Dear Editor,
We see people skating around writing letters to the editor and social media who are against updating of the Shepherd School, our community’s hub, stating it’s too much money or we don’t need any updating to that capacity. However, 30 years is an awful long time to utilize a facility such as this and not expect to be accountable to compensate for the growing community and evolving in the future of learning. They generalize their comments about the bond and when asked to explain their comment, they jump to another subject. Fortunately, we also have those who do support what lies ahead as a community in general.
We all have to have skin in the game if we want a change and see to it our youth has a fair chance in our ever changing world out there plus give the supporting staff the tools they need to educate as well. We have cold hard facts that 30 years have come and gone since any kind of updating for our Shepherd Schools. In my opinion, faculty, administrators, personnel and students are doing the best they can to groom our youth with what they have to educate for the future. So much has changed since the last update as far as technology, study curriculum, state and federal mandates that we need to bring this to the forefront as responsible citizens.
We have a few self-proclaimed gurus on how they think the school updating should be and then take it upon themselves to spread their opinions for the school or community because they feel it should be their way or no way. We do indeed have experts in this field who work with these school mandates, the construction, all licensing, state and federal statutes that must be met plus the firm is very well aware we need to try to stay within the budgets of a community. Thanks to the Shepherd School Board of Directors and Shepherd School Superintendent Mr. Scott Carter for their part in bringing this firm Collabortive Design on board. We also want to recognize the SCEC for their part in working with the board of directors and superintendent to help our voters get their questions answered so they can make a well versed decision when it comes to voting on May7th or utilizing the absentee voter option.
In general, it is my opinion the nay-sayers are trying with all their might to squash Shepherd’s growth. Yes, we have the elderly and retired amongst us just as any community has; however, we need to also look at the future generations who are here now and for those who wish to come back to our community with their own families and utilize our school district to educate their children and the next generation and the generation after that. We, the people, as a collective need to look around and see that every district needs to keep up with the times just as any business or household has to do. We cannot expect to occupy a facility for that many years and not be responsible not only updating for today’s world but the upkeep. The district has done the best they can with the general funds they have available without our community passing or supporting levies in years past.
We have heard additional comments “we don’t want any more moving to our area.” How selfish! We have five children ourselves who are now young adults whom we have groomed thus far along with the school district and support systems with other parents to be responsible and productive young adults. Our children are now out in the work force-(two sons)-oldest a mechanic educated his whole life watching and working beside me and going to continuing education classes in the evening together out at the community college. Today with his computer knowledge and my years of experience working in the industry, we utilize one another to solve those technical repairs that always surface; youngest son is serving our country in the Navy; (three daughters)-oldest a lead teller at a local bank; middle daughter a full time student at a community college in Montana, working fulltime, playing volleyball while maintaining great standards with her studies and the youngest who has her CNA credentials. All five are 12 year members of Shepherd schools. They understand the importance of paying it forward and being supportive for the students coming up. They understand how a community works and what it takes to be a part of a place they call home. We have a few neighbors who believe they should be able to reside in the community in (my opinion) very comfortable homes but throw a fit because the school district after 30 years is asking for a bond which taxpayers should step up and gladly support. We can all give a little to service a lot.
We have farming and ranching families who’ve instilled in their children’s blood the importance of why they do what they do every day. Pretty confident in saying they wish to turn over the daily operations to their children someday. Farming and ranching today is not the same as it was 30 years ago or even 10 years ago. The farm equipment today is about running on computers and day to day bookkeeping is the same. The industry is ever evolving just like the car industry. I am a service technician for all makes and models of vehicles. It’s no longer a back yard project as yesteryear. Today’s vehicles are about computers, repairs using computer software programs, constant classes to keep up to date with the fixes for the vehicles my customers use daily. I’ve been at this for 35+ years fixing all makes and models. It’s something I very much enjoy doing. I work with my hands but every technician out there also has to keep up with the times of technology and keep educating themselves well after high school.
Every industry, doesn’t matter if we are educators, salesmen, technicians, trade laborers, doctors, nurses, lawyers, service men and women, etc. if we want to succeed in any business or career we must learn basics in our youth then follow up years later with advanced education. The ultimate responsibility for our children to get the tools they need to succeed goes back to the parent in their formative years. We are their voice of reason and their voice to provide for them both in school and out. Let’s welcome our younger generation back and work together with them. We are responsible for sending them out into their future with a step in the right direction. Our facilities are very much outdated and filled to the max at Shepherd Schools.
Do we appreciate all that the Shepherd school district has done for us and our family? Absolutely we do. Quite contrary to some social media posts or other Letters to the Editor, my wife Jenny and I feel our children have been given the education they needed in a substandard facility and tools by some outstanding educators here in Shepherd.
We have a very important bond decision here in Shepherd slated for May 7, 2019. Go to these websites www.weareshepherd.org or www.shepherd.k12.mt.us to see what the bond money will be used for or to calculate your contribution in property taxes when the bond passes. You will find it’s very doable no matter who you are. We need to look and act not just as individuals but as a community. It’d be tough to do this much needed project alone financially but together we can. Show some pride in your responsibility. That’s how our founding fathers constructed our country-working together for the betterment of all. We need to get back to more of that here on a local level. If we build they will come-isn’t that a quote that unifies us as a collective? Please join our family and vote Yes to Shepherd Schools.
Todd H. Aigner
Shepherd, MT
