Letters to the Editor 04/29/2009

To the Editor:

Cheryl Stewart is precisely the kind of person you'd want to have representing you on the Sisters School Board.

She is passionate about kids and knowledgeable about best practices in education.

Cheryl has worked for the good of all Sisters students and stakeholders in the district. She is an active member of the SPTC and school site councils, a SMART reading volunteer, and a member of the district's budget committee. Cheryl was part of the recent local option campaign, played an active role in our recent superintendent search, and frequently attends school board meetings.

Cheryl doesn't just show up to meetings; she is a great listener, respects differences and seeks to understand multiple points of view. She is refreshingly frank, lets you know where she stands, and often contributes the pearl of insight to a group discussion. She challenges the prevailing wisdom, proposes new ideas, initiates, organizes, and makes good things happen. Whip-smart and a quick study, Cheryl well understands the issues that our district faces, and will be effective from her first meeting onward.

I first met Cheryl through her involvement with the Chalkboard Project, a highly credible, nonpartisan organization working to improve Oregon schools. Cheryl is an active member of Chalkboard, on a state-wide task force studying best practices for improving teacher and administrator effectiveness. A school district is made up of people. As a human resources professional, Cheryl brings a critical perspective to the recruitment, hiring, evaluation and retention of our key employees.

Cheryl understands that the school board represents all of Sisters, not just kids and parents. From her career in organizational management, Cheryl is also passionate about institutional responsibility, personal accountability, transparency in public affairs and effective use of public resources.

Sisters is lucky that such a person is willing to step forward to serve our community. I hope you will offer Cheryl Stewart your support in the upcoming election, and during her service on the board.

Rob Corrigan

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To the Editor:

I'm going to vote for Cheryl Stewart for Position 2 on the Sisters School Board because of her experience and enthusiasm, her hard work as a volunteer, mom, and human resources professional, and her outstanding people skills.

Cheryl has a can-do attitude that's contagious. She's been a tireless volunteer with the Chalkboard Project, Stand for Children, the Local Option Committee, the SSD Budget Committee, the SSD Superintendent Selection Committee, SMART, the SES Site Council, SPTC, and classrooms at Sisters Middle School and Sisters Elementary School.

Cheryl's professional background in human resources makes her a great candidate for the school board. She'll have insight into attracting

and keeping the most talented administrative, teaching, and support staff as well as the care and feeding of a complex public institution that needs to reach out to citizens and staff alike. Next academic year, Cheryl's children will be in the high school, middle school and elementary schools, giving her a unique measure of the pulse of our district.

Cheryl will push for best practices in our schools; the retention, acquisition, and training of quality teachers; accountability, transparency, and efficiency in administration; and evaluation to promote learning and improvement. If you'd like to learn more about her, why don't you give her a call! I think you'll agree that she'll be a smart, approachable, likeable representative for the people who live in the Sisters School District.

Peyton Griffin

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To the Editor:

There are people in this community interested in what the people say through their elected state representatives in the legislature regarding public debt that obligates taxpayers.

All citations of Oregon law can be found at: http://www.leg.state.or.us/ors/

ORS 287A.001(3) defines "bond" very broadly as "a contractual undertaking or instrument of a public body to repay borrowed moneys." Therefore, money borrowed by issuing full faith and credit obligations are "bonds" per Oregon law.

ORS 271.390 has no words whatsoever granting any tax district authority to issue "bonds" or full faith and credit obligations, or to pledge full faith and credit, or to pledge lawful taxing authority to secure any debt without voter approval.

ORS 328.205 through 328.230 are specific to school districts and they require voter approval prior to incurring any "bond" debt. These statutes are not exclusive to debt secured by taxes levied outside the constitutional limit as recently ruled by the local circuit court. There are absolutely no words to that effect; the requirement for voter approval for any "bond" debt is unconditional and absolute.

Mike Morgan

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To the Editor:

We would like to voice our support for Cheryl Stewart in the upcoming school board election.

We have had the privilege of knowing Cheryl for the past four years. We are continually amazed at her devotion to the youth of this community and her pursuit of excellence in education. She has an adamant volunteer spirit, is bright and will surely be an active and integral participant on the school board.

We encourage all to join us in our support of Cheryl.

Quay and Dawn Richerson

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To the Editor:

Sometimes educators and school boards need to slow the process, and check all options before reaching decisions that may cause unanticipated and unwanted future consequences. I believe that the reappointment of Bob Macauley as Sisters High School coach is one of those times. To be clear, I have no negative issues with Bob. To the contrary, I admire his coaching abilities, and we get along well. However, alarm bells ring for me because of the following

concerns:

1. There could be undue, if unintended pressure on staff to go along with decisions regarding students in the football program.

2. If coming budget cuts are as deep as we expect, will this program be sacrosanct?

3. The principal is needed to be on duty full-time (often more than full-time). His leadership role cannot be simply backfilled by subordinates. Coaching requires a huge part of anyone's day...not just two hours.

4. Was this position really opened up to outside candidates? Searches should not always be directed inward.

5. Most importantly, students are put in an untenable position if they have issues with the coach. Who do they appeal to? Is due process possible? Is it possible for this to lead the district into another legal quagmire?

I have long been an outspoken advocate for children and schools, and I volunteer several days a week at Sisters High School. Perhaps I am being overly cautious. However, it appears to me that this issue rested on expediency and majority approval, rather than sound, judicious policy.

Steve Mathews, Ed.D