24
Wednesday, April 21, 2021 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
LETTERS
Continued from page 2
growing community, and with that comes over-
crowding in our schools as more and more families
move here.
I believe the 2021 school district bond will posi-
tively benefit the Sisters elementary school-aged
kids, families, and the community. Building a new
school will provide a better learning environment by
providing essential learning space and enough class-
rooms to welcome the fifth-grade class back into the
elementary school.
In addition, I am looking forward to having the
elementary, middle and high schools being near
each other for when my kids are in different schools,
as I am sure other families are. Drop-off and pick-up
will be convenient. The bond will not increase the
estimated tax rate, as it is based off the estimated
2001 school bond. A win-win for all of us!
Molly Baumann
s
s
s
To the Editor:
Routinely supporting our schools is a very
purposeful choice on my part and the majority of
Sisters School District voters. Let9s keep education
elevated when we vote on Measure 9-141 in the
upcoming May election.
Historically, Sisters residents and businesses
place high value on living in a community with safe,
well-maintained schools, which offer unique learn-
ing opportunities delivered by a cadre of <can do=
educators. Research supports the fact that high com-
munity engagement by students and their surround-
ing community members creates a more meaningful
quality of life and an overall feeling of belonging
within the community at large.
Having witnessed the myriad of ways students
perpetually interact with our community confirms
that our investment in Sisters schools pays off.
Just recently, Sisters High School students raised
over $15,000 on behalf of our local Family Access
Network. Students throughout our school district
perpetually work to maintain and improve the natu-
ral areas surrounding our community and find other
creative ways to give back to the community which
supports them.
Collaborations between our schools and local
resources such as Sisters Folk Festival, Sisters
Athletic Club, Seed to Table, The Belfry, Outlaw
Aviation, Sisters GRO, Kiwanis Food Bank, Circle
of Friends, Sisters Coffee, Paulina Springs Books,
Ray9s, Sisters Rental, Deschutes Land Trust, and
our own Sisters Parks and Recreation are all qual-
ity of life indicators which enhance lives in Sisters
and make it an exceptional community in which to
live. (Apologies to any businesses or nonprofits I9ve
neglected to highlight.)
Please join me in supporting measure 9-141 on
the upcoming May ballot to insure that our invest-
ments continue to reap beneficial dividends for all
of Sisters residents.
For more informations and FAQs, log in to:
www.growingsistersschools.com
Kay Grady
s
s
s
To the Editor:
I am writing to express my support of the upcom-
ing Sisters Schools Bond Measure 9-141.
As a parent of three young children, ages 12,
nine and four, I overwhelmingly support this mea-
sure. I have seen the substantial growth in class sizes
and the growth of our preschools over the past four
years.
Four of the main reasons I personally support
this bill are: 1. Bring the fifth grade students back to
the elementary school. 2. Reduce traffic and traffic
patterns. 3. Opportunity to keep Sisters class sizes
small. 4. Turning the current elementary school into
a true community center for all Sisters residents.
Having just had a fifth grader last year, I can
see the benefits of returning the fifth graders back
to an elementary school building. While the middle
school does a great job of welcoming and incorpo-
rating the fifth graders, they are really on a slightly
different track than the middle schoolers. Most
school districts in Oregon have K-5 at their elemen-
tary schools, and I do believe that 5th grade is still
an elementary school grade.
With every school starting and getting out at dif-
ferent times, my cross-town trips are significantly
increased and not the least bit efficient. On school
days I am dropping off at the SPRD preschool,
then heading to the elementary school then back to
the middle school. I am definitely contributing to
increased traffic through town.
It would be so much more convenient for me,
and the buses, to drop off and pick up students at a
consolidated school campus setting.
One of the reasons we chose to move to Sisters
was because of the top-rated schools, and the small
class sizes. Due to our town9s growth it has been
a challenge keeping the class sizes small. If the
elementary school were to expand we9ll have the
opportunity to keep the class sizes smaller than most
districts in Oregon. Students and teachers thrive in
smaller class sizes.
Kendra Hamerly
s
s
s
Reasons for 4-day school week
To the Editor:
I am writing in response to the letter submitted
by Steve Barlow regarding returning to a 5-day
school week. As an educator for 36 years, the last
16 years in the Sisters School District, I take offense
to many of the statements in Mr. Barlow9s letter. He
implies that we are shirking our duty to our students
FUN & GAMES
SUDOKU Easy Peasy!
Place a number in the empty boxes in such a way
that each row across, each column down, and
each small nine-box square contains all of the
numbers from one to nine.
and this cannot be further from the truth.
First, let me respond to his comment, <I don9t see
truck drivers asking for a no drive Friday to check
air pressure&= While the professions Mr. Barlow
mentions are honorable and valuable occupations,
they do not equate to educating the youth of Sisters.
He is comparing apples to elephants; there is no
correlation between the two. Every teacher in the
district is a highly qualified individual with years of
education and experience to back their expertise and
have nothing but the best interests of their students
in mind.
He is correct in that we have moved from a five-
day instructional model to a four-day model during
this past year. However, what he does not seem to
grasp is that, in the past, teachers have had to shoul-
der all of the work required above and beyond actual
instruction. This includes preparing lessons, grad-
ing, parent communication, meetings, and district
expectations. We also attend trainings on our own
time. These additional duties are often to the severe
detriment of our own families. All of this time out-
side of our contracted 40-hour workweek is to pro-
vide your children with an effective and enriching
education.
By allowing us Friday to plan and train, most
teachers have now been able to cut that unpaid time
to maybe 10-15 hours a week to provide a more
integrated and thorough curriculum for students.
Mr. Barlow, before you disparage the hard work
and dedication your child9s teacher provides, please
walk in our shoes and talk to us instead of making
grossly misleading and inaccurate statements.
Michele Hammer
s
s
s
Thank you from Kiwanis Food Bank
To the Editor:
A few weeks ago a nice gentleman called and met
with me about how he could help the Kiwanis Food
Bank, with donations or whatever he could think of.
He donated a lot of money, and asked that I
give it out to each customer we had the following
Thursday. I did that and it was exciting to see all the
different responses. We, the Sisters Kiwanis Food
Bank, would like to thank all those who have since
donated to us. We have received overflowing boxes
of food every day and donations of money including
$20,000 from anonymous persons.
So, to all of you who have donated we do
THANK YOU so much, from the Kiwanis Food
Bank workers.
Naomi G. Rowe
s
s
s
Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act
To the Editor:
There has been progress on the Energy
CONNECT THE DOTS
See LETTERS on page 25