Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Julia's Cool New Bike...
So, until now, Julia has been riding her bike with training wheels. That's all fine and good, but for those of you who have dealt with training wheels before, they're really not all that stable. She couldn't go very fast, and if she had to turn, she often fell over. Shawn decided to do some searching online to see if he could find a three wheeled bike. There were a lot, but they were all handicapped bikes. That's fine, but they had seat belts and high back seats -- and that's not what Julia needs. She just needs stability. Besides, they were like $2700!!!! Anyway, Shawn decided to go search on ebay just to see. He found this guy in Alaska who makes a modification for an existing bike. You just take off the back tire and attach this bar he's welded and then put on a new chain and the two modified wheels he sends. It was about 1/10 the cost, and we didn't have to buy a new bike. Here are some pictures of her riding it.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Even more thoughts on the boundary change fiasco...
I know, I know, I've already posted about this today, but in talking with some of you, I have two additional comments.
If you'd like to email Dave Stoddard (the district guy in charge of this boundary change), here's his email david.stoddard@jordank12.ut.us. Tell him you think it's ridiculous that if the only area affected was Butterfield Canyon, then why didn't we take their public input into account to decide which option would have been better (between B and K).
Also point out that, whatever the committee, may have made up their minds to decide, a vote for N, K, or J was definitely a vote against B. After all, the first three were basically the same. Whereas B was significantly different.
Thirdly, I have numbers given to me by the district. One of the things we look at when considering where to draw boundaries is how many kids it affects. Well, the committee must have completely forogotten that rule because option B moves 400 kids, whereras option K only moves 200. Shoudln't we affect the least number of kids possible?
If you'd like to email Dave Stoddard (the district guy in charge of this boundary change), here's his email david.stoddard@jordank12.ut.us. Tell him you think it's ridiculous that if the only area affected was Butterfield Canyon, then why didn't we take their public input into account to decide which option would have been better (between B and K).
Also point out that, whatever the committee, may have made up their minds to decide, a vote for N, K, or J was definitely a vote against B. After all, the first three were basically the same. Whereas B was significantly different.
Thirdly, I have numbers given to me by the district. One of the things we look at when considering where to draw boundaries is how many kids it affects. Well, the committee must have completely forogotten that rule because option B moves 400 kids, whereras option K only moves 200. Shoudln't we affect the least number of kids possible?
Boundary Change Update
Last night after the open house, the committee met until midnight to "discuss" the final proposal to send to the school board. In the end, it was between option B and option K. All but three of us who represent Butterfield Canyon voted for B, which made me livid. The only difference between B and K was in which areas of Butterfield Canyon were going to Herriman and which ones would stay (they were an exact mirror image of each other).
Anyway, after about ten minutes of discussion, Michelle Taft and I (who both live in the affected areas) looked at each other and just knew everyone was going to vote for B. After a few hours of discussion, we were right. It didn't matter what we said, how valid our arguments were, or anything. They were bound and determined to vote for B.
B did get the most votes last night, but not by much. And we kind of ended up feeling that the votes for J or K were diluted because we had two good choices, whereas those who wanted B only had one. Not that that mattered either, becaus when Michelle and I brought up the fact that since it is our area that is affected most, we should really look at the feelings of those living here, we were told that you all came last night just to voice an opinion, and that we didn't have to go by that at all. We could simply discount that if we thought it in the best interest of everyone.
As you can probably tell by now, I am completely disgusted at what happened with this boundary change. Why even have an open house if you're not going to look at how people in the only affected area feel about the change?
Anyone who is interested, I'll try to make sure I know when the school board meeting is. If you feel strongly enough, you can attend and voice your concerns to, hopefully, a more unbiased group.
Anyway, after about ten minutes of discussion, Michelle Taft and I (who both live in the affected areas) looked at each other and just knew everyone was going to vote for B. After a few hours of discussion, we were right. It didn't matter what we said, how valid our arguments were, or anything. They were bound and determined to vote for B.
B did get the most votes last night, but not by much. And we kind of ended up feeling that the votes for J or K were diluted because we had two good choices, whereas those who wanted B only had one. Not that that mattered either, becaus when Michelle and I brought up the fact that since it is our area that is affected most, we should really look at the feelings of those living here, we were told that you all came last night just to voice an opinion, and that we didn't have to go by that at all. We could simply discount that if we thought it in the best interest of everyone.
As you can probably tell by now, I am completely disgusted at what happened with this boundary change. Why even have an open house if you're not going to look at how people in the only affected area feel about the change?
Anyone who is interested, I'll try to make sure I know when the school board meeting is. If you feel strongly enough, you can attend and voice your concerns to, hopefully, a more unbiased group.
Monday, October 6, 2008
School Boundary Changes
As many of you know, I am on the boundary change committee for the upcoming new school in Herriman. I live in a particularly affected area because there really is no school close to us. The committee has come up with four options (although two of those, I believe, will immediately be voted out) that will be presented for public comment at an open house this Thursday, October 9, from 6:00 to 7:30pm at the Middle School. If you are concerned about this issue at all, you need to be there and vote.
The public is given a sheet of paper and they write their options in order of preference. Those votes are actually counted and play a huge part in drawing up the final draft of the boundaries later that night. There is also a comment section. My problem with the option that doesn't keep my area in Butterfield Canyon is that it doesn't seem right to move us to Herriman and then keep busing the kids further up the street to BC, when we are closer to BC and already attending that school. That would be my comment.
I also have a safety concern because Herriman buses would drop kids off on my street around 3:30 and then a half hour later, the BC buses would drive up the street. I'm afraid that kids will be out playing by that time and that it poses a safety risk.
I know a few people who want to pass out flyers in our area to make sure we let everyone know. If you want to help, give me a call. If you talk to your neighbors (even those without kids or only with pre-school kids, because it really does affect everyone), please tell them to go over and vote that night. It will only take ten minutes or so and they can bring the kids. This affects everyone in our area so much.
Hopefully, if we all go in force and express how much we want to stay at BC, then the committee will see our point of view and keep us there.
The public is given a sheet of paper and they write their options in order of preference. Those votes are actually counted and play a huge part in drawing up the final draft of the boundaries later that night. There is also a comment section. My problem with the option that doesn't keep my area in Butterfield Canyon is that it doesn't seem right to move us to Herriman and then keep busing the kids further up the street to BC, when we are closer to BC and already attending that school. That would be my comment.
I also have a safety concern because Herriman buses would drop kids off on my street around 3:30 and then a half hour later, the BC buses would drive up the street. I'm afraid that kids will be out playing by that time and that it poses a safety risk.
I know a few people who want to pass out flyers in our area to make sure we let everyone know. If you want to help, give me a call. If you talk to your neighbors (even those without kids or only with pre-school kids, because it really does affect everyone), please tell them to go over and vote that night. It will only take ten minutes or so and they can bring the kids. This affects everyone in our area so much.
Hopefully, if we all go in force and express how much we want to stay at BC, then the committee will see our point of view and keep us there.
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