Thank you, Mancos, for supporting your school.
In all the places Ive lived, Ive never been a part of a community that supports its school quite the way that Mancos does. Every function that I attend, be it an athletic activity, a learning activity or an extracurricular activity, there are always lots of parents there cheering on their kids. But there are also many people there who dont have kids in the school system, and who just want to see our young people do well and succeed.
Each time one of the sports teams goes to a regional or state championship, the whole school comes out to see them on their way, along with a truck or two from the Mancos volunteer fire department, blasting their horns and sirens. I am heartened to see that its not just a class or two, but every child in the school, who stands there and cheers, waves and makes the athletes feel very special. It doesnt matter what the weather is, either! If you hear lots of sirens and horns making a circle around Mancos, you might know what it is.
The teachers we have in the Mancos schools are some of the most dedicated and selfless people that Ive seen. They each go a long ways towards helping the kids learn, be the best they can be and be kind to each other. They, along with the administration and the school board, show the students that being a part of a small town and a small school is part of the best education they can enjoy.
Nurse Karen has brought an awareness to all the students of the importance of health. She has worked with teachers and staff to acquire grants and make sure that kids are taking care of their health.
The school board works hard to make sure that the kids have the best policies, facilities and equipment that their budget will allow, and thats not an easy job. They discuss, juggle and argue, and finally come up with plans that always put the kids best interests first. Faced with shrinking enrollments and budget shortfalls, many of the countrys school districts are closing buildings, downsizing programs and cutting jobs. But the Mancos board of education has worked hard to keep any of that from happening here.
The staff has worked tirelessly to initiate a new plan to shift the focus of learning and to make the students an important part of their own learning process. This is in addition to all the curriculum, scheduling, classes, policies and other stuff they are already doing!
The PTA, the Booster Club, the art classes, the bands, the field trips, and all the in dividual accomplishments by the students ... all these make up the fantastic school district that is Mancos.
And now, with the recently passed mill levy override, the school can maintain all the great educational programs and exceptional teachers this school district has known.
Jeanne Archambeault
Mancos Times editor