Dave Armstrong
This is a day of JOY for our Community! Thank you for caring about our community and each other.
Thank you for both listening and sharing your questions, concerns, fears and doubts. – They helped define where we have been and helped us to be fully engaged with where we are now and where we want to go.
The building of a new school is not “us” vs. “them”, it’s not republican or democratic,, it’s not even a “who supported it and who didn’t” – it is a “WE” issue. We care. We build. We grow; individually and as a Community
Let’s all make a conscious decision to release each other from judgments about the past. The past has no right to claim OUR future; forgiveness is a choice we all can make. We have a goal- TO BE THE BEST IN EDUCATION, TO SET AN EXAMPLE FOR OTHERS. Let’s use our energies to make good choices at every level of the EDUCATION process. Let’s make sure that every child has every opportunity to learn, mature and be their BEST.
As this project and the District goes forward: We promise to take care of and earn the trust of our citizens by demonstrating a high level of competency, reliability and sincerity in all that we do and say. Words create worlds. Let our different points of view create new, better possibilities so that we can all share the same viewing point.
We invite you to engage with your hearts and minds, to step out of your comfort zones. Taking responsibility to listen, learn and contribute to this project. This school is an investment in our future. It is for community use and will benefit all. Henry Ford once said, “Before everything else, getting ready is the key to success”. We have just put ourselves in the “get ready” position. We are about to enter an exciting phase of intense work and we need your input. It’s your school. Let’s build it right, lets maintain it, Lets do this for the Community, Lets do this for our children!
And finally, let’s start saying that we have great schools – because we do.
Our school leaders are dedicated and first rate, our teachers and staff are exceptional. And we have extraordinary children on their way to being extraordinary people. The new high school will be a lifting off point for them to succeed in life and something for our community to take pride in.
Please join me in this work! Enjoy this day of JOY! Thank you!
These are the words Dave spoke to teachers, students and community members at “the old high school,” upon hearing of the successful passing of 3A, which will allow us to move forward and build a new, and desperately needed, high school. I had the good fortune of working with Dave, and others, on this campaign. He was our leader, and highest profile public speaker. It was a great honor. If you don’t know Dave, introduce yourself sometime. He is a class act. Thanks Dave. -bd
Dave, you are such a rock star! Thanks for being our leader.
To everyone who wants to see this new school done right, now is the chance to step up to the plate and be heard. The designs you have been seeing are preliminary, and are a good starting point, but now is the time that many important decisions will be made. Feel passionate about the auditorium? Do you have a strong opinion on how the building should look as you drive by? Are you a teacher, and you know exactly what you want in your classroom? Do you play sports in the gym? Do you have a child who will attend this new school? Are you a student who will attend the new school? Make yourself heard early in the process. Keep your eyes open because I’m sure that very soon the school board will be asking for people to step us to the plate and help design the best high school possible.
We have great schools. We have great teachers. We have a great community.
What an incredible feeling of community we experienced yesterday; to walk down F Street as a united front, thanking our community for their support. Thank you Salida, you are the “BEST!”
Well said Dave, and thank you for taking on this role. Your leadership was excellent, and of course absolutely necessary. Thanks for keeping us motivated and focused, no way we pass this thing by 70% without your vision.
That being said, thank you to all the people who chipped in on this – especially the campaign committee. What a group. Feels like there is nothing we could not do as a community. Thanks again.
When do the planning efforts begin. Dave, add me to the notification list? pressly101@bresnan.net
Wow!! As a person who is transitioning from Buena Vista to Salida, it is exciting to see the intense level of community support that is given to Salida schools. In general I observe a lot of community backing for the youth in Salida, which is a big reason for my move. Keep up the good work Salida citizens!!
The passage of 3A is one of the best things to happen for Salida. Now let’s keep it going. I was inspired by the Dzi foundation’s work in Nepal and how people in a small impoverished village contributed their own manpower to build the school (including cutting and stripping the timbers by hand) and I challenge Salida to do the same for our new High School. 3A funds the building, but a building shell does not a school make. I would like to see the teachers and students come up with a wish list of what will make their classroom excel and then have businesses (or individuals in town) adopt that classroom and help outfit it with the best educational tools we can – if we start now, we have a plenty of time to raise $. For example – let’s say the math teachers need some cool software that will really bring math to life and inspire students – maybe one or more local banks could adopt the math department and engage in their own fundraising ideas to help fulfill the math wish list. Maybe Salida artists could ban together to raise funds for supplies for the school’s art program including i would guess software like Illustrator and such . . . you get the idea.
And one more thing, if i could’ve added a condition to my “yes” vote, please promise us the building itself will feature inspired design that fits with the character of the community and not be a repeat of the architectural abomination that is at the northwest 291 gateway to our community.
Perfect observation and outlook Lee, right down to the 1950′s giant Twinkie hospital design being a poor choice for our community’s continuity.
On a positive note – Kudos to the school board, administrators and facilities committee for ensuring the new high school will be built to LEED standards ( unlike the “new” hospital). LEED will ensure the building is energy efficient and has healthier than average indoor air quality.
Quick note. The passage of 3A will allow for total project completion. From the physical construction of the building down to the interior. This includes all classroom desks and chairs, lockers, computers and media equipment. There shouldn’t be any need for additional fundraising regarding the construction of the high school.
More from TED on inspiration for our new school.
How can our new school be both more sustainable and reflect the culture and dreams for our kids and our community for the future
http://tinyurl.com/2ddl747