Dear Editor,

Wesclin CUSD has a wonderful opportunity to build a badly needed, brand new $23.3 million dollar high school for the cost of $9.6 million in local money without the property tax rate increasing. How is this possible? Because an unusual set of circumstances have come together to make it so, which I will detail.
Circumstance #1: Wesclin CUSD has a critical need for more space in its teaching environment. The current high school facility lacks adequate classroom space to expand needed high school courses as well as plan for and provide added curriculum opportunities to enhance the educational experience of students attending Wesclin High School. This impacts the Junior High School as two of its classrooms are used by the High School which, naturally, limits the Junior High's capabilities. Because of some of the federal requirements of special education, the Wesclin CUSD does not meet legal requirements, partially due to lack of classroom space. There are many other space requirements which aren't being met that are too numerous to list in this letter but can be found on the Wesclin CUSD web site: wesclin.k12.il.us/default.htm. A new high school will provide needed space (up to 650 students) for its students and the current Senior/Junior High School will turn into a fourth through eighth grade attendance center alleviating space requirements for those grades. This circumstance established the need.
Circumstance #2: Past Wesclin CUSD school board members foresaw the day when a new school would be needed and purchased 40 acres of ground immediately west of the current Wesclin High/Junior High campus. An application to the state of Illinois was made for construction grant money several years ago in preparation to build a new school. Wesclin CUSD's application has stayed on the list since that time, putting it ahead of schools that applied later. The land purchase placed Wesclin in a strong position of being ready to build if the program was ever funded and high on the list since the district applied early. This circumstance established the required preparatory step; purchasing the land and having priority on the list to receive grant money.
Circumstance #3: The Construction Grant Program was funded this past year by the state, the first time in many years this has happened. I, like much of the public, was very skeptical upon learning this, knowing what this state is capable of when it comes to money. However, this money is blocked off to be used only for school construction and the funds are already in place, having been raised from other tax sources. The Wesclin CUSD administration has been assured the money will be there and I am comfortable with that fact. This is the money that will pay for approximately 60% of the new school. Once this money is gone, it's gone; we won't get a second chance. This circumstance establishes the majority of the funding for the new school.
Circumstance #4: The bonds that Wesclin CUSD is presently paying on will be paid off at the end of 2011. Perfect timing! If the referendum passes and the bonds are purchased at the low current rates, we, the taxpayers, should not see an increase in the property tax rate, just a continuation of the rate we are paying now. In fact, there is a possibility, if key events come about, the tax rate could even decrease slightly. However, the explanation for that is far too complex for this letter and better left to be explained in person at any of the many meetings planned to prepare for this referendum. If you can't make any of the meetings but would like the explanation please send me an email at jeannerk@charter.net and I will provide that explanation and any other answers to questions you may have.
These unusual set of circumstances have come together to provide the perfect opportunity for Wesclin CUSD to gain a $23.3 million dollar, very much needed, new high school for the price of $9.6 million in local money. If we don't approve the referendum on November 2, we will have done a grave disservice to ourselves as taxpayers. Why? Because this issue will not go away, it will just keep coming back until it is approved, and we, the taxpayer, will then pay the full cost for it. Also, if we don't approve this referendum, another school will approve theirs and take the $13.7 million the state would have provided to us. After all, it is our tax money; shouldn't we use it for our children in the Wesclin CUSD community?

Sincerely,
Kent G. Jeanneret,
Wesclin CUSD School Board Member

One in an ongoing series of essays written by Rachel Sterrett, a former New Baden resident who is living and teaching in China.

The school officials in Molidawa were wonderful about getting us out and about. Once Oliver found out that James could play basketball, they both participated in as many outdoor basketball matches as Oliver could drag him to.

Once it was discovered that I liked to play badminton, I was given two rackets and four birdies, and taken to the gym as well, although my opponents were rarely as skilled as the basketball guys. I played with my left hand 80 % of the time.

The school also took us to a Daur minority museum - the Daur people are the majority in Molidawa - out on an excursion to see a dam, to karaoke, and on a hike to an extinct volcano crater. James, Ed and I had come to Molidawa to teach our students, however, and we really wanted to spend more time with them. For the last weekend, we begged to be allowed to go with the students on an excursion to the countryside, and finally got permission, provided that Oliver came too.

It was a terrific day. I meandered around outside of the bus when the driver decided that 30 people were weighing it down to much and ordered us out. I hiked with students, climbed a few trees that freaked Oliver out, sang a bit, walked over to a river that freaked my student Jones out and had a terrific time eating and chatting with students for most of the day.

James drank beer with the male students at the beginning and everyone at the end; Ed played dominoes with several of the female students who had gotten hooked on the game earlier in the course; and we just had a wonderful time talking with all the teachers/students and hearing their stories. It was easily the best day we had during the whole program.

By the end of the three weeks, our students had not only practiced their oral English and learned some new teaching methodology from our courses, but they had also experienced some Western culture. Ed taught the students baseball, and everyone loved it so much that we actually had a "World Series" between four of the groups during the afternoon session of the last week.

James taught about storytelling, and required every group to act out a story, which led to some hysterical acts - including one with James playing the role of the "Pouty Princess". We even staged a Western wedding during the last afternoon session, complete with a reception that included cake and punch.

With so many marvelous experiences, it was very hard for everyone to say goodbye at the end. During the closing ceremony, several of the female students cried, and Jacinda even came up to me afterwards to have a very long, tearful hug. A few students gave me earrings as goodbye gifts - they had been admiring my earrings every day in classes - and nearly every one wanted an individual photo taken with me and the other teachers. It was a bittersweet ending to a fantastic three weeks, but it's one I'll never regret. I certainly am planning to do it all again next year!

We've still got a few weeks of official summer left, but in practical terms the season ends this weekend when we observe the Labor Day weekend.

Young people may dream of an "endless summer," but the rest of us recognize that every season has its time and place, and it's time to put summer to bed for another year.

You know summer needs to be over when you stop caring about watering your potted plants and watch them wither and die without so much as a twinge of remorse.

You know summer needs to be over when the only reason to cut your grass is to knock down the nutsedge that seems to grow by inches overnight.

You know summer needs to be over when the kids are all back in school but the pool's still open and the weather's still warm and students haven't yet grasped that boundless days have given way to obligation and responsibility.

You know summer needs to be over when you pine for gold and orange and brown or any other color that's not green.

You know summer needs to be over when the fifth anniversary of the late-summer catastrophe Katrina is the prime topic of every television newscast, and the sinister category four Earl lurks off the east coast.

You know summer needs to be over when you stare longingly at your long-sleeved sweaters and corduroy pants each morning in your closet as you prepare to meet another steamy day.

You know summer needs to be over when apple orchards begin hawking their wares... when your Japanese anemone and the crepe myrtles begin to burst their pink buds... when you realize that the outdoor project you promised yourself you'd complete once the weather broke is about to roll over into another weather break.

You know summer needs to be over when the thought of one more bratwurst, one more hot dog, one more slab of ribs, the smell of charcoal, makes you want to puke.

You know summer needs to be over when you seriously consider braining little Johnny with the baseball the next time he asks you to "have a catch" with him.

You know summer needs to be over when the Cardinals are six games back and fading fast, and the possibility that the Cubs will finish ahead of them in the standings is very real.

You know summer needs to be over when you're actually excited about the prospect of another fall season watching the worst team in professional football stumble all over themselves again.

You know summer needs to be over when you're just tired of perspiring, of comparing the heat of one day to another, of counting the wrinkles the summer sun has grooved around your eyes.

As glorious and romantic as summer remains to many of us, as redolent of freedom and childhood and beach, it can't last forever, nor should it.

Sometimes, summer just needs to be over. Now's the time.