Collinwood Youth speak out

I've started a column called "From Our Voices" to represent youth in Collinwood. The first submission is from Cayla Napoleon and she's going to be a junior this upcoming 2013-2014 school year. I asked her about her experience at Collinwood and how she felt about the transformation in the CMSD.

"My experience at Collinwood has been better than most. I am a PSEOP (Post Secondary Enrollment Options Program) student which has also been a great experience for me. The teachers I have at Collinwood really do teach and challenge me to do my best. I feel my teachers really connect with me. A lot of the students there want to do better and want to learn which is a plus.

I feel that the transformation for our school will be worse than it is now. The last time the District had a "transformation plan" the CMSD changed for the worst. Taking away the teachers that really teach, replacing them with those that cannot teach, and leaving all the teachers that do not teach is a horrible way to transform our District.

I feel that District officials should ask the children to select their teachers rather than CMSD selecting them because we know how we learn best-- we know better than someone who has never stepped a foot into our schools, homes, and personal lives."