To the editor:

Because of their concerns for the Dowagiac school system,  Larry Schmidt and Ruth Ausra are running for  seats on the school board.
Please give them your vote on Nov. 6.
They are good people who are committed to their community and to education and they are willing to work on improving communication between the schools and parents, staff and the broader community.
This lack of communication was brought home to me with the defeat of the bond issue.
Unlike previous votes, there didn’t seem to be much effort to acquaint  citizens with what was on the ballot or to invite their questions and participation in the campaign.
Because of our bookstore, my husband and I have worked with Ruth and find her to be professional, honest and hard working.  I worked with Larry for several years while he was the director of Pathfinders, our alternative and adult education program and am so impressed with his commitment to students and to their education.
Students in programs like Pathfinders usually face the kinds of challenges that many of us can’t imagine,but time and again I saw Larry work with students and their parents to keep the students in school. Among many,many examples, I remember when Larry invited a student to be a hostess at our graduation ceremony, but she had nothing appropriate to wear. Larry gave one of the teachers  money to take her shopping! I have worked in education my whole life and haven’t often seen thatt kind of support given to individual students.
Vote for a positive change. Vote for Ruth Ausra and Larry Schmidt!

Karen Pugh
Dowagiac