Dear editor,
This is an open letter to the citizens of Lake Orion. As members of the Lake Orion Community who love their schools, Dragon sports, local businesses, the lakes, our friends and neighbors, and everything else that makes Lake Orion such a wonderful place to live, we are compelled to write this letter of concern: Concern for Lake Orion Community Schools, concern for Lake Orion, and thus, our concern for our fellow citizens.
You see, we have been involved in our school district in many different ways and on many different levels.
We understand the financial climate of our nation and especially our state are causing great stress to our citizens AND our schools.
However, the concern that drives us to write this letter goes much deeper. It is about accountability, integrity and character. It is about citizens who care enough about their school system and their community to actually have the audacity to hold accountable the people in charge.
The outward appearances from the district’s central administration might lead one to believe everything is going well. After all, they always say they are doing ‘what’s best for kids.?
However, upon further investigation, there are many things going on that should give the community not only pause for concern, but a reason to hold the school board, the very people whom they elected into office, accountable.
Instead of cutting programs from our academic curriculum and giving teachers larger classes, shouldn’t we be expecting top level administrators to lead by example?
Before they cut from programs, which can’t possibly be what’s BEST for kids, why aren’t they offering to be first to take a cut in pay? Why would they ask the unions to do something they haven’t already done themselves? What kind of leadership and accountability is that?
We (LOCS) also have a fund-balance, which is supposed to be used as a rainy day fund. We are most certainly in a financial crisis that feels like a down-right storm! In light of this downpour, why aren’t we using some of the fund-balance money to save our programs? It seems like that might be ‘what’s best for kids!?
The administration did ask the community for input on budget cuts. However, close scrutiny of the administration’s edited versions of the analyses leave many questions unanswered. What is going on?
In an attempt to direct our concern in a positive way, we formed a group called Lake Orion Community Schools Involved Citizens.
You can find us on Facebook and join if you are so inclined. By forming this group, we created a venue where those who are concerned about what is going on (or NOT going on) in the district can come together to share concerns, combine efforts, and hold the school board and administration accountable.
Besides ourselves, there are at least 167 others who have also expressed their concerns simply by joining us!
However, we realize that there are many more out there who share our love and concern, and to you we say: It’s YOUR school district and YOUR community.
Now is the time to demand the people in charge of our school district demonstrate integrity and character as well as a willingness to be held accountable for that which is their responsibility. This is a reasonable expectation given that the success of our children, schools and community depend on it.
We urge you: Attend or view school board meetings March 10 and 24, voice your concern during public participation at board meetings, write letters and send them to each school board member, and if you’re really up for a challenge, join a committee for direct involvement in the budget process!
For Lake Orion community Schools to be truly community driven, we all have a responsibility to be involved. We really are all in this together!
It is our sincere desire to keep our schools at the high levels of excellence we have all come to expect and in the process bring trust and integrity back to our district. Therefore, we aim to keep our school board and administrators accountable!
See you at the board meetings,
Birgit McQuiston
Karen Appledorn
Denise Mitchell
Lisa Hutchison
Kris Murphy