UCFEF Statement of Support for Unionville High School Renovations
On behalf of the members of the Board of Directors of the Unionville-Chadds Ford Education Foundation, I am writing to express our very strong support of the proposed renovations at Unionville High School. It is the Foundation’s strong commitment to educational excellence that leads to our support for this project.
The Unionville-Chadds Ford School Board has quite appropriately concluded that the 50-year-old building is sorely in need of substantial renovation in order to update facilities and provide academic opportunities that are on a par with other high schools in the region.
It is clear from the recent discussions in the district that virtually no one denies that renovations are urgently required. However the piecemeal approach advocated by some of the opponents of the current plan would force the district to choose between competing and equally worthy priorities.
For example, would it be appropriate to enhance the antiquated science laboratories at the expense of facilities designed to provide a challenging educational experience for those students who have a love for music and the arts? Is it appropriate to move our students out of trailer classrooms while we continue to force our athletes to play on fields that are in such poor condition that opposing teams often refuse to play on them for fear of exposing their players to injury?
In our mission statement, we talk about a holistic approach to education. We advocate a belief that the academic experience of our students must encompass not just their needs but also their passions.
We ask that the State Education Department recognize the wisdom and foresight of the Unionville-Chadds Ford School Board’s renovation plan and enable these plans to move forward.
Cordially,
Veronique Liska
President, UCFEF