Dear Editor:
I currently serve as a member of the Archuleta School District Board of Education, but my opinions concerning ballot issue 5A reflect my personal viewpoint and not that of the Board.
Ballot issue 5A will allow the school district to build a new pre-kindergarten through grade 8 school at a bargain price owing to the co-opt of a $50 million ‘BEST’ grant from the State of Colorado and the fact that the district already owns the land for the school. For example, the montlhy cost will be only about $20.60 for a home with an assessed value of $400,000 (to calculate the cost for your property, refer to the website <citizensforasd.org>).
The education of our Pagosa students begins in preschool, it is nourished in elementary school, leaps forward in middle school, and blossoms in high school, and many of our graduates pursue careers that ultimately have a positive impact beyond the borders of Archuleta County. This is the power of public pre-K–12 education locally, with potential global effects.
Our kids are as bright as those in any place in America—they are driven intellectually in our district’s schools, they are adaptable, and they have grand potential. Let’s invest in our young kids now by providing an inspirational and stimulating learning environment that will benefit both students and faculty. As our Colorado forefathers did for us during our youth, let’s invest in our kids so that they may have the educational basis necessary to become successful throughout our state and country.
A few years back, a fellow named John Denver crafted a song that celebrates the gift that is our children, stating:
You are promise of all the ages
You are the Prodigal Son
You are the vision of prophets and sages
You are the only one
We can all agree that our children are the foundation of the future of Archuleta County, of Colorado, and of America. Let’s provide our young kids with modern resources with which to learn and thrive and provide them a great launch pad for entry into high school, after which they will proudly represent Pagosa Springs in the world. That’s a philosophy we can all support—even those of us with gray hair whose kids have graduated and moved on to contribute positively to society. Our new school will be an educational investment in America! Please support our young kids in Archuleta County with a ‘Yes’ vote on ballot issue 5A.
Tim Taylor
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