February 8th operating levy for LS-R7

We're getting ready to vote on a new operating levy in our school district in just a few weeks.  I plan to vote FOR this operating levy. Why you may ask?

It's the teachers . . .

My kids are bright but not always easy to teach. At other schools they've often been considered a chore! Here the teachers just seem excited to educate them. They seem excited to see them learn. They seem excited to spend one on one time with them! I've never had teachers who "got" my kids so well.  They seem to actually have time in the day to sit down with them and teach them one on one.  It's so rare anymore for anyone outside of a special needs classroom to get that kind of attention. Do you know the difference 2 minutes of one on one attention can go for a kid who struggles? The child can go from "I hate math, I'm horrible at math." to "I really CAN do any assignment she gives me if I take my time. I'm pretty good at this stuff."  This was my 12 year old after one month of his teacher saying "Don't start the assignment unless you're sure you know how to do it. If you're unsure we'll spend a few minutes going over it again by ourselves." 

It's the technology . . .

It's expensive. I'm always skeptical when all the new fangled gadgets are used.  I knew that "smartboards" were fun but I really wondered about how necessary they were.  I've been converted.  I went to school and have watched them used in math class. One piece of equipment can show a movie, become a protractor, and illustrate the difference between area and perimeter!  The textbooks have programs that come with them! I can go online and see how the textbook says to do the worksheet.  Hallelujah!  Oh and that Powerschool thing? Talk about being able to hold your young driver accountable for actually turning stuff in! The power, the power bwahahahahahaha!

It's the way the district operates . . .

When they've been short of funds they've actually cut things. They've made thoughtful cuts. They've went to the public and said "Which of these programs would you prefer go?" When they decided to cut the summer school "for all" program two years ago the Superintendent commented that he was totally shocked that the parents picked that! It affected so many families! We're not dumb you see. We know what is going to affect our children's learning in the long run.  An extra month of school is nice for our pocketbooks but unnecessary when it comes time to tighten the belts.  They're even going to multi-grade classrooms. I'm surprised that so many people are shocked and horrified by THAT idea.  It's an idea that's worked for generations.  The district knows labor costs are huge and that talented teachers have effectively taught under that model for decades.

It's our property taxes . . .

Our property values are flatlining and the County Assessor is rumored to have actually dropped some valuations! In Ohio the county assessor taxed our house at $205,000 when we sold it for $160,000!  Could I have contested this? I had one week and I had to get 3 certified documents delivered in that time. Then you had to pay it anyway and if they hadn't "gotten to your case" in six months you had to resubmit your documentation.  While my taxes have been the same for 3 years now the cost of electricity and natural gas have gone up. The buses are packed to capacity.

For all of these reasons I'm going to haul my butt out of the house on February 8th and vote for this painfully large levy.  Good schools cause people to want to move to a place.  Good schools increase your property values.  Good schools make your neighborhoods nicer places to live.  Our schools are excellent. Stupid national government policies have made the housing market collapse.  LS-R7 has done their part to counteract this and it's our turn to support them.