Ridgefield resident Michele Wollert offers her support for the Ridgefield School District bond proposals in the April 23 special election
Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are those of the author alone and do not reflect the editorial position of ClarkCountyToday.com
In about one week, Ridgefield voters will begin receiving ballots in their mailboxes for the April 23rd special school bond election. Here’s what’s at stake:
Proposition 10 would authorize the school district to complete the construction of a new elementary school; construct an addition to Ridgefield High School with new general and vocational education classrooms; and repair roofing and replace rooftop mechanical systems at Ridgefield High School and district elementary schools.
Proposition 11 would authorize the district to construct a new intermediate/ middle school campus and new wrestling and locker room additions and upgrades to Ridgefield High School; resurface the track and field and upgrade band room acoustics at Ridgefield High School; and update elementary school playgrounds.
Student enrollment at Ridgefield schools has increased by 47 percent since the last school bond was passed in 2017. Classroom space is severely limited and children are now learning in 26 portables, as well as in the hallways and athletic rooms. Local funding of bond measures like these is necessary because, unfortunately, the Washington State Legislature does not subsidize the construction or renovation of our children’s schools.
I no longer have children who attend public schools, but I love living in Ridgefield and understand that there’s much at stake in this election: the safety of our children and teachers, the vibrancy of our beautiful neighborhoods, the health of our local economy, and the desirability of our community to both residents and businesses who call it home.
Ridgefield neighbors have a proud history of generously supporting each other in times of need. Now is the time to also take care of our public school children, our future, as a wise investment in one of Washington State’s fastest growing cities.
Please vote yes on Propositions 10 and 11!
Michele Wollert
Ridgefield
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These are just regurgitated talking points. This argument wants us to excuse corruption and mismanagement for the good of the children. By her admission, they are using stats that go back to 2017 because it inflates their projections and doesn’t take into account the Covid drop and slowdown in the economy. The RSD intentionally deceives voters by not including INTEREST (have you ever bought a house that didn’t include info on interest? NO) RSD wants extravagant campuses and sticks taxpayers with the bill. They’ve arrogantly ignored the voters time and time again. VOTE NO
Nonsense. Those on the left continue to push the known fallacy that money equals outcomes.
The costs of everything has exploded under the leftist regimes running this state and this country. Prices are insanely high under the inflation yoking us, in everything from Inslee’s gas tax to Biden’s massive increase in grocery prices… with no end in sight.
Something’s got to give.
If money made any difference in academic outcomes, that would be one thing. But the explosion in our property taxes from the unnecessary ripoff of the McCleary budget did nothing to improve academic outcomes, and in fact, some teachers unions STILL either threaten to go out on another illegal strike, or actually do go out on strike.
Until pumping more money into a nonresponsive system actually results in measurably better academic outcomes, this represents just another massive waste of money.
If you want to see how the district is doing, make sure you check out the OSPI Report Card for Ridgefield schools. THEN make up your mind.
Here’s the link to the OSPI for Ridgefield Schools. KJ, you are asking liberals to actually look at facts and come to a logical conclusion. Not going to happen because they are sunbathing on a barge floating down the River of Denial on Fantasy Island. However, for those of us that CAN think and reason, the report on the Ridgefield “schools” is a total exposure of the school districts incompetence. Everybody in the “schools” should be fired and asked to leave town for the monumental FAILURE to educate the children and scamming the taxpayers out of their money.
https://www.ridgefieldsd.org/page/ridgefield-school-district-report-card
Gav: who controls the schools, school unions, school districts? Remember, Gubnuh Jayy just signed the snitch law so if we called them what they really are, their feelings would be hurt and they would turn us in to the CHEKA for wrongthink and thought crimes besides hurting their feelings.
There are a number of articles regarding the Ridgefield district. The data and facts paint an interesting story of decisions that have impacted outcomes.
https://swweducation.org/category/ridgefield/