Convince Me

[D Whetstone]

Well said Joanna..and I agree 100%....

Ditto.

Thank you,

David

[Rudy Taylor]

Good reasoning, Joanna. I also enjoyed Janet Harrington's post of this past week on the issue. But again ... I've not a voter there so I'll just watch from the sidelines.

[Sarah]

There are a lot of people in this area working long hours to make it a better place to live, to work and to raise families.  The same questions have been asked dozens of times and have been patiently and ably answered again and again.  Refusing to admit there is a problem is not going to make it go away.

A defeatist attitude is so frustrating for people who are working to make the population and economy improve.  Vague comments that the school population will likely decrease till it's gone, or that the state will likely force a consolidation in the future are not realistic and not helpful to either side of the issue. It is definitely a negative attitude for a home town or district.  Is there no hope then, for anyone in small rural towns?  Why would a person live in a place that they so obviously believe has no future? I certainly didn't move here to die; I moved here to enjoy life even more.

I believe Elk County is getting better by leaps and bounds.  I believe that a new facility for the grade school will be cheaper in the long run; and I believe it will definitely improve the education of our students, partly by using available money for actual teaching instead of plumbing, roofing or other structural maintenance issues.  We all know that every building need maintenance, but it is also common sense that a new building will need a fraction of the maintenance of two 40something year old buildings.  It would have been great if the school board over the last 40 years had put back money for new boilers, but it didn't happen... maybe for the same reason so many people don't put back more money for retirement ~ the extra cash just wasn't there. At any rate, we can't change the past, just work to make the future better.

My children are grown, but I see how the education of all the area children is important to my life.  With one campus, it is likely we won't have as many school employees, however if the ones we have are better paid it is a good tradeoff in my opinion; and to have fewer staff because we need less and not because we can't afford them is a good thing. I know my taxes will go up, both for my home and my farm, but they won't be outrageous; they will be my fair share and part of the cost of owning property in USD#282, Kansas, USA. I'm committed to my home.  I will continue to work to make my community improve and grow as best I can.  I feel confident in my decision to vote yes.

I'm not against the building a new school, but I don't think a new school is what's going to attract people to this area.  First reason why people tend to be moving away instead of to is because unless you're a rancher, there's not a whole lot of places to work out here and unless you get a job in the city....well, I know a lot of people out here that used to work in Wichita and ranch on the side, but with the economy the way it is and gas prices like they are, that's not feasible any more.  Then you have the water issues.  Most people don't want to haul water, especially those used to having it delivered to their front door.  And so that aspect keeps it from attracting a lot of new people.  The town only holds so many, the rest are all rural.  I don't think a new school is going to make or break the county. 

[Maude]

Maxine and I have been reading all the treads on here and we notice that some of the questions asked have not been answered. So we are going to try and some questions. Will the water in Howard get better for the new school. Not sure if Howard will be affected but Maxine and I just read that the State is going to consolidate over 220 schools so if the bond does not pass will the State come in and take over. Also we would like to know and this has not been answered. What are the new business's and were in Elk County are they? How many in Moline and Howard? We are  not trying to be negitive just worried that our taxes will go way up again. As far as more money to Teachers, we would only hope that would attract Teachers with upto date teaching methods. Keep in mind Teachers are paid on a 12 month contract but they only work 190 Days a year. Maxine was a teacher at one time and she did like that paycheck in June and July while school was out. We also are hearing that some schools are cutting out summer school to cut down on cost. The thought process is "If they did not learn in 9 months what is 3 weeks at half days going to help"? We are assuming the busses that USD 282 use are upto date and not money will have to be spent to replace them. 
I suppose I should let Maxine spell check and correct but she is so slow I do not have time to wait. They are waiting for me to come to Brunch.
So everyone have a great day.
Two old women still living and kicking.

[Diane Amberg]

No, not all teachers have a 12 month contract. Mine was always 10 months. We had the option of having money withheld from each paycheck to the credit union and it was sent to us across the summer to level out the pay periods each year. I was never paid for doing nothing.

[Maude]

Thats fine Diane, but Maxine and I were talking about Kansas. We were not interested in the east coast but Thanks for the information.
Maude

[flo]

  Hmmmmmmm, , , I was not aware that teachers in Kansas were always paid on a 12 month contract.  I thought that (and it was when I worked in the school system) was, as Diane said, up to the teacher because some take it for the teaching months and get a summer job to tide them over.  Maybe things have changed, tho.

[Maude]

Once again Maxine and I see we have gotten off the orginal thread. If we want to converse about teachers pay then a new topic should be started. This is a thread about the Nov 3rd Bond issue and the questions I ask about it.
Maude and Maxine

[Diane Amberg]

Sorry. I could have sworn that you brought it up. I'm not sure how the length of the teachers' contracts has anything with the bond bill, but we young folks in our mid 60s can be lenient with you old creaky folks.....just teasing, honest.

[pepelect]

What is the questions?

Water

State consolidation

New business in elk county:  bryants blooms, DM Guns, Family market, Traci's trends, Associated shippers, .......Have no clue what this has to do with bond issue....Flinthills wireless, Ranchers best beef, Venessa Photography.....what is this list for?

teachers work sometimes in the summer...Never after 3:30, rarely start at the first bell, don't attend ball games, never escort math relay teams, don't get raises or steps and don't even have blackboards anymore.....

We haven't used buses in years.   All the kids drive school provided Lamborginhi's and Jaguars.  We ordered two new bus this summer.

One time at band camp I had to learn how to play an instrument that I had never played before.  It required me to blow air through a mouth piece and sound came out the other side.  It was so wierd.  The camp lasted 5 days.  We had to eat at a cafeteria in these little chairs.  One time I built a chair out of some wood that used to be apart of a pallet.  I called it a pallet chair.  It was oak I think or maybe it was pine.  Sometimes cedar smells really good especially if you put it in a trunk with your bedding for the summer.     I am hungry for popcorn.

Sometimes they are issued Fords and Chevys but only because they are easier to spell.



I know. I know.  But it is just so easy.