Open letter about school safety
EDITOR: To Windsor school superintendent Brandon Krueger, Police Chief Carlos Basurto and Mayor of Windsor, Bruce Okrepkie.
Today is the morning after the Florida shooting and I have been overwhelmed with thoughts of how our town would deal with a horrific incident like this. As a mother, aunt and cousin to many children in our school district, I need to know what we are doing, to first of all prevent an incident like this and second how we are prepared to deal with one.
I do not want to wait for federal or state laws to be written in order to feel that our children are safe in their schools. Yes, while guns are always the main subject when something like this happens, I believe right now we can work on the root of the problem, mental health.
I was in the middle of focusing on campaign contributions yesterday when the news about the shooting came online. Hundreds of thousands of dollars are being spent on campaigns right here in Windsor. Imagine if our leaders told these individuals and businesses to instead spend that money on local youth programs and schools. So please do not tell me there is no money for programs. I will help you find the money.
This is what I would like to see in the schools:
Lock down drill ASAP; every single teacher needs to check in and tell you right away if they have concerns about any children they have taught; work with SOS to have a full-time school counselor at every school; a full-time nurse at every school that is trained in child abuse (both mentally and physically); train teachers to spot troubled children and to report children’s concerns about other children.
In the town: Create a friendlier environment for our teens; work with Parks and Rec to increase activities for children and teens. We need more resources in Spanish and match up scholarships for families that need them. (increase fees for non-residents).
Police: Increase foot patrol. We need more interaction with the people that walk in our town.
We need to identify the children and families in our town that need the extra support. We can not pretend they don’t exist or that they will go away eventually. Please help protect our children.
Rosa Reynoza
Windsor
Pasta feed benefits music
EDITOR: The public is invited to the fifth annual Pasta Feed benefitting Windsor High School Instrumental Music on Thursday, March 1 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the WHS multipurpose room. The cost of the pasta, salad and bread dinner is $10. Tickets will be available at the door or can be purchased in advance from your favorite music student.
The evening will be jam-packed. WHS music students will provide live music. This includes several solo performers, plus the WHS Drumline and the WHS Jazz Combo (which will be competing in the Healdsburg Jazz Festival Youth Combo Competition).
Great items will be available to win in the raffle or silent auction. Students will be selling raffle tickets and staffing the silent auction tables. And finally, a bake sale will round out the evening. All proceeds from the evening benefit the WHS Instrumental Music program. Your support is appreciated. Questions? Contact WHS Instrumental Music Director Erica Dori at [email protected].
Joella Olsen
Windsor
Cookie time
EDITOR: It’s Girl Scout cookie time. Girl Scouts from service unit 107, which includes Windsor, Larkfield, Healdsburg, up into Cloverdale are out selling cookies in their communities until March 4. You’ll see them in their vests or sashes, in groups or with a parent, pulling wagons or carrying bags full of Thin Mints, Savannah Smiles, S’mores, Tagalongs, Do si Do’s, Trefoils and Samoas.
Girl Scouts will be in front of the following Windsor locations most daytime weekend hours: Exchange Bank, Garrett Ace Hardware, Oliver’s Market, Redwood Credit Union, Safeway and Walmart. They will also be in front of the following Healdsburg locations most weekend hours: Big John’s Market, Exchange Bank, Garrett Ace Hardware and Safeway. A big thank you to all of the local businesses who support the biggest girl-led business in the world.
The money earned from cookie sales raise funds for local troops and their councils. The girls determine what to do with their troop money. They can apply it toward earning awards, attending camps, going on troop trips or using it to fund community service projects. Council money also stays local and helps run local camps as other programs to benefit the girls.
The cookie program is designed to teach the girls five essentials skills as they plan their cookie sales through interacting with customers, collaboratively working with their troop and being responsible for the money they collect and handle. These leadership skills help teach them tools which will lead to success in their adult lives.
The skills are: goal setting; decision making; money management; people skills; and business ethics.
The Girl Scout program is open to young girls Kindergarten through 12th grade and encompasses myriad programs and leadership opportunities though badge work, journeys, service projects and more. If you have a daughter who wants to participate in the Girl Scout experience, please call 800 447-4475 or email: [email protected]. For help finding a cookie booth near you, visit www.gsnorcal.org/en/cookies/about-girl-scout-cookies.html.
Jen Wall
Windsor
