Letters to the Editors
Territory Transfer & Newbury Township
My family has lived in Newbury, in the same home, since 1984 so I would consider us longtime residents of Newbury. We raised our Son, Robert here and he also attended Newbury Local School and is a 2001 graduate! I could spend my time giving you statistics and numbers, but I’m sure by now you know them all. Instead, I would like to give you my opinion and feelings on Newbury Township and the Territory Transfer between Newbury and West Geauga and why my family members are in favor of it happening.
West Geauga has an outstanding curriculum with so many more courses to offer our children. Who would not want this for their child? West Geauga’s report card is an “A”! No other school close can compare to that ranking, not even Berkshire, which at the start of all the talks I preferred Berkshire myself until the more I learned and it became crystal clear who was the superior school between them both. I’m hopeful that the aging community of Newbury like myself remembers the importance of education and giving the most children possible as many opportunities that we as taxpayers can afford. People of Newbury THAT is what West Geauga Local Schools can offer our children. Offer all of the children of Newbury.
People keep bringing up that Newbury will lose its identity without a school here in Newbury Township, which I don’t understand or agree with. What I have seen over the years as a very active member of Newbury Community Church, as well as working for Newbury Local School for almost 10 years, Newbury Township has not really had an “identity” since the late 1980’s and before. We are a small Township right in the middle of Geauga County. A school not being here is Not going to change this. A real Community is its People. People have to change.
My parents wanted more for me than what they had and my husband, Roger and I wanted more for our Son, Robert than we had. Unfortunately that wasn’t the case with Newbury School for our Son. I had more opportunities at my school in the mid 60’s-mid 70’s than our Son had in Newbury in the 90’s. It’s too late for our Son but it’s not too late for the rest of the children of Newbury. I am asking you, the citizens of Newbury Township to help us give the children of Newbury this Great Opportunity to join an awesome school district. If someone asks you to sign a Referendum, please say No Thank You. If this Consolidation is stopped again for the third time, we may have too few children to receive any state funding. What opportunities will our children have then? Reality is a hard pill to swallow. Now is the time to step forward for the future of All of Newbury.
Newbury is losing nothing but is gaining a great school. It just isn’t sitting in Newbury Township anymore. And Newbury will still have a School District they can be proud of. It just won’t say Newbury on it.
Bobbi Prinkey
Newbury Township
