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Opinion Editorials Using Willow makes sense
Using Willow makes sense
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La Grande School Superintendent Larry Glaze and the school board are to
be commended for seeking and finding a solution — albeit temporary — to
what was likely to be a classroom crunch next school year. Reopening
Willow School for La Grande’s kindergarteners saves the district the
extra cost of adding more modulars and puts a school building back into
use. The long-term solution and preferred alternative, of course, is gaining approval of a facilities bond measure. But voters have rejected two previous bond attempts, and with hundreds of people out of work in Union County, the prospects of winning approval of a third try any time soon are not good. Willow provides a stop-gap solution. A way to provide extra classroom space at both Central and Island City schools without having to invest in more expensive modulars. The plan will also result in the district moving the administrative offices to Willow, where Glaze and his staff will provide the administrative and office support for the kindergarten classes in addition to their regular duties. The ultimate fix for the La Grande schools’ classroom space issues, as well as a multitude of other facilities issues, is gaining approval of a bond measure. At some point, this community needs to invest in its school infrastructure. Those needs are not going away and will only get more expensive as time marches on. But let’s face it. Even as close as the vote was for the school bond in November, times are even tougher now. Hundreds more are out of work. Many people are seeing reduced work hours. More work furloughs, possibly some in the public sector, likely lie ahead. The district must not lose sight of the need for seeking, and realizing, the long-term solution to bring La Grande’s schools up to standard. But neither should it lose sight of finding temporary solutions. Using Willow for kindergarten classes is one of those. |
