of losses to the students upon such a move is dramatic. The loss of Langley community interaction, no easy access to the Commons bookstore/coffee shop nor the Methodist Church youth center (HUB), beach and, most important, the loss of the sense of intimacy and camaraderie a beloved school that encompasses a specific age group can provide.

We feel it is imperative that the school board give serious consideration to the possibility of options other than their singular proposal, for resolving the problem of declining student population and subsequent proportional loss of state funding.

“Save Langley Middle School” has a Facebook site well worth looking at.

Mike and Sydney Hoffman

Langley