Dear Editor,
I have a comment regarding the photo on page 13 of the October 22-28 issue. It is a beautiful fence but I don’t see how this helps our school districts financial situation. I was just at a meeting at Null School on October 17th with parents in our district and James Cale the Superintendent. Are you aware he will be recommending to the school board ways to reduce our school districts budget in January? One of the options he has mentioned is closing Benton School although his presentation notes say different use. Listed below are the options that were presented to us:
Administration Center: non-use, hold or lease
Blackhurst Elementary: non-use, hold or lease
Success Campus: non-use, sell
Lincoln Elementary: Different use
Benton Elementary: Different use
these buildings are being considered due to present use, size, and proximity to other schools
or reconfigure our schools:
option 1. K-3, 4-6, 7-9, 10-12
option 2. K-4, 5-7, 8-9, 10-12
option 3. K-2, 3-6, 7-9, 10-12
(He claims our transportation cost will not go up with this plan. I can’t understand how they won’t go up and if we are running all of our schools but one High School. We will be bussing kids all over St. Charles)
Apparently, in the 2006-07 school year we will be operating at a deficit. It is possible he could present to the voters a transfer of the levy approved for SEEK construction. Currently it must be used to pay debt and cannot arbitrarily be used to operate schools. A forty-five cent tax hike is possible to keep running as we are at our current student to teacher ratios.
The survey they gave us was ridiculous. You could not answer several of the questions because it clearly depended on what the changes were. i.e.. Do you support alternate uses of the school buildings? Obviously, this depends on what their alternate use is.
Supposedly, Lindenwood is very interested in Blackhurst. Lindenwood is a private entity but yet exempt from taxes. They are buying up St. Charles and stealing much needed revenue from our public school system.
Are you covering any of this? This is definitely news that concerns our St. Charles Community. They are taking our schools out of our neighborhoods. They are going to overcrowd the classrooms with higher ratios to gain financially. This is not 1973-1978 where students had support from home and the special needs and disruptive children were put into specialized classrooms. Now no matter what your diagnosis you have a right to be in the classroom. Our teacher’s hands are full with the current ratio’s of 1:20 or so. Probably at least 5 if not more are diagnosed with AD, ADHD, language barrier issues, etc. Then there are those who just need a hand held to make it through the day. Teacher’s are already spread thin with “No Child Left Behind.”
Please cover this issue, the community needs to be informed. The next and last meeting is on Monday, October 25th at Monroe Elementary, 2670 Zumbehl at 7:00 P.M.
Thank you for a great paper. I look forward to it every Saturday.
(Concerned Parent of the School District)
P.S. If you choose to print any of this in the editorial section, please withhold my name. I do not want to offend those who have children with special needs. I am fine with them in my child’s classroom. On the other hand these teacher’s are struggling to keep the special needs children up to speed, the exceptionally advanced children challenged and the average on track. They are running several levels of instruction in their classrooms. If you add 8 more students into the classroom someone will be left behind.
First Capitol News,
Thank you for your donation of the $500 of advertising in the First Capitol News for our Silent Auction which we held along with our Oktoberfest Dinner/Dance on September 23rd. Our event was a huge success, thanks in part to your support. Your item was one of the most popular items in our auction.
The proceeds from this event will enable us to continue our cultural exchanges with our Sister City in Ludwigsburg, Germany. Thank you again for your support.
Sincerely
St. Charles Sister Cities
Oktoberfest Dinner/Dance Committee
First Capitol News Editor,
My comments are directed to Alex Spencer’s article of Sept.24th. Thank you Mr. Spencer for the history lesson praising the Roman Republic for successfully balancing the interests of the Plebeians (commoners) and the Patricians (nobles).
I guess the Roman Empire, as it was taught in school, should be congratulated for trying to rule the world with their “balanced” Army, feeding Christians to the Lions or having them killed by their Gladiators. The history lesson continued when you informed us that the American Republic works the same way as the Romans, but in America only the rich re the nobility, that money is King, especially in the campaign finance system where only the rich get to buy a “Bigger Better Vote.”
I never realized that my family was part of the nobility and the wealthy land-owing aristocracy, and I think you for letting us know this. Gee, we surely should be entitled to a “Bigger, Better Vote” that you say just the rich get to buy. Because we give $50 contributions to several local and state candidates and $50 to our national party preference.
You will have a big decision to make if you would be lucky and win the lottery, would you give the entire amount to charity or become one of those wealthy land-owing aristocrats you write about? Also be sure none of your children, if you have any, become a professional athlete or start their own business that may become successful otherwise they could become one of those rich ones.
What Adolphus Busch IV, or anyone else does with their money is their business.
I was a volunteer naturalist for the Missouri Department of Conservation, at Busch Wildlife Conservation Area, for over 13 years with 2000 hours of service before retiring last year. Four of us gave an off-site program at Belleau Farm, the Busch property in O’Fallon for over fifty school children and their teachers.
The program was done on the Monday following the weekend Mr. Busch and many of his friends held a fundraiser on his property. The large amount raised was added to other monies already donated to the Conservation by that same group. After the ’93 flood, which put 6-8 feet of water over those 2000 acres and into his home, Mr. Busch redeveloped that flooded ground into the most beautiful wildlife conservation area I have ever seen. Sure, it was his land, and that’s what he wanted to do, but that’s his prerogative isn’t it? Could it be that what he saw in the ’93 flood he doesn’t want to see gain?
I am not an engineer, just a layman with an opinion The levee may hold flood water out of the flood plain development, but surely impact north and south of the levee, plus Illinois. It’s like St. Peters and the Corp of Engineers are saying, “It ain’t our problem, it’s theirs”.
Mr. Spencer, if you think the lights in the development would deter ducks from landing on a huge 2000 acres, you must not be a duck hunter.
This is not written to discuss politics in St. Peters. We surely have more than our share in St. Charles and O’Fallon. Mr. Busch or Mr. Musick do not know me from Adam. I just wanted to express my opinion because of the negative articles criticizing them. The Busch family has given millions to many worthy causes over the years. Sure they could afford it, but isn’t that what is expected from wealthy land-owning nobles? In fact Busch Wildlife Conservation wasn’t named that by accident.
Anyway thanks again, Mr. Spencer, for teaching your reader students history lessons. I do agree with your closing statement – Long live the Republic, but want to add to it, God Bless America.
Jim Goessling
