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Don't send them to Wash High
So many reasons have been given as to why the move is a bad one. The chronological difference may be the same among kindergarten and sixth graders, and seventh and 12th graders. However, the maturity level is quite different. A 12-year-old is quite different physically and emotionally from an 18-year-old.
Sharing facilities only causes the students to have more of a chance of crossing paths: in the cafeteria, the library, the band room, the gym. The edifice is not designed and can not be designed to separate the grades.
The large group instruction room will be eliminated, and this is the only place, except for the gymnasium, where productions are held. The solution: Move the concerts and plays to the elementary-middle school. The stage there is no better facility than what is at the high school, plus now the issue of transporting students exists. They have been able to practice during their band or drama classes and won't be able to if the move takes place.
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Then there is the issue of the children getting to school. Are the seventh and eighth graders walking? I know years ago students walked to school, but in this day of intimidation and abduction walking may not be a good idea.
People leaving the district is another important issue. Many families who disagree with the move may leave. We need an influx of people into the district not an egress from it. My two daughters, who are career women, say if they lived in the district they would move. Many schools now separate the students instead of merging them. Districts have grades K-4 as elementary, 5-6 as intermediate, 7-8 as middle and 9-12 as high school.
Perhaps this issue shouldn't concern us. With the decisions the district is making and with the way the governor wants school schools to merge, a more important decision may be what name to give to the new merger and what the mascot should be.
Linda Faust
Washington
They can't learn
in a hot building
I agree with Marc Simon's letter about Joe Walker School. I agree that everyone in the McGuffey community should come to the next school board meeting to show support of the board's decision to install air conditioning at Joe Walker.
As a PTO member and volunteer who spends countless hours at the school and a parent of four, I can attest to how hot it gets and that it's hot more than just "a couple days of a year." Last week, my daughter came home to tell me it was 85, 87, 90 degrees in her classroom.
As taxpayers, administrators and school board members, it is our responsibility to make sure all the students in our entire district receive the best education we can provide them. Expecting our students to sit in a classroom that is over 80 degrees all day and be able to concentrate on their work is ridiculous!
When Claysville was built and the high school/middle school renovated, air conditioning was installed. Not only can the students concentrate and do their work, there is less arguing and fighting among them when they are in a favorable learning environment.
Mary Beth Maxwell
Prosperity
Clearly the best
Susan Boyle No. 2? No, she is clearly No. 1. The first place winners were very good, but theirs was a collective talent. Hers is hers alone. I hope she goes on to greater things and continues to entertain us with her angelic voice. She is truly a remarkable talent.
Sandra Dulik
Jefferson
hot building : 6/8/2009
Quite whinning about how hot it gets inside, my god when I went to school we had no air in grade school and in high school. No air at home either for us 4 kids. Guess what happened to us? Nothing! We all survived,all learned what we were supposed to learn, didn't get into fights or argue (back then teachers wouldn't let us). My parents didn't have AC in school nor did my grandparents and even they managed to survive. What makes this generation of kids so special that they need to have everything new( or cooler) to make them learn?
A/C at Joe Walker : 6/8/2009
Again, what a bunch of spoiled little kids...and apparently a parent, too.
hot building : 6/8/2009
...plus we all had to walk two miles UP HILL each way to get to and from school!
Not All : 6/8/2009
I have two at Joe Walker and one in the high school - when I asked my Joe Walker kids if their classrooms were too hot they both looked at me like I was crazy. Of course, we don't have AC at home either and they seem to survive that just fine...
Let Them Know : 6/8/2009
Mark your calendar for McGuffey School Board Meeting on Thursday, June 25 at 7 PM at McGuffey High School. Let them know, in no uncertain terms, that this is one mega-wasteful expenditure that we definitely do NOT need!! Put the money where it belongs---the direct education of our kids; not into the cooling of an old buliding for a few hot days here and there!
suck it up : 6/8/2009
I went to Joe Walker in the '80s and survived. In fact, since I've never had air conditioning (never growing up, never in the dorms at college, never in the apartments I've lived, never at the house I own now), I actually need a sweater when I'm in the air conditioning. Sometimes at work I even have to wrap up in a blanket in the summer because I'm too cold. Too many people are spoiled by air conditioning. It's not that bad. Suck it up!
Avella? : 6/8/2009
I went to Avella Jr/Sr Highschool. Grades 7-12 were in the same building and we never had a problem. I would venture to say that I actually got a better education at Avella than I would have at Wash High in at 9-12 enviroment
Think ahead : 6/8/2009
I don’t think we see the big picture here. The first concern is putting our kids in a comfortable learning environment. I too went to school with no A/C in 1987 when just a high school diploma was needed to get a “good job” it’s now 2009 where a bachelors degree is needed to just get a job. The big picture is if we don’t spend a small amount of money now we will be spending more later. A decision may come to close Joe Walker due to the facility itself (No A/C, Falling Brick, etc...) If that decision is made then where do the students from Joe Walker go? Claysville? Claysville is already at full capacity. So the next step would be to add onto Claysville I wonder what that would cost. Or maybe we just build a new elementary school to accommodate both Claysville and Joe walker. The cost of this option? Finally, the empty Joe Walker building that we will be paying for on the books. I know what your thinking sell it. Who will buy/lease a huge building with no A/C? Is it starting to sink in yet? Pay me now or pay me more later.
cost savings : 6/8/2009
Lets turn off all the A/C in all school owned facilities. Wow what a savings that would be.
A/C Cures Fighting & Arguing at School?????? : 6/8/2009
Since when will A/C cure arguing and fighting among students? What kind of silly "argument" is that? If there is too much arguing and fighting among students, then it is a discipline issue in the school that must be dealt with. A.C will not "cure" that problem. What a ridiculous idea...... Let's waste $1 Million to "prevent" students from arguing and fighting during hot days. Come on..... This A/C proposal is sounding dumber with each new posting here.
Fairness and cost : 6/10/2009
If the school district already has air-conditioning in the high school, middle school and Claysville ES then the students Joe Walker ES should be afforded the same. It all boils down to whether the school district can afford it or not. If the cost of an air-conditioning system will impact negatively on the budget then a system is more of a luxury then a necessity at this time.
WHS middle school move? : 6/10/2009
The Washington School District has not demonstrated the advantages to this move. In these tough fiscal times is it really prudent to commit to a multi-million dollar project? Can the majority of property owners absurd yet another tax-increase? I don’t understand why something of this magnitude isn’t put on a ballot for the voters decide? It’s one thing for the school board and superintendent to make decisions about the day-to-day operations of the district. Forcing a 2 to 16 million-dollar project on citizens of the district and given them little say in the matter is unacceptable.
To Think Ahead : 6/10/2009
Soooooo.......according to your logic(?), we should spend $1,000,000 for A/c when the building is worth only a fraction of that amount? How ridiculous! Also, how will A/c better prepare our students for the future??? Another JOKE! Get real! This A/c proposal is a gigantic waste of money---GUARANTEED!!!
to think ahead : 6/11/2009
I guess we all know how important it is to spend 2.5 million on a sports complex. It’s important that the students are comfortable when shooting a riffle. Look dad I can kill a deer with one shot because I had an air-conditioned practice range growing up!!!
School board : 6/11/2009
10 years trying to get A/C and 10 years of excuses to not put in A/C. These hard economic times played out well for the school board. They at least now have a strong excuse… and using this excuse to sway the public. What was their excuse in early 2008 when the economy was full steam ahead? 2007? 2006? I agree with the letter Mr Simon wrote a few weeks ago on spending money in these economic times and he has a good idea on putting the money to use somewhere to benifit the entire district. What I don’t agree on is the fact he pulls the taxpayers into this. What if taxes would not go up at all? What if the school district had a surplus of funds? Most of you would not be concerned at all. Sorry to burden the tax payers to try and build a better community and that extra $50 you may have to pay a year. When I mention I live in the McGuffey area people think of a 1 room school house in the deep hills of WV. I wanted to buy a house in the Trinity school district back in the late 90’s. Why you ask? The schools. Trinity does have some nice schools and they show them off well. When people decide to move to an area there are 2 key items that they look at, one being the crime rate and the other the school district. Does this mean A/C is the answer? Probably not but it’s a start. We should be showing off our schools and the education a child can get here. Instead we are saying “yeah are schools are old and run down and we can’t afford to do anything about but hey! Our football stadium grass is real nice” A/C is not the real issue here it’s the school boards thought process. Instead of try to build a community they are just trying to maintain it and they are doing a poor job at that
Farmer Ted : 6/11/2009
believe me, If claysville needed A/C it would be going in today
To RZ : 6/11/2009
Please get one important thing straight. A/C is a "WANT" and NOT a "NEED"; especially in an old building and at such a high cost and where its use for students will be VERY limited. What we "NEED" to do with the $1 Million is to enhance the curriculum utilizing the latest and best books, teaching materials, etc. throughout the entire District over a period of many years to come. That is the BEST use for that money. Put it towards education instead of infrastructure. After all, education is the main goal and purpose of our school systems.
Not Moving : 6/11/2009
Ok How this . If Claysville "WANTED" A/C it would be going in today
AC in school : 6/24/2009
Buy each class room a FAN....
