Letters to the Editor 7-21-16

Three lunch sites for children
Editor: Thank your for the article on the children’s lunch program. My niece had the good fortune to volunteer at the library where she helped with the set-up and clean-up for this program. What the article failed to mention is that there are two other sites here in Cloverdale for the children’s lunch program in addition to Washington School – the clubhouse at the Boys and Girls Club (686 South Cloverdale Blvd.) and the Cloverdale Regional Library (401 North Cloverdale Blvd.) These three sites make it easier for children to participate closer to home. Thank you again for getting the information out to the community.
Jane Elias
Cloverdale
Cloverdale high rise
Editor: Not only are our city leaders willing to experiment with our limited resources, they build a structure that is totally out of character with our city.
Matthew Glavach
Cloverdale
Free gas pass
Editor: I read with interest about the new free vehicle charging station going in at the Vet’s Hall. I am curious as to who I should contact to get my free pass down at Chevron. Since I pay road taxes, while electric vehicle owners do not, I think who ever is paying for their electricity should chip in for my gas.
Wayne Diggs
Cloverdale
Washington School short staffed
Editor: An open open letter to Superintendent Decker and Cloverdale school board:
As you know, we have been short one full-time secretary for a number of years now. In 2010 the classified employees were laid off and then were rehired with less staff in various positions, including the school secretarial staff. When the classified employees were laid off, it was agreed that once the school district received its funding back, the positions that were cut would be brought back. The Cloverdale Unified School District has received a great deal of funds and has brought back most of the positions that were cut, except for the very much needed secretarial position. The school district has even created several new job positions that did not exist and yet it has failed to bring back the additional secretarial position.
Washington School has had a full-time administrative assistant and a part-time secretary since 2010. Washington School is a very busy office and the administrative assistant and part-time secretary have to deal on a daily basis with having to serve the needs of students, parents and other school employees with this limited office staff. It is often very difficult to attend to the medical, emotional and academic needs of the students.
For several years now, the office staff at Washington School has asked for additional office help and has appealed to several school district superintendents, the school board and to the classified school employees union that an additional eight hour secretary is needed. I was very disappointed to see that Cloverdale High School is getting an eight hour secretary but that Washington School is only getting a four hour secretary.
Once again, I ask that the Cloverdale School Board please reconsider its decision and give Washington School the office help that is so desperately needed so that the students and parents may be better served.
I would also like to take this opportunity to remind the school board that the school district is also in need of more health tech positions. We have a large numbers of students that have medical needs that require the assistance of a health tech and right now we have only one health tech that is shared amongst all three schools. This was also a job position that was cut back several years ago.
Lastly, I would also like to say that I would love the opportunity to work with the Washington School office staff. They are the most dedicated and professional people that I have ever worked with
Lucy Reyes
Cloverdale