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MONDAY February 23, 2004 - Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels January 28, 2004 We still have options on Lincoln By Martha Phelps Cotton Ashland As many of you know by now, the Ashland School Board is considering the closure of another beloved neighborhood school in our community, Lincoln Elementary. This is not an easy issue for anyone. The sad state of educational funding in Oregon has hurt our schools in more ways than can be measured, and without some inspired and concrete solutions, the situation has little hope of changing anytime soon. The necessity of your voting yes on Measure 30 will help, a little. So please do so. But what can we do about the prospect of another Ashland school closing - due to the shrinking budget and the ever-diminishing affordability of living in Ashland? One thing we can do is come together as a learning community and utilize the rich assets of people like each of you to work with our elected school board members and find answers that reach beyond the simple, short-term solution that closing a school offers. This "band aid" idea will not solve any long-term problems, and our board alone may not have all of the vision or resources necessary to tackle this issue by themselves. I for one, appreciate the board's dedication during this difficult time, and I also believe that the bringing together of fresh ideas and energy may actually bring to light an alternative that the Ashland school board hasn't considered yet. There is a group called For Quality Schools that is asking the school board to delay their vote to close Lincoln for a year while alternatives are sought. This group wants to work with the board, openly - honestly - and with commitment to a decision that will best serve the educational needs of our children. The superintendent's constant public declaration that "closing Lincoln is not a matter of if, but when" is starting to sound like leading a witness in a courtroom. I guess she feels that if she says it loud enough and often enough, it will be so. Board chairperson, Amy Amrhein has said "that to the best of her knowledge, school board members are still open to multiple solutions, despite rumors to the contrary on this issue." Might it be that the superintendent's repeated "this is a done deal" statements are a source of these "rumors"? How do we reconcile these conflicting messages? In any case, my friends, whether your children are at Lincoln or not, whether they are grown or still babies at home, whether they are in public or private school, whether you even have children or not, I am respectfully asking you to get involved with this matter that is still very much alive. And, especially, keep in mind, this is not just about the closing of one school, but about maintaining a complex of at least four elementary schools The closure of neighborhood schools in our community - no matter what your relationship is to children - absolutely affects the livability, quality, and personality of the town. Ask anyone who tries to convince you otherwise for some good evidence supporting their opinion. Because there are, on the other hand, research findings that chronicle the negative impact of school closures on their communities. Whether you came to Ashland 2 years ago or 40 years ago, you came to a small town with 5 neighborhood elementary schools - and whether you realized it consciously or not, those schools were a part of the fabric that made this the place you wanted to live. Remember that when you consider what the future in Ashland may look like - your future and that of your families, your customers, clients, co-workers, and neighbors. There will be a meeting with the Ashland School Board on Monday, Feb. 9, at 7:30 p.m. in the Ashland City Hall Council Chambers on East Main Street. Anyone in the community of Ashland who has thoughts, feelings, ideas, concerns or questions about the quality of education in Ashland, the issue of closing another school in our town, and the fate of Lincoln Elementary School needs to attend this meeting. Please clear your calendars and take an hour or so to participate in an evening that may shape the future of our town, for better or for worse. Thanks for your time and concern. DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Site Search: A new improved archive search is coming! Look for it in mid-February! .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - ODOT Road Cams