LETTERS: CARUTHERSVILLE'S SUCCESS

To the editor:

I am writing to commend Peggy Scott for her article entitled, "Bootheel bad for kids." It was a very informative article concerning the problems faced in our area daily for our schools and our children.

I invite Ms. Scott to look into what is going on here at Caruthersville Elementary School. I believe Ms. Scott would be impressed with what we are doing and accomplishing here at Caruthersville. Space limitations will not allow me to tell you as much as I would like about our children and our teaching staff. There are a few statistics I would like to bring out to you. Our average monthly attendance is about 97 percent. Our after-school parent-teacher conferences had 92 percent of all children represented. Our open house had well over 90 percent of our parents in attendance. Our state test scores are above the state average, yet we have 79 percent of our students on free or reduced lunch.

We have a very active Parent-Teacher Organization that each year raises over $10,000 to help us where budget limitations leave us short. We do all of the above without the extra money the richer districts have, including the money spent by the state and national government in St. Louis and Kansas City.

Our school has approximately 800 students, and we have not had a single act of vandalism this year. Needless to say, I am very proud of our schools, teachers, parents and especially our children.

Donald Kahl, a writer for the Washington Post, once wrote an article about a college that only took students who scored 30 or above on their ACT and all of the doctors, lawyers, college presidents and CEOs who were the college's graduates. He wrote, "That's great. However, after four years all that shows me is that the students are still smart and they would be a success. Show me a college that takes students with 10 ACTs and has the same graduates, and I will show you a school that is really doing its job." This is what, I believe, we are doing here at Caruthersville Elementary. We're taking kids who live in Pemiscot County that the Missourian's article states is the worst place for children to live and having daily heroes and successes.

ROB HICKLIN, Principal

Caruthersville Elementary School

Caruthersville