Letters to the Editor
Who’s Deceiving Who?
After reading your Viewpoint titled “Beware of Deception,” by Jessica Alldredge, I can’t sit back and not comment. Her viewpoint is so full of inaccuracies and personal attacks; it makes me wonder who is deceiving who!
It is very apparent she does not have a clear understanding of school funding or that open enrollment is a legal option for parents if they want to utilize another district for their children’s education. I did and couldn’t be happier of the education my son received at West Geauga.
Touting the referendum as a chance for residents to make their voice be heard, she states it will allow the decision to go to the voters. I believe that happened already when the community overwhelmingly voted in Maggie Zock, Terry Sedivy and Kimya Matthews. As they ran on exploring consolidation, I’m pretty sure the community spoke loud and clear on their desire to become part of another district.
Nowhere in her referendum rant did she mention that, if successful, it will push back the territory transfer timeline and the possibility of not being able to seek another merger for two years.
She fails to mention that of the two people heading the referendum effort, one has a child already enrolled in West G and the other open enrolled his kids in West G for next year. They are taking advantage of an education from an A rated school that is ranked 26th in the state, but are asking the residents to keep Newbury independent. Yet, she has the audacity to put down Maggie for open enrolling her child into West G next year.
Maggie, Terry and Kimya do care about the children of Newbury as well as the taxpayers’ interest. They are doing exactly what the majority of the township wants.
We will be part of a solid district that can provide numerous opportunities to our youth that Newbury cannot. Yes, Jessica, this WILL impact our township. Finally, Newbury has the chance to move forward in a positive way.
Rosemary Yaecker
Russell Township
Get Your Facts Straight
I wanted to write in response to last week’s accusatory letter that both Newbury residents and West Geauga residents have been deceived. I believe that you need to get your facts straight.
Perhaps we need to explain how the present Newbury Board of Education has arrived at where we are today. In 2014, Newbury passed a levy with the promise of looking into a merger with other surrounding districts. The money was needed so that we would be in a good financial position for a merger. Then talks began with Berkshire and then with West Geauga. Both times Newbury pulled out of talks.
In March of 2017, Newbury pulled out of talks of a merger with West Geauga. The old board when questioned by the Maple Leaf had indicated that they were not interested in any merger talks at this time. As a result, many Newbury residents felt betrayed by their actions.
Meanwhile, using the taxpayers’ money, the old board chose to hire extra teachers when they weren’t needed. This is why there were so many RIF’s with the staff. Deceiving the community once again.
And here we are now, getting rid of teachers because we shouldn’t have hired so many extra in the first place. With the taxpayers money that was supposed to be used for financial stability for a merger. I recommend you look back at the previous issues of the Knightlines for data on this.
This is where three new members of the Newbury Board of Education came into play. Terry Sedivy, Maggie Evans and Kimya Matthews were then elected and won by almost a landslide. This is concrete evidence that Newbury residents were unhappy with the actions of the old board.
These three came in with the awareness of the declining enrollment that Newbury has acquired and wanted to put to rest the talks of either merging or staying independent. Talks that have been going on for decades. They came in to determine the best avenue for Newbury.
In March 2018, they voted to resume talks with neighboring districts along with a community survey on what the residents of Newbury wanted. The results of the survey indicated that the community wanted change and a possible merger.
In November of 2018, the board held a meeting going over data of a possible merger. They went over the financials of merging with Berkshire, West Geauga or staying independent. They went over a plethora of data and spent a couple hours examining things such as academic opportunities, financials and demographics at that meeting. It was then that they observed that a merger or territory transfer was the better route for Newbury on so many levels.
They also discovered that West Geauga would be the best fit due to the ample opportunities the district provides.
In January 2019, Newbury Board of Education voted in favor of a territory transfer with the West Geauga district. They voted for a territory transfer and not a merger because this was what West Geauga was willing to offer at this point.
Yes, they did this in January and not later on in the year. Yes, West Geauga’s open enrollment window was about to be opened at that time. I’m sure their thinking was, if we are joining West Geauga, let’s give Newbury families the option of open enrolling their child if they chose to do so.
In my opinion, Maggie Evans has been very mindful of that fact. Think about it, if your child’s school is about to close in two years to join West Geauga, wouldn’t you want the option of open enrolling them just to give them a head start at becoming accustomed to a new school? I would; I would jump at the chance I was given. Anything to help make the transition easier. I applaud Mrs. Zock for being thoughtful enough to give those parents an option.
Mary Masilonis
Russell Township
Law Didn’t Change, People Have
This is in response to the letter by Paul Buettner printed in the Maple Leaf on May 16 titled, “Did the Law Change?” That letter prompted me to write, as I have some questions of my own.
#1: Why do people insist on driving at dusk without their headlights on? I thought the law says you must.
#2: Why do people wait to turn on a turn signal just before turning? I was taught in driver’s education to turn it on 100 feet before turning.
#3: What do people think those thick white lines at traffic lights are for? They mean STOP HERE so trucks can make their wide turns.
#4: Isn’t there a law that says you have to have your headlights on when it is raining?
#5: Is it true that if a teen waits until they’re 18 they don’t need to take all the tests most of us had to take? I sure hope not. Maybe we need to have some “brush up” testing.
In answer to Paul Buettner’s question, the law didn’t change, people have.
Carline Troutman
Middlefield
