School Board Recall - A response to Mr. Patterson & Mr. Shaw

To Mr. Shaw....as a single mother of 3 sons, I can say without reservation that it has been a honor and a privilege to have my children educated in this small town. We have all been grateful recipients of the generosity of this community, both in their time and their financial resources. Just to set the record straight....we moved here 12 years ago to take care of my dying father. My oldest began the 6th grade at Tenaya, my middle, the 4th and my youngest the 1st. I will be forever grateful to the community of teachers, staff and administrators, coaches, pastors, employers and friends in this small community who not only educated my children but helped me raise 3 fine young men. Two of my sons graduated as valedictorians at Tioga, one having earned enough college credit, through courses offered at Tioga and some taken on line, to enter college with Sophomore standing. He has since graduated cum laude from Seattle University and is currently in a PhD program in Physics at UC San Diego. My middle son is going to school full time in Chico, holds down a part-time job, and still manages to make the time to come up to Groveland to help his mom!! My youngest is a Freshman at St. John's University in Minnesota...planning on graduating with a degree in math. His hope is to one day teach high school math and coach basketball - a decision which is the direct result of the mentoring he received from the teachers - particularly Mr. Dutton - and coaches. All 3 were accepted to EVERY college to which they applied and ALL were more than adequately prepared - academically and emotionally - for the rigors of a university education. Again, this is a direct result of the kind of education and support Tioga affords it's students. Many of the students my sons graduated with at Tioga have also gone on to and graduated from college, some have entered and continue to serve our country in the military, some have remained in Groveland, married and had children and are contributing members of our community. So, Mr. Shaw, before you judge the success or failure of a school and it's faculty, and before you choose to use test scores as the only litmus test, you might do well to investigate the future this small high school has produced.