Tuesday, January 26, 2010

In Support of Greenville Schools (Jonie Drew)

I must begin this letter with a confession – I am a Green Wave Fan. Having said that, let me share with you my experience when my family and I attended the Tri-Village vs. Bethel game last weekend. We walked into the gym and it was full. The citizens of Tri-Village turned out in full force. The student section was full. When you looked into the crowded bleachers you saw a sea of red (red and blue is the Tri-Village colors). I was impressed.

Now let me share with you my recent experiences at most Greenville games (basketball – boys & girls). The stands are mostly empty and the student section never full. The people of Greenville use to turn out in full force. It didn’t matter where we played, we supported our kids. What message are we now sending to our student athletes? We only support you when you win?

When we gather in hallways or eating places you hear people complaining about our coaches, our system and our leader (Susie Riegle). I’ve had enough. Unless you can offer a solution or you have volunteered to help our students and our schools, I don’t want to hear you anymore. No more complaining people! Our children hear us and what must they think?

Let’s talk about Susie. Everybody seems to be doing it. Susie has gotten us into a conference. Eric Spahr, GWOC league commissioner, specifically said it was Susie’s efforts that got us there. She visits all schools on a regular basis. Our children know her by name and feel comfortable in addressing her. She is at most sporting events. She does coffees around town to get to know the citizens. She’s had to make tough decisions to consolidate our schools because of economic reasons.

Let me share one story that I think sums up her efforts on our behalf. Did you know that individual school systems must pay state run facilities to educate children who reside there? Do you know how they determine which school system pays? The last know address of record of the child’s parent(s). We are the county capital. Therefore, any social service benefits are paid from here. During tough economic times, individuals in need move closer to the county capitals to receive their benefits. One such parent needed drug rehabilitation. She moved here only for rehab. Her daughter was confined to an institution where she will probably be for life. She never attended any schools in the Greenville district. Her mother moved after her rehab ended. Our school district received a bill (I believe around the $50,000 mark) that was to be sent to the facility housing this woman’s daughter. Our Susie, got in her car and visited the rehab facility looking for the mother. When she found out the mother moved, she again got in her car and tried to track the woman to her new address. If Susie could prove the woman lived in another district, we wouldn’t have to pay the bill. This is above and beyond this woman’s duties. But she did it anyway. Why? Because she knows we can’t afford it and those dollars could be used on our children in our system.

Honestly, I don’t know when the woman sleeps. So she has a nice home – well damn it she’s worked hard for it. We pay her less than the other superintendents we’ve hired and who have done nothing for our schools.

Is she perfect, I would guess not? Are any of you?

It is now time to support our children, support our schools, teachers, and coaches. Show your support by attending games. Wear your green and support our kids. Show your support by voting for our new school.

Now is the Time!

Jonie Drew

32 comments:

  1. This does not change my mind.It is a touching story and im sure miss riegle did do this but miss riegle is not the problem.Im still voting NO

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  2. I don't know what she makes a year but there are some school supers that are 6 figures in this county.

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  3. Mother of three in Greenville SchoolsJanuary 26, 2010 at 10:45 AM

    Right on!

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  4. Ms. Drew,

    You make a great point that THIS IS ABOUT OUR KIDS! A lot of people in this community sometimes forget that. I support the schools, I support the new school and I support Susie Riegle! However, you are involved in the softball program or have been - you know the importance of having a good quality coach that will be committed to the program, build a program and stay with the program through the good and bad and winning and losing. That is really what I beleive parents wants to see in our sports. It has been a very long time over 20 years since we have seen a sea of green and white in our basketball gym.... however back then we had a coach that was stable with the program from year to year and was working with the younger programs... we just don't pull these kids from the air - they come up from the younger programs - and need direction.... I hear from parents that they want administration to really consider and evlauate the coaching positions in our schools more so now with moving into the GWOC. You quoted the following:

    When we gather in hallways or eating places you hear people complaining about our coaches, our system and our leader (Susie Riegle). I’ve had enough. Unless you can offer a solution or you have volunteered to help our students and our schools, I don’t want to hear you anymore. No more complaining people! Our children hear us and what must they think?

    They are a ton of volunteers that work in our community with our kids - and are willing to help whenever ask - however again feel that administration doesn't want their input..so I say to you that there will always be complaints and always have people talk - but one thing that needs to be told to our administrators is to become more invested in our sports programs with selecting quality coaches that have a vested interest in our school and our kids!

    I also agree 100% that Susie Riegle is what our school needs to lead us into the future - she has an investment in our schools - we want that for everyone that is invovled with the kids...

    I will vote YES on Tuesday - becuase our kids deserve it!

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  5. Nice article. I've been in support of this from the get-go... not because it will make the teachers better, or bring jobs, or look nice. Not because it would make the students any better, or their parents more involved. Not because of Susie or the board. Not because we need to "keep up" with Ansonia, Versailles, FM, or Arcanum. Not because I want to pay more (who does?)
    I support the issue because I believe that a new school facility is needed. Period. I think that sometimes we all need to put any personal issues, etc. behind and look at what it is. Greenville Schools have a chance to get a top notch middle school building with the help of available state funding, and they can get it now.
    So what if the economy is not what we all think it should be? So what if the past superintendents and boards did some things that could be called "shady" - that's the past - I'm letting it go. So what if we all have to tighten up the belts and help provide for an imporvement in our public school education?
    I'm voting yes because I think the end result in the LONG RUN will be positive for the schools and the community.
    Just my simple .02 worth.

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  6. Even President Obama said… the economy is too week to take anymore taxes, and even he is going to freeze the budget to stop spending.

    After looking online at our new real estate tax bill and seeing the increase because of the Schools past levy… I was shocked! Now is not the time to increase expenses or taxes and given the circumstances I will vote no.

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  7. Perfectly said Joanie!

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  8. Mrs. Drew Thanks...Well said...This is my daughter's last year..in fact our last child of 5 in school. I plan to support the new building, IF ANYTHING for the safety of the kids. Grew up here... plan to stay here till I take my last breath. Grew up with Susie & her family, bet she takes here last breath here too... What is Support? What ever YOU want it to be...I can proudly say I supported all my kids thru school...Just like MY PARENTS did me...mmmmmm see a trend...Maybe thats why TRI has there stands full. It's a trend. My daughter played on an average sports team and they got beat more then they won, but 90% of the time we had more fans than the other teams we played at away games. So SUPPORT can mean what you want it too... I GOT SPIRIT >>>>HOW ABOUT YOU... VOTE TO SUPPORT... CHANGE THE TREND...

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  9. buford -

    how much should they be paid? are you one of those commies who doesn't like it when someone makes more than you?

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  10. Dear Anonymous (12:03 post): I agree we need coaches who are going to build the program and stay. I would love to see coaches that our children can emulate on and off the playing field. I know we are not there completely, but I believe while we are working toward that end we need to continue to support the programs.

    Jonie Drew

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  11. Jonie you are right on! There is no doubt that what is buzzing around the community gets back to our students and athletes. They take it all in no matter if it is positive or negative. However the negative sticks with them much, much, longer. Here is an example. I am a 1983 GHS graduate. My senior year was our first year in the Greater Miami Valley Conference (GMVC). Greenville entered the GMVC after being affiliated with the Southwestern Buckeye League (SWBL) for the many previous years. Greenville was the largest school in the SWBL. Moving to the GMVC now made Greenville the smallest school in the League. In the SWBL our biggest rivals most years were Brookville, Oakwood, West Milton, and Valley View. Our football teams was very successful in the SWBL and the community was very positive about this. In the GMVC we played the big schools of Northmont, Trotwood, Piqua, Vandalia, Sidney, Troy, and Tecumseh. I played football all 4 years at GHS. All summer long between my junior and senior year all that was heard around the community was how bad our football team would get beat by the big GMVC schools. Unfortunately most of my teammates and I brought into how bad we would fail in the fall after hearing this all summer long. There is no doubt our football team was defeated before we ever took the field for our first game. Guess what happened? We lost our first 3 games, all non conference games. However we finished with 4 wins and 3 losses playing the big GMVC schools. The highlight of the season was beating Northmont who came to Harmon Field undefeated. We handed them their only lost of the season. We then crushed Troy on their field by a score of 64 to 13. The point of this story is not to relive my senior football season but to show how negative talk around the community affects our students and athletes. Would we have won more games if the talk were positive going into the GMVC? Maybe. However we will never know because the positive talk was not there. Can we affect our students and athletes now with negative or positive buzz around the community? The answer is yes. Now is the time to be positive about our students, athletes, teachers, and administrators! Now is the time to be positive as we move back into the Greater Western Ohio Conference (GWOC) next school year! Now is the time to be positive about our community and economy! Now is the time to vote yes for the school levy on February 2! Why will I personally support the school levy with a yes vote? I still live and work in Greenville. I am proud to call Greenville my hometown. I have always said that one cannot put a price tag on an education. Those before me paid for my education while at GHS. Now is the time for me to give back and paid forward to my community. Will our positive or negative voice be heard at the polls on February 2? Now it the time to vote yes!

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  12. The mindless spending done by the current president is why he's now backpeddling on trying to stop the bleeding. He has no clue what goes on the Darke Co. Ohio - and he does not care. Also, we're not talking about what the politicians in Washington say...we're talking about buildling a new school building. Which is very much needed in this district. I like what Mike had to say, rational thought in my book.

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  13. Are we now saying, building a new school building will improve Greenville School sports?

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  14. Why must the property owners pay for the tax levy and school bond issue. Put on a sales tax so everyone has the opportunity to help out the school. I have made so many cuts to my budget now, guess I could buy fewer groceries. My friend works at Walmart and she just got her hours cut-could it be people are indeed being forced to buy less and less and less.....

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  15. In a somewhat obscure way, this whole issue is not "about the kids". It is about their parents. How willing, or able, are the parents who will have to tighten their belts to pay for this new school levy? My sympathies lie with those families who just cannot afford the added expense - period - no matter how hard they try to "tighten their belts".

    On the other side of the aisle, though, it sickens me to see the number of dead-beat parents (and believe me, they DO exist) who are more than willing to let the schools baby-sit and sometimes literally FEED their children because they truly know how to "milk" the system.

    That all being said, I applaud Jonie Drew's stance and her comments about school pride, and about Susie Riegle and her efforts to make things better. I am encouraged by the number of people here who sincerely DO care about our school buildings and our education system, and our sports programs. We will most certainly need to stay focused on this issue for a long, long time....we need more people like Ms. Drew and Ms. Riegle.

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  16. Hello my name is Caleb Custer. I am a student at Greenville High School. I would like to thank Mrs. Drew for what she said, because it is true it hurts students when we here people saying things about our school and saying that there not going to suport us.
    We as students are very fortunate to have Susie and Jon to back us for our education and support on what ever we want to do with our lives. Greenville is a wonderful town to raise us in and maybe I will have children here someday. Mom says no hurry!!!! Please think about our future not our past because we need your help too. KNOW IS TIME
    Thanks agine Caleb Go WAVE

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  17. Here is a web site that I think the school board needs to check out along with every body else that says there is no other way.Its called gwinett county ga .com and go to the schools section and read how they done it.I dont no how to post a link or I would sorry.

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  18. http://www.gwinnettcounty.com/cgi-bin/gwincty/egov/ep/gcbrowse.do?channelId=-19044&pageTypeId=57496

    I am guessing this is a more direct location dukeblackohio is trying to direct everyone to.

    If not, duke, just copy the link from your web browser and press "ctrl" + "v" at the same time and you can paste it.

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  19. John on 01/26/09 at 3:58 PM. I think you are missing the whole point of what is being said here. It is not about a new building making Greenville sports improved. It is about talking, acting, and being positive, not negative, about our students, athletes, administration, and the entire community. Caleb (01/20/10 at 6:39 PM) above is an example of a student at GHS now that confirms the negative hurts and affects him and other students. Hopefully we will find out if a new building improves sports in Greenville. I am voting yes. Now is the time to be positive and vote yes.

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  20. The message from a person purporting to be named Caleb Custer certainly isn't a ringing endorsement for the education Greenville City Schools is "blessing" the youth with today. From the looks of things, Greenville needs to hire English teachers before worrying about building a new school.

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  21. I cant get it to paste but if you go to yahoo search and punch in gwinnett co ga and it will come up under schools.THe main point on it is what january 26 4:43 said it was done with a 1 cent sales tax increase threw 2014 and they are planning to open 8 more schools between now and 2014.I cant remember how much money they said it would raise.If you have the time check it out.

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  22. In today's world of IM, texting, blogging, etc; our youth has gotten sloppy with basic English. But why can't we see the POSITIVE in Caleb's post - he has WAVE PRIDE and was willing to sign his name.

    Jonie Drew

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  23. I remember hearing about this at one of the school meetings. I believe they said we don't have that kind of time. I agree we need it now, not in five years. It's a good idea, but it's not going to bring in the amount of money we need in the time we need it.

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  24. I believe the sales tax is the way to go. That way we all pay for it. If new businesses do indeed come to town after the new building is built, well then we can all contribute to the new business and support the new school at the same time. A two for one deal.

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  25. you want an increased sales tax that walmart et al will not help you pay?

    Also, criticism the kid's grammar all you want, but it's the internet. Have you not seen the quality of writing from people way past any sort of schooling? I can read through this thread now and pick out 4 or 5 people who look like they need some help, but i can look over those things and at the message they're trying to convey.

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  26. Sales tax in Ohio is determined by state legislators and county commissioners.

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  27. Is walmart going to help pay for the school levy.

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  28. Yes, Walmart will have to pay.

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  29. This article is one that says it all and show the real reason why we should vote for the school. SPORTS PRIDE. Thank you for helping me to make my voting decision. It's not the education were worried about -- appears to be SPORTS. I don't think that SPORTS will get you too far in life. I VOTE NO FOR THE LEVY based on this article. Thank you for the article Mrs. Drew

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  30. Lay off criticizing Caleb Custer. Most of you out there voted twice for the speaker of this famous quote:
    "Is our children learning"
    G.W. Bush

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  31. Now that Obama made his speech the other night, do you people now believe it's NOT the time for new taxes? What will it take to wake you supporters up? Gasoline is getting ready to go up again close to $5.00 a gallon, Did you notice your DP&L bill? It increased too. NO NO NO on the levey

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  32. Able To See Through The FogJanuary 31, 2010 at 12:44 PM

    I could care less about ANYTHING obama says because he's more hot air than a balloon. I'm voting yes...because it is a need for the district. No, it won't bring jobs. No, it won't turn around the economy. But, in the LONG RUN, if it saves our school system $$, helps attract people to move in to Greenville and bring their $$ money with them, and benefits what will be all of our futures....then the time is now.
    We've been waiting on the president to do something now for over a year, and all he does it talk and blame. Time to start doing things for ourselves, even if it costs us a few extra bucks. Suck it up people! And don't tell me you're already sucking it up, or you don't have a job, etc. It does not wash with me.

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