Dear Boston Public Schools Committee:

Today,I learned that Boston Public Schools is trying to close down the John W. McCormack middle school. Everyone is really upset about this situation. Many of the students, including me, have said "The McCormack makes me feel welcome. This school is different than the other schools. It's really diverse here and it makes people from all over the world feel at home."

I,Ashley,am going to talk about how much this school has helped me specifically. This school has helped me improve at writing,math,and so much more! The school counselor has helped me feel so much better about myself. She has made me feel like people actually accept me. The teachers also make me feel very happy. They make sure I understand what I am being taught and I really appreciate that since I struggle to remember things.

This school has made me feel smarter, more confident,safe,welcome and like I am part of the family. Please don't close the school because it helps everyone more than you think it does. Please think about how people feel about this situation instead of just focusing on buildings and money. This isn't hurting you but it sure is hurting us.

Please reconsider the closure of the McCormack, and allow us to keep our family together.