Letters, letters, letters

The Nugget welcomes contributions from its readers, which must include the writer's name, address and phone number. Letters to the Editor is an open forum for the community and contains unsolicited opinions not necessarily shared by the Editor. The Nugget reserves the right to edit, omit, respond or ask for a response to letters submitted to the Editor. Letters should be no longer than 300 words. Unpublished items are not acknowledged or returned. The deadline for all letters is noon Monday.

To the Editor:

Please vote!

I was a member of the school board in 1977 when the first bond proposal to restore a high school in Sisters was presented to voters. It failed by 17 votes, if my memory serves me correctly.

Out of personal curiosity, I checked the voting records at the county clerk's office of people who had not voted. I quit counting when I got past 20 names of people I knew were strongly in favor of restoring our high school.

Had that bond passed, our high school would have cost about $1.8 million. When a high school bond did pass approximately 10 years later, it was for over $10 million.

Some of the letters I read before last November's bond election were strikingly similar to ones I read in 1977. I can relate more strongly to them now that I am retired and on fixed income.

Back in 1977, a new high school for Sisters was inevitable. It just took 10 years to realize and face up to that fact... and at great financial cost. I hope the parallel to our present school-community situation is evident.

The need is already upon us and a dollar in time may save nine.

Emil Smith

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To the Editor:

Why not portables? Is teaching not done in a portable? Put portables in place until student population warrants the construction of a new school. A district in Washington, the same size as Sisters, had 11 portables in place before constructing a new school.

The portables were considered the most desirable rooms to have by the teachers. They could control their own heating and cooling; the distraction of students in the hallway was eliminated, and a teacher could have a special activity and not fear it would detract from another room's learning environment.

It would be better to spend $150,000 on four or five completely equipped portable classrooms, another $800,000 on the middle school remodel, and larger working budgets for classroom materials than to ask the community for the money for an edifice.

While I would gladly vote for education, I will not vote for a building. Buildings are not education.

Sincerely,

B. Graham

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To the Editor:

I am writing in response to a previous letter to the Editor, advocating that the Sisters School District should place modular classrooms on the middle school site instead of building a new school.

The letter stated that we could place five modular classrooms on the middle school site at a cost of $20,000 each. SOAR owns the modular classroom that is presently on the middle school site, and the lowest bid we were able to get for a double classroom modular installed and hooked up on the site was $85,000.

Going to modular classrooms would create several problems for the middle school. First, the facility already lacks adequate field space for physical education classes and sports programs and adding modular classrooms would take away even more space. Second, the existing school also lacks kitchen and lunch room space to serve more students, so creating more classroom space for students does not solve the space problem.

The modular classrooms would also create some safety issues for students. The more that students have to travel between buildings the harder it is to supervise all of the areas. Our middle school campus is extremely difficult to limit outside access and by adding more buildings we would be creating more hiding places.

The safety of our community's children needs to be a top priority for us as we make the decision to build a new school.

Thank you,

Tom Coffield

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To the Editor:

Why build a high school, not a middle school? Because this community already built a great middle school.

Fourteen years ago the community had a twofold vision -- to bring its high school students back home to Sisters and to provide a safe and appropriate school site for their middle school students.

The public voiced its opinion in the approval of a bond to build a middle school/high school facility. At the time, that board brought its best judgment to the table on the size and scope of that building.

No one could have accurately predicted the pattern of student growth that has occurred here in Sisters. Think back to your own personal situation at that time. Has it changed in ways you could not have imagined? Did you not even live in Sisters or have any idea that you would live in Sisters back in 1987?

Further, no one could have predicted the changes in the delivery of education, especially at the high school level, which now necessitate different building requirements.

In the intervening years, boards have had to make crucial decisions regarding our middle and high school students. The middle school students were moved back to the old facility to allow for the growth at the high school level. Now the middle school site is beyond overcrowded and student numbers are continuing to increase. The high school site is nearing its capacity with its student numbers continuing to increase.

The bottom line is that the board and the voters did not do wrong in the decision to build the present building. The community's need to provide a safe and appropriate school site for our middle school students is already completed -- the current building. We have a middle school without a major money remodel. Part one of the mission accomplished. Now the current board wants to complete the mission.

Building a new site for the high school students will accomplish the second objective at the most reasonable cost -- one building project -- not one building project now and one major remodel later.

Phil and Susan Arends

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To the Editor:

I have been involved in Oregon schools for over 50 years, starting as a student. I am writing to support the Sisters School Bond that we are given the opportunity to vote on this May 15.

When I was a child there were adults who paid for my education and I believe that it is my responsibility as an adult to now pay for the education of the children in my community.

The current middle school is falling apart and it doesn't make sense to keep putting money into maintenance and high heating bills.

As retired law enforcement, I am concerned about the safety and security of our young people while at school. The new high school and minor remodel of the current high school to be used as a middle school will allow for greater safety and security measures.

The new school will also provide adequate facilities and fields that allow children a place to participate in meaningful activities which is very important in keeping young people busy and out of trouble.

I have known Steve Swisher for many years as a teacher, coach and administrator, and I highly respect his leadership. I commend him and the school board for their diligence in looking at many options and coming up with a plan that is cost-effective and will provide adequate/no-frills facilities for our children.

Join me in voting YES on the school bond.

Sincerely,

Herman Woll

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To the Editor:

Last week I was out at the high school for a meeting during school hours and had the opportunity to see the students using the core facilities. It is crowded! The proposed bond issue makes a lot more sense to me now than it did before.

The core facilities at the high school like the cafeteria, library, gym, locker rooms are presently at capacity, so there is really no room for future growth. So if a junior high school was to be built and not a high school there would still be deficiencies at the high school.

I commend the school board for re-evaluating the future needs of the K-12 programs and coming up with the proposed solutions that take care of the educational and economic needs.

Jean Wells Keenan

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To the Editor:

Dear Bill, Betty and Sisters Sno-Go-Fers members:

For all you have done for the 2001 John Craig Memorial Cross Country Ski Race, Mail Carry and Tour, which was held on Saturday, March 24, we thank you.

The course grooming you provided made our event a super success. We could not have done this without you and your club.

We are not only appreciative that you helped us with our race. We appreciate you as sportsmen and sportswomen. Who says that skiers and snowmobilers don't get along? Our two organizations prove that this does not have to be the case!

The Sno-Go-Fers are a respectful group of people who love the wilderness just as much as the skiers do. We are glad that you have the means of getting out to see all the wonderful nature that surrounds Sisters. Every time that I ski in and around the Three Creeks area and encounter snowmobiles you slow down and wave. You are polite and friendly!

The snowmobilers in Sisters are just plain good folks. I hope that we, the skiers, return the courtesy and give you the respect that you deserve.

To Bill, Betty and all the Sisters Sno-Go-Fers: thank you for being our partners in the 2001 John Craig Memorial Ski Race, Mail Carry and Tour. If you have a newsletter we ask that you publish our comments and let your members know that we are grateful that the Sno-Go-Fers consistently support and cooperate with the cross country skiers of Central Oregon.

Our race could not have happened without your assistance.

Be safe, enjoy nature and have fun!

Sincerely,

Toby Bayard

Assistant Race Director, Oregon Nordic Club

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To the Editor:

One of this country's most valuable resources is its volunteers. During National Volunteer Week April 22-28, millions of these dedicated men, women, and young people here in Central Oregon and throughout the nation will be saluted for their efforts and their commitment to serve.

On behalf of all of us at Central Oregon Hospice, I want to say a special thank you to all those volunteers who make a difference every day in the lives of so many of our hospice families.

They are truly special people who are willing to give the gift of themselves. Each one is willing to use their own individual interests and talents to help a hospice family in need. They are people just as busy as any other, but they have chosen to find the time to reach out to help a neighbor. We would not be able to offer the care and services we do without them and feel blessed to have them as part of our team of professionals.

If I could be so bold, I urge all those who are not yet part of an organization who uses volunteers to make a commitment. Whether you want to give of your time every week, once a month, or once a year, select an organization you feel supports a passion of yours, and call them. It does not require anything you do not already have and you will be amazed at what you get back in return.

Sincerely,

Ed Perregaux

Volunteer coordinator, Central Oregon Hospice