Schneid Remarks 11-1-18

The following seven days will be some of the busiest and most rewarding in the newspaper business.

I love this time of year because of playoff sports, but there is an extra event which we will cover this time...the general election.

I am one of those who loves to stay up late, or early, watching the results come in little by little, until winners are announced.

Of course one of the biggest issues on the ballot this year for WEM School District residents is the $19.3 million building bond vote.

The last three bond votes at WEM were not very successful. This time it seems as if there is more positive talk about the bond.

That being said, everyone's opinion is respected. Whether you are for or against the bond, I think district residents are in agreement that something needs to be done with our aging infrastructures.

I can say this is the first time in my four terms on the WEM School Board that discussion is really starting to move toward, "What can we do?" Instead of just simply doing nothing.

Obviously I am in favor of the building bond. In six months I will no longer have a student in the school district. I don't have any more children, but I feel the school district is the pulse of the community.

Without a school we can only wonder what will happen to our communities.

Someone sent me a note which made mention of the communities of Waldorf, Pemberton, Easton, and other towns that no longer have a school presence.

The businesses are few in those communities and I think a big part of that is not having a school.

The WEM Board has made a conscious effort to make sure Waterville, Elysian, and Morristown have school presences.

I had a discussion with an individual who has a business within this district.

He has not decided yet which way he plans on voting, but he did say without a school his business would definitely suffer.

I know there are a number of people who are very supportive of the school district who said they will not vote for this bond because they want a new school.

I respect their opinions.

Please give some serious thought into this year's vote.

The school district will not close if the bond doesn't pass, but we do need to provide our students and staff with more updated buildings.

As the years go by and the buildings continue to deteriorate, it will be harder and harder to keep up with the maintenance.

The district is doing the best it can with the dollars allotted.

Off my soap box I will jump.

I am very excited about the fall sports playoffs which are coming close to a crescendo.

Both the football and the volleyball teams have chances to advance to State. I don't think this has ever happened in the same season.

That being said, I need to regress a bit and give the WEM/JWP girls' cross country team some kudos. They recently finished third in the Section 2A Meet, which was the highest finish in school history.

The top five runners are seventh, eighth, and ninth graders. The future is great for this team.

Hats off to seniors Claire Buscho and Sarah Best, the only two seniors on the team.

I know they have helped with leadership of these young girls over the years and they will be missed.

Changing gears, the WEM football team will be playing arch rival NRHEG Friday for the section 2AA Championship.

WEM defeated the Panthers 48-0 on NRHEG's Homecoming a month ago.

NRHEG fumbled the first three times they touched the ball and WEM capitalized by scoring three times.

The Bucs were definitely the better team that night, but the Panthers have some tremendous players and I look for a much closer game. NRHEG has been on a roll since that loss and will be ready to play Friday at JWP.

The Bucs are also a different team since then. Players have changed positions due to injuries and players who have not gotten much playing time have stepped up and filled in admirably.

There are only three undefeated teams in Class AA and one of those, Redwood Valley, handed the Bucs their lone loss, 22-18. Many felt the Bucs could have or should have won that game, but it was a learning process in game one and the team has gotten better every week.

Can't wait until Friday!

The WEM volleyball team has been playing as well as any WEM team ever has.

They are rated No. 2 in Class A and are hopefully heading for a re-match with defending Class A State Champion Mayer Lutheran in the Section 2A finals Saturday.

These two teams have met three straight seasons in the Section 2A Championship, with WEM winning once and Mayer Lutheran winning twice.

The Bucs have only two losses, which is a school record. The losses are to No. 1 rated Minneota and the Wisconsin No. 3 rated River Falls team.

With a win Thursday, the Bucs will advance to Saturday's Section 2A finals at 6 p.m. at Mankato East High School.

What a great week to be a Buccaneer fan.

Good Luck, Bucs. I am looking forward to writing about a record season for both teams.