Steamboat Pilot & Today

Keep money here

Loved the ViewPoint that was in the paper Sunday on shopping locally. Here is the Pilot & Today's editor telling us that we should check local businesses to see if they have some of the Christmas items on our list before we shop in Silverthorne or Grand Junction or order them from the catalog. Now correct me if I am wrong, but didn't the editor write a big story last spring about surviving his first winter here and how his family went to Silverthorne and bought all of its winter clothing? The man is a hypocrite and we should all let him know it. Please send him a personal e-mail letting him know that you remember his article this spring. Also ask him why we working people should keep our money here, where we will likely pay far more for items, while he shops elsewhere.

Where's the congrats?

I am a teacher at Strawberry Park Elementary. Our students, parents, faculty and staff have worked hard academically, and last week we were recognized by the state, receiving the John Irwin School of Excellence Award. I guess it would have been nice for our superintendent to at least say congratulations to us, or other school board members to say, "nice job." It has been more than a week since the award was presented, and our staff still hasn't heard from our leader, Dr. Simms. In the poem "Children Learn What They Are," the unknown author states, "If a child lives with recognition, he learns that it is good to have a goal." We are mandated by the district to have professional goals, grade-level goals, school goals and personal goals. If we don't meet the goals, the pay-for-performance monetary incentive is removed from our paychecks. Personally, I dislike the concept of pay for performance, but a little recognition, an e-mail, a public statement, a building visit, from our superintendent or any member of our school board would be greatly appreciated.

Dismayed, not surprised

After discovering that the superintendent of schools and board of education members failed to make appropriate efforts to congratulate the staff and administration of Strawberry Park Elementary School, I was dismayed but not surprised. I would think as leaders in the community, they would make a personal visit to extend their gratitude on behalf of the community they represent. Time will tell. I'm certain that some form of recognition is in the works and it will be acted on soon. Will they do the right thing, or simply take their toys and go home?

Very bad idea

Letting the bus shelters be sold for advertising is a very bad idea that is not well thought out and is a stupid trade off for the City Council to make.

We need 'parents'

One week after we think this whole thing between Dr. D and the superintendent has blown over and is settled and only three days after Strawberry Park is recognized as a school of excellence, Superintendent Simms writes a two-page letter of reprimand stating he has violated eight school district policies. The Parents for Dr. D departed too early. We need the Parents for Dr. D.