Given that the St. Louis Park School District is committed to the highest quality education it can offer, and endeavors to provide both excellence and equity in education; Given that the St. Louis Park Junior High School groups students, teachers and a dean together in a team and loops each team through a two-year curriculum together; Given that the teaming and looping model is highly desirable pedagogically, psychologically, socially and for IB certification; Given that looping produces superior academic results, providing excellence in education and better preparing Junior High School students for the variety of rigorous academic options available to them at the Senior High School level; Given that teaming and looping provides better equity in education as a fundamental tool in identifying at-risk students and closing achievement gaps; Given that the students at the Junior High School are in adolescence and at a critical time in their development, making the structure, continuity and personalization offered by teaming and looping absolutely essential; Given that teaming and looping has successfully been the basis for scheduling the 7th and 8th grades at the St. Louis Park Junior High School for the past 21 years; Given that dismantling teaming and looping at the Junior High School will radically lower the quality of education for our 7th and 8th graders; Given that the proposed budget cuts for the Junior High School will make teaming and looping unfeasible going forward; Given that the amount threatening teaming and looping is $50,000 and the Junior High School has 625 students, the loss of teaming and looping would only save the District $80 per student; We, the undersigned, believing that 7th and 8th grades are a critical period in our children\'s education, petition the Superintendent and School Board to allow the essential teaming and looping model to continue at the St. Louis Park Junior High School by reducing the dollar amount to be cut from the Junior High School budget by $50,000 or $80 per student. Respectfully submitted,

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