Letters to the Editor

A shoutout

Editor, the Journal,

I am the project coordinator for Bridges to Life For Washington Correction Center prison in Shelton.

Bridges to Life is a faith-based restorative justice program based on victim impact. It’s a 14-week program. When the program is completed, we have a graduation ceremony and I would like to give a huge thank you and shoutout to Jaron Garza, general manager for Domino’s in Shelton for his generosity. I appreciate the support Jaron has given to the Bridges to Life program by helping out with pizza for our graduation.

The men absolutely love and appreciate pizza as part of their celebration.

Jaron has been supporting BTL for almost two years and it’s time he gets a big shoutout of thanks and appreciation. Thank you for your time. God bless.

Tawnee Burch, Shelton

Multiyear problem

Editor, the Journal,

It appears the Shelton School Board and superintendent have been asleep at the wheel. Signs of outspending revenue didn’t suddenly appear the fall of 2024. The SSD has been borrowing money from the county treasurer to pay monthly expenses since 2022. Interesting that other county school districts haven’t needed “payday loans” from the Mason County treasurer. SSD stands alone in this practice.

Moreover, if the board and superintendent were unaware of the monthly shortfalls, they apparently didn’t pay attention to the state auditor’s accountability report for 2020 and 2022. In this report, the Auditor’s Office diagnosed the problem clearly: “The district’s expenditures outpaced the revenues.” Beginning in 2018, SSD routinely dipped into the reserve or rainy-day fund to pay salaries and other expenses bringing the district closer to running in the red.

This multiyear problem did not happen because of COVID. The district’s inability to balance expenditures and revenue has been in the making for years.Now we’re supposed to believe that suddenly SSD top leadership has discovered there is a deficit of more than $2 million. No, not buying explanations provided thus far. The flawed state funding model and inflation are not the cause of the need for an advance apportionment. Time for the board to step up and do its job as our representatives. Changing financial managers is insufficient. Now is the time for some serious prioritization in this school district. The board should own its role in this “multiyear problem” and admit they failed to exercise financial stewardship. They failed the kids, the staff and the community all of whom have been trusting them for “multiyears.”

Brenda Hirschi, Shelton

Editor’s note: The following letter is significantly longer than the 300 words given by the Journal’s current letter to the editor policy, but is being allowed by editor’s discretion due to its subject.

Recognition

Editor, the Journal,

It is with immense pride and gratitude that I publicly recognize and applaud the remarkable achievements of the staff and administration of the Hood Canal School District over the past year. This has truly been a year of change, growth, and shared vision.

Our superintendent, Dr. Lance Gibbon, now in his second year with us, started by making it a priority to assess the “state of the district,” recognizing that teachers and paraeducators had not received the support and training they deserved. Gibbon took the time to listen to each person, gathering their insights, concerns and aspirations. By August 2023, he had brought the staff together in a spirit of collaboration, emphasizing decision-making through consensus.

His primary focus has always been the success and well-being of students, staff and families — not personal recognition.

During the past year, staff have received and applied critical training, fostering a cohesive and student-centered approach to education. Thanks to this collective effort, middle school students achieved unprecedented levels of academic success in math and science. Their scores exceeded the state average, with district scores improving by over 20 percentage points.

Beyond academics, the district has made great strides in transparency and communication. Parents and the broader community now benefit from timely updates through the district’s website, Facebook page, school app, YouTube channel and print publications. These efforts earned the district three state awards for excellence in communication. Although Gibbon’s leadership has drawn attention beyond our district, with interviews in newspapers and on radio, as well as invitations to present at educational events, he always redirects the spotlight to the incredible work of staff and students.

Gibbon is not alone in his impact. Principal Steven Torres has played a vital role in reducing absenteeism and tardiness by working closely with families to stress the importance of regular attendance.

Those efforts were highlighted as a model in a recently published statewide study. He has also significantly improved the school climate for both staff and families through programs supporting positive behavior, the creation of a family-teacher organization and expanded family events.

Additionally, Director of Finance Jeanie Beebe has been a vigilant steward of the district’s budget. Not only has she ensured that Hood Canal remains financially strong while other districts face staff layoffs and program cuts, she has also earned the district the highest ratings from the state Auditor’s Office during recent audits. Her conscientious management continues to safeguard the resources needed to provide our children with exceptional educational opportunities.

Of course, the true heroes of our district are the staff: teachers, paraeducators, special services teams, office personnel, food service workers, support staff bus drivers, custodial crews and volunteers. Their unwavering dedication and commitment to the children of our community are widely recognized and deeply appreciated. From our University of Washington-recognized preschool program to our nationally acclaimed outdoor education initiatives like ROOTS, BBOOTS and BYRDS, our educators bring learning to life beyond the classroom. The integration of the Since Time Immemorial curriculum honors the history and influence of local tribes, enriching out students’ understanding of our shared journey.

This year, the district has also expanded opportunities for students, such as offering high school credit in algebra to eighth graders for the first time. Staff make home visits, communicate regularly with parents and guardians, and consistently go above and beyond to support our students. Their dedication truly makes them beloved pillars of our educational community.

As we celebrate this season of giving, it is fitting to spotlight the giving spirit of Hood Canal’s staff. Their contributions go far beyond the classroom, extending to summer school and extracurricular activities. To all the staff members of Hood Canal School District and those who support them, we salute you with gratitude and admiration for your dedication, expertise and heart.

Edie Reclusado, board chair, Hood Canal School District

Bellwether county?

Editor, the Journal,

The headline on the front page article of the Nov. 14 edition of the Shelton-Mason County Journal reads: “Mason County voted solidly Republican.” The second line of the very first paragraph reports, “Mason County was the only Washington county on Puget Sound to cast a majority of votes for Donald Trump.”

Including Mason County, there are 13 counties bordering Puget Sound. Yet Mason County was the only one to majority vote for Donald Trump? So, what is Mason County: a bellwether (harbinger) or a retrograde (regressive) county?

What causes Mason County to be so different than the other dozen counties? Do these others have more capable and imaginative leadership, better economies, a larger, richer and more educated populace, a broader array of citizens rubbing shoulders or are they less patriotic, less religious, younger population or ____?

Then in the next issue of the Journal, there was a letter grumbling (Whining? Grousing? Bemoaning?) that a Democrat won U.S. House District 6. Similarly, how would the election of one more Republican to the U.S. House benefit fiscally or economically Mason County directly, i.e., locally, when all the other local offices on the ballot went Republican? There must be some reason(s) for both these anomalies, so I’m asking our esteemed local political pundits what these reasons might be.

Responses must identify their sources that are reputable, fact-based and easily verifiable. Please note: a reason or observation is a neutral act of taking in factual information, while an opinion is a belief or judgment based on personal preferences. Two caveats: no culture war rationales, please and be civil, i.e., no personal attacks, name-calling or disparaging remarks of anyone or any political party. Looking forward to reading any response(s)!

Bill Pfender, Shelton