The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
To all concerned:
In just a few short weeks, you will be faced with a voting issue that concerns the future of the La Harpe School District.
There have been local meetings concerning the issue, and some facts have been brought to light, i.e.: decreasing enrollments, financial shortfalls, and opportunities to converge high school districts with your neighbors to the south and west.
It has been stated that your taxes will increase no matter what happens.
Please keep in mind as you enter the voting booth in April, you do have a choice.
Your neighbors to the east are still VERY interested in a possible future with you. Your children will still have opportunities to excel academically both in the elementary and high school areas.
I urge you to ask questions, look up School Report Card data, and proposed tax rates on all of your neighboring districts.
You and your children have benefited from a fine school district over the years, and have also enjoyed a great working relationship (Co-op) with your neighbors to the east for 14 years as well. Please keep in mind, you do have options.
Sincerely,
Anna James
Blandinsville
Dear Editor
Math-a-thon for St. Jude's
I received a phone call on Monday, March 14, 2005 from St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital.
They were calling to show their appreciation for the contributions that La Harpe Elementary/Junior High students have made to St. Jude's through the Math-a-thon fund raiser.
Tiny Rodeffer organized this event for La Harpe students in 1991. Since that time, students in La Harpe Elementary and Junior High students have raised a grand total of $42,757. W0W! I am just amazed at the generosity and compassion of the La Harpe and surrounding areas.
As a parent of a cancer survivor, I know first hand what an awesome place St. Jude's Hospital provides for children with life-threatening diseases.
I appreciate the caring and compassionate community that we live in.
I am truly grateful to the students that have been willing to complete the math workbooks and/or CD's and collect money for such a worthy cause.
God bless!
Brenda Sparrow
Math-a-Thon Organizer
Parent of a Cancer Survivor
Dear Editor,
As a member of the newly consolidated Monmouth-Roseville school board I've followed with more than a passing interest the progress of the West Central school board as they face the difficult decisions that are inherent to a consolidation.
It is their charge to mold one district out of two, no simple task. I can personally attest to that.
The right answer for one segment of the population could very well seem the wrong answer to another.
There is no road map to guide this process. Every consolidation is different.
I read and hear of people questioning the decisions, the motives and the integrity of the board. That's a shame.
I'm acquainted with most of the West Central board members and have great confidence that they have the best interests of students and communities in mind as they have made and will make these decisions.
I've become aware of the controversy surrounding the selection of the superintendent. I've never had the opportunity to meet or work with Mr. Irlbeck, but by all accounts he is a fine, capable person and very popular with many in the Union district.
The choice to hire a superintendent from outside of the district was likely a difficult one and it's unfortunate that someone had to lose out.
That being said, the West Central district has hit a home run with the hiring of Ralph Grimm. Mr. Grimm's reputation throughout the state is impeccable. The people I know who have worked with him in the past all speak very highly of him.
It should be remembered that while the decisions of the new board and administration may not always be popular, this is a fine group of people volunteering a very considerable amount of their own time, always at risk of criticism and even ostracism. They are striving mightily to do what they feel is the right thing for the students, parents and taxpayers of West Central.
They will make mistakes, no doubt, we all do, but the sooner people band together to support the direction of the new district, the sooner the district will thrive.
Sincerely,
Mark Colclasure-Roseville