Jaden Balaski BOE communication

3:46 PM (1
                                                                            minute ago)
 Jaden Balaski




  to budget



To the Board of Education Members,



My name is Jaden Balaski. I am currently a senior at Bacon Academy High School, and a proud
new member of the Alternative Education Program. It’s been brought to my attention that due to
the budget, you want to move our program into the main building. But as a student and an
advocate for our small but amazing attendees and more-than selfless staff, I cannot allow you to
do that. I say this not out of stubborness, but for reasons that I am sure you are not fully aware
of.



I have only been a member for a very short amount of time, and I don’t have as much time as I’d
like to stay due to my graduation, but this program is the change I needed since joining the
Colchester Schools.

(Personal content removed)

But when I started attending Bacon Academy, the support from William J Johnston had
crumbled. My grades plummeted, the staff was not at all supportive, and nothing was done to
ensure my success. It was during the switch to the 2019-2020 second semester that I was
finally offered the chance to attend the Alternative Education Program. To reiterate, it had taken
your staff three and a half school years to give me this amazing opportunity. During my
transition, I was told by our selfless program leader Jenn Kutia that she continuously asked the
staff if there were students who needed to attend this program. She was told many times that no
students qualified. They had lied. I needed this program, and I did not receive an invitation until
this school year. I had barely managed to pass my freshman, sophomore, and junior years, and
I tell you I could have succeeded if not for the guidance staff.



I cannot stress enough that moving our program to the main building would undo the success
brought on by our current residence. I speak for all our attendees when I say how the space is a
blessing. The main building is stressful, loud, and beyond bothersome. I personally can’t stand
the commotion caused by our fellow students, I am distracted, which causes my work to appear
to be lazy. The number of students in a usual class is maddening, taking the teacher’s attention
away and leaving me confused, angry, and one step closer to failing. I was unable to meet with
my teachers during their prep periods due to my hectic schedule during school days and
homelife. The current building is the complete opposite. It is quieter, accomodating to
everyone's learning needs, and we can speak to our teachers easier than in a general
classroom. We are even allowed to talk to social workers whenever we need to. And those who
teach us our core classes are teachers from the main building who understand our needs. Our
topics are interesting, engaging, and tie to current situations, making our classes exciting. It is
the closest definition to home for me, and while the others might not admit it, it is for them as
well.



Now that I am a member, I don’t want anyone who has similar issues to suffer like I did. I
understand the financial concerns, but please take the students into consideration.

Thank you for reading this,



-Jaden Balaski