One of the things I love most about Arlington is the closeness of our community! Part of that “closeness” is standing up and taking care of our own. It is for that very reason I’m asking everyone to vote yes for the Arlington School District Programs and Operations levy to support our children’s education now and in the future.
Educational funding has become a real point of contention throughout our state. Everyone agrees that educating our children is important, yet the idea of increased taxation and the constant media barrage regarding the state’s inability to fully fund basic education tends to make voters apprehensive in their support.
Thankfully, the renewal of the district’s proposed levy will not increase the cost to taxpayers and will continue to fund the programs that our students and community have come to rely on. This levy renewal continues to support student participation in valued programs such as but not limited to athletic contests, drama and music performances at the Byrnes Performing Arts Center. This levy renewal will continue to support necessary academic programs such as free full time kindergarten and new STEM education opportunities at the secondary levels. It will also continue the funding of programs such as summer school, Books on the Bus program and Robotics summer camps.
I hope I’m wrong but I do not believe we can rely on state and federal funding to fully provide everything that our students will need to compete and live in the real world. The promise of a fully funded government education has become hallow with little or no results! Our kids deserve a proactive response as opposed to waiting for “promised” legislation … in other words we need to take care of our own.
Please remember to vote yes on Feb. 9!
Mike Carlton
President, AHS Booster Club
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