LETTER TO THE EDITOR | Please support public schools
Published 4:57 pm Friday, January 29, 2010
To the editor:
I’d like to take this opportunity to thank our community for its strong support of our public school system. This support is visible by the countless volunteer hours that many of you spend assisting our teachers and tutoring our students. We are also extremely grateful for your past financial support evidenced by your willingness to renew the tax levies which enable our public schools to continue to provide excellent educational opportunities for all of our community’s children.
On Feb. 9 we are asking you to again support our local public schools by voting YES on the renewal of the maintenance-and-operations levy and the capital-projects levy.
These are a three-year extension of the two-year levies that were passed by more than 70 percent of voters in 2005. Both of these levies are renewals of existing levies and do not increase your local property taxes. These funds will provide the school district with necessary resources for continuing enrichment programs and after-school activities, additional days for staff professional development and maintaining lower class sizes. Local community support of our public-school system is crucial in order to meet the high academic standards that we set for our students.
The request for technology funds is important to continue in this year’s levy. Classrooms must continue to evolve along with the rest of our media-rich society, and they rely greatly on computers and other instructional technology to engage students and enhance learning. Students use computers for developing 21st-century skills, and for teachers to customize lesson plans to meet students’ individual learning needs. Parents rely on the technology in schools to facilitate closer communications and monitoring of work. For youths in the 21st century, aptitude with technology is a critical skill and has become a way of life.
The use of computers, the Internet and multimedia tools pervade popular culture and many educational settings. Their use will continue to grow in importance in preparing youths for success in the workplace.
Your investment in technology for our schools will benefit our students as we prepare them to be successful and productive citizens in a complex world and global economy. Again, thank you for supporting our public- school system.
Rich Parker
Vice Chairman
South Whidbey School Board
