Letters in Fosters

Today's edition of Foster's contains a number of letters relating to the upcoming School Board elections; they are republished here with the kind permission of the editor:

OR, wake up

To the editor: Get Kim Clark's Community Commentary which appeared in Foster's on Feb. 17. Tell everyone you know to read it. She exposes David Taylor for what he is.

Mr. Taylor served on the Oyster River School Board for 12 years. Those years were the most fiscally irresponsible years in the history of the Oyster River School System. From 2000 to 2009, the cost per student increased from $374 about the state average to $3,472 over the state average, nearly a 1000% increase. And with all those funds expended the number of our seniors going on to four-year colleges did not increase one single percent.

Did you know that during the decade between 2000 and 2009 the Oyster River School Board spent $48 million of taxpayer money over the state average? And this expenditure happened while our student enrollment was declining, not increasing.

With this unexplainable and terrible waste of money, our test scores and school system rank among the State schools did not increase.

I have talked with school systems all over the country, from California, to Michigan, to Florida, to Maryland, and they are unanimously astounded at our cost, which is now $19,000 per student per year.

Since 2009, the School Board has worked to slow the financial bleeding, without reducing the quality of our school system. Changes have been made and a tighter ship has been established.

Do not support the FORE candidates. FORE is the brainchild of David Taylor and if their candidates gain control of the Board it will return to the same fiscal irresponsibility that marked Mr. Taylor's tenure on the Board.

In all the published commentary, none of the FORE people have ever justified the wasted money. They use distraction, innuendos and rationalization rather than facts. The one thing they return to over and over are the Right-to Know violations by the present School Board. As Mrs. Clark stated in her commentary, "There were many instances of Right to Know violations when Mr. Taylor was a part of the Board". But, no one took any of those violations to court. However, Mr. Taylor knew where the weak spots were, so went after them. Don't his law suits make you wonder? Has anyone asked about the processes used during the previous years from 2000 to 2009 in selecting School Administrators?

With improved leadership in the hands of the new Superintendent, Dr. Morse, keep the School Board moving in the direction of fiscal integrity by re-electing Henry Brackett and Jim Kach.

Roger Speidel
Durham

Time for thanks

To the editor: It is time to thank every member of the current Oyster River School Board for their hard work and dedication, serving the students, teachers, staff and citizens of the district. They deserve our appreciation for what they have accomplished despite the countless, vitriolic efforts of a small group of disgruntled citizens to discredit them. Not one of them knowingly violated the law and all of them have worked tirelessly for the good of the district. They have guided us through a transition period with excellent new administrators — interim superintendent, high school principal, director of instruction/SpEd, and director of food services. They initiated the following: 1) transportation study to increase the efficiency and cost effectiveness of our district transportation; 2) facilities study to enable the district to develop a 5-year plan for necessary improvements to district facilities; 3) energy audit of the high school which revealed many areas in need of improvement. They actively participated in the budget process, seeking cost containment and reductions that reflect declining enrollments. However, they were overruled by those present at the budget deliberative session on February 7, when $150,500 was added to the FY13 General Fund, increasing the proposed budget to $38,360,788. Finally, they have successfully hired a new superintendent who will bring valuable experience and new vision to serve everyone effectively.

Jocelyn O'Quinn, stepping down after three years, tirelessly voiced need for a long-range strategic plan to guide the district with any new programs and declining enrollments. Ann Wright resigned in January after two years trying to preserve reason on the Board. Jim Kach and Henry Brackett seek re-election, demonstrating their willingness to continue to protect the high quality of the district's education programs while serving the needs of ALL its students — they deserve your votes March 13. Krista Butts, Ann Lane, and Megan Turnbull intend to continue preserving our excellent district programs, helping develop a strategic education plan, while making the district more fiscally responsible. Please take time to shake the hand of every school board member while saying, "Thank you!"
Anne Knight
Durham