1,700+ people sign petition seeking changes to Franklin Township Schools’ learning model
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Parents of students in Franklin Township Schools are asking for changes to the way the school district conducts learning during the pandemic.
In fact, hundreds of people signed a petition saying the current learning model just isn’t working for students.
Some Franklin Township parents say they want the school district to streamline the hybrid learning model. That’s where some students are online some days and in person other days.
Raven Ventimiglia and Laura Rakaska both have children in Franklin Township Schools.
“My daughter is spending on any given day, 10 to 12 hours a day doing work. We’re not talking about just school days. Sundays are even spent doing a lot of work. She’s spending all day on Sundays doing her homework as well,” said Ventimiglia.
That’s one of the reasons why Rakaska created an online petition. It calls on the district to improve the hybrid learning model, and has more than 1,700 signatures.
“We really think that by having this collective voice, we really can impact change,” said Rakaska.
Changes like streamlining communication from the district to parents, making it easier to find student assignments and more instructional time, for example.
“Less time with YouTube videos. Less time with sitting at home doing packets,” Ventimiglia explained.
“We do think we have great ideas. We’re not willing to let our children’s futures be sacrificed because of something that’s outside of their control,” Rakaska explained.
These parents say they and many others are willing to volunteer in any way they can to work with the school district to make changes, help teachers and even set up technology.
The petition requests an emergency meeting with the school board, administrative staff and concerned parents to “discuss potential opportunities for improvement within this model.”
“We need to have these changes now,” Ventimiglia said. “We can’t wait 2, 3 weeks for these changes, because their grades are being affected now.”
Thursday, Dr. Kent Pettet, the chief people officer for Franklin Township Community School Corporation, sent the statement to News 8:
“The hybrid model is new to students, parents and staff. We continue to use the feedback that we have been receiving from both parents and staff to continually improve our hybrid model. We are always happy to individually meet with a parent to discuss the concerns they have for their student and to work together to find ways to help their child experience success.”