Letters to the editor 10-11

Carson community

supports fundraiser

Often Alzheimer's disease is a forgotten disease and people do not realize that the number of people with Alzheimer's in Nevada will more than double by 2050 if we don't act now.

Well, 115 people from our community chose to act on Saturday by participating in the Alzheimer's Association Carson City Memory Walk and I want to thank all of them for showing us support. In a time when nonprofit organizations are struggling, their generosity and passion has made an enormous impact.

We raised $15,500 at the event, which is something to be proud of. But we still need more help from the community to reach our goal of $22,500. So if anyone out there forgot to donate to Memory Walk or wasn't able to attend, I want to let them know they can still support us and make a donation by visiting www.alz.org/memorywalk or calling the local Alzheimer's office at 775-786-8061 by Oct. 31.

I also want to let your readers know that if anyone in the community has, or is caring for an individual with Alzheimer's disease or any other type of dementia, they can contact the Alzheimer's Association for help and information anytime day or night at 800-272-3900 or visit our Web site at www.alz.org. They can also feel free to come by and pay us a visit at our local office at 1301 Cordone Ave., Suite 180 in Reno.

Jenny Haas

Memory Walk Committee Volunteer

Perhaps it's time

to find the right road

Last year in response to comments I made to Carson City school board members about phonics reading instruction, I was invited to observe several primary classrooms. I came away from those observations understanding why the schools have failed to provide students with the essential tool - fluent reading ability - upon which to build a solid education.

CCSD has three Title I schools with large disadvantaged student populations which use the Success for All reading program implemented eight years ago.

On 2008 Criterion Referenced Tests, 67 percent, 51 percent and 45 percent of each school's third-graders met proficiency standards. The other three elementary schools use a piecemeal assortment of reading programs, some effective but most to little purpose. Only one of these schools recorded a higher percentage.

I was hopeful after reading in the Sept. 9 Appeal that "CCSD is focusing on reading this year to make the teaching process uniform throughout the schools."

A recent Appeal column dispels my hopes. Instead of adopting an effective district-wide program, "curriculum mapping" will be conducted by teachers whereby the same ineffective programs will be continued but with "specific goals" assigned. No silk purses will result from this effort.

C.S. Lewis once said, "we all want progress, but progress means getting closer to where you want to be. If you are on the wrong road, the progressive man is the one who turns around soonest and heads back to the right road."

It's time for an about-face in reading instruction in CCSD.

Sharon S. Kientz

Carson City

Budget balancing

tactics questioned

As a friend and relative of several state workers, I would like to know how the state of Nevada's politicians and Legislature can justify taking a day's pay from all but a chosen few.

I just read that the head of prisons got another extension for full pay for guards and a few others that are exempt because he can't figure out how to rotate them. Duh!

Plus, how fair is it to balance our state budget on just state workers?

To make it fair, I vote to give all state workers back their pay they've lost until the state can figure out how to rotate the guards and any other personnel who have been exempt.

Jo Ann McCain

Carson City

Volunteers needed

to assist children

Children are sometimes abused or neglected. Their rescue and healing begins with the good work of those who report, law enforcement and child welfare. But what then? What happens to these children? Here are the outlines.

The child may be placed with a relative or go into a foster home. Having foster homes right here in Carson City really helps. It means that the children stay near their family, near their friends, in their same school, in their community. This helps them heal.

In the first day or two, sometimes faced with children who come without clothing, the foster parent or relative can go through the social worker or CASA advocate to get immediate clothes from the Foster Kids Closet - made possible by a caring community.

The child will be assigned a CASA advocate - a trained unpaid community member who speaks up for the child in the court process. Not every child in Nevada who is supposed to have a CASA advocate has one. We are always looking for people to do this.

That's the first few days. Then the work begins for the social worker, CASA advocate, court, attorneys and the parents. With some exceptions provided by law and assuming that a criminal conviction does not preclude such efforts, the hope in a child welfare case is that parents will change and that their children will return to them. That doesn't always happen. Sometimes children go to guardianship or adoption.

For information on becoming a foster parent contact Marylee Mockford at 687-4943, ext. 262. For information on becoming a CASA advocate, contact CASA of Carson City at 882-6776.

Chris Bayer, Director

CASA of Carson City