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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 5, 1997)
TWO Happner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, February 5, 1997 tetters to the Editor Editor's noto: ¿.«fliers to the editor must be signed. The Qezette-Times will not publish unsigned letters. Pleese include your eddress end phone number on eU letters tor use by the Q-T office. The G-T reserves the right to edit. Favors four-day week To the Editor: I am in favor o f the four-day week. It gives my children the time and opportunity to do some things they would not otherwise be able to do, such as “Hands on Science,” tumbling and dance. If we did not have the four-day week and the help of the Morrow County Arts Council and Willow Creek Park District, we would have to drive to Hermiston or Pendleton to be able to do any of this. Many of us work and are not able to do that. I feel that these activities are just as im portant to our students as going and sitting in a classroom on that day. I admit, I like the four-day week for selfish reasons; I am able to spend more time with my kids on that day watching them learn new things. I believe the four-day week ben efits the high school students with sports being on that day. Someone in an earlier letter stated that a lot of the younger kids are taken out to follow their older siblings who are in sports. I can see how the five-day week would benefit the elementary students, but, aren’t social skills, learning to follow di rections and staying on tasks a part of what we teach our kids in el ementary school? I find it interesting that a lot of the people wanting to make the decision for our kids on a four or five day week do not have kids in our schools anymore. (s) Terri Palmateer lone Oops To the Editor: Oops. You inadvertently omitted the last line of my letter to you last week. That line read: "Our children K-12 need the fifth school day." It was my punch line and the statement my entire letter sought to support. However, I can forgive you if you will print this. (s)Jane Rawlins Heppner Students getting wrong message To the Editor: Petitions in favor of a five-day school week will be submitted to the Morrow County School Board, Monday, Feb. 10, at Sam Board- man Elementary School at 7:30 p.m. The petitions were placed in circulation because there are those in our communities that reject the administrations’s contention that the taxpaying voters in the county have no right in decision-making that affects their schools. Our generation has a responsi bility to not only prepare its chil dren for the future, but to also give them the necessary work ethic to survive in a stressful workplace. Our students are getting the w rong m essage from Morrow County’s educational system. Come to the meeting at Sam Boardman Elementary, Feb. 10, 7:30 p.m. (s) Meg Murray lone Rethink four-day week To the Editor: I wish to issue a plea to the good citizens of Morrow County to do some" rethinking and reconsidera tion of an issue o f great impor tance. Two and a half years ago, our school board made the deci sion to im plem ent a four-day school week. At the time, a very real financial crisis was at hand. It must be remembered that this was the only purpose for the change at the time. It must also be noted that it has never been an unanimous decision on the board’s part; the vote has always been split. Over this time, it has become clear that the savings have been minimal and relatively insignificant in the grand scheme o f things. It has always been o f question in my mind that o f all die areas that were available to be cut, the area chosen was that which most directly af fected the children’s time and ex posure to the learning environment and their teachers. think we should as long as we don’t spill anything or stick gum on the seats. I hope you work on this be cause the rules are too strict. Sincerely, (s) Jessica Kneger The money that goes to support Morrow County School District is To the Editor: My name is Kory Waterland and dedicated to educating young people. It is morally wrong to con I’m a fifth grader at Heppner Middle tinue other areas of spending while School. I would like to talk to you cutting out time for education. The about Colt basketball. There are fact of the matter is that we have about 80 girls and boys in the fourth, not extended the learning day ap fifth and sixth grades playing Colt preciably. The child who has the basketball this year. I think it would largest extension to his day under be a good idea if you could write a few articles on the Colt games and the four-day week plan is the very youngest-the ones who most need maybe show the scores. Sincerely, their learning to be limited to short (s) Kory Waterland blocks of time and also desperately need the consistency of five days To the Editor: of school. As time has gone on, we adults Hi. My name is Kiel Naims and have invented many excuses and I’m a fifth grader at Heppner Middle reasons for maintaining the four- School. The fifth and sixth grade day week. I think we need to re students have begun a reading pro consider and reevaluate these rea gram called “Time Out For Read sons and keep our focus. Our fo ing.” Each week they have to read cus needs to be on what best en an hour and a half to move to the hances the education of our chil next week. dren, and that is all. We also need By the end of this program, ev to remember we did not choose this ery student has a chance to earn a option at the start because it did prize. The students have held a bake that. We chose this option only be sale and opened the concession cause it seemed a financial way out. stand at Colt basketball games to However, there is little real con raise money to purchase the prizes. cern in the community to find a Sincerely, way to return to a five-day week. (s) Kiel Naims The reasons we give are: 1) My child gets more rest on the week To the Editor: end; 2) My family have more time I’m a sixth grader from Hepp to go places; 3) I don’t think I could ner Middle School. I would like to work five days anymore; 4) Kids have a longer recess, also basket missed all of Friday for sports any balls, footballs and basketball nets. way. They probably have more tune We also need some more play with their teachers now. ground equipment. Each of these statements miss (s) Tony Looney the point. The first three deal with what’s “easy” and convenient for us adults, not with what will pro To the Editor: Hi. My name is Tanner Britt and vide the best education for our chil I am in the fifth grade at Heppner dren. The fourth is a direct fallacy. Middle School. I am writing about What we do about this option is the band program. our choice. This should not be a Mr. Werner is our band teacher. criterion in deciding if five days are He has been working with the kids better. We do not have to eliminate very well. The kids have been hav sports, but maybe make wiser ing more fun and they’ve been scheduling choices (Saturday still learning more. exists). At this point, our middle Speaking for myself and the rest and high school students have a day of the kids, I hope band continues that is only 30-45 minutes longer for a long time. We are proud of than it was on a five-day plan. the way that we are improving. There is no way that two hours of Sincerely, extra time in a week makes up for (s) Tanner Britt an additional full day of school. We seem to be using the same kind of reasoning that embarrassed To the Editor: I am a fifth grade student at the emperor in the childhood story, Heppner Middle School. “The Emperor’s New Clothes.” I would like to talk about the The emperor convinced himself four-day school week. I know it’s that he was dressed in finery when, a touchy subject, but it’s a really indeed, he was not. We are con good idea. The teachers like it and vincing ourselves that we are pro so do the kids. I personally think viding a quality education for our the kids are learning the same as children, when, indeed, we are not. kids with the five-day week. Please Buying millions of dollars of new computer technology, at the same think carefully about this and don’t time that we cannot even provide a make snappy decisions. Sincerely, full five days of exposure to it for (s) Chantea Macaulay our students seems extremely ques tionable. The money to return to a To the Editor: five-day week is available; we just I’m a sixth grader from Hepp need to wake up and fight for the ner Middle School. I want to com truly important values and get our plain about loose dogs around priorities straight. The school board town. I have to pick up garbage will be considering this issue at its almost every day and so do my next meeting on Feb. 10. Encour age them to cast a vote for educa mom and dad because o f those dogs. They are nice, but they tear tion in Morrow County. Sincerely, up everything. Please keep your (s) Kerry L. Rietmann dogs on your own property. Neigh lone bors should be more considerate. Sincerely, To the Editor: (s) Chris Dilley I’m a sixth grader from Hepp ner and would like more equipment for the school, like more sports To the Editor: equipment: footballs, basketballs My name is Brooke Rust and and nets for the hoops. If you want I’m a fifth grader at Heppner Middle to donate money for the stuff, you School. I would like to encourage can. all parents to help out at the elemen I would also like better play tary or our building (the middle ground equipment for the school school). Not that the teachers can’t because if you don’t play football handle us, but some teachers need or basketball, you don’t have any help doing little chores to make it thing to do. Please donate if you so they will have more time to cor would like. rect. Sincerely, I would also like to talk about (s) Robert Whalen the rule of no food or drink on the bus. See, I get on the bus at 3:40 To the Editor: p.m. and get home at 5 p.m. I eat Hi; my name is Adam Bergstrom lunch at 12 noon and we can’t eat from Heppner Elementary School. during classes, and being on the bus When kids stand up on the bus, they for one hour and 40 minutes, I get get one warning and then a write hungry. up. A write-up means a trip to the Sincerely, principal’s office. Also, kids can’t (s) Brooke Rust have candy, pop or gum on the bus. I think that the kids that make the To the Editor: mess on the bus shouldn’t get to My name is Aleshia Geer. I’m a eat. sixth grade student at Heppner Sincerely, Middle School. (s) Adam Bergstrom I think students should be able to eat on the bus. I get on the bus To the Editor: at 6:30 in the morning and get off Hi. My name is Jessica Krieger. at 5 at night. During that time, I eat I think we should be able to dnnk, once. For me and other friends, it eat and chew gum on the bus. I is too long of a bus ride not to be able to eat. I think kids would be have better if they got to eat. And the parents could go over the rules to make sure kids pick up their own messes. Sincerely, (s) Aleshia Geer To the Editor: Hi; my name is Stacy Delveaux. I think the school should have a four-day school week (coming from a kid’s opinion, since I am a kid), so we kids can spend more time at home with our families, and most parents work Saturdays. That makes just one day (Sunday) with our families. I especially think that is not enough time. Sincerely, (s) Stefanie Hanson To the Editor: My name is Cindy Gall and 1 am a sixth grader at Heppner Middle School. I am writing to you about our band class. We have a won derful band class going, but some of the school’s instruments are bro ken. It is going to take at least $800- 1000 to fix them. I think we should have a fund raiser. It would be good for the community and the students to do something together. I think it would be fun to have a walk/jog-a-thon. If the community would support the school on this, when the instru ments are fixed, they would be able to enjoy our music. My opinion is that it would just be fun for every one and it benefits everybody who participates. Sincerely, (s) Cindy Gall. To the Editor: My name is Ben Turrell and I ride the bus home every night. I’m on the bus from 3:40-4:30 p.m. I get really hungry, but we can’t have any food on the bus. I understand kids get litter on the floor, but if we clean up after ourselves, I think we should have food on the bus. Sincerely, (s) Ben Turrell To the Editor: My name is Rachel Howard. I am in the sixth grade in Heppner Middle School I think students should be able to eat and drink on the bus. I get on the bus at 3:33 p.m. and I get off at 4:15 p.m. During the bus ride, I get hungry, but food and drinks aren’t allowed on the bus. I understand that they don’t want any messes on the bus. If we are able to eat and drink on the bus, we should all be respon sible for our messes. If the bus driver has to tell one person time and again to pick up his or her mess, then he or she won’t be able to eat or drink on the bus anymore. I really know that a lot of kids want this. One way the parents could help is if we are able to eat and drink on the bus, the parents could go over the rules with their children and make sure they understand they need to clean up their messes. (s) Rachel Howard To the Editor: My name is Zachary Skaggs. I’m a fifth grader at Heppner El ementary. I know every person doesn’t wear a seat belt, but people should. So many people get in bad accidents and get hurt when they don’t wear a seat belt. At this time o f the year, the roads are icy and slick, so please wear your seat belts. Sincerely, (s) Zachary Skaggs To the Editor: My name is Sally Calvert of Heppner Elementary School. I am writing on account of the great growth of the five-six band. Last school year, our band was only 24 instrumentalists strong. This year, our band reached 31 last semester and 41 this semester, with 10 new instrumentalists. As band grows more popular, we need more instru ments, but many need costly re pairs which the school can’t afford at this time. We are looking for small donations to fix the needed instruments. Sincerely, (s) Sally Calvert To the Editor: My name is Sibbea Jones. I am a sixth grade student at Heppner Middle School. My opinion is that we should have a four-day week. The kids as well as the teachers can get more rest, spend more time with their families, have more time to do their homework and play more. The four-day week should stay as it is. I also asked four people what their opinion is. The following con tains the results: my sixth grade teacher, Jannie Allen, had the opin ion of this, “I like it because every year the teachers are required to do more and the free Friday gives me time to keep up with all of the new requirements.” Then I asked three students. "I appreciate the four-day week be cause I enjoy having three days off,” said fifth grade student Jes sica Westberg. Josh Winters, a sixth grade stu dent, said, “I agree with the four- day week because it gives me more time with my family.” The last person I asked, Justin Botefuhr, said this, “I like it because you get more time on the week end.” So, I hope you all can see that school is feasibly best without a five-day week. (s) Sibbea Jones To the Editor: My name is LaRena Penturf. I am a student at Heppner Elemen tary School. I’m writing about the great growth o f our fifth-sixth grade band class. Last year, we didn’t have nearly as many students as we do this year. This year we have 41 kids and the most popular instrument is the trumpet. There are 12 trumpet players. Mr. Werner has done an awesome job of build ing up the band. Watch for us in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Sincerely, (s) LaRena Penturf To the Editor: My name is Lacey Davis. I am a sixth grader at Heppner Middle School. I would like to keep hav ing the four-day school week. It took us a long time to get adjusted to the four-day school week and it will take us forever to get adjusted to it being moved back to a five- day school week. We wouldn’t have as much time with our friends and family or to go on family vacations. On Friday, I have time to do my homework and school projects. I am able to help do chores for my mom around the house and spend time with our animals. This is why I think we should keep the four-day school week. Sincerely, (s) Lacey Davis To the Editor: My name is Trevor Rhea from Heppner Middle School. I am on the Colt basketball team. I just wanted to say I appreciate all the coaches for giving their time and effort to help kids like me with their basketball skills. To learn it’s just a game and to have fun is very im portant. We learn to stay in school and keep our grades up so we can play sports and get a job. I appre ciate the coaches very much for their time. Sincerely, (s) Trevor Rhea To the Editor: My name is Lacey Matteson and I am a sixth grader at Heppner Middle School. There has been talk about changing our school week back to five days. Some people say that we aren’t getting enough edu cation because we don’t go as many days as everyone else. The one thing these people don’t look at is how many hours a day we go to school. I think I am getting as good an education as anyone else. The four-day school week has been a great change. This way, with not having school on Fridays, I can go to the basketball games, spend more time with my friends, and also have time for other activi ties. Sincerely, (s) Lacey Matteson To the Editor: Hi; I’m Blake Allstott and I’m a fifth grader at Heppner Middle School. I think it would be nice if you would do something for the middle-aged kids. It is a “Kids Comer” in the news paper. You could put in the most popular books of the month. Or the best singers. Or talk about Colt bas ketball, such as who won the most games or who they are playing. I just though you might want to do something for the middle-aged kids. I know the East Oregonian has the Mini-Page, but that is for little kids mostly. It also might sell a lot of papers. Sincerely, (s) Blake Allstott To the Editor: My name is Danielle Looslie. I live in Lexington, OR., and go to school at Heppner Elementary. I’m in the fifth grade. I would like to tell you about the new music teacher. Her name is Heather Hacking. She is very good at the piano. She has some very fun songs that we are going to sing at the spring program. They’re called: “A Burger and an Order of Flies,” “Music Brought Us Together,” and “Pie Jesu.” I think she is very nice. Every one seems to like her very well. Sincerely, (s) Danielle Looslie To the Editor: My name is Ariel Johnson and I’m a fifth grade student at Hepp ner Middle School. I would like to talk about littering. It’s a serious problem that we’re all involved in. Heppner is a very nice town. It has a nice park and nice people. But lately I’ve noticed pop cans or gum wrappers whenever I go outside. It upsets me to think people just throw their trash on the ground in stead of disposing of it properly. To solve this problem, maybe we need more trash cans. But what ever the case, I encourage every one to throw away their trash so we can keep our community clean. Sincerely, (s) Ariel Johnson To the Editor: My name is Jerry Shank from Heppner Middle School. I am writing you because the Heppner Middle School needs a new playground to play on. A couple months ago, the tower got shorter and now it is bonng. We need sponsors so we can get the stuff we need. The Parents' Club also helps with this. Without them, none of this would be possible. "Sincerely, (s) Jerry Shank To the Editor: My name is Lindsey Clough. I am a fifth grader at Heppner Middle School. Having the four-day school week is not a problem for me or my family. If we were going five days, my class periods would be shorter. Going four days gives me more time with my teachers. My sister is in high school and plays sports. I get to go to all of her games and not miss any school because most of her games are on Fridays and Saturdays. I think we should stick with the four-day school week. Sincerely, (s) Lindsey Clough To the Editor: I am a fifth grader here at Hepp ner Elementary. I wish that they would have built the swimming pool last year, but I understand it takes a long time. I hope that the prices to go swimming will be low enough so everyone can afford to go swim ming. Sincerely, (s) Zachary Whalen To the Editor: My name is Nicole Wilson. I’m a sixth grader at Heppner Middle School I think that we should keep the four-day school week. It took a long time for us to get to going four days a week. So if we go back to the five-day school week, it will be very hard. I think I’m getting as good an education in four days as I was in five days. If you think about it, the three-day weekend is nice. So maybe you should think before choosing the four or five day school week. (s) Nicole Wilson To the Editor: My name is Brad Adams and I am a sixth grader at Heppner El ementary School. I think the “Time Out For Read ing” program is a great way to en courage kids to read. Every week we have a meeting in the hallway. If we read at least 1 1/2 hours, we get a treat. At the end of the pro gram, the one with the most time gets to pick out the first prize and so on from there until we run out of prizes. Sincerely, (s) Brad Adams letters cont. page 8
