Re: School Levy

["Jennings'" <jennings@moscow.com>]

Barbara,

Thank you for your insightful and thoughtful posting.  Having recently 
returned to the community,  I also see what MSD is facing as problems that 
many communities have these days.  However,  I have been impressed with the 
quality of education and the kind of atmosphere our daughter enjoys at 
Lena, and I have heard similar comments from parents in the other schools 
as well.  Granted, there are certainly problems to address, and I believe 
people in the community is trying to come together to do so.  I am looking 
forward to a change in district leadership to help guide and inspire the 
district to build on its strengths and deal with its weaknesses.

There are those in the community who have had negative experiences in the 
past with the district and feel the only way to bring about change is to 
hold back approval for increased funding until certain changes are made. 
This is extremely backwards and shortsighted.  I personally do not want my 
daughter's  and her peers' throats to be held to the ground while the 
district's finances are strangled, many great teachers are laid off in 
numbers,  and major NEGATIVE changes occur.  This is certainly not a sound 
way to bring about change.  (Besides, what kind of superintendent would 
want to take on a community like that?)

If this community truly wants to maintain the good qualities that the 
Moscow Public Schools has and then work towards positive change in needed 
areas, then the first step is to pass the levy on April 23.

Thank you.

Karen Jennings


>Visionaries,
>
>As all of you know, the quality of education in a community is directly
>related to the economic development that will occur in the community.
>However, unlike a for-profit business, you cannot tell the quality of your
>product until 12 years out.  The children who are graduating (or not
>graduating) in 2001-2002 - did not receive full exposure to the positive
>changes in the district over the past 5 or 6 years.  Consequently, we cannot
>really determine the success of the district for another 5 or 6 years.  I
>have lived in Moscow for 1 year and I have heard many positives and
>negatives concerning the schools, the NEA, the superintendent, etc.  It
>amazes me that almost word for word I have heard these same
>complaints/praises in Rockford, Illinois (population 150,000) and Biloxi, MS
>(population 50,000).  Many of the problems faced by the Moscow Public
>Schools are national in nature.  Parents all over the country are opting for
>home-schooling, private schools, vouchers, charter schools, etc.  Leaving
>the public school system with fewer students with greater needs.
>
>I suggest that it would be best for the community, as a whole, to stop
>placing blame (whether deserved or underserved) and determine what type of
>school district we want and work together towards that end.  I commend CQE
>for taking the lead in working towards a positive solution to this difficult
>issue.
>
>Barbara Richardson
>
>