Silver Dollars & Wooden Nickels: Thanks, teachers, for making a difference

The Nevada Appeal's "Silver Dollar" and "Wooden Nickel" feature recognizes positive achievements from the capital region and, when warranted, points out others that missed the mark.

SILVER DOLLAR: To Fremont Elementary School teacher Kathy Rothchild and the 20 other staff from the Carson City School District who are retiring this year.

Rothchild started teaching in Carson in 1973 at what was then Bray Elementary. After taking some time off, she has been a fixture at Fremont since 1988.

These special people have had a large impact on our children throughout the years. They are the ones we entrust our children to. They help mold their minds by teaching them - not only items that can be learned from text books, but life lessons. They are role models and each and every one of them has made a lasting impression on our children.

"(Rothchild) honestly loves children and brings this kindness and empathy to every occasion," said former student Bridget Gordon.

Rothchild says she's just doing what she would want others to do in the same situation.

"After I had children, I started treating every child the way I thought their mothers would want them to be treated," she explained. "I started looking at them as my own children. And what would I want for my own children? Of course, that would be the best, the very best possible."

WOODEN NICKEL: With June 6 quickly approaching, we are starting to wonder if all that transparent talk that hovered around the Legislature earlier this session was just another dog and pony show.

Sure, we have all greatly benefited from having testimony presented to the committee as a whole, but what we really want to hear is what is in the works to cover this ever-growing budget hole.

We hear rumblings of hallway meetings and secret deals possibly being struck, we only hope that those deals are presented in public for all of Nevada to hear. We might be growing impatient - because over time (and a few special sessions) - those secret deals will start to come to light.