June 2008 Dear Chancellor Rhee: We are deeply disappointed that Spanish language instruction was not provided for in the 2008-2009 school year budget. As supporters of children who are or will be attending the Stuart-Hobson campus of the Capitol Hill Cluster School, we are seeking your support to ensure that Spanish language instruction is retained in the current grade levels- 6th through 8th - and possibly expanded to 5th grade as well. For the Capitol Hill Cluster School, and DCPS, to retain students in the system it is necessary to ensure that our children have the opportunity to learn a foreign language. Familiarity with a foreign language is not only important to becoming an educated citizen in our multicultural community, it is also important to ensure that our children are able to satisfy language requirements when it comes time to apply for high schools. Cutting this program from Stuart-Hobson (or the city at large) will put our children at a disadvantage. We urge you to fund Spanish language instruction at Stuart Hobson for the grades it is currently offered (6th-8th grade). Our LSRT and principal made a decision three years ago to begin adding Spanish as a core subject in one grade per year, so that our school might eventually offer Spanish-language instruction to all of our students. This has been a core part of our school\'s educational and budget planning processes. We support this vision and urge that you provide the funds necessary to retain and expand Spanish to 5th grade next year to further the goal of offering an enriching experience to all of the children in the Capitol Hill Cluster School. Sincerely, the families, students, and supporters of Stuart-Hobson Middle School