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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (April 25, 2018)
Wednesday, April 25, 2018 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon LETTERS Continued from page 6 Oregon, and lead the state in science and graduation rates (https://renewforsisters.org,just-the-facts). We can build upon this even more and without increas- ing our tax rate. We urge you to vote yes with us on May 15 for the local option, measure 9-121. Bob Collins and Cal Allen Sisters Science Club s s s To the Editor: Please join me in supporting our valued Sisters Park & Recreation resources by voting “yes” on the upcoming local option. So much of Sisters Country is all about our trea- sured natural resources and outdoor activities that keep our community young and older engaged. To ensure we keep pace with ongoing needs, it is criti- cal that stable, base-level funding be secured. SPRD has worked funding miracles in the past years to keep this wonderful resource in place. However, it is very difficult to build a strong mainte- nance foundation with so much dependent on events and fundraising. Lets provide a strong financial base that will attract and retain SPRD staffing and keep our investments we have made together well into our future. Steve Janego s s s To the Editor: Sisters has seen much change since our families moved here more than 40 years ago. Our family of three has had the opportunity to be here for much of that change, and one of the greatest and most remarkable changes was the addition of Sisters Park & Recreation District (SPRD — formerly SOAR). SPRD programs have been invaluable not only for our family, but for many other families in our community. From its humble beginnings in a leftover modular classroom (on the current site of City Hall), SPRD was only able to offer limited youth and after-school programs. With SPRD’s current facilities and pro- grams, ranging from daycare to senior activities, SPRD has been able to accomplish all of this with- out increasing its original tax levy from 1998. Yes, 20 YEARS without an increase in the tax rate! I am not sure another organization in the state could say the same. SPRD has attained this through generous donors, fundraising events, and participant fees, which make up approximately 70 percent of its income. Tax fund- ing only accounts for about 30 percent of income. This may sound great, but, unfortunately, SPRD has become a victim of its own success, as this is not a sustainable model. Inflation alone should have done SPRD in many years ago, but the community has always stepped up to help keep SPRD alive. It is now time for us to formally commit with a yes vote for the SPRD levy. Our son, now 24, may not have had the life suc- cesses he has had so far if not for the after-school programs, summer camps, excursions, and middle school sports (SPRD partnered with the school dis- trict to keep MS sports going when the district was almost forced to eliminate them). SPRD has contrib- uted immensely to our community, expanding its offerings to people of all aged for over 20 years. Please join us in voting yes on the SPRD Levy to continue the tradition of excellence in Sisters Country. Darren, Donna and Brennan Layne. s s s To the Editor: Vote “yes” for the SPRD Levy. “The only thing that is constant is change,” and that sure has been true for Sisters Park & Recreation District in the year of 2018. It doesn’t have to be that way though, and the first step forward is provid- ing proper funding for the District to operate. SPRD provides a lot of programs with very little resources, and it does it to provide opportunities for youth, teens, and adults. As a former Youth Program Coordinator for SPRD I have seen the impact these programs have on children by offering them physical activity, hands-on learning, and socialization. I have also seen the positive impact the special events, such as the Sisters Shootout Basketball Tournament, has on local businesses, restaurants, and hotels in times that tourism is slow. It is imperative to have a high-functioning parks and recreation district in Sisters to serve the com- munity in a positive way. It is time to turn the corner, starting with the new hire of Todd Garrett, and pro- pel SPRD to new heights. Vote “yes” for measure 9-120. Erik Miletich s s 9 s To the Editor: My husband and I have never had children attend the Sisters schools, but we are ardent believers that quality schools are a critical component to the qual- ity of life we have in Sisters. We support the renewal of the school levy and we urge you to join us in voting yes for our schools, our youth and our community. Ann Richardson & Clyde Dildine s s s To the Editor: As we move forward into spring, I’m excited to announce that the Reed Stadium locker rooms, con- cessions, and public restrooms are complete. What’s even more exciting is that Saturday, April 28, Sisters Rotary Invitational Track Meet will be the first event hosted in the new, completed facilities. Prior to spring break, the district spent two days and held 12 various focus groups to receive feed- back for the mission/vision work that is being done. The Mission/Vision Committee will meet again on April 24 to review the response from both the focus groups as well as the online surveys that were sent out to parents and staff. Enrollment continues to slightly increase and is the highest it has been in the last few years. Neil Fendall and Mark Stewart reported on Sisters Educational Options. This program offers numerous educational options and opportunities that are available to all resident students. They con- tinue to provide students custom and personalized curriculum. This includes families that are currently homeschooling. If you have questions, please call Mr. Fendall at 541-549-4045, Ext. 5762. Spring brings about many outdoor experiential opportunities for our Outlaw students. We have 8th- grade students that will be traveling to Ashland for a Shakespearean play, 7th-graders will hike Smith Rock for their retreat and 6th-graders are prepar- ing for three days of outdoor school. All while high school biology, IEE, and sports medicine classes prepare for their outdoor excursions as well. And we cannot forget about the famous 4th-grade field trip where students are able to experience and study the famous Lewis and Clark Expedition. 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