Steamboat Pilot & Today

As parents of two high school students, we appreciate that the Hayden School District took the courageous step in conducting a drug search at the Hayden secondary schools. The Hayden School District has always stated that it is a drug-free district; it now has proven that it is drug-free. Congratulations! We are proud of our school and of our kids.

By proving that the Hayden School District “walks the talk” in being drug-free, our district has set an example of high standards and high expectations for student conduct. Although no drugs were found on campus, we recognize that the consequences for a student younger than 18 to be in possession are less than those for an adult. Fortunately, no students needed to learn a hard lesson. However, enforcing the regulations at an early age enables consequences to be learned when the stakes are not as extreme as they might be later in life.

We recognize that the decision to conduct the drug search (a policy that has been neglected during the past several years) must have been a difficult one for school administration and the School Board. As we are part of a public school, on public property, it seems appropriate to follow mandated guidelines and prove that our district is a safe place for kids to learn without drugs on the premises. We also recognize that there has been much discussion recently within our communities about the use of drugs for medicinal or recreational purposes. Whether or not the use of drugs becomes a legal practice, a learning environment should remain drug- and alcohol-free.

Having a drug-free school is only part of the Hayden academic experience. We continue to be impressed with the exceptional opportunities our small school district offers and are grateful to be part of a school district that enables hard-working kids to pursue their goals and achieve exceptional results. The small size of our district provides for a low teacher-to-student ratio, providing our students with the attention they need to learn in today’s environment. With opportunities for honors, advanced placement and college courses, recent graduates have received their high school diplomas and their associate degrees simultaneously, enabling them to attend upper-level classes at highly respected colleges and universities just out of high school. 

Through the incredible Babson-Carpenter vocational program, students have earned numerous trade certifications that typically take years to obtain in the workforce. The new structural engineering course enables students to obtain real-world, practical design, implementation and teamwork lessons with regional experts while obtaining college credit. The academic opportunities combined with the exceptional trades instruction and certification make Hayden unique in our region, if not the nation.

Please accept our sincere gratitude for the hard work, hard choices and high expectations that the Hayden School District has placed upon its students, and please keep up the high standards.  

Tammie and Patrick Delaney

Hayden