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Schools will become what you focus on
Dear Editor,
I am an outsider, not from this area, originally not even from this country. I have however lived here for around six years and have come to love this place, Hitchcock County, as my home. For me there are lots of reasons chose to live here, the biggest reason is family, and the second is that sense of community and the feeling of belonging here that I have received from the citizenry, that only small communities can offer.
I guess that's why what seems to be treated like a conundrum or difficult problem over our schools' future has me baffled and torn up. To me the solutions are simple as pie. With declining enrollment we have to deal with the fact that regardless of what financial predicament the state has put our small schools in, our children still need to be educated. Our choices are clear, but we've spent far too much time focusing on what we perceive we have lost or are likely to lose by combining our efforts as one school district instead of acting on the task before us. From what meetings I have been to, or those all I have heard about, the dynamic has always ended up being destructive and defaming of the schools systems that exist or have existed in each others towns! I hear all about identity; I hear all about sports but have yet to hear about what we are going to offer the children of Hitchcock County for Instruction or Curriculum! So for what its worth, here's my 2 cents folks: Who and what the heck are we focusing on? Are we going to focus on egos and pride or on what function our schools are really supposed to have, If Hitchcock County is to survive it's the future knowledge base of the kids we will depend on not their prowess on a fleeting athletic contest! I'm not saying sports aren't important but we need to leave the past rivalries on the sports field or past disagreements where they are. Focusing on what makes us different does not to do any of us honor or service.
Well, enough of what we've lost or think we'll lose lets look at what we have! I've had the opportunity to work in classrooms in all three of the Hitchcock County Unified School District. In each school I have seen that the kids are great, and the teachers are dedicated. There is a relationship between teacher and student here that I have not seen elsewhere. Students excel academically because of the dedication of teachers that really do care about them. Having graduated from a large school, I could only wish that I had the advantages offered to our kids. For those of you that are sports minded, we would be able to offer a great sports program by learning from one another and put together the best of each program and making it better, (instead of fighting), and hey -- most the kids at least get to play the sport they love with coaches that care about the kids' well being. See what happens to that if we start exporting our kids! Be positive! Empower our schools academically give our boards, administration and teachers the opportunity to take the best of what we do already, combine it and we'll have an educational system that does what it should -- turn out the best of the best in productive citizens. It's really a simple choice; do we want the best for our children? Do we have what it takes to make our educational system work? Sure we do, if get involved, take action, open dialog, treat each other with the respect each person deserves, and most of all put our focus on doing right by the children instead of ourselves. Your comments are welcome:
Greg Fyn
Trenton