Thank you, Arlington
During the past six months, my math and science students participated in a classroom economics project. Each day that a student was present in class, $100 was deposited into his or her checking account. In return, students were required to pay the bank if they broke a classroom rule that was established to provide a safe learning environment for all students.
Students learned how to handle a checking account that incorporated math skills in conjunction with direct deposit and paying bills. They developed work place skills in order to be successful in the 21st Century such as being prompt with work assignments and effectively collaborating with other students. Students worked toward membership in the $5,000 CLUB (also known as the Bill Gates Club), which rewards students with choices of seating and choices of assignments. Students learned to self-manage their behavior and thereby gained more freedom within the classroom. Students realized that increased freedom brought on increased responsibilities to retain the earned freedom.
The culminating event of this project is the auction. The students use the money from their individual accounts to bid on and purchase merchandise. This year we were able to auction off valuable gift certificates, fishing gear, sporting equipment, professional framed photographs and many more items. My students and I would like to extend a big thank you to the many parents and Arlington businesses that donated money, merchandise or hours of work. Your efforts and generosity made the culminating auction very successful.
Participating Arlington businesses are Action Sports, Alfys Pizza, All Creatures, Arlington Dennys, Arlington Hardware, Arlington Pharmacy, Bigfoot Music, Century 21, Countrywide, Cycle Barn, Dominos, Eagle Crest Restaurant, Edward Jones, Farmers Insurance, Favorite Pastime, Food Pavilion, Game Crazy, Golds Gym, Gutierrez Family Chiropractic, Haggens, Hook Line & Sinker, KFC, Local Scoop, Las Coronas, Magic Shears, Mailbox Depot, Major League Pizza, McDonalds, Papa Murphys, Paradise Burgers, Pizza Factory, Quiznos Sub, Readers Choice, Safeway, Schwans Photography, Smokey Point Cleaners, Smokey Point Jewelry & Pawn, Starbucks, Super Mini Mart, Tacos Guaymas, Teris Hallmark, Teriyaki Point, Virtual Floor and Washington Mutual.
Sally Cantrell
6th Grade Math & Science
Haller Middle School


Its medias fault
The rising gas prices, the failing economy. When will the media learn? In my opinion it is not that we are in a bad economy. No, I believe that the media is much at fault for our nations current rising costs and foreclosures.
They panic the citizens to the point that they think to far into their situation and fall into the lies of the media. The media says that gas could top $5 a gallon, I bet it will, but if the media had not said much then I believe that gas wouldnt have.
People are spending money and selling at a fast rate, because the media has created a national panic. We cant always let the media mix our words, if we do than we will slowly become a nation torn apart by the media.
Nolan Erickson
Marysville


A very kind thing
I would like to thank the gentleman I met at the cemetery where my son, Shane, is buried.
I shared Shanes story with you how he died from legal fireworks at age 13 in July.
You never told me your name but know you cleaned his headstone. The letters are readable and the angel is clean. You did a nice job. That is a very kind thing to do for a stranger.
Your mom, dad, wife and deceased child would be proud of you. May their light shine down on you.
It was an honor to meet you, my friend.
Glenda Lynch
Snohomish


Thank you for safe Grad Party
Thank you, thank you, to the many businesses in the Smokey Point, Arlington, Marysville and Everett areas who so generously donated cash, prizes and merchandise for the Lakewood Class of 2008 Graduation Night Party.
Each year, parents of the graduating class band together to help provide a chaperoned, positive, enjoyable, alcohol and drug-free event as an alternative to the tradition of making high school graduation an occasion for drinking and driving. The expense of the facility, transportation, activities, food, beverages and prizes are overwhelming and without financial support many students would not have been able to attend this once-in-a-lifetime event.
Local merchants stepped forward and showed that the safety of our young people is important to this community. Thank you for opening your hearts and your wallets and helping to provide a safe and memorable night for our grads. Your generosity has not gone unnoticed.
Kathy Christiansen, Chair
Lakewood 2008 Grad Night Planning Committee


What do I have to do?
Ive been a resident of Marysville for nine years and every year around July 4 they put up fireworks stands and sell them and how many kids are going to have their hands blown off or faces disfigured. I had a confrontation in the parking lot of Haggen s when I saw them unloading boxes of fireworks. I confronted the man who then called police. I waited for the police to come and he warned me if I harass anyone else Ill go to jail.
Why does Marysville allow this to happen every year. It comes down to the almighty dollar, who cares about the 10,000 injuries every year. While I had coffee at Haggen there were 10 men sitting around and I threw out this opinion to them and they really didnt care and were complacent. It matters to me and to everyone. What do we do about it.
Mary Marlo
Marysville


Who pays
settlement?
A recent action by the Marysville School Board approved a settlement with an elementary school leader in the district who resigned after reaching agreement with the district that will pay her more than $175,000. An investigation instigated by the district, conducted by Terry Brandon could find that allegations against principal Jane Colson could not be substantiated.
As a taxpayer, one wonders why the district would seek an employees resignation if no grounds existed to terminate such an employee. On the other hand, if an employee were terminated for cause why would taxpayer funds need to be expended to terminate such an employee?
After reading the investigators report I make no conclusion as to whether the allegations had merit or not. But as a citizen who has always supported the districts request for funds, both levy and bond requests, I am concerned when the district can suddenly come up with over $175,000 for an issue such as this.
As I recall, the district has been going through a budget reduction process for several years. I believe that a reduction of approximately $1,000,000 was needed this year. And then in the midst of this budget reduction the district suddenly has 17.5 percent of the necessary reduction to pay an employee to leave.
It is also interesting that two votes of the School Board were needed to approve this payout. It appears that the Director who represents the area the employee worked in stated she had a conflict due to personal friendship with the resigning employee and did not vote the first time this came up for a vote. However, the issue was raised again a short time later and this director then voted to approve the settlement.
This situation makes one wonder whether or not the board operates under any type of Rules of Order. Normally, a vote cannot be reconsidered unless the request is made by a person who voted in the majority. Since the first vote was a tie, there was no majority. So a lay person, such as myself, is totally confused on both the budget deficit and the rules under which the board operates.
Don Wlazlak
Marysville