District’s loss

To the editor:

This past year, I was invited by my granddaughter to participate in special projects and field trips with her fifth-grade class at Hillcrest School. I met and was able to observe her teacher in a variety of teaching situations. He is an amazingly gifted young man with excellent teaching skills. Especially notable is the focused attention and honest respect he gives to each student in every situation. Even in this school district where we are fortunate to have a plethora of excellent teachers, he is exceptional. Rarely, in all my years of teaching, parenting and grandparenting, have I seen a teacher of his high caliber.

Our family was disappointed to learn that this teacher will no longer be teaching in Lawrence. When I expressed our regret to him, he said, “I’m leaving so I can afford to buy a house.”

Here is a gifted young man excelling in his profession. But, incredibly, our school district does not pay enough for such a teacher to buy a starter home in his own community. What a loss for Lawrence.

Gail Reber,

Lawrence