In the School District of Monroe, we are grateful for all this community has done to support the schools. Whether it is the support of recent referenda, donations from individuals and businesses, or people volunteering their time to make our school experiences richer for our students; we couldn’t be more appreciative of all that our community provides for us.
Most of us have heard this phrase so often that it has become cliche: “It is better to give than to receive.”
The holiday season serves as an example of this. While it is nice to receive that gift or item you always wanted, it feels even better to see the joy on someone’s face when you have provided something for them. Unfortunately, the holidays have become so commercialized that we, at times, feel we can buy others happiness. In reality it is love, acceptance and respect that we all desire in our own lives.
There are so many examples of how this community gives to our students, but I want to take a few moments to talk about who is receiving these gifts. Forty percent of our students qualify for free or reduced lunches. Probably another 20 to 30 percent of these children come from families living paycheck to paycheck. About half of them have parents who are divorced or at least one parent does not live in their household, and 14 percent of them have a disability that qualifies them for special education. These are local numbers representing our community.
If you look at some national numbers, 14 percent of children live in a household with somebody with a substance abuse disorder involving alcohol and/or drugs (SAMSA, 2014) and 13 percent of U.S. children have had a parent incarcerated at some point in their life as a child, according to the National Resource Center on Children and Families of the Incarcerated in 2014.
In 2013, the Center for Disease Control estimated that 20 percent of children in the U.S. suffer from a mental disorder at some point in a given year. An estimated 28 to 43 percent of children will be exposed to some form of sexual abuse in their household during their childhood, according to data gathered by the American Psychological Association in 2008. It is a tough time to be a child and every bit of support our community provides truly makes a difference.
Due to the overwhelming support within our community, we have been able to maintain academic programs and services while expanding our options for students in trauma or crises. While we may not think of a donation to the athletic booster club as making a difference in one’s mental health, we certainly know that there are students who would be in a lesser place if they didn’t have the outlet of athletics in their lives. When a business donates a piece of equipment to one of our technical education programs, they may not think of supporting some of these unmet needs. However, by not having to purchase this equipment, we may maintain the funding to keep some other student services or counseling programs alive that can make the difference for a student when they need support more than ever.
Every gift matters, and sometimes, the gift has recipients that one might not have expected. I know we face challenges, and our community is far from perfect. However, I am confident that the many gifts our students receive from the community is one of the key factors that makes this community such an incredible place to raise a family. We do not take this support for granted and we cannot express in mere words what a difference our community has made in making our district strong when we have needed it the most.
Thank you for your support, happy holidays and GO CHEESEMAKERS!!
— Rick Waski is the district administrator for the School District of Monroe. He can be reached at 608-328-7109 or rickwaski@monroe.k12.wi.us.
