A new elementary school will strengthen the Monticello community

To the Editor,

   There’s a story about a child watching their parent prepare the Christmas ham, and wondering why the ends of the ham are cut off before baking. “I’m not sure why…it’s just the way we’ve always done it…maybe ask your grandparents?” replies the parent. Turns out Grandma and Grandpa did it because it was the way their parents did it. Going back far enough, they learn the real reason was because Great Grandma didn’t have a pan big enough to fit the ham. No longer is that the issue, but the ends of the ham continue to be cut off because “that’s always the way it’s been done.”

   Carpenter and Shannon have essentially been one elementary building existing in two sites for at least 30 years. You might think of it as “that’s always the way it’s been done.” I taught at Carpenter when it was a 4-6 building and served as the school counselor at Carpenter and Shannon for 13 years after that. I think it’s time to ask questions about why maintaining two buildings is still our practice, when we know the facts:

   • The current system, where approximately a third of the staff transfer between buildings, results in educational inefficiencies and a less effective learning experience overall. At any given time, there may not be a school nurse, administrator, or school counselor in the building because they are shared between the two sites.

   • Our elementary schools lack the safety features present in newer buildings. Those entering the school have immediate access to student areas and classrooms with no secure entry area.

   • It would cost more to bring Shannon and Carpenter up to code than it would to build a new building. Parts for systems such as the boilers are increasingly difficult to find, and repairs are costly.

   • One building would streamline efficiencies in buses, meal preparation, and custodial staff, and a newer, more efficient building could save money in the long run versus continuing to try to repair and replace outdated and failing equipment.

   I’m not blind to the fact that this will come at a cost. However, because the district has been diligent stewards of taxpayer dollars, the opportunity for this bond has come earlier and with less impact to the tax levy rate than was originally projected. We also know that it’s not going to get any cheaper and the cost increases about a million dollars each year based on a standard 4 percent inflation rate.

   It's time to stop “cutting off the ends of the ham” and give our youngest students the best opportunities that they can have, making Monticello’s K-12 educational system something that strengthens our community for years to come.

   Please join me in voting YES on Nov. 5.

Aimee Hospodarsky

Monticello, Iowa