I am the parent of a second grader in the autism program at Cooper. I attended the January meeting at cooper with many of the board members there and felt that sufficient cons about the discontinuing of the cooper program were discussed and it seems that finding another alternative is the right thing to do. I would like to make it clear that after my child has moved 4 times in 2 years, he needs to keep his friends that are helping him accelerate in social behavior. I want to state for your benefit that I am not alone when I say if you choose to ignore the many children at risk that this could push farther from success, I will not hesitate to take my three children out of the Seattle school district altogether. I would rather home school them then subject them to the continued upheaval that is supposedly for the DISTRICTS BENEFIT. What about the children's benefit???? Also I have been updating many families who's children I watch or am acquainted with that are in the process of beginning their kids' school experience and until this notice of the closure issue had been pro-Seattle and telling them how Cooper have benefited the children and that at the teacher level the district is great even if the administrators almost never return calls and that it takes an act of God to get transportation issues addressed. I found that having the teachers and programs there for the kids was worth the hassle. However, I have changed me tune when the Superintendents office and board members start closing the same programs that are so excellent for these kids at risk. Now I find that I have no confidence that my kids or others will experience a stable, secure, healthy environment that is so important in promoting growth in children. Please prove me wrong and do the right thing and DO NOT uproot the cooper kids at risk that are just starting to trust and have confidence in their peers and teachers even when their home life is so full of unknowns.

Karen R.Moore

Seattle