The High School has announced via email that they will not be sending home 1st Semester Grades as we can access our children’s grades online.  Now let’s see, a parent doesn’t use the computer much if at all so they won’t see the email. Since they don’t use the computer much, they haven’t seen their child's grades.  Their child when asked did not hear any announcement at school, not that kids would fess up if this was a contentious subject.  How many people fall into this scenario? According to Principal Bradley, 20% or one in every 5 parents.

According to Principal Bradley this was a cost savings measure, an impressive $330.  Why choose this?  There are other areas that with one change would save more than $330.

1. Have they counted the number of Mini-Vans and Suburbans the school has in its fleet?  Do we need them all? As an aside according to Mr. Vrooman the school buses are maxed out (what do they mean?) and the fleet of other vehicles are fully used by people going to "things" (what people and what are "things"). "Things" aside, consider the insurance and maintenance fees that might be saved.
   
   
2. Have the trips, training, and "things" been audited and possible cost effective alternatives been reviewed as options?  I’d like to think there are a few more cost effective choices.
   
   
3. Have games using the well lit playing fields been reviewed and alternative schedules proposed that have teams playing when the sun is up been considered?  Do those who use the fields for non school functions pay for the electricity as well as a use fee?  From what I understand electric bills for those lights from just a few events will run quickly into the thousands of dollars.

There may have been a review on these items. On the other hand, based on how the school has handled other issues, there is is room for improvement in at least one of these areas. But then maybe I am just off base.  How important are grades, really?