Voice of the Community

SEEKS PARENT INPUT ON COMMON CORE

Last Thursday night I attended a regular meeting of the Churchill County School Board at the Old High School. The main agenda item was a public hearing on reorganizing the elementary schools.

The “pit” was packed. I was told that 100 chairs had been set out. They were full and the overflow crowd numbered at least 50 more people. It was amazing. And several people took the microphone to express their concerns on the matter. It showed me that Churchill parents are engaged and care at least where their children are educated.

There have been two recent events at the Convention Center on Common Core. The combined crowds at those was less than the number at last Thursday’s meeting.

I’m sure Churchill parents are as interested in how their children are educated as they are in where they get that education. They probably just don’t realize there are ways of learning more about the HOW and the dangers that go along with it.

Maybe the scheduling was bad for the last events. Maybe the parents hadn’t heard enough about Common Core to want more information on it. Another informational symposium could easily be set up to further discuss the program and it problems.

Children here and across the nation are now involved in a period of costly and frustrating testing that is said to have little value for them but is of great benefit to people interested in collecting personal data on the students.

I would like to hear from parents interested in how we arrived at this point of un-elected and unaccountable people calling the shots on what and how our children are taught and how we can change that.

Email me at jfalk6808@cccomm.net

Jim Falk

Fallon

Supports WNC athletics

Writing letters to the editor is usually not something I normally do, but I feel compelled to express my feelings about the announcement made that the WNC athletic programs are going to be shut down. This is an absolute travesty to the boys and girls who work so hard to achieve their goals they have set for themselves. These are devoted athletes who give 100 percent to their sport and in the classroom.

Taking away programs like these hurts the students and the community. The parents of these students spend thousands of dollars in the community renting houses and buying food to accommodate their needs. If this is truly a state budget issue, just wondering why all junior college sports across the state are not being impacted and only WNC. I live in Las Vegas and College of Southern Nevada is not being shut down.

Diane Lewis

Las Vegas

Student doing report on Nevada

I am a fifth grade student in Washington state. In fifth grade at our school, we do state reports, and I have chosen your state! I am very excited to learn more about the great state of Nevada as I work on my report.

Most of the information that we get for our reports will be from books and encyclopedias. We also like to get information from people who live in the state, too. This is why I am writing to you. I was hoping that you would be willing to send me some items to help me with my report. It could be things like postcards, maps, pictures, souvenirs, general information, this newspaper article, or any other items that would be useful. I appreciate anything you can send!

Thank you for taking time to read my letter. I appreciate you considering my request for help. Anything you can provide would be great! I am very excited about my report on your state!

Items can be sent to Lillyona Romeze, Conway School, Mrs. LaRocque’s Class, 19710 SR 534, Mount Vernon, WA 98274.

Lillyona Romeze

Mount Vernon, Wash.