Supporting Our Schools

I attended the Morgan County School Board meeting tonight. It was standing room only with no A/C on a day when temperatures were in the high 80s. Whew!

I was there to show support for the school board, administration, and members of a group that we belong to named For Morgan Kids. Parents and concerned citizens have organized ourselves into this group to actively campaign for the voted local levy. Two representatives from For Morgan Kids addressed the school board tonight. (You can learn more about For Morgan Kids and the issues at hand at www.formorgankids.com.)

Why are we putting ourselves "out there" in publicly supporting a political issue in a small community? Quite simply, because we believe this levy is the right thing to do for our daughters' education. We have studied the issues, and feel there are no other viable short-term solutions to the financial crisis our schools are facing right now.

One of the top two reasons Ryan and I moved to Mountain Green in 2009 was for the schools. We value life-long learning, and appreciate the role that the public school system plays in our daughters' formal education. 

We recognize that teachers play a vital role in test scores and graduation rates. In addition, we understand that teachers can be more effective with smaller class sizes, professional development days and other resources. We need the levy to help our educators have a more productive teaching environment.

My 5th grader has 34 students in her class. Research show she may earn $30 an hour, which equates to $240 for an 8-hour work day. Divide that by 34 students, and she's earning $7.06 per student per day. In comparison, I pay her piano teacher about $10 for a 30 minute lesson once a week! Our public schools are the best bargain money can buy. But make no mistake...public schools may not charge tuition, but they are not free. Funding schools is the responsibility of tax payers.

We are at the bottom 15% of school districts in Utah in per pupil spending...and Utah is the lowest state in the nation in per pupil spending. Morgan County School District is at the bottom of the bottom. We can and should do better for our children and teachers. Much better.

Ryan and I do not like taxes, but this voted local levy is different. We have estimated that our property taxes will go up about $100 annually with the levy proposed for the 2013-14 school year. That's less than $10 per month, and most certainly affordable. We know that every dime will go to instruction for the Morgan County Schools that are educating our children.

We agree that Morgan County should do more to attract businesses to help alleviate the tax burden. However, that is a long-term solution and we have an immediate financial crisis in our schools. Furthermore, we don't hold our elected school board officials accountable for economic development in our community...that is not their stewardship.

In conclusion, there is this reason for supporting the levy...we feel a sense of loyalty to the local school system. 

Our children are the fifth generation attending Morgan Schools. Ryan grew up in Croydon, graduating from Morgan High in '95. His mom, Sherolyn Wilde, is MHS Class of '74. Her parents, Reed Wilde and Camille Fry, were officers for the class of '47. Reed's father, M.R. Wilde, was in the MHS class of '22. Go Trojans!

To the school board...thanks for governing our schools. You have a team of parents and citizens supporting this cause. You are doing the right thing.

And to Superintendent Ken Adams, thanks for all you have done for Morgan Schools during your career. Ryan and I congratulate you on your retirement, and wish you all the best for whatever the future holds.

Quote of the Day

“Our progress as a nation can be no swifter than our progress in education. The human mind is our fundamental resource.” - John F. Kennedy

Quote of the Day

"A river cuts through rock, not because of it's power, but because of it's persistence." -Jim Watkins

I’m Voting “Yes”

I’m voting in favor of the Voted Local Levy for Morgan County, Utah. The levy is a tax that will generate funds to benefit students who are educated by Morgan School District.

In the first year of the levy, the school board will assess a total of $350,000 from home, business and land owners in the county. However, the school board can lawfully assess up to $1.3 million annually from taxpayers.The board has stated it is their intent to keep the assessment at $350k, yet there is no guarantee. We simply cannot look into a crystal ball and determine every cost and expenditure for the next five years.

In multiple presentations given to community, the administration and school board have repeatedly stated the funds will be used for:

1. Class size reduction;
2. Remediation (special education, mathematics);
3. Professional development; and,
4. Extensions (ACT prep, math, science, language arts).

Upon taking a closer look at the needs of the school district, I’ve questioned if $350k is sufficient. The school board is not padding the budget with pet projects and perks. I wish our elected officials in Washington, D.C. were as mindful of tax-paying citizens as our school board.

In the community meetings and in newspaper editorials, citizens have commented that the school district should operate more like a business. Or, we must cut the fat and live within our means. While this may make sense on the surface, it’s not that simple. You cannot manage a public sector organization like a private business. There are too many federal and state legislatively-mandated issues in public education. They are two different animals.

There has also been public criticism about the compensation offered to board members…$3,000 annually plus health insurance premiums. This compensation is permitted by the state, and consistent with school districts across Utah. Consider that board members spend 20+ hours each month creating/reviewing policies, managing budgets, lobbying with elected officials and ensuring the district is in compliance with legislative requirements. If we want to attract qualified candidates to board positions, a small token of appreciation in the form of a less-than-generous compensation package is well-justified. Most people only “volunteer” for that many hours of unpaid service when they are called to do so by their religious leaders.

I have two daughters who attend Mountain Green Elementary…a 5^th grader and 2^nd grader. They are fortunate to have dedicated teachers who care not only for their educational experience, but also for their personal well-being. The same can be said for the principal and staff. I consider these educators and service providers as partners in raising our children. Why would I short-change people who spend seven hours each day with my girls? These educators need a teaching environment with smaller class sizes and greater resources. We need more professional services, such as speech pathologists and reading specialists. Gratefully, we have a team of community volunteers who donate hundreds of hours each week in our classrooms. But these volunteers do not replace professionals who have been educated, trained and certified to teach our children. Good teachers are the key to high test scores and graduation rates. And make no mistake, good teachers and professional service providers are in high demand. They will leave Morgan to better support their families in competing school districts with more generous compensation packages, smaller classroom sizes, and greater resources.

Families that value education choose to live in Morgan for more than the scenery and clean air…they live here for the schools. To maintain the strength of our community, we need to maintain the quality of our educational system. If test scores and graduation rates decline, the desirability of living in Morgan will decrease. The domino effect will have economic impacts far beyond the dollars assessed with the levy.

Although I am philosophically opposed to most tax increases, I would vote in the affirmative for the Voted Local Levy even if the school board stated upfront they will assess $1.3 million in the first year (although I strongly believe the school board will remain extremely conservative in their requests and govern their stewardship with integrity). As parents and responsible citizens we should look for opportunities to give our children the best educational experience possible. As a community, we have reached the point of diminishing returns for cutting corners and trimming budgets.

If you have made it to the end of this long post…congratulations. I appreciate your time and consideration. 

The Voted Local Levy will be held June 25^th. Please arrange your schedules to vote in this important election.

For complete details of the Voted Local Levy, I encourage you to visit the Morgan School District website.

On a side note: This is my personal blog, and the views expressed here are my own. Your comments are welcome. However, I reserve the right to delete any comments I believe defame citizens in our community, especially administrators and school board members. 

Marriage

It's been so long since I've written a personal blog post I had forgotten how to log-on. But alas, here I am and this is what I want to say:

I'm pro-traditional marriage. 

That doesn't mean I'm anti-gay. I'm not a hater. I believe we are all God's children, and he loves us. All of us. He has commanded each of us to love our neighbors as ourselves. Therefore, I choose to accept God's will and love my brothers and sisters in His family. All of them.

I also believe marriage is a God-sanctioned union between a man and a woman. Adam and Eve were the first husband-wife couple on Earth. Marriage was defined, by God, from the beginning at the creation.

Regardless of the governmental laws created by and for man in regards to who can legally marry whom, I will stand by my position of pro-traditional marriage.

Some people may respond to this post (or to me personally) by saying I am a bigot or uneducated or narrow-minded or discriminating. I'm okay with that. If Starbucks wants me to sell my stock (if I did have SB stock) for stating my position...fine. If I'm not welcome by some organizations or groups for my beliefs, so be it. 

I'll stand up for my core values. I wish not to offend...only to state my position. Thank you.

Quote for the Day

"To improve is to change, to perfect is to change often."
-Winston Churchill

Quote for the Day

"Follow your interests, get the best available education and training, set your sights high, be persistent, be flexible, keep your options open, accept help when offered, and be prepared to help others."
-Mildred Spiewak Dresselhauf