The program, as it exists, at Trinity is the "least restrictive environment" for these students and that is what is deemed needed for their learning environment. Moving them on site will provide a more restrictive environment, not to mention a blow to their (already sensitive) self esteem by downgrading into a k-5 school from their prestigious and protective safe and familiar setting.
Currently these kids enjoy a flexible schedule where they can break and shoot hoops, get some air, take a run, play some baseball and generally move about. Dr. Hooley is promising to lock them up and not release even for lunch if he puts them on site at Berea. Is that any good for these Trinity students?

ONLY VCSD has an Alternative Middle School of it's own. Most school districts escalate direct to BOCES at the cost of 40k per student to the district. The Trinity AMS program costs less than a quarter of that. VCSD is being lauded for doing so, and perhaps it will become a model to other districts and or expand. Perhaps Berea is the only elem. school in district that can easily accomodate an addition to house say another 100 AMS students and perhaps even a training program for other districts in the country. We do have an elevator now (due to the budget we, the taxpayers JUST passed that Hooley BURIED and HID the Trinity move in) and the ability to expand up and or out. Far fetched? maybe. I can assure you that the space and money for a mere 20 students and less than $30 k can be redisributed easily, that is not the REAL issue here. It is imperative that we show our presence and concern at the meeting on Wednesday June 10th at 6pm at Berea. www.KeepBereaYoung.blogspot.com