Urging Templeton to vote 'Yes' on new school
To The Editor: 4/21/2014Matthew Syring
Templeton
MothersDay Gift
home : editorial/opinion : letter to the editor
Share
April 22, 2014
4/21/2014 7:26:00 AM
Urging Templeton to vote 'Yes' on new school
To The Editor: 4/21/2014
Matthew Syring
Templeton
To The Editor:
The residents of Templeton are urged to show their support and vote ‘Yes’ at the polls on May 5 to allow the town to take the next step towards a new elementary school for our community.
During a recent open house hosted at the Baldwinville Elementary School (BES), I took the opportunity to tour the building and get a firsthand look into the current state of our ancient elementary schools.
If I had to summarize my findings in one word — deplorable.
BES is over 90 years-old, and lacks some of the basic accommodations expected to be seen within the walls of an elementary school in 2014.
For starters, the school suffers from cramped classrooms and on-going technological concerns which prohibit teachers from maximizing 21st century style learning.
The small computer lab that is present in the building is hampered by on-going electrical limitations, and internet connectivity which is sporadic at best.
As I moved down to the basement, I learned that the cafeteria also serves as a gymnasium.
This dual-purpose area creates scheduling and other logistical nightmares.
I observed the highly publicized leaky roof, and felt the oppressive unregulated heating system as I toured the building.
Most notably, and frankly the most astounding, there is no handicap accessibility. Students from our community who are handicapped would not have the ability to attend BES.
The layout and accessibility is simply not conducive to address these needs. Simply stated, this is unacceptable.
As we near the century-old age mark at the Baldwinville Elementary School, it is time that we step forward and approve the vote for a new building.
Our children deserve an environment conducive to learning in 2014.
Please vote ‘Yes’ on the May 5 ballot and support our children and the Town of Templeton’s future.
Matthew Syring
Templeton
Down hear on the lower forty where an education ends at the six grade and the indoctrination begins and remains till death do us part we would like to know how "deplorable" came about. To us there is nothing more important than taking care of what you have and it don't look like this has happened. Its hard to get behind a policy of planned obsolescense and higher taxes.
ReplyDeleteright
Deleteyou can forget voting yes on anything for the school, they have proven all they care about is themselves and not the town.
ReplyDeletethey can go to hell as far as I am concerned....I will vote NO on anything that is attached to the school system until the end of time.
And please don't spew the age old rhetoric of "it's for the children"....every time I hear that I want to vomit....it's NOT for the children at all....it's for those in charge, always has been, always will.
yup
DeleteThere is a kind of rule, or what ever you want to call it, that anything that costs more than $500. to fix, and it goes to the town to be done. From what I understand the "school people" will save a bunch of things up, and dump them on the town to be done. It is sad that the town meeting attendees have not always been good about voting for repairs, so things just deteriorate more and more. Look at Templeton Center School, just how long ago was that painted? I would like to do a fundraiser under Citizens 4 Templeton this year, to get the trim painted, if it is not all rotten already. I understand how you guys feel and I understand why. I think the School people have been out of touch with reality, but I hope these young people will learn how town government works, and end up being a asset to the town. They have a investment in their homes and their future, so it is in their best interest to learn the past as a step stone into the future. Their is more information about what is going on in town on Pauly's blog, than there is any place else. We have to work with these kids because they are our future. Echo Hill has it's hooks into John C., so we will just have to prove to these younger people why we are for the town, not trying to destroy it.
DeleteSorry, but the amount of money is not $500. but $5000. Anything over that amount, the town gets to pay the tab. There is no excuse for not taking care of the schools. There is no problem with East Templeton, that a dehumidifier could not take care of. Giving that school back to the town, then crying that the schools are over crowded !! No shit !! Any new school had better not have a flat roof. I would love to have the money that we have paid to replace the roof at the middle school. I know we have done it more than twice, and that money could have gone to good use for a number of other things. Bev.
Delete