Convince Me

[pepelect]

   As a parent with a child in each of the three schools, I would have to restate that it doesn't matter what pole barn we have classes in our kids are getting a superior education as West Elk.

To compete with the corridor schools that my kids will be going to college with we need to do more.  We have to have a better plan than the mega Goddard or Andover schools because that is who our kids are going to be competing for jobs with in the future.  If you think that we can sustain the level of our test scores with the current system you are incorrect.  We have to give teachers raises to retain them.  We are not attracting great new teachers when the base pay is 10-12 thousand less than schools an hour away.   We are not currently providing basics for many programs that are assumed at the other schools.  We can't compete with international school whose children learn algebra when we are still learning 2+2=5. or close enough.

The more we wish the schools would stay the same the farther behind the ball we are getting.  I would like to be discussing a new science and technology lab, green technology, gymnastics, wind technology, fuel cells, or better communications programs but we are not to that point yet. 

[Diane Amberg]

 I like the way you think! Go for it!

[Lookatmeknow!!]

I hear what you are saying sixdogsmom.  I attended grade school at Severy and High school at Howard, West Elk America.  I graduated in 1993.  I don't want to see either Moline or Severy's Grade Schools go.  But, sorry there is always a but, I want better for my children.  Not to say I didn't get a wonderful education.  I did.  But things are so much different now, than it was then.  I also don't like to see us putting Thousands of dollars into these buildings, when we could add some different courses at the high school level.  I think what alot of people don't understand, is that we as a community (Moline, Severy, Howard, and surrounding areas), need put our children first!  Yes, I have children in the system now.  I know that many of you don't.  But don't you the children in your area to get the best education possible.  If its .30 or $3.00 more a day in taxes, so be it.  We are raising our futures.  We want responsible, educated, well rounded youth.  Look at how many people have graduated from High school here, and have returned after college or to raise their families here.  I personally would like to say, we as a community did the best we could for our children.  They got a strong education!!  Strong Morals and values thanks to our school system and the communities around.

We, as parents and community members, know that the world is moving at a fast pace these days.  I truly think that we have wonderful teachers in our systems, but wouldn't it be nice to add some different things to spice up and help our young kids?  Technology is just a piece of the pie will this new school.  Our possiblities are endless if we all band together and work with the main goal in mind  Our wonderful future.  Our Children!!

I am not trying to say that you are wrong sixdogsmom for being concerned.  You have every right to be.  But the end product is such a wonderful out come!! 

[Tobina+1]

GOOD QUESTIONS!  Keep 'em coming!

As one of the "Vote Yes" team members relayed to me, they'd rather people ask questions and find out the facts, rather than just keep their head down and vote NO without having all the answers.

If you're not satisfied, or convinced, keep the questions coming!  PEP is a member of the Vote Yes committee, so he has good facts to share, and I know Dr. Dave is busy with work during the week, but he will hopefull get on here over the weekend and share his knowledge, too. 

NO ONE should vote (yes or no) based on emotions alone.  Ask questions.  Get the facts.  Make an informed decision.

[flo]

Angie, I don't think a new building will give our children any better education than they are getting at the present buildings.  I was under the impression that the reason for the new central elementary was financial to the district and this I do understand.  It will be a big financial savings to the district.  Enrollment numbers have continued to decline and will continue to do so, I think, hence less state aide.  I have always and continue to believe a good education is very important from K-12 and I think the students from West Elk USD 282 have gotten that thru the years.  I do not begrudge a good education to any child.  My concern was paying my fair share for this new building.  It's coming, tho, and I will pay my fair share as I won't have any choice, but I will have to cut something else out to do so and I don't know where to make this cut in my budget.  Perhaps I can start eating less and go to bed earlier to save electricity.

[Lookatmeknow!!]

Flo, I am so sorry, I didn't mean that to sound like they will get a better education.  I am with you on the wonderful education that the kids get.  But at the high school and jr high level, we are missing some different types of elective classes that would benefit our children.  If we build the new school, the savings from putting into the two different schools, could maybe allow for the hiring of new teachers.  Also the ones that we got really don't get much of a raise a year, if any.  Does that make any more sense!  So sorry!!  I just can't always say exactely the right thing.

[pepelect]

Angie, I don't think a new building will give our children any better education than they are getting at the present buildings.  I was under the impression that the reason for the new central elementary was financial to the district and this I do understand.  My concern was paying my fair share for this new building.  It's coming, tho, and I will pay my fair share as I won't have any choice, but I will have to cut something else out to do so and I don't know where to make this cut in my budget.  Perhaps I can start eating less and go to bed earlier to save electricity.

We are losing state aid not because of lower enrollment but because the state has not increased budgeting/funding for education.  Actually the lower the enrollment gets the higher our weighting.  The problem is that lower local assessment is making every mill worth less dollars.  If you look at the efficiencies that this bond will produce beyond the 5th or 6th year you can see some real savings by lowering your LOB portion of the taxes you pay.  If you look out 15 years we will be a lot better off and taxes will be much lower by paying down the bond now and not putting it off until later.  If we vote no there is a definite risk to the viability of the entire district not just the grade school buildings in Moline and Severy.

[sixdogsmom]

Most of us old ladies will be dead in 15 years, pep, and who is going to buy a decrepit property in a town with no school with umpteen dollars of unpaid taxes against it? If this property goes off the rolls, then your taxes are gonna go up my friend. If I am not paying the amount that I currently afford, are you willing to pick up the slack when I can no longer afford to pay? And when the population in this district declines so much that keeping any schools open is no longer viable, are you willing then to pay for the now vacant school that most people did not want in the first place, but was purchased with a few cut-rate hotdogs and cute kids in t-shirts? We have seen many properties in all our local towns go off the tax rolls in recent years, some of which might still be on there had taxes not risen so steeply. It is a shame, that this district could have had the dream school and more had a few people not been lured by big money and big hats that allowed the prospect for a really great project for this county to evaporate. The county revenue from a wind farm might just have been able to purchase that dream school, and provided tax relief for old ladies besides.

[pepelect]

You usually don't build elementary schools with seniors as a great beneficiary.  The legacy of what you will leave for future generations will have a greater impact than then your temporary financial setback.  Some one built the school you attended. 

I know for a fact that the cost of living and the quality of the hard life in those days were greatly different than the easy path that we have now.  But the community banded together and built a quality district out of several good schools for the same reasons we are consolidating now.  You had one room school houses on every 6th mile because that is what was needed for the population of one farm for every homestead of 160acres.  Large farm families with limited transportation needed schools less than 3 miles from any student.  We don't have near that population density now.  We have driven out all the farming and ranch hands in exchange for technology and enterprise.  Mechanical advantage requires less labor.  You could make a living on 160acres then.  It is a struggle to make it on 1600acres now.  We have not embraced industry in this area.  We have no manufacturing, limited services, and struggling local economies. 

[Tobina+1]

To my knowledge, the wind tower project is not "dead in the wind", so to speak.  It's just hit some speed bumps and will hopefully be able to continue forward soon.  I'm just not sure we could/should wait on this project to fund our school.  The wind towers will take at least a couple years to complete, and then another year or so before any money flows into the county.  Once it does, though, then the schools will be prepared to reap the benefits and provide funding for EDUCATION rather than brick and mortar.   (Plus not to mention all the other projects in the county that may want to share in part of that money, too.)

Keep in mind that the "cut-rate hotdogs and cute kids in T-shirts" are not funding this project, but bringing awareness to the VOTE.  If, as you say about the school, "most people did not want in the first place", then VOTE.  There is no room to complain about the quality of the schools, quality of education, or amount of your taxes if you don't take the time to VOTE in the first place.

Lastly, I'm a little more optimistic, as are all the VOTE YES parents, teachers, grandparents.  We believe that consolidating the grade schools into a more efficient school system will give our county an ADVANTAGE going forward.  We've already seen a good number of young families move back into the area.  They are opening businesses.  They are putting money into the local economy.  They have kids in school (or will have in a few years).  Our county is becoming a "draw" for people who have lived in big cities and "been there, done that".  No, we may never be an Independence-size or Andover-size school district, but Elk county has the potential to GROW and be a place worth moving!