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I am a parent of three children, a working professional, an avid volunteer at our local schools, and hold a place on the school board for district #199.  [I believe in the value of a good education and is why I am so involved.] I started out volunteering in classrooms and pull-out programs to provide more rigor to students needing additional challenge.  I then put in months and endless hours to help pass a building bond two years ago that failed during the first attempt.  I then pursued a role on the school board as I saw the need for continued improvements in the education system of MN.  My heart is with kids and helping them pursue their true potential.

Unfortunately, I can’t put my full focus on what is best for kids as I continue to prepare and work for passing referendums.  This time around we are going for our operating levy, which is no longer considered an excess levy as we depend on it to support our basic curriculum.   Once again, I, as well as our school’s administration and many volunteers, am putting in countless hours to plead to our local community how important this is for the future of the education we provide our kids over the next ten years.  When I think about how many children I, and the many others involved in the referendum process, could touch with that type of time, I am truly disappointed by the lack of focus on what is best for kids.  We can’t produce five star schools and build all the necessary teaching strategies to reach these kids when so much focus is financial. 

In our community, approximately 65% of the population does not have children in their homes and many are on a very fixed income.  They struggle giving up additional dollars each month, year over year.  Property taxes often increase in the double digits with school districts then knocking on their doors for more.  This process is not working.  Our time would be better spent educating kids rather than educating the public on how to understand taxes and what it takes to run a school, how complex school finance is and that we are not mishandling money, often the comment we receive when asking for more money.  The cycle needs to stop!  Our time needs to be placed back into the category of educating kids, not fundraising.

Please consider a better way of funding our schools so our time and passion is spent on kids. This will allow us a real opportunity to reach every child and help them find success in their life.

Thanks for your time,
Lynette Stensgard