Letter to the Editor:

Dear Newton County School Board members:

I do not envy you at this time. You carry the weight of all the children of Newton County Schools on your shoulders…and that should be a very heavy weight. You will soon select a new leader for our children and your decision is critical.

I have reviewed the news articles with each candidate’s qualifications. Some impress me positively and some impress me negatively. But that is just writing. I would love to hear from supervisors as to each candidate’s performance in their current situation.

I have great concern for someone who says our system is "outstanding" because it is not. It is adequate and moving towards outstanding but is not there yet. Sometimes when we think something is very good, we have a tendency to let that "something" stand on its own and focus elsewhere and that is not what our system needs. We need someone who recognizes the needs and has the fire in the belly to do whatever he or she can to fulfill those needs and beyond.

I like that one candidate recognizes that each student’s needs must be met. Having "been there, done that" and raised three very successful children, I know that each student does not learn in the same manner and this must be recognized. I would like to see someone in this position who wants to be a part of this community. Someone who will live among our children, go to the new Walmart, eat pizza at Stevie B’s and get ice cream at Scoops.

Someone who will walk the square, go to the new library and the old one and embrace our children always. It does not matter to me how many employees have been supervised or how big of a system this person comes from. What does matter is that this person recognizes our positives and nourishes them to their fullest while working overtime to bring the negatives up to par and further.

As a school board member, you have been granted the authority to act for others. When elected, you were then asked to consider the children of this county and their future. You were not asked to make decisions otherwise.

I ask you to please consider your vote greatly. Do not follow other governing bodies of our county in the way they sometimes arrive at a decision. This decision should not be political nor should it be one to make history. It should be, and only be, a decision for the children.

Kathy Silvio

Covington