Pampa Citizens,
Spring has sprung, and with that a new sense of hope and growth for our community! We are blessed here to have strong leaders in our county, city and schools. Pampa is a community on the move and with that many opportunities are on the horizon. One such opportunity is the upcoming, May 6th, PISD bond election.
Pampa is a very proud community with rich history. I am blessed to call Pampa home. Pampans pride ourselves on being gritty, hardworking people. Nothing comes easy and everything must be worked for. We find ways to make do with what we have. We are natural conserver’s. All these things are great qualities, but I wonder if some of these attributes can sometimes make us our own worst enemy.
Pampa schools, with the exception of the junior high, are old. The antiquated buildings no longer provide space or capabilities needed to provide the very best education for our children. PISD maintenance crews have done a phenomenal job over the last 15+ years of putting lipstick on a pig, for lack of a better phrase. At first glance, many of our schools seem adequate, but upon touring several campuses I quickly realized that is not the case. I do not believe it would be inaccurate to say that PISD campuses, for the most part, are well beyond their useful life. IF the bond election fails, money from the Maintenance & Operations fund will have to be spent on campus improvements. Does it make sense to pour taxpayer funds into buildings not worth the very money used to improve them?
I believe we are at a crossroads. We have an opportunity to invest into the education of our children. They are the future of Pampa and our community will reap the benefits of our investment many times over. A commitment to provide our community with the very best schools is an announcement to families, employers and home builders in our region that Pampa is THE place to be. It is well known that when companies look to relocate or expand their business, new and updated schools play a large part in their decision as they look to relocate families.
I’m sure many of you are aware of the dramatic certified teacher shortage our area is facing. As an example, West Texas A&M is graduating 36 educators this spring. The Panhandle has over 60 school districts. Let that sink in. PISD is in a constant battle to recruit and hire quality teachers. In an atmosphere where demand is much greater than supply, teachers hold all the cards. Do you think they would choose to come to Pampa with our current antiquated campuses if given the opportunity to go work for a district that has newer campuses and the latest and greatest technology?
In closing, I stumbled across a quote on social media recently, in regards to the bond election, that hit me square in the gut. The writer is not a native Pampan, but rather someone who moved here three years ago. Her quote read, “Pampa continues to fight Pampa so Pampa will never progress. Plain and simple. Too much hatred, finger pointing, blaming, and not enough people taking action. Pampa’s worst enemy is in fact, Pampa.” Let us not be a community that is complacent. Let us not be a community that is short sighted. Let us not be a community that is stuck in our ways. Let us be a community that is an example of what happens when people come together for the greater good. I will be voting YES and YES and I hope that you will consider doing the same. God willing, May 6th will be the day Pampa sets the standard for educational opportunities in our region.
Pampa Proud,
Matt Rains
