SCHOOL: No more nightmare

I am the mother of two children who attend Winton Elementary, one going into 4th grade and the other into 1st. The staff at Winton provides a fantastic atmosphere for our children to learn and thrive in, but the surroundings in which the teachers work and our students are asked to learn needs desperate repairs. The school is 80-plus years old and has not seen any major renovations in over 30 years.

As you walk around the school you can see with your own eyes there is more needed here than caulk and paint, air ventilation systems, or another portable, serious repairs are needed. Some of the materials and processes used during Winton’s construction are no longer allowed due to new and updated standards, laws, and regulations. I believe it would be worth the time of the voters to drive by our humble little school to see with for themselves how badly we are in need of a new school; the outside alone tells its own story with each crack in the foundation filled as the best repair option available.

When stepping inside the building, you feel as though you have stepped back in time as the floors creek while you walk up and down the halls with dim lighting and the musty smell of an old, outdated building. The library is the small and the music room is a portable. The boiler room reminds me of something you might see in a horror movie and unsafe to access; “watch your step” comes to mind along with flashbacks of watching “Nightmare on Elm Street.” In one wing of the school the classrooms are clustered together where each has their own outside access but to access from the inside, you must walk through other classrooms to get to your destination; constant disturbances throughout the day do not condone the best educational setting. The bond to replace the school at Winton is a must not a want so to keep our children in a safe setting.

I understand the perception of how the bonds affect property taxes of the individuals within our community, especially during these tough economic times. The upcoming bond(s) replace retiring levies making the transition of the two seamless and unnoticeable. Obtaining a YES vote from our fellow community members means a safer environment for our teachers to work and students to learn in. A YES vote also means new construction in our area which brings jobs to individuals, money to the city, county, and state, and local suppliers/businesses; how can this been seen as anything less than positive not only for our teachers and students, but our surrounding community as well? As a community, we owe it to our children to provide them with a safe setting to grow, thrive, and learn in. Please remember how your YES vote will have a POSITIVE impact within our community.

KELLEY WOODARD

Coeur d’Alene