Vote YES on School Bond

Ballots are arriving this week. Although the election date is not until April 26, there is no reason to wait. In advertising, presentations to civic groups and campus tours Superintendent Ron Spanjer has made the case that the school buildings, particularly in the high school, need to be restructured. Others who have inspected the facilities have confirmed the need in letters to the Northern Light.

In 2008 the vote for a $40 million bond failed. (At the same time a 4-year maintenance and operations levy was approved.) This year's reduced request, $32 million, represents a re-evaluation of priorities and includes $2 million to buy property for an eventual Birch Bay elementary school.

With the economy down and voters increasingly cautious, you might ask why is the school board asking for the vote now. The answer is that, with interest rates at historic lows, the cost of the 12-year bond is lower now than later; construction bids can be expected to be lower.

Hearing and reading so much in the news about the failure of the nation's schools, I was pleased to hear Mr. Spanjer's comments on the quality of the Blaine High School in his talk at the Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce in February:

• Advanced Placement – that is students completing college-level courses – is up for the 4^th consecutive year;
• BHS is recognized as an “exemplary level school” on the State's Accountability Index;
• Last year the high school completion rate passed 90 percent for the first time.

My high school class started in 1944 with 100 students and graduated 34 in 1948. You understand why I am impressed with that 90 percent.

ak