Renaming School
Dear Editor: During the last School Board meeting I made a statement regarding the renaming of Baranof Elementary. This statement was addressed in a recent letter to the editor and I thank the writer for pointing out my error. It was not my intent to offend but my words did.
My statement was, “I do not see how this could benefit our students.” My intent was to say that I do not see how the renaming of Baranof would best benefit our students at this point. As the writer pointed out, and I would agree, there are more pressing issues facing our students and families today. Our students do need to learn that bullying is not OK, that they are unique and valued no matter their culture, their skin color, their sex or any of the many other designations.
The Sitka School Board is working hard on addressing these issues and in fact adopted two policies that same night addressing other biases against uniqueness of our students.
During my service to the board the school district has adopted programs, implemented policy and dedicated resources toward reducing our achievement gap. I am passionate about creating an educational system where every student has an equal opportunity to succeed.
I hope that the writer and others judge me by my actions and not my choice of words in a statement.
Tim J. Fulton, President
Sitka School Board
Sitka Playground
Dear Editor: Join us! The community of Sitka is in need of a playground. Yes, you can make a difference in our community for all Sitka families. Sitka has playgrounds, but let’s be real, they’re old, unsafe and not really designed well for community gatherings and multi-ability play. Isn’t it time for something different? Something new? Something we can all use and enjoy? We would like to build a playground for the 21st century and we would like you to join us in our quest. We want a playground that is:
–Accessible: All children in Sitka need to be able to access and play in playgrounds. Currently, there are no playgrounds that are accessible to children of all abilities.
Please join us in support of bringing Sitka a much-needed playground for all to enjoy.
–Sustainable: We plan to build a playground that will require little maintenance in the years to come, using materials that are long lasting and safe.
–Keeping with the local decor: We plan to replace playground equipment at Crescent harbor with beautiful structures that will blend in and compliment the surroundings.
–Safety: Safety is the #1 priority! This playground will have a safe ground cover and be built to the current safety and accessibility standards.
–A vibrant community space: A space that honors Sitka’s cultural diversity and inspires multi-generational play. A space to bring your entire family to play, gather and socialize.
Think of the difference you could make contributing to this community cause. Please join us in support of bringing Sitka a much needed playground for all to enjoy. Our next meeting is Monday, Dec. 14, at 6 p.m. in the Sitka Community Hospital classroom downstairs. Invite your friends and family; we need Sitka to come together to make this a reality.
Check out the Sitka Community Playground website at http://sitkacommunityplay.wix.com/home.
See you there, friends.
Meggan Turner, Sitka
