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Wednesday, March 8, 2017 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
Board adopts school
2017-18 schedule
By Steve Kadel
Correspondent
The Sisters School District
has set its schedule for the
2017-2018 school year, but
not without dissent from one
school board member.
The board voted 4-1 at
its monthly meeting last
Wednesday to adopt the
schedule. Board chairman
Jeff Smith, vice chair Amanda
Clark and members Greg
Zadow and Don Hedrick
voted in favor. Board member
Stephen King voted against
the measure because he
wanted to lengthen class time.
Board members discussed
a proposal to add class time
on three separate dates —
January 17, January 18 and
June 12. High School students
have final exams on those
days and the proposal would
have provided a full day of
school for elementary and
middle school students rather
than a half day.
King said it would lead
to better educational results,
saying that’s a goal everyone
can support.
“We need teachers in front
of kids more than we have
today,” he said. “We know
what the direction is. I want to
see us take some steps toward
that.”
However, others said the
move would take away from
teachers’ preparation time.
Sisters High School Principal
Joe Hosang noted, “We’ve
already created a calendar that
sacrifices some prep time.”
Hedrick also said the trad-
eoff wouldn’t be beneficial.
“Teachers need prep time
and time to talk with other
teachers about what works
and what doesn’t,” he said.
Clark said it is “not rea-
sonable” to expect teachers to
use their own time to prepare
class lessons.
That prompted King to
remark, “I never argued for
a reduction in teacher prep
time.”
King added that he also
favors putting money into
staff development programs
for teachers.
The schedule that was
adopted calls for grades one
through nine starting the
school year on August 28
with sophomores, juniors and
seniors beginning on August
29. The first day of kinder-
garten will be September 5.
The last day of school will be
June 13.
Thanksgiving vacation
will be November 20-24.
Christmas vacation will
be December 25 through
January 5.
Big changes at Sisters Coffee Co....
LETTERS
Continued from page 2
writer refers to an op-ed on page 2). Words
that stood out to me in this article were despi-
cable, dominated, fear-mongering, position-
ing, criticized, lectured, complacency. The
tone was blaming, negative, oppositional.
I have choices. I can choose to hold tightly
to my opinions, my political ideology, a con-
tempt for others who think differently than I
do. I can choose to live in an inner atmosphere
of anger, protection, hatred, intolerance. Or, I
can choose to stand firm in my core beliefs,
appreciate my family, friends, co-workers,
neighbors who think differently than I do. I
can choose to be tolerant, accepting, even
embracing of our differences. I may not
understand, I may not agree, but I will choose
to respect others as individuals, and nurture
and cherish my relationships with them.
One of the most devastating and dangerous
signs of these times is, for me, the ever-wid-
ening chasm between fellow citizens, family
members, friends, neighbors, coworkers. I can
choose to participate in widening this chasm
further – I can also choose to mend some
breaks, however small, to have hope and to
live and work with others in an atmosphere of
respect and acceptance.
Mary Pyke
s
s
s
To The Editor:
Mr. Wattenburg’s lengthy guest column
last week attempts to make a mountain out of
a molehill.
Context matters. The meeting was, effec-
tively, a boisterous pep rally of folks who are
resisting the Trump agenda. They came out to
show support for each other (community) and
to encourage Senator Wyden to resist when
and where possible in the Senate.
Approximately 747 Democrats, or 99.6
percent of the audience, politely listened to
Mr. Wattenburg enthusiastically express his
approval of Senator Wyden’s statement that
he accepted the outcome of the election. No
hissing or booing for maybe 15-20 seconds.
Considering the mood in the room, I would
say that showed remarkable restraint. At the
same time, their silence allowed them their
own freedom of expression, which was some-
what less enthusiasm for the same statement.
That hardly rises to the level of despicability
in my view.
As for Mr. Wattenburg’s final crescendo,
in which he assumes to inform the rest of the
world about Right and Wrong (capitalization
supplied by Mr. Wattenburg) — forget it. I’ve
learned that you’re entitled to determine right
and wrong for yourself and your children until
they’re about 12 years old. That’s about it.
Nobody else gives a hoot.
Stuart Scofield
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