Write to the Point

Vote ‘yes’ on Cheney school measures

The Cheney School District is asking voters to support students by passing three separate financial initiatives.

As a retired grandmother, I sought to understand why we needed to see a levy and two bonds. School funding can be very confusing.

The levy is a continuation of a current maintenance and operations levy. These have to be renewed regularly and typically do not increase taxes or include small increases.

They support ongoing education activities such as the arts and sports and support staff.

One bond is a safety and security, student health and facilities bond. Bonds must be targeted to specific improvements of facilities, so funds would go to each school for their own safety needs. In this day and age, that makes really good sense to me — protect the kids.

The second bond is a followup to the land purchases addressed in the last bond. Now, it’s time to build a new elementary school in the West Plains and purchase additional land to be prepared for the influx of students from the housing growth in the district.

All of the elementary schools here are over-capacity and students are being bussed all around the area.

I’ve had the privilege of visiting classrooms in the Cheney schools.

I’ve seen what teachers are doing and kids are learning. I’ve seen the emphasis on reading and math and the great strides kids are making.

It’s our responsibility to ensure students are safe in uncrowded buildings and have access to support and activities. Vote “yes” on all three of the ballot measures to support the kids of the Cheney School District.

Shirley Andrews

Cheney

Support Medical Lake school levies

Please support the Medical Lake School District levies.

These small increases to the existing levies will help leverage state dollars to make a big difference. Like my granddad always said, “kids these days!”. A sentiment that I relate with more and more, but life is crazy these days.

Everything costs a lot of money and if students are not engaged in school, they are super likely to drain their brain on screens or drugs, or both, challenges that my granddad and I never faced.

The EP&O levy will continue to pay for after-school sports and activities, half of the school resource officer deputy services and a host of other vital offerings of the school district.

Through the capital levy, the school district has made significant improvements that have made our schools safer, but there is more to do in our new world. As an Eastern Washington University professor, I see a spike in anxiety and other unique obstacles our students are facing.

The EP&O levy supports nurses and counseling services to help students navigate the challenges I could have never dreamed of before COVID altered our lives.

We want well-rounded kiddos that will work with others to help solve world problems, so please join me in voting yes to help our kids, help schools help kids and let’s just make this world a happier place by being cool to kids and everyone.