Letters To The Editor

Empty store could become dancing facility

I am aware, as are many other teenagers and adults, of the growing and desperate need for entertainment in the Spokane Valley.

What is there to do when you are sick of bowling, playing pool, and have seen all the movies?

I was recently at the University City Shopping Center, and noticed the incredible amount of extra space.

I have an idea that I would like to give to anyone who has the means necessary to raise this sort of money.

The old Newberry’s store is the perfect size for a dancing facility that would hold a good non-smoking, non-drinking environment. I believe this would bring the much-needed business to surrounding stores, as well as providing a fun, safe place for teens (as well as possibly adults) to get together and enjoy themselves. Emily Ann O’Connor Spokane

School district isn’t asking for too much

We are proud that we live in the West Valley School District, that we raised our children here and have always supported district bond and levy requests.

Having served on the West Valley School Board, I know how conscientious the district is about serving its patrons and asking for only what they need.

In this case, West Valley needs much more but is asking for only additional classroom space.

Both the maintenance and operations levy and the bond issue are musts.

Please vote yes to support your schools whether you have children enrolled or not. Every vote counts and we need yours. Herb and Marilyn McIntosh Spokane

We must take care of our schools and children

As a parent, I’m urging voters to vote yes on Feb. 6 for the maintenance and operations levy and the school construction bond.

If we don’t take care of our schools, who else is going to? It is up to us as parents and voters to be sure that our children have quality education available to them.

The children are not the only ones who benefit. We as a community also benefit.

If we don’t put kids first that must mean we don’t really care. Please care and vote yes for our schools. Teresa Gelhausen Spokane

Give students and teachers room to learn

The two most important factors in a child’s learning are the quality of his or her teachers and the number of children each teacher has in their classroom.

On Feb. 6 West Valley School District is asking us to support our schools through passage of a continuing maintenance and operations levy and a small bond issue.

The maintenance and operations levy will allow the district to continue to provide quality programs and quality teachers for these programs. The small bond issue will allow the district to continue to maintain small class sizes and accommodate growth throughout the district. The facts are simple; if you do not have the space you cannot keep class sizes low. The bond issue is asking for classrooms only - no frills, no bells, just classrooms.

West Valley School District is committed to maintaining small size and has followed through in its commitment as we have the smallest class sizes of any adjoining Spokane area district.

We as patrons and parents need to follow through in our commitment and support the district on Feb. 6. Daniel Kelly Spokane

New money vital for Freeman schools

We are writing to urge support for the maintenance and operations levy for Freeman schools. This levy replaces one that is expiring. It is not a new tax. It is the vitally needed local funding to go with the state and federal funds we receive to keep the school functioning.

The district has currently earmarked some of these funds to replace our ancient boiler and for new textbooks.

The levy cost is $775 per student at Freeman compared to over $1,000 per student in most other districts.

The Freeman requested levy percentage is 19 percent, compared to the maximum 24 percent requested by most other local districts.

Please vote yes for continued excellence at Freeman schools. We all benefit. Doug and Carol Spruance Spokane

More room means a better education

On Feb. 6 we have a great opportunity to help the children of our community.

The learning environment is not at its best in the overcrowded conditions we are experiencing in today’s school buildings. Windowless shower rooms, custodial rooms and other spaces are “make-do” classrooms; storage areas are teachers prep rooms. These are not healthy or safe areas in which to provide a good education for your children and grandchildren.

The West Valley bond issue before us is less than half of the last request, down from $9.6 million to $4.2 million. This bond when passed will provide four equipped classrooms to each of our four elementary buildings and will answer health and safety requirements. This is bare minimum needed to provide the education we want for our children.

Good education is good business, we all benefit from the future productivity of our children.

We urge you to support the maintenance and operation levy and the bond issue on Tuesday.

Vote yes twice. Tom and Norma Ventris Spokane

Growing population needs more classrooms

The West Valley schools need your support.

As the student population at the elementary level continues to grow, our desperate need is for more classrooms. All available space is currently being used.

The $4.2 million bond issue which will be on the ballot Feb. 6 will provide those classrooms. This bond proposal, which is less than half the amount requested last year, has been stripped to the bare essentials. It will provide for four classrooms to be added to each of our four elementary schools for a total of 16 classrooms.

I believe in the district motto - “Kids Are Our Business.”

Those kids need your help. Please vote and support the West Valley bond issue as well as the ongoing maintenance and operations levy. Bill Zimmer Spokane

Valley school needs support

We have had kids or grandkids in the Central Valley School District every year since 1962, and will have them enrolled for many more years to come.

We have certainly been happy with the educations they have all received.

Now, as retirees on a fixed income, we are still more than willing to pay our share of the bond and levy propositions on the Feb. 6 ballot. Kids need us all.

So together let’s make sure that all of our Valley kids are equipped to make their way in the future world. Let’s all turn out to vote yes on Feb. 6. Sally and Ron Jackson Spokane

Use your vote to change Freeman policies

Scotties, wake up. At Freeman High School, the tail is wagging the dog.

Freeman schools suffer terribly from overcrowding. Yet when local students quit Freeman, our administration replaces them with kids from outside the school district. Would we even have an overcrowding problem if no outside kids were attending Freeeman?

Following months of informative meetings last spring, more than 70 percent of Freeman parents voted against the four-period day. The Freeman School Board disregarded our vote. The four-period day is now in use at Freeman.

High school principal Dennis Schuerman has established an adversary relationship with many of our children and their parents. Several Freeman students have been withdrawn from our school because of Mr. Schuerman’s attitude. Should a prinicpal run even one of our children out of this school system?

Freeman High School must regain the confidence and approval of the taxpayers and parents of the district. Otherwise we may lose our district if initiatives 173 and 177 become law.

Money talks. Vote no on the operating levy Feb. 6 and continue to vote no new money until changes are made. Or better yet don’t vote at all. That way your vote won’t be validating the election, and a recall, if necessary, will take fewer signatures. Tim Lederle Mica