Once more on schools merger
This letter was addressed to the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners.
Last week, I voiced preference for the Cherokee County Board of Education proposal that you considered Monday night. Due to thorough reporting from Cherokee Scout Editor Randy Foster, I learned that I didn’t fully understand the proposal.
I didn’t realize that the proposal includes closing Peachtree and Martins Creek elementary schools – nor that it includes moving grades 3-5 into the Murphy Middle School building. I knew those steps were discussed as possibilities but didn’t realize that they will be proposed at this juncture.
I attribute my confusion to the board of education not displaying the documents at the meeting, something they do routinely. It’s not an effort to keep people in the dark, just a lack of planning for how to truly involve the public. I now understand why school board member Jason Murphy spoke so long about wanting public input meetings to happen first.
As commissioners, you base your decisions partly on the will of the public. There’s no way to do that with this proposal coming prior to the community meetings at Peachtree and Martins Creek.
As we unfortunately learned last year, students in grades 3-5 students could legally be moved from Murphy Elementary to Murphy Middle without a meeting with those parents. Legally and ethically are two different things.
Please ask the board of education to revise their proposal to include only the construction of a grades 6-12 or 9-12 school and to remove the rest of the changes for now.
Please do not support the other major changes before the board of education has talked with the public.
The board of education can move students from school to school without your approval. However, in asking them to remove those parts of the proposal, you could communicate that you would not approve any needed funding until after successful public meetings are held.
Paul Wilson, Murphy
The writer is a retired principal from Martins Creek School.
Bring baskets back to town
It’s that time of year again. Time to make Andrews a “Town of Beauty” with floral baskets.
The Town of Andrews and Andrews Chamber of Commerce invite you to participate in the ninth annual Beautification Project. We ask you to join other businesses, individuals, clubs and churches to financially support and sponsor a flower basket in town.
I’m sure you couldn’t help but notice the beautiful floral arrangements throughout our town these past eight years. We have a total of 46 poles/stands and 92 baskets. Downtown Andrews has never looked better. Thank you for being a part of it.
As a special bonus to our sponsors and to enhance the beautification project, from November through March there will be “winter greenery” decorating the baskets and poles.
The sponsorship and investment is $250 for the 2025 season. A plaque will be mounted on the pole recognizing your sponsorship.
Our goal this year is to have 100 sponsors. We hope we can count on your support.
Please review and complete the application. Send your application today with your check or credit card of $250 payable to the Town of Andrews, c/o Bill Anderson, P.O. Box 667,
Andrews, NC 28901. We need your application ASAP to order the flowers and sponsor recognition signs.
On behalf of the Town of Andrews, Andrews Chamber of Commerce and 1,800-plus residents of Andrews, we thank you.
James Reid, Shannan Kelly, Bill Anderson, Andrews
The writers are mayor, Town of Andrews; executive director, Andrews Chamber of Commerce; and a member of the town’s Beautification Project, respectively.
Billionaires and con men
Hello, neighbors. How to begin?
Since the election of President Donald Trump, Elon Musk has been running the show. A South African multi-billionaire calling the shots for Trump, who sits meekly in his Oval Office while Musk sounds off about how he, a foreigner, is going to turn our government from “of the people, by the people and for the people,” into a rule by billionaires that’s for billionaires.
How many of us were ignorant enough not to see this coming? Everything that helps my family (Medicaid for my desperately ill grandson, Medicare and Social Security for my husband and me, and FEMA for our destroyed house) is on the line.
Maybe the worst part of this destruction is our own homegrown Congress ripping away protection from starving babies in Sudan and elsewhere in the world.
Jesus asked us to welcome the stranger and feed the hungry, yet our billionaire government is turning away from Christianity because of a South African billionaire and New York con man, who have fooled so many good and decent people who care for nothing but their own empty selves.
If you understand the terrible coup that is taking over our lives, please call U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards and U.S. Sens. Ted Budd and Tom Tillis (all R-N.C.) at 202-225-3121.
Joan Tidwell, Murphy
Gifts with real lasting impact
With Valentine’s Day here, we’re reminded of the love and support that makes our community thrive. This year, we’re reaching out with a special request: a chance to show your love and appreciation for the Hinton Center by helping us complete the renovation of Ponders’ Porch, a new two-bedroom apartment with a breathtaking view of the lake and mountains, for Hinton guests who come to retreat, reflect, renew and/or serve.
In the past, the area below our chapel was known as the “Bat Cave,” a space that was open and ideal for large overnight groups. However, after the challenges of COVID, Hinton recognized the need for a more private and intimate space for guests who would appreciate the scenic views and more comfortable accommodations.
Thanks to the dedication of general contractor Bill Meldram of Hayesville, a Hinton board member and volunteer, this space has been transformed into a beautiful new apartment. We hope to open Ponders’ Porch in early spring, but we need your help to get it fully outfitted.
You can help by donating an item from the list below or consider making a donation in honor or in memory of someone special in your life.
Whether it’s a loved one or a cherished friend, your gift will help provide a warm, welcoming space for guests to enjoy for years to come. The revenue generated supports Hinton’s Safe & Healthy Home Repair and firewood ministries in the community.
Items needed:
- Stainless steel refrigerator.
- Stainless steel stove.
- Stainless steel microwave.
- Stainless steel dishwasher.
- King-size mattress.
- Queen-size mattress,
- Four nightstands, with matching pairs.
To donate or learn more, call the Hinton Center at 828-389-8336 or email info@hintoncenter.org. Online donations can be made at hintoncenter.org/donate. Memo “Ponders’ Porch,” and provide tribute information for anyone you’d like to honor with your gift.
Thank you for helping us show love in a meaningful way this Valentine’s Day.
The Rev. Karen Kluever, Hayesville
The writer is minister of church relations and development at Hinton Rural Life Center.
K-8 school not best use
There are multiple different factors that go into consolidating a school with others, such as location, resources, accessibility to students, etc. While there are multiple different ways to figure this out with high schools and colleges, things get more complicated when you’re trying to combine kindergarten through fifth grades and grades 6-8.
Here are some of the many complications that you’d have to deal with if this went through.
- Inappropriate peer environment for younger students.
- Bigger messes.
- Could cause more distractions.
- Potentially wrong learning strategies. (Not often, but possible depending on teachers.)
- Potential roughhousing with younger and older students.
- K-8 students would not be able to take advantage of different learning resources like the college classes and CTE classes for older students.
- Busing younger students from the far ends of the county.
I do have another plan in mind, though, that could possibly work. We could transfer some students from other K-5 schools into a single nearby building that is both accessible and fully stocked with all necessary materials and learning resources they would need to complete classes.
We could also do the same for grades 6-8 after combining a couple of the high schools into either a bigger building or a newer one that can hold more students/teachers.
Eventually, we could take down the emptied schools and replace them with shopping strips with tech shops (such as Apple and Samsung), different clothing shops (such as Nike, Adidas, Under Armour and Old Navy), fishing/hunting equipment shop (such as Bass Pro Shop) and even centers such as Dick’s Sporting Goods, which could make more jobs for families living in the area and also boost sales taxes revenue for our county.
Lastat Goeddeke, Murphy
The writer is a student at the Cherokee County Schools of Innovation in Peachtree.