I am a physical therapist who has been involved with Wilderness Trace Child Development Center, either as a contract therapist, employee or Board member for most of the past 26 years.  At the recent special called meeting a Danville BOE member made the statement that he had not heard anyone thank them for acting as the fiscal agent for WTCDC. There are a lot of things I could address in this letter, but this is the statement that has struck a chord with me. 

I personally want to thank the following:

• The original advisory board that decided that the money raised in this community should stay in this community, providing services in a small class setting specializing working with children with diverse abilities.
• The Exceptional Staff through the years that have made it possible for children to shine. 
• The Danville Board, Superintendents, Special Ed Directors, and Preschool Coordinators that for most of the last 20 some years saw the value in our center and agreed that acting as our fiscal agent was worthwhile and that WTCDC was not a liability to DIS.
• All the school districts and parents that have trusted us with their children.
• The Church that allowed us to use one of their community rooms to provide services; the American Legion that rented us a building  for $1 per year; the local companies that donated money for playground equipment/fencing; the parents that lobbied the state government making it possible for legislative funding for a new building;  The Industrial Board who donated the land for our very own building.
• The multitude of volunteers that have; come into the classroom; served on our Board of Directors; supported Big Toy Day/ GoodGiving/Dance; volunteered at/donated to/shopped at Bluebird Market.
• The organizations that have awarded grants and other funds.

Our community has supported WTCDC for its entire existence. We appreciate that support and will continue to need the time, talents and financial assistance of our supporters. We have limited optimism that this current Board of Ed will vote to agree to continue as our fiscal agent for another year, even if modifications were made to the Memorandum of Agreement. We have begun the process of figuring out the best path for our exceptional school. We have no intention of closing our doors despite rumors to the contrary. As we have said for decades…Miracles happen here!

Diane Thompson-Will

Danville