LETTERS

Sparta Superintendent, Michael Rossi, said at the Board of Education meeting on Monday that branding the school district is his "number one priority"!
Number one priority? Really?
Meanwhile there were 60 teachers in the audience pleading to settle their contract which expired in June, 2018. The administration and leadership of this Board of Education who voted 6-3 in favor of this motion obviously do not have their priorities straight.
Spending $3,000 on a new logo as part of "branding" the Sparta district, would only be the beginning of this expenditure. Altering the logo would mean spending many more thousands of dollars changing the logos throughout the district, on the scoreboards in the gymnasiums, outside the buildings, on all printed material, and perhaps even on the gym floor, etc.
For the Board President, Kelly McEvoy, to state that creating a logo "was not something a student could do," shows her obvious lack of confidence in our students' abilities.
Then to realize that new board member Jen Grana's experience with advertising and graphic design, is also a snub and shows that this board has no idea how to take advantage of the talent of its board members, of our students, and staff.
Our teachers deserve to have their contract negotiations settled. Our staff does an outstanding job with the students of Sparta.
It's time to make Sparta students and staff our Number One priority.
Melva A. Cummings
Sparta