Letters to the Editor - May 1, 2013
Upcoming School Elections
I would like to remind everyone of the upcoming School Election on May 7th. The District is asking members of our community to re-approve the operational levy in the amount of $16,000. This levy will enable Superior Schools to maintain our current budget amounts. With a slight decrease in enrollment over the past 3 years, the State has reduced the funding we receive to operate our schools. In 2009, we operated on a $2.57 million dollar budget; currently we are operating on a $2.47 million dollar budget. In that time, we have reduced our workforce by five full-time teaching positions whose duties have been reassigned to existing staff.
Over the past 5 years, Superior Schools has implemented Response to Intervention (RTI) in reading and math across all grade levels. The most often asked question I receive from patrons is simple,
“What is RTI?”
Simply put, the RTI process identifies each student’s strengths and weaknesses in math and reading. We then develop an individualized learning program for each child. Through frequent assessment and progress monitoring, students are placed in small, focused learning groups designed to overcome students’ limitations and build on their strengths. To achieve these curricular goals, it takes a large staff working in small groups to reach each group of students. In 2009 & 2010, our RTI program was funded with one-time ARRA monies from the Federal government. In 2011, we used monies generated from a general operational levy from our community.
The intent of the May 7th levy is to continue to support the hiring of RTI Aides for program implementation. We are asking for your support to continue providing the very best educational opportunities for the students of Superior Schools in our mission to reach and teach each child.
In Education,
Wayne Stanley
Superintendent
Vote Integrity and Candidates
Mr Deschamps,
I appreciate what you said about problems with vote integrity, when you spoke in Plains Saturday 4/6. I was amazed by the quote that the lawyer from the Secretary of States Office (SOS) made in court. See attached.
Is there any follow-up taking place? This issue is paramount. Campaigns are useless if elections are not valid.
When people realize power is not changing hands in a fair and honest manner, we could have real problems. When candidates realize they are spending thousands, even millions for no valid purpose, there will be unrest. If the SOS is not dealing with this statement that was made by them in court, there is serious delinquency.
I would like to help any way I can to see elections become accurate and valid. Please let me know what I can do to help. We don’t agree on some things Will, but we agree on this.
Your comrades fought and died for accurate elections. Let’s get together on this one! This is not a partisan issue, but an American issue. I suggest you use your position and influence the debate on this issue. Go across the isle and talk with the Democrat leaders.
I attended a meeting at our County seat 4/11 to visit with the County Commissioners about precincts, polls and voting. They insist the SOS lawyer is not telling the truth. They insist the elections in Sanders County are accurate. However, observers sat on election night 2012 and watched the machines jam very frequently, as you suggested in your message Saturday. With great concern, they watched jammed ballots go to the corner of the room with people “remarking” the ballots. These people were “to be trusted”.
This is out of order. I am a medical laboratorian. I have no incentive to give inaccurate lab results. We have many checks to ensure accuracy. Dealing with ballots can have many incentives to give false results. The checks and balances are not in place. The vote is in serious question in the minds of the laymen. This is reason enough to make sure the vote is valid. If nothing else, to put the public at ease.
The attached quotes made by the setting Chair of the State GOP should be very alarming to us. If there is nothing being done, we must demand action.
Please forward this post and write your own note to the MT GOP and the SOS office.
MT GOP: http://www.mtgop.org/index.php/contact-us.html
MT Secretary of States Office where Elections are managed: secretary@mt.gov /us.mc1605.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=secretary@mt.gov>
Please request a response from them.
Mark French
Paradise
Vote for board members
I have had the privilege of working in the health care community by serving as a board member for a tri-county mental health board in Washington State with a budget of thirty-four million dollars, and by recently serving on the Mineral County Hospital Board. I understand the complexities of dealing with federal, state, and local agencies. More importantly, I realize the necessity for the Mineral County health community to apply for and receive federal grants to improve rural health care. The current board has done an outstanding job as evidenced by the awarding of four significant grants. I applaud the board’s leadership. It is imperative that we elect board members who know our community, who have a history of a balanced approach to the challenges existing in our community, and who are proven leaders. That’s why I’m encouraging the citizens of Mineral County to vote for Gar Dahl, John Woodland, Kelly Dillon, and Carol Billadeau as board members.
Roger Brown
St.Regis
Shame on you school board
To the school board, shame on you… You have a schoolteacher that has a gift. He can get through to a young man. When you are a senior and you have turned 18, you are no longer a boy. You are old enough to fight for your country, to risk your life and to die for your country. Mr. Friesz helps these young adults make the right decisions. They look up to him and want their voices heard. Did you not listen to them? Mr. Friesz makes a difference. He believes in his students. He treats them like the young men that they are. He doesn’t want any of them to drop out of school. He is such a caring teacher. He wants to make a difference and he has. Why can’t his classes vote to have him stay? I am ashamed of the school board that voted not to have him stay. They should be begging him to stay. Have you seen the things that the students have made in his class? My grandson has learned so much from him. He knows how to restore a motorcycle, he has built a skateboard. He can weld; he remembers everything that he has learned in his classes. That is a teacher that can make a difference. Think of what the future holds for the students to come. When you have a gifted teacher that can make a difference to these young men, you don’t let him go. To the students and parents, go to the school board members that voted no and let them hear your voice. I didn’t know that there was a meeting or I would have gone. Mr. Friesz made a difference to Austin. He wants to go to school and learn how to work on cars. Mr. Friesz, fight back and make a difference. Life is all about making the right choices, and you are the right choice. Let’s see what we can do…I will do whatever it takes. I won’t give up this fight. You believed in Austin and we believe in you.
Mary Young Curry,
Plains