Thursday, June 21, 2007

Yeah for Year Round conversions

How do you feel about the YR conversions?  I totally support them and here is the reason why!

The Wake County school board has taken a lot of heat lately for their YR conversion plan.  And why not you say? Maybe they should get some of the blame
for the problem, but do they really deserve it.  I think not.  This area has been growing since the early 90’s with no end in site for the near future and all
those people coming here are predominantly of child bearing years and subsequently having children after they settle in.  Our Elementary Schools are

overloaded with children from grades K-5 and so are the middle schools grades 6-8.  These children are only going to get older and create a problem with

our High Schools in the near future.  Year round conversions are the only solution to this problem.  Why not use the schools we have in a more efficient

way while we plan on building more schools for our children.  Several bonds have been proposed in the last several years with one being turned down. 

One has to wonder that if that bond had passed if we would still be in this situation.  Hind sight is 20/20 they say.  Now the county commissioners want to

place a bond referendum on the ballot of a staggering amount of money this year.  I believe the amount is $1 BILLION.  These schools are needed but let’s

utilize the schools we already have before we start throwing money, OUR HARD EARNED MONEY, at the problem.  Utilization of what we have is key.  The

reason I voted for the last bond is because of the promise to utilize the schools in a better fashion.

Also, why do our children need to have 2 1/2 months off during the hottest part of the year.  Can’t go outside in the heat of the day so you stay inside,

watching TV, bored to tears after the first two weeks.  Used to be that children where out of school over the summer to work on the farm and help out the

family.  How much of that is actually still going on here in Wake County?  Others would argue that they need the time off to take vacations and to visit

family that live out of state.  I’m so glad that some of you are blessed enough to not have to work or are able to take 2 months off to visit family out of

state without the worry of how your going to pay your bills.  The other half are not that fortunate.  I’m sorry that your children won’t be forming any bonds

with their cousins but when you moved here maybe that was something that you should have given thought to.  We did when we moved here almost 10

years ago now.  Our children don’t have very close relationships with their cousins but the miles haven’t changed the fact that they are still family to us and

us to them.  My personal favorite was the comment that YR conversions would add to the child obesity problem.  WHAT?  Yeah, because children only

get exercise during summer vacation!  Along with a side of HEAT STROKE!  90+ degree days will do that to ya you know!  But seriously

lets get real.  My children are involved in activities all year long.  I would even suggest that 2 1/2 months worth of summer vacation might actually be

contributing to child obesity rates since they are bored to TEARS!  Oh, and afraid of HEAT STROKE!  I digress!

I’m just a working mother of three children affected by this conversion.  I am blogging so that you can get a first hand glimpse of how the conversion really

affects our family life from day to day.  I hope you enjoy and please give me some of your input!  Just as long as it’s NICE!  :)