Our local school needs our help!

Sad news from Water School.

Waters is being forced to lay off our Library and computer teachers,
and our fabulous art and music programs will become "art-on-a-cart" shadows of what they were.

We are going to hold a meeting next Tuesday evening at 6 in the school auditorium to see if there is some way to restore these positions.

People can call the school 534-5090 for more info.

Pete Leki.

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additional note:

The relationship between Waters School and the community has been a nurishing factor in our work with Beyond Today. The school administration and teachers have been very generous with the neighbors and thus, community formed in the vicinity of the school. I see the kids in the garden and the play ground and hear them sing the songs in the music room, their voices drifting out the windows of the fieldhouse and see their sweet and beautiful art hung on display in the art room full of life. It breaks my heart to hear that these programs will suffer. Our community is interlinked with the health and vitality of the school and these children deserve more, not less. Please join us on Tuesday.

Julie Peterson.

Suggested Actions:

#1 Attend the Emergency meeting Tuesday. May 22 6pm

THOMAS J. WATERS FINE ARTS SCHOOL On Campbell, between Sunnyside and Wilson in the School Gym

#2 Click here to send an email asking Water's Budget to be restored.

This link will send an email back to Beyond Today. We will post your email comments on the website and give them to the parents and teachers to bring to CPS for use in their struggle to regain funding.

#3 Send an email for Illinois to properly fund schools: http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/Fair_Funding_Now

This is very important legislation.

#4 Make a phone call: Click here to find out who your state senator is: http://www.elections.state.il.us/DistrictLocator/AddressSearch.aspx

and then call 1-800-651-0315 (free) and ask to speak to them.

Suggested talking points:

Ask to leave a message with your name and address and tell them that you want them to fight for statewish school funding that:

* Increases school funding and quality so that every child
has access to a quality education,
* Restores Illinois' fiscal health, and
* Ends Illinois' over reliance on property taxes to fund schools..

Please all NOW: The hotline is available only until Friday, May 25.

1-800-651-0315

#5 Spread the word. Forward this email to neighbors. thanks.