West Elk Proposed Additions

[patriotdad]

While I agree that sports in high school should not be the primary focus of a schools faculty or students, it is also short sighted to think that sports cannot be a integral part of an education. 

Their are lessons learned on a field/court that cannot be taught in a classroom.  Teamwork, success, failure, performing under pressure, concentration, competition, physical fitness, leadership, teaching and many others.  The experiences the 28 boys on West Elks football team experienced this year cannot be duplicated in a classroom. The bond between those guys will last a lifetime. The trill of success and the pain of defeat.  Working together for a common goal, trusting in each other, being coached and applying it. All of these thing help to grow and mature young people.     

And sports should not be written off as just a hobby anymore.  Sports are a billion dollar industry in America.  Most major universities offer numerous degrees in sports related fields. Not just playing and coaching. Sports Management, Sports Medicine, Sports Marketing, Communications, Apparel and Equipment.  I would venture to guess that there are as many West Elk Graduates that pursue sports related education/jobs as there are Agricultural.

Do you realize students that play sports are held to a higher standard than then general student population.  They have to keep a certain GPA's, attendance and behavior on and off the field. 

With the soaring cost of education, scholarships are very important. And i'm not just talking about sports scholarships.  All scholarships want you to have extra curricular actives.  Sports are a great extra curricular activity.  If a student is gifted enough to earn a athletic scholarship then that is awesome.  If not then being part of a team helps enhance their academic achievements.

Lets not forget physical fitness and education.  PE is required for K-9 grades.  Do you realize that at certain times during the day 3-4 graders are in the gym at the same time as Freshman. Around 50 kids.  Not only are they cramped for space but mingling of 8 year olds and 15 year olds is not a safe environment.  What do they do on bad weather days for recess?

I understand the need for classroom is greater than the need for an elementary gym.  But we cannot discount the the need for a gym as just for "sports". 

[Ross]

What a ridiculous survey the School Board put together.
Are they into marketing?
Are they kin to NSA ?

Why do they think they need  personal information on this survey?

I am not about to fill out age group or the primary residence information. Will you?

Or whether I am a renter or owner, or if I have children enrolled or not attending West Elk, because this information is irrelevant to the topic. They are trying to gather information they do not need. But for what reason? Will you bow down to them? They recieved their list from the court house on who the voters are, I'm sure. But when they have public meeting to discussthings like this one they have scheduled, will they ask for voter identtification cards to get in. "NO". Simple isn't it?

Their letter is addressed near the top as:
                                   To:       West Elk USD#282 Registered Voters

That is enough. This is not a legal election by mail; it is a Bull Shit letter in my opinion asking you to approve their ideas before establishing any real facts. Just number them in the order of importance to you, they are asking. It is simply a poll, nothing more.
Please, Don't fall for the phony in the style of the letter.

Real Eye's, Realize, Real Lies. I love that statement!

Do you see any documentation that state aid is available? "NO" you don't?
Haven't you heard states across the nation are cutting budgets?
Haven't we heard the Same thing from the school Board in the
past?

Did you read anything in the letter about FEMA aid for storm shelters?
"NO" I didn't think so.
The $85 an hour contractor told them the Storm doors they want to put in cost $6000.00 a piece. Where is the FEMA aid? Oh that's right the $85 an hour contractor told the school board Independence did not use FEMA when they built their school! Did the School Board ask why? "NO"   Perhaps there is no aid available!

None of this can stand up to the light of day!

They don't allow for any citizen input! Thving an official ey don't allow for any citizens questions?
They are not even having an Official School Board Meeting to discuss this.
Re-read the letter if you want, there will only be four School Board Members on the stage, no quorum, no Official Meeting. All of the Elected School Board Members will most likely be in attendance, but only on the stage at a time. Oh, I bet the School Superintendent will be up there to control and direct the Elected officials. But still it is unofficial which means off the record, I wonder why?

They don't ask if anyone has an alternative to save the district taxpayers money.  Why?

They don't care. Thus Bull Shit.

If you have any sense at all you will simply write across the Form to re-open the Moline Grade School. Yes, that is my opinion !

You can stop the Elite, Old Boys Club" or the "Old Guard"  from stealing your money as taxes for the next 20 years for a building that is un-needed. Yes, you can tell them no! Yes, you can say I won't fall in to your trap

If the rich of the county want to build a Taj Mahal offer them a contract to build it with their own money and include that they for pay all the extra maintenance. Require that they place a minimum of $20,000,000.00 I escrow and that building control remains fully in the hands of the taxpayers. Then they have a deal.

No sir, they don't really want it, unless you pay for it for twenty years through taxes and during that twenty years they will continue to have the right to raise your property taxes another 4 mil each year. Is that what you really want?

I told you that at a Board Meeting that a Board Member said they could raise our property taxes by 5 mil and he was immediately corrected that State Law was only 4 mil. He then stated that that they need to get that law changed. They don't care about spending all of your money they can. So give it some thought.

Look at the Federal Government they didn't care either and now here is a national debt way over $17 Billion and we can barely pay the interest on it, even though interest rates are at an all time low. And the trade deficit is out of this world due to poor economic control. Our country is headed for bankruptcy; our credit rating has been damaged, because politicians wanted more and more, instead with sticking to need.

Is that what you want for Elk County?

Simply write, "Re-open the Moline Grade School" across the form.
All their needs will be full filled.

What stinks - er - smells worse me or this coniving? I just took a shower and put on clean clothes!
LOL big time.

[Bullwinkle]

       I participated in sports. My children did not. That was their choice to make.

    Sports did not create any special "bond" or life experience for me, other than learning about competition. The place children need to learn to compete is in the workplace, where success really matters, and that takes good teaching. Those children in sports are not held to any higher standard, balderdash. Take a good look at the athletes in the limelight today and what they major in in college. How many are doctors or CEO's? What happens to them when their career is over? Remember Terrell Owens, the uneducated idiot? And there are countless others.

    If the school population is shrinking, it is quite illogical to say more space is needed. Plain and simple.

[Brodys dad]

Patriotdad,

Very well said, you make several very good points.  I'm sure the conspiracy theorists will try to find some flaws in your remarks.

[Ross]

While I agree that sports in high school should not be the primary focus of a schools faculty or students, it is also short sighted to think that sports cannot be a integral part of an education. 

Well good for you recognizing that sports should not be the primary focus.
No one has ever said that sports is unimportant. But I think you might agree that reading, writing and arithmetic is far more important.

Their are lessons learned on a field/court that cannot be taught in a classroom.  Teamwork, success, failure, performing under pressure, concentration, competition, physical fitness, leadership, teaching and many others.  The experiences the 28 boys on West Elks football team experienced this year cannot be duplicated in a classroom. The bond between those guys will last a lifetime. The trill of success and the pain of defeat.  Working together for a common goal, trusting in each other, being coached and applying it. All of these thing help to grow and mature young people.     

Oh whoopee! So you are cheer leader! Is school for teaching the basics in order for all the children to progress in life. Or is it just for the jocks and the boosters and cheerleaders? I don't hear you cheer leading for higher educational standards for ALL of the children, why is that?  We have heard all the praises before from cheer leaders and boosters before, nothing new there. Forget about the expense for all those sports trips that could pay for better teachers, right? 4H, FFA, Boy Scouts and other activities do all of the same the same thing and so much more and without brain concussions on every play!

You have just further, confirmed that this is about sports over education, in my opinion.

And sports should not be written off as just a hobby anymore.  Sports are a billion dollar industry in America.  Most major universities offer numerous degrees in sports related fields. Not just playing and coaching. Sports Management, Sports Medicine, Sports Marketing, Communications, Apparel and Equipment.  I would venture to guess that there are as many West Elk Graduates that pursue sports related education/jobs as there are Agricultural.

To pursue a career in sports takes far more than playing school sports doesn't it. It is not school sports that makes a kid want to play sports, sports come quite natural and so does being a geek. It is not school sports that is the only sports for kids either.

You can venture anything you want and I can venture just the opposite, what is proven, nothing! Where are the facts and figures?

Do you realize students that play sports are held to a higher standard than then general student population.  They have to keep a certain GPA's, attendance and behavior on and off the field. 

Do you realize that higher standard is simply a passing grade?
Nothing spectacular about that now is there?         
Just keep re-affirming this is all about sports, thank you?

With the soaring cost of education, scholarships are very important. And i'm not just talking about sports scholarships.  All scholarships want you to have extra curricular actives.  Sports are a great extra curricular activity.  If a student is gifted enough to earn a athletic scholarship then that is awesome.  If not then being part of a team helps enhance their academic achievements.

Haven't you kept up with all those young folks with student loans that started out with scholarships and are now flipping hamburgers and can not meet their obligations. They have to rely on food stamps to be able to survive? Don't you read the news?

Lets not forget physical fitness and education.  PE is required for K-9 grades.  Do you realize that at certain times during the day 3-4 graders are in the gym at the same time as Freshman. Around 50 kids.  Not only are they cramped for space but mingling of 8 year olds and 15 year olds is not a safe environment.  What do they do on bad weather days for recess?

But what about all that "Teamwork, success, failure, performing under pressure, concentration, competition, physical fitness, leadership, teaching and many others" you talked of. And might I add sharing and socializing and working together as a school.

I understand the need for classroom is greater than the need for an elementary gym.  But we cannot discount the the need for a gym as just for "sports".

You have a gym! The School Board also has a pending contract with the church to be used as a gym.

What more do you want for sports?

And least you forget the Moline Grade School Building has a gymnasium.

But that isn't in Howard is it?

[Ross]

Patriotdad,

Very well said, you make several very good points.  I'm sure the conspiracy theorists will try to find some flaws in your remarks.

Brodys dad, you knew there were plenty of holes in all that sport gibberish and pointed it out right away.

Brodys dad, so you think politics is a conspiracy, very interesting !

Very, very interesting. Can we learn some more of your philosophical thinking ?

[Ross]

Ho-weird is this thread.

It really came out that this is mostly about sports didn't it?

Ho-weird is that real eduction takes back seat?

Ho-weird this thread went quiet so suddenly?

Ho-weird the Followers ran out of steam?

Ho-weird is that?

Be smart, be sensible, be frugal, re-open the Moline Grade School and save millions and problems solved.

Be Smart,     Be Sensible,     Be Frugal  

[Brodys dad]

This is not "mostly about sports" and "real eduction" didn't "take a back seat".  A few people tried to give some reasons why they feel the expansion is needed that the older generation may not be aware of because they no longer have kids in school.  By the way it's spelled EDUCATION not "eduction". 

Some of us have jobs and lives.  I'm sorry that you don't and things tend to go "quiet" for you at times.

As far as "ran out of steam", you might be on to something there.  My time is to valuable to spend arguing with someone who thinks everyone is out to get him.  So with that, I'm done.

[Wilma]

I am glad that the men and fathers of our school children are speaking up about the school situation.  Too many times the women and mothers have to carry the load and despite what we all know about the supremacy of women, they are not taken as seriously as are men.

I didn't use to think that sports were important until I saw a young man that wouldn't have been able to go to college, go, because of the sports scholarship that he earned.

Scholastics are still the most important, but not every child excels in that capacity.  Extra curricular gives them a chance to excel at something of their own, be it sports, music, etc.  And isn't school supposed to prepare them for living as an adult?  What better preparation could they have than gaining the self esteem that excelling gives them?

[Ross]

This is not "mostly about sports" and "real eduction" didn't "take a back seat".  A few people tried to give some reasons why they feel the expansion is needed that the older generation may not be aware of because they no longer have kids in school.  By the way it's spelled EDUCATION not "eduction". 

Brodys dad, are you Hep? Are you Konnected?

So you don't reckon us olden folks have a clue, is that right sonny?
My goodness, we really need yer great wisdom and guidance, and your abundant life experience, don't we? Let's here it from all you old folks out there, does any of you'uns have a clue about life and how to live it.

After all we shouldn't even be on this here new fangled internet thingy should we? I read where the school board doesn't think we understand the importance of this new technology stuff. We are just to old to comprehend anything, don't ya know? LOL

Some of us have jobs and lives.  I'm sorry that you don't and things tend to go "quiet" for you at times.

Brodys dad, I too am somebody's dads if that makes some difference to you.

And yes he is in school.
And I am very active with his education.
The teachers know me, the principal knows me and his teachers know me quite well.
And I can only suppose that I spend more time at school than most fathers.
I am not claiming that last statement as a fact, that is why I said, "suppose".

But for your personal information none of that has anything at all to do with paying the School Districts property taxes does it?
Nor does any of it have anything to do with being a voter in the School District, does it?

There just seems to be some kind of a delusional concept about knowledge of knowing how a school should function, if a person does not have children at the present time.

Fer instance if ya don't have a child in school at the present time, even though you may have raised four children and may have even seen them graduate from college, you have no knowledge of what school is all about and cannot serve on the school board. Poppycock. That is the kind of narrow minded thinking we do not need in this school district, but it is exactly what we do have, in some people on the present School Board! That is my opinion. And that sir, comes from attending School Board Meetings.

If you would care to check, I believe you would find that very few if any of the Kansas Department of Education Members have children in grade school or high school.


And now that we see you are an edumacated, self appointed spelling officer of the internet, how interesting. Did you ever consider the fact that perhaps it was a simple typographical error, perhaps a missed key while typing? You did not fully use your critical thinking powers did you? My sincerest apologizes for that! Note: the line just below in the nest quote you state, "My time is to valuable", that should have read "too".
Ya see it is a two way street. But I gotta inform you I am just a redneck un-edumacated hick, so please forgive all my ignorant mistakes please sir.

As far as "ran out of steam", you might be on to something there.  My time is to valuable to spend arguing with someone who thinks everyone is out to get him.  So with that, I'm done.

Well, well we seem to have learned a couple of things about you with this response from you. Such as: just being a bit overly sensitive in the political arena. You see, not everything is aimed directly at you, because you are not the only person on the internet, the forum or this thread and neither am I. Please see note above about edumaction and spelling. Sarcasm intended.

There you go, I say again, there you go ass/u/me (ing) again! I don't think for one minute Sir that anyone is out to get me in a conversation. Such ideas you got in yer head, amazing. Just amazing! Sarcasm intended

Oh, about that valuable time thingy in your head! I may not be employed by somebody at the present time but I did put in nearly 50 years working for other people and at excellent wages without all that college edumacation. It afforded me the ability to retire to my own business with out any debts. My little business with me appointed as Chief  Financial Officer working right below my Chief Executive Officer (my wife)  working as a team on our little retirement keeps our time very occupied and our time in this life very valuable as well.

Ya seem to take all this to personal, son! Lighten up just a bit befer ya git one of them thar ulcer thingy's, there is nothing official going on just yet, don't cha see!  Them School Board people are just a fishin! They got this thing planed out to fail come April and already have intentions for November, see.  Okay, ok !

Now what was the real subject, that's right, now it's coming back to this old man. But first I gotta find my hearing aids so I can hear what I'm a typin. Can seem to see the causin of these durn ole cataracts. Perhaps, if I can find my teeth, I could then find my glass so as I could see. Can you understand the advantage of old age? It's fun, don't ya see!

Yea we were talking about building a horizontal Eiffel Tower weren't we? No now let's see, it was a Cadillac wasn't it.  No, no, no it's Taj Mah ego booster for sporting events for How-weird. Now that's right, isn't it?  I did spell that right didn't I ?  Other wise instead of going deeply in debt and over spending fer a fancy building, they would consider a much better an frugal idea wouldn't them folks? That's that school building with a gymnausim an a auditorium and class rooms and a cafeteria and even indoor toilets with with runnin water. That that building in Moline called a Grade School. Howsabout that thar idean!

This post been so much fun to put together, I sure hope some of you folks out got at least a smile out of it. Thank you for reading all this nonsense. This is my disclaimer, thank you!

Brodys dad, there is plenty of School information posted at:                          https://app.box.com/s/7nbnimqqr6b2tkzudw6f   if you might want to see some interesting stuff about West Elk. Thank you for sharing with us.

Be Smart,     Be Sensible,     Be Frugal !  
                     

     P.S. Don't fergit to check the spelling fer me kid, thanks.

   No response requested, no response necessary!
LOL This was really was fun to put together.