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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (April 27, 2016)
Wednesday, April 27, 2016 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon LETTERS Continued from page 2 To the Editor: My husband, Jeremy, and I moved to Sisters 11 years ago from Portland when we knew we wanted to start our family. Having lived as newlyweds in the Portland Public School District and having worked along a school nurse in an inner-city high school, we knew we wanted a small town with a great com- munity to raise our future children. Jeremy grew up in Minnesota, where all parents and siblings rallied to support community and school events. On the contrast, I was part of the thousands of students in a large city that struggled with funding for so many needs. From our first meeting of other parents at the Little Cloverdale Preschool Co-op, we have felt that we were exactly where we were meant to be. Now our daughter, Kathryn, is a fourth-grader. Our son, Emmitt, is a first-grader at Sisters Elementary School. Both kids play baseball in the Sisters Little League. Kathryn is proud to be part of the Outlaws volleyball program where she plays in the SHS gym, and Emmitt started playing flag football this year at Reed Stadium. As a parent, and extremely proud Outlaw sup- porter, I look forward to sitting with my blanket and hot chocolate in the bleachers to watch my son play the sport he loves for the next 10 years. I hope for school gymnasium and commons areas where all of our students and teacher are safe. As a volunteer who spends precious time in classrooms, I look forward to my children continu- ing to grow and learn and grow in a middle and high school that is so incredibly supported by the entire community. Please take a moment to learn more about the upcoming measure. All members of this wonder- ful community have a voice in how we support it. The local school bond proposal has delegated funds to improve our track and field so that all support- ers of students, Outlaw or visitor, can cheer safely while our kids strive for their best. The bond also has plans for new measures to help our schools keep our kids safe while they learn and play. I hope you would visit the website www.ourschoolsourcommu nity.org We all are so grateful to be a small part of a strong community of parents, grandparents, friends and businesses that values all of our children. Thank you for your time and investment in our future! Angela Buller • • • To the Editor: As parents of two children in the Sisters School District, we are writing in support of the upcoming school bond. Ensuring that our schools have upgraded safety and security systems is of the utmost importance in this day and age. This is not an emotional plea, it is a reality of our times. It seems reasonable to use bond dollars to make critical repairs and upgrades to ensure that our schools are a safe haven where learning can thrive. Renovating Reed Stadium will allow us to host more athletic events, bringing many dollars into local restaurants and businesses and supporting the overall health of our town. It will make the stadium safer and more accessible for all members of our community, many of whom are elderly and may otherwise have difficulty attending games or utiliz- ing the facilities. It makes our school district more attractive to those families moving into the area who are deciding where in Central Oregon to live. It seems reasonable to invest in not only our children and school district, but our community as a whole. The school bond would have an immediate impact by freeing up thousands of dollars to be used in the classroom. Keeping class sizes small and purchasing learning materials have repeatedly been indicated in community forums to be a priority, so this also seems reasonable. During the past five years as classroom and dis- trict volunteers, we have witnessed teachers, admin- istrators, staff and volunteers stepping up to fill in 9 the gaps in funding due to declined enrollment — all in order to ensure that our children are receiving a terrific education. Sisters still ranks as one of the best school districts in Oregon — let’s continue that tradition and vote yes on Measure 9-108. Amber and Roy Dean • • • To the Editor: We are writing in support of Measure 9-108. We have children that have attended, or now attend, Sisters Christian Academy (SCA), Sisters Elementary School and Sisters Middle School (SMS). Our daughters have benefitted from strong education, and remarkable teachers and staff, at all three schools. The schools in Sisters were a moti- vating factor in our decision to move here, and we are fortunate to have such amazing educational choices in a community our size. When asked why we are supporting Measure 9-108, when one of our children attends SCA, our answer is clear. Our daughter at SMS will be imme- diately impacted, in and out of the classroom, with the passing of this measure. Both our daughters use, and benefit from, the district facilities. SCA is K-8, and the majority of students from SCA, including our daughter, will attend Sisters High School and be directly impacted as well. Strong schools are an integral part of a thriving community. Installing current state-recommended secu- rity standards and practices ensures the safety of our children. Currently, our school entrances are not secure, and our staff must individually lock each door during a lockdown situation. That feels unacceptable. Updating our athletic facilities will have a wide- reaching effect. Sisters, unlike many other districts, leaves the track and tennis courts unlocked and accessible for everyone to enjoy. A new track will enable us to, once again, host track meets, which is a win for our entire community. We have been impressed with Superintendent See LETTERS on page 10
