Editor, Times-Union: End of 2013/2014 school year Whitko lost double-digit students for the next school year 2014/2015, letting go good teachers, not having students’ education as your highest interest. I saw no support to keep cursive writing in the elementary schools (How are these kids going to sign legal documents in their life time?), no support for the students to keep the common core in education. Maybe Mr. Clauson should have started cleaning house with himself, a few principals and the school board (must be a Daniels, Bennett and Pence supporters). Building a new school on unsafe ground (sand, you can do all you can, installing pillars, etc, but that doesn't keep the ground from shifting when it wants to). Students not in the superintendent’s or school board’s best interest, safety of students during construction is questioned. Mr. Clauson got what he wanted, move the fifth-graders to the middle school (wanted this couple years ago) due to construction, now it happened. Anything that is temporary usually becomes permanent. Fifth-graders have no business in the middle school. Let’s see if they go back to elementary when construction is over. 2014, a month plus into the school year and the middle school students (talking eighth-graders) have no books or anything down loaded onto their tablets. What are you doing for the kids who do not have Internet at home nor can afford it? Tablets do not work properly. As 9-4 they got science books, which science was to be downloaded onto the tablet I was told. Question to Mr. Clauson, what are these students learning and how far behind are they? Students should have had access to their books the day school was in session, tablets should have been prepared, all bugs worked out, up and running before the school doors even opened for the new school year. Teachers can’t help students if tablets go down as they haven't been properly trained. What's the school board going to do, let more teachers go and hire actual technology people to operate the system at all times and then they will need assistants to help them? Two years ago I attended a board meeting and stated how impressed I was with the Whitko School system, boy do I have to eat crow now. The superintendent and the board have disappointed me. Seems they are more interested in the new school construction they thought they needed. Now I understand more money has come up and a new superintendent’s office will be built(?). So what is more important? Obviously not to better educate our students. One can understand enrollment dropping as the education they need is not a high priority. I know of two (eighth-graders) and one elementary student that left Whitko before the new school year started and moved onto better schools. Why was South Whitley Elementary School on probation last year? In the Tribune-News Aug. 21 paper, I see the board hired new teachers. Why did they get rid of good teachers last year, so they could hire new ones for less money? I think someone(s) are out to make a name for themselves. I think a better way to do that is to have a better school rating, courses for all students, not everyone will go to or can afford college. You are doing all this technology which is fine, but you need to have all your ducks in a row before putting into operation and putting education for these students in a higher priority. Like number one. What is Whitko High School and Elementary Schools rating in the state, and are you accredited? From a concerned grandmother, Ramona Myers Rural Columbia City
