Thankful Day Five - LPSD

It’s a broad subject, but an essential one. Today I’m thankful for schools, those in Lewis-Palmer District 38, above all others.

Even before we got married, Doug and I talked about where we thought we might want to raise our family. We both agreed that while we loved California, there were some challenges involve in raising kids there, many of which related to schools.

The other thing, was that Doug and I both grew up in rural areas, and we agreed we wanted the same environment for our kids, if we were able to provide it for them.

We spent seven years looking for a place to move, not finding anywhere that felt really suited us. As Frank started first grade, I fell from a loft in our garage, an accident that could easily have killed me or left me paralyzed. Luckily, I only broke a few ribs and punctured a lung. But it was a wake-up call for both Doug and me.

We stepped up our search for a place to live. Doug suggested I look at the area between Denver and Colorado Springs, and . . . you can probably finish the rest of the story.

A large part of my research related to schools. In California, Frank was in a private school. But what I found here, was that the public schools were exceptional. 

We moved to Colorado in July, and Frank started second grade in August. We didn’t know exactly where we would settle, so we opted into a school called Prairie Winds. The first few days were difficult for Frank. He had trouble getting accustomed to the new environment, making new friends . . . the typical things kids face when they move. By the end of the second week, he was fine as far as his social life was concerned. 

Academics were a different story. Even having attended a private school, he was behind. We hired a tutor three days a week, and by October he was caught up.

We live in a place with truly outstanding schools. The district is recognized on many levels, including a distinction for being in the top ten percent in the state. Several of our schools receive state level awards annually. The percentage of students graduating from this district who go on to college and university is astounding.

Our district, like so many others in the state and in the nation, has been hit with severe funding cuts. The deficits have resulted significant negative impacts. Classroom sizes have gone up, teachers have been pushed to their limits, especially on a high school level, technology updates have been non-existant, and I could go on.

I have had the privilege of working on a recent ballot issue relating to school funding; we will know the results of the vote by seven tonight. In the course of working on the campaign, I have made new friends, had the opportunity to get to know people who I have a tremendous amount of respect for, and learned so much about the school district I already had a high opinion of.

A few minutes ago I received an email from one of the people on the committee. He sent a message saying that regardless of the outcome, we worked hard, ran an honorable and honest campaign. We did not get mired down in the lies and dirty politics the opposition threw at us. We can hold our collective heads high, and be proud of the work we did.

It is in the hands of the voters today, and for that I am grateful. I love this country, and our democratic system. Rather than a handful determining the outcome of an issue that results in higher property taxes, instead it is in the hands of the voters. If the measure fails, the schools will continue to experience negative impacts of lack of funding, but they will not close. 

And if the measure passes, they will be in better shape, certainly, but still not back to the levels they were when we moved here. Again, regardless of the cuts of the last few years, this school district remains among the very best. When I walk into Prairie Winds, where Beckett is in fourth grade, I say a little prayer of thanks for the exceptional school that it is, but more for the amazing teachers and staff that touch his life every day. 

Frank is a freshman in high school, and I am equally thankful every morning when I drop him off, knowing what kind of day he will have. He will be challenged, he will learn, he will have fun, and he will gain knowledge through those life experiences that will give him the opportunity to do whatever he wants to with his life.

So today, I am thankful for schools, the teachers and staff that turn a building into a safe haven for learning, the administrators who do their level best to make sure my children have the best education they can provide, no matter how tough the state makes it in terms of funding.