To the editor:

We are parents of a ninth grader at South Whidbey High School, new to the school system this year. We attended last evening’s school board workshop, and have attended several other board meetings over the past year or so. We find the school board and administration officials to be hard-working and worthy of respect and trust, and think that they are striving to do what is best for the district’s children and families and minimize the loss of teachers in the face of declining enrollment in hard economic times.

The closure of the middle school, a step we hoped in the past would not be necessary, seems the only prudent course given the need to save on operating costs. The two levies that just passed were supported wholeheartedly by us and many others. These we understand as covering short-term needed repairs and upgrades, including some operational expenses, and some salary costs, and basically continue levies that were due to expire and result in no increase in taxes.

The preparation for a possible bond to come before the voters later this spring (not yet decided) is longer-term and cannot be used for operating expenses, as we understand it, but only for the physical plants in various ways. The impact on property taxes would be very low. We have observed the board and staff to be working through several scenarios to come up in the next month or so with the best and most cost-effective approach to this.

Unfortunately, some rather large cost numbers that were part of the research by the committee looking at the consolidation of the middle and high schools, may have given the impression to community members that such wish lists were being given serious consideration. But what we have seen is that the board and administrative staff are going over everything with due diligence to come up with a lean package that will serve our schools into the future and keep them the quality institutions that they are.

We are happy with the educational experience that our ninth-grader is receiving, and thankful for the dedication and expertise of the teachers, board members and staff.

Rebecca and Jim Sunberg

Langley