My parents, their children and grandchildren all attended schools in Greene County. My mother, a 1931 Cooper graduate, went to school in a nice building built by the residents of Franklin Township. Dad, a 1928 Rippey grad, was educated in a new building provided by Washington Township residents.
When I was an elementary student at the Rippey school in the 1950s, Rippey voters approved a new addition to the 1920 building, providing us with four new classrooms, a beautiful music room with practice rooms, Vo Ag and industrial arts classrooms and a wonderful new gym.
Time passes, faster than we realize. Now, hard as it is to see happen, those buildings are gone and we must look to the future.
In Jefferson, some 25 years ago, we celebrated the 100th anniversary of the North Grade–the pink school–and then agreed that the time had come to replace it with a new elementary school.
The time has now come for our generation to do what past generations have done for us: provide our community’s children with up-to-date places to go to school.
A facilities study committee has met with an architectural firm and they have proposed an excellent plan to meet the needs of our district. You can see the plans on the website: www.gccsdbondissue.info.
With the middle school and high school in separate wings of the same building, they can use a shared music area and kitchen and enable teachers and programs to be shared easily. Entrances for middle school and high school wings will be secure, as will the new entrance to the elementary school. Modern heating, cooling and ventilation will make our schools more energy efficient and environmentally friendly.
Yes, there will be a cost to us as taxpayers. But this is what we have always done: come together to support our children and help our community thrive.
I encourage you to Pay It Forward—Vote Yes!
Carol John, Jefferson
