Editor:

Every morning as my students prepare to enter our classroom, they have a choice of how they’d like me to greet them. Handshake, Hip bump, Wink, or Hug? It’s always a hug. That’s because I teach Kindergarten and Kindergarteners LOVE to hug! And that’s okay because I love them and want them to know and feel how loved and special they are!

Kindergarten is such a special place and a sacred time in a child’s life. This is their first experience in school, afterall! I get the privilege of introducing my students to school and fostering their initial love for learning. My goal is to ensure my students LOVE learning and are comfortable, confident, excited, and happy while at school. I don’t think people realize just how special our schools are. My school is a family. We cherish our students, we partner with our parents, we do whatever it takes to support each other.

Another special place- Brown County. There is nowhere more beautiful or more peaceful than our county. And the people here? The cream of the crop. Everyone I’ve met here has left a lasting impression on me. When I was a little girl, I dreamed of moving to Brown County. My family has a farm here and visiting them was my most favorite thing. In 2016, my dream was realized and my family and I were able to find the perfect home and I was able to find the perfect job at Sprunica Elementary.

I’ve spent over half of my teaching career in Brown County, and if I’ve learned anything, it’s that Brown County kids are worth it. The students that I interact with each day, or have had the privilege to teach in the past, are just so exceptional and full of potential. Given the opportunity, they can do or be anything! My colleagues and I instill this sense of possibility in our students beginning in Kindergarten. We teach our students how to recognize their strengths and values and explore different career possibilities. We strive to provide our students a well-rounded education, but we know there is so much more they deserve! Believe me, BCS teachers and staff are relentless in our efforts to provide our students with outstanding educational opportunities, but we face major challenges due to low resources, low support staff, and low programming. On top of that, neighboring school districts offer salaries that are significantly above ours. We lose so many outstanding teachers due to the fact they are able to make more money to support their families elsewhere. Our students deserve the best of the best, and when our teachers leave, we fall short. Our kids suffer.

I am also a Brown County Schools parent. Just like many of us, my husband and I are raising a young family here in Brown County and feel blessed to be able to do so. My boys are my world and I of course want the best for them. I want them to be provided with exceptional opportunities and I want them to have the BEST teachers. I want the best for all the kids in our community. Shouldn’t we all? A community that invests in their schools is a community that will thrive. Without a strong school district, a community can’t survive.

Did you know that the state of Indiana gives Brown County Schools $7,000 per student, while giving other school districts thousands more? The state average is around $10,000. This is why we need a referendum and why we can’t sustain on what we are given from the state. We are a small rural district, and because of that, we are given the short end of the stick, even though kids are kids and should all be worth the same! Right? Is a Carmel kid better than a Brown County kid? No!

Someone recently said that Brown County’s most precious natural resource is our children and I couldn’t agree more. These kids are our future! They are our future electricians, our future engineers, our future linemen, our future doctors!

Brown County, I sincerely hope you vote yes on May 7. Vote yes for all the other worthy kids in Brown County. Vote yes for me and all the dedicated teachers in Brown County who devote their lives to ensure our kids get the best. Have you ever met a teacher who doesn’t bring their work home?

Maybe it’s not physical papers or a laptop, but a mind full of worry for our students.

This referendum will give us the fighting chance to be the best and provide the best. Our kids are worth it!

Alyson Hanus

Brown County