PTSA supports Riverview bond measure

Letter to the Editor.

Hopefully, by now many readers in the Riverview School District


have heard of the “Physical Education (PE) and Athletic Field & Track


Bond” which will be on the Nov. 7 election ballot. The 00-01 Cedarcrest


PTSA formally endorses and fully supports this measure, which seeks to


remedy the current inequities afflicting the quality of educational and


extracurricular programs offered to students at Cedarcrest and to expand


opportunities for organized field sports for Tolt Middle School.


Would anyone care to explain the school’s inability to test PE


students in running or many field events? Can someone justify why the track


and cross-country athletes must resort to running around through


neighborhoods and are forced to risk long term bone and joint damage


commonly caused by running on concrete surfaces? How do you console the


football and soccer players who are repeatedly confronted with forfeiting


their home-field advantage when competitors refuse to come play, due to


safety issues directly linked to the substandard and overused conditions of


the Tolt field? Once is embarrassing, twice is demoralizing and the third time


is utterly pathetic. Add to that the increased travel hours negatively


impacting time spent on academics and with family. The list continues …


Equally significant is that even for the most outstanding faculty


members and motivated students, it is humanly impossible to overcome the


consequences resulting from the absence of adequate on-site athletic facilities.


This is a classic case of “matter over mind”.


Furthermore, track and field should not remain the only field


sport available to our elementary students from Stillwater, Carnation and


Cherry Valley upon their arrival at the middle school. Since Cedarcrest and


other organized community sports place maximum allowable stress on the


already fragile Tolt field, Tolt has no choice but to cope with restricted


access for its own students.


This bond is drastically scaled down from the previous


proposal ($2.995 million vs. $6.5 million, $.13 per $1000 assessed value vs. $.38


and $26 per year vs. $78 for a home valued at $200,000) and will fund an


all-season field and track with modest necessities (restrooms, coaches


box, bleachers and concessions stand), while making a healthy start to a


complete athletic complex at Cedarcrest. It should be emphasized that


expiring bonds enable the overall average tax rate for school levies and bonds in


this district to be maintained at or below $5 per $1000 assessed value.


The time to “even the playing field” for our children, and the


community support needed to make it a reality, is long overdue. Our kids


are putting forth their best effort to reach their potential and become


productive citizens. Shouldn’t we live up to our end of the bargain by giving them


our best? Thank you, in advance, for your support! Remember, “not


voting” serves as a “no” vote.



Helen Mellor


CHS PTSA president