Changing Warwick's P.I.E. program

My son is currently finishing up the first grade in the Warwick school district. While he was in Kindergarten, my wife and I learned of a program called P.I.E. or Partners In Education, a teaching method that combines first and second graders in one classroom and third and fourth graders in one classroom. It is offered in the Warwick district as an alternative to the mainstream teaching method. After attending several forums on P.I.E. and conferring with our son, we decided to enroll him in the program. When we signed we were told that we need to be serious about the program and must commit at least two years, (first and second grade) to it. We promised to do so. I have to say that the success of the program is amazing. The ease at which my son has learned and retained this knowledge is far more advanced than if he was in mainstream classes. We were told of the success of the program when we researched it but it blew away my expectations. One, and most likely the only reason for its success is the teachers. Their dedication to the P.I.E. method and to each student is inspiring to watch. As a parent we get to see this first-hand because our participation in the P.I.E. classroom is just as important, hence, another reason for the name partners. But now that is all falling apart. The school district, in their infinite wisdom, has decided to let go one, if not, the best P.I.E. teacher in the district, Linda Card. Reason: budget cuts. They are not taking the needs of the students in consideration at all as they plan to replace her with a teacher who, as I have been told, is not trained in the P.I.E. teaching method. I am sure she is a fine teacher, but Mrs. Card not only spent much time training to understand and work in the P.I.E. program; she was hired solely to be a teacher in the program at Warwick. When will school districts understand that experience means tenure, not time spent teaching? I knew several teachers in my school life and just because you are a teacher for a long time or have “seniority” in a district does not make you a successful teacher. Please understand that I do not mean to put down the teacher taking Mrs. Cards place. I can only talk of what I know and that is the success Linda Card has had in teaching my son and the other students in the class. We work hard to teach our children to be good and keep promises. We planned on keeping up our end of the bargain and committed to the P.I.E. program for two years. The school district is a poor example to their students as they cannot even keep a promise that they insisted we keep! And why? To save a few bucks! To the replacement teacher, please know that I hold nothing against you and I look forward to working with you in my son’s educational success. To Mrs. Card, I express only my best to you moving forward. Would you consider home schooling? I, along with several of the other parents would have no problem setting you up with a few students. You have kept your promise and that is being a dedicated teacher! Brian A. Dunn Warwick