Letters to the Editor 12-20-2000
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By -
- School Questions - Greatest Gifts - Sportsmanship - School Size - Christian Holiday
School Questions
Editor, Times-Union:Re: Craig Allebach statements in Saturday's headline article: "Schools - Smaller is Better."
As a parent of three children and a member of the Silver Lake Save Our School Committee, I would like to ask Mr. Allebach, the school board and the administrators to please tell us what exactly the reason is for wanting to close our school if it is not a "monetary thing." We have asked this question several times and still have no answers to that and many other questions.
We as parents want to do the right thing by our children and we believe that is keeping our small school in our small town and not busing our young children across town for over an hour each way on dangerous country roads.
I have asked different staff members of the Warsaw Community School - not only at Silver Lake Elementary, what programs are our children not receiving at our building that other elementaries in the corporation are able to offer and they say none that they can think of. Every time we ask the question the ADM (Average Daily Maintenance) numbers come up and that it costs more to educate our children at Silver Lake. Again, we have asked to see a break-down of these numbers and have yet to get an answer. And if it's not a monetary thing, Mr. Allebach, then what does it matter what the ADM numbers are? These numbers can be made to show what ever number they want to show. If I am wrong, please prove this to me.
At the board meeting held at the Silver Lake Elementary, the board voted on having yet another study done by facilities experts. They hired Olde, McGuire and Shook, a corporation out of Indianapolis, for $2,000. In my research of this company, their specialty is building new schools, and that is their main source of revenue, not renovation or preservation. I wonder how unbiased this study will be. I also found out that this company has done previous work for the Warsaw School Corporation and did agree to do the study for free so they would be considered in future plans. I do not believe this study will be a fair evaluation of the situation.
As for education, my children get an excellent education at Silver Lake and I could not ask for a better environment, if I thought for one minute that my children were not getting the education they needed, they would not be attending there. If we are lacking programs at our school, whose fault is that, certainly not the staff and not the parents. I believe that would fall upon you, the board and the administrators, but you do not need to close our school to achieve this. The staff at Silver Lake is top notch, my children and most that attend there excel not only mentally but emotionally. It would be a shame to lose this.
Kathy Lokotar
Silver Lake
via e-mail
Greatest Gifts
Editor, Times-Union:These greatest gifts I received weren't wrapped in pretty paper and tied with bright bows.
Often as not they're smudged with chocolate or dirt or crayon and any bows they wear come untied before they're even out of the car.
They didn't come accompanied by music, no organ swell or drum beat -Êstill the sound of my children laughing really is the loveliest music I've ever heard.
They didn't come with guarantees or warranties (though sometimes batteries might've been nice), but they've never failed to please me with the hundred daily treasures they bring to my life.
This year there's the treasured sight of Lacey as a shepherd in her preschool play or Alexis every year baking Jesus his birthday cake. And there is not a more precious sound on Earth than hearing my children pray.
The Barbies and books and games, the presents waiting under the tree are not what they'll remember when they look back on the holidays.
Oh sure, they'll remember Rudolph, making fudge and decorating the Christmas tree. They'll remember hot chocolate, popcorn, wrapping gifts and all the traditional things.
But what I hope they'll hold in their hearts as women someday is that gift that we were all given in Bethlehem of a child sleeping in the hay.
I would not give my child's life even to save someone else I loved.
One greater gift than all, He gave to you and me. It's why our family celebrates Christmas day.
Peggi Lisenbee
Winona Lake
via e-mail
Sportsmanship
Editor, Times-Union:It was not losing a game to the Warsaw Tigers boys basketball team that bothered me all that much last Friday night at Wawasee High School. As a veteran basketball fan and Huntington native who remembers Warsaw-Huntington barnburners of years ago, I appreciate the Warsaw tradition and that of Hoosier State basketball in general.
No, what really bothered me as a Syracuse resident last Friday night was the behavior of some Warsaw supporters, in particular a relatively small "cheering block" of boys who somehow failed to learn and appreciate one of the basic tenets of Hoosier basketball fan decorum: Never taunt anyone, the opposing team, the referees, the fans, the coaches or anyone else in the building. It has never been - nor will it ever be - acceptable.
Just enjoy the game and try to do a better job of representing the proud tradition of your community than you did last week.
Sherman Goldenberg
Syracuse
via e-mail
School Size
Editor, Times-Union:I read with interest the front page article in last Saturday's Times-Union quoting an expert who stated in effect that bigger is not better when it comes to school size. I thought the readers might be interested in the following which was quoted in Warsaw Christian School's weekly newsletter to parents last spring. (My children attend there and Lakeland Christian Academy, where the enrollment is 250 and 150 respectively.):
"When it comes to school size, smaller is better," commented Andrew Rotherham, the director of the 21st Century Schools Project at the Progressive Policy Institute, on the featured back page of EDUCATION WEEK. He noted that in smaller schools students (1) have better attendance, (2) have lower dropout rates (3) have fewer discipline problems, and (4) are more likely to participate in extracurricular activities. Smaller schools promote learning and are able to offer a strong core curriculum. Larger schools are not more efficient. "A 1996 study by Valerie Lee and Julie Smith reported that large schools are actually more expensive because their sheer size requires more administrative support. More important, additional bureaucracy translates into less flexibility and innovation." 2/24/99, p.76. What school size is ideal? The consensus among researchers is that "no school should serve more than 1,000 students and that elementary schools should not exceed 300-400 students."
While size is only one factor in determining that quality education is achieved, according to these researchers it has a positive effect on other factors that also are important in producing that result.
Alice W. Petty
Warsaw
via e-mail
Christian Holiday
Editor, Times-Union:This is in response to Mr. Diablo's letter on the reason for the season. Although I agree that the Christian holiday of Christmas has pagan origins, I would disagree that it has nothing to do with the Christian savior Jesus. The pagan holiday of Yule is celebrated on the Winter Solstice, and represents the rebirth of the God that passed away on Samhain (Halloween). Since no one knows the exact day Jesus was born, a date close to December 21 was chosen to help pagans who were becoming Christians understand the importance of the Christ child's birth.
Yes, the evergreen tree is another adaptation of pagan practices, so is the Yule log, mistletoe, holly, Easter eggs and dancing aroud a maypole, but I don't think of them as sins.
Mr. Diablo, your letter seem to be written to stir up discord. Your deliberate X-ing out of Christmas upset me greatly. Are you so insecure in your own spiritual path that you can't even type the word Christ out on your keyboard? People like you give pagans a bad name. That's right, Mr. Diablo, I am a pagan. I have studied and practiced Wicca for almost 15 years, and I grow weary of your kind. I can almost picture what you look like; dressed in black with pentagrams dangling from your neck hoping people will run from you because you're the boogie man. I have seen many like you in my time and most of you have no idea what true magik is about and you never will. By condemning the beliefs of others you have once again set things back for people of all faiths. You are no better than the ones in Salem who burned us at the stake.
A very wise Native American once said, "All is All." Discover the meaning of that, Mr. Diablo, and have a very happy holiday. Blessed be,
Rob Miller
Syracuse
via e-mail
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- School Questions - Greatest Gifts - Sportsmanship - School Size - Christian Holiday
School Questions
Editor, Times-Union:Re: Craig Allebach statements in Saturday's headline article: "Schools - Smaller is Better."
As a parent of three children and a member of the Silver Lake Save Our School Committee, I would like to ask Mr. Allebach, the school board and the administrators to please tell us what exactly the reason is for wanting to close our school if it is not a "monetary thing." We have asked this question several times and still have no answers to that and many other questions.
We as parents want to do the right thing by our children and we believe that is keeping our small school in our small town and not busing our young children across town for over an hour each way on dangerous country roads.
I have asked different staff members of the Warsaw Community School - not only at Silver Lake Elementary, what programs are our children not receiving at our building that other elementaries in the corporation are able to offer and they say none that they can think of. Every time we ask the question the ADM (Average Daily Maintenance) numbers come up and that it costs more to educate our children at Silver Lake. Again, we have asked to see a break-down of these numbers and have yet to get an answer. And if it's not a monetary thing, Mr. Allebach, then what does it matter what the ADM numbers are? These numbers can be made to show what ever number they want to show. If I am wrong, please prove this to me.
At the board meeting held at the Silver Lake Elementary, the board voted on having yet another study done by facilities experts. They hired Olde, McGuire and Shook, a corporation out of Indianapolis, for $2,000. In my research of this company, their specialty is building new schools, and that is their main source of revenue, not renovation or preservation. I wonder how unbiased this study will be. I also found out that this company has done previous work for the Warsaw School Corporation and did agree to do the study for free so they would be considered in future plans. I do not believe this study will be a fair evaluation of the situation.
As for education, my children get an excellent education at Silver Lake and I could not ask for a better environment, if I thought for one minute that my children were not getting the education they needed, they would not be attending there. If we are lacking programs at our school, whose fault is that, certainly not the staff and not the parents. I believe that would fall upon you, the board and the administrators, but you do not need to close our school to achieve this. The staff at Silver Lake is top notch, my children and most that attend there excel not only mentally but emotionally. It would be a shame to lose this.
Kathy Lokotar
Silver Lake
via e-mail
Greatest Gifts
Editor, Times-Union:These greatest gifts I received weren't wrapped in pretty paper and tied with bright bows.
Often as not they're smudged with chocolate or dirt or crayon and any bows they wear come untied before they're even out of the car.
They didn't come accompanied by music, no organ swell or drum beat -Êstill the sound of my children laughing really is the loveliest music I've ever heard.
They didn't come with guarantees or warranties (though sometimes batteries might've been nice), but they've never failed to please me with the hundred daily treasures they bring to my life.
This year there's the treasured sight of Lacey as a shepherd in her preschool play or Alexis every year baking Jesus his birthday cake. And there is not a more precious sound on Earth than hearing my children pray.
The Barbies and books and games, the presents waiting under the tree are not what they'll remember when they look back on the holidays.
Oh sure, they'll remember Rudolph, making fudge and decorating the Christmas tree. They'll remember hot chocolate, popcorn, wrapping gifts and all the traditional things.
But what I hope they'll hold in their hearts as women someday is that gift that we were all given in Bethlehem of a child sleeping in the hay.
I would not give my child's life even to save someone else I loved.
One greater gift than all, He gave to you and me. It's why our family celebrates Christmas day.
Peggi Lisenbee
Winona Lake
via e-mail
Sportsmanship
Editor, Times-Union:It was not losing a game to the Warsaw Tigers boys basketball team that bothered me all that much last Friday night at Wawasee High School. As a veteran basketball fan and Huntington native who remembers Warsaw-Huntington barnburners of years ago, I appreciate the Warsaw tradition and that of Hoosier State basketball in general.
No, what really bothered me as a Syracuse resident last Friday night was the behavior of some Warsaw supporters, in particular a relatively small "cheering block" of boys who somehow failed to learn and appreciate one of the basic tenets of Hoosier basketball fan decorum: Never taunt anyone, the opposing team, the referees, the fans, the coaches or anyone else in the building. It has never been - nor will it ever be - acceptable.
Just enjoy the game and try to do a better job of representing the proud tradition of your community than you did last week.
Sherman Goldenberg
Syracuse
via e-mail
School Size
Editor, Times-Union:I read with interest the front page article in last Saturday's Times-Union quoting an expert who stated in effect that bigger is not better when it comes to school size. I thought the readers might be interested in the following which was quoted in Warsaw Christian School's weekly newsletter to parents last spring. (My children attend there and Lakeland Christian Academy, where the enrollment is 250 and 150 respectively.):
"When it comes to school size, smaller is better," commented Andrew Rotherham, the director of the 21st Century Schools Project at the Progressive Policy Institute, on the featured back page of EDUCATION WEEK. He noted that in smaller schools students (1) have better attendance, (2) have lower dropout rates (3) have fewer discipline problems, and (4) are more likely to participate in extracurricular activities. Smaller schools promote learning and are able to offer a strong core curriculum. Larger schools are not more efficient. "A 1996 study by Valerie Lee and Julie Smith reported that large schools are actually more expensive because their sheer size requires more administrative support. More important, additional bureaucracy translates into less flexibility and innovation." 2/24/99, p.76. What school size is ideal? The consensus among researchers is that "no school should serve more than 1,000 students and that elementary schools should not exceed 300-400 students."
While size is only one factor in determining that quality education is achieved, according to these researchers it has a positive effect on other factors that also are important in producing that result.
Alice W. Petty
Warsaw
via e-mail
Christian Holiday
Editor, Times-Union:This is in response to Mr. Diablo's letter on the reason for the season. Although I agree that the Christian holiday of Christmas has pagan origins, I would disagree that it has nothing to do with the Christian savior Jesus. The pagan holiday of Yule is celebrated on the Winter Solstice, and represents the rebirth of the God that passed away on Samhain (Halloween). Since no one knows the exact day Jesus was born, a date close to December 21 was chosen to help pagans who were becoming Christians understand the importance of the Christ child's birth.
Yes, the evergreen tree is another adaptation of pagan practices, so is the Yule log, mistletoe, holly, Easter eggs and dancing aroud a maypole, but I don't think of them as sins.
Mr. Diablo, your letter seem to be written to stir up discord. Your deliberate X-ing out of Christmas upset me greatly. Are you so insecure in your own spiritual path that you can't even type the word Christ out on your keyboard? People like you give pagans a bad name. That's right, Mr. Diablo, I am a pagan. I have studied and practiced Wicca for almost 15 years, and I grow weary of your kind. I can almost picture what you look like; dressed in black with pentagrams dangling from your neck hoping people will run from you because you're the boogie man. I have seen many like you in my time and most of you have no idea what true magik is about and you never will. By condemning the beliefs of others you have once again set things back for people of all faiths. You are no better than the ones in Salem who burned us at the stake.
A very wise Native American once said, "All is All." Discover the meaning of that, Mr. Diablo, and have a very happy holiday. Blessed be,
Rob Miller
Syracuse
via e-mail
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