Due to the state’s economic downturn, our school district is facing yet another year of serious budget cuts. From my front-row seat on the School Board, I see our school leaders stretched thin, doing more with less and thoughtfully considering what programs and services can be discontinued or trimmed, all with a focus on maintaining a quality teaching and learning environment for our students. At the same time, they are heroically working to grow our district toward our 2020 Vision: preparing students for the cognitive, global and digital world because of their commitment to preparing our students for their future.

As I’ve become more deeply involved in the District, I was shocked to learn that the state doesn’t provide any funding for technology. All funding for equipment, software, support and training must come from local resources, either from a capital levy or our Schools Foundation.

Funding technology as a tool for learning by voting ‘yes’ on the capital levy is one way we can assure that we continue to grow toward our 2020 Vision.

For example, since 2007, the digital learning environment has expanded from white board pilot projects in selected classrooms to wide use of ‘smart boards,’ document cameras, video conferencing, virtual classrooms and online tutoring. Students use technology for everything from teaching each other how to solve math problems and collaborating with students from all over the world, to practicing the art of writing, learning Spanish and researching American history with primary source documents. And, with adequate resources, there is so much more we can do to meet our goal of preparing 21st century learners.

You can tangibly support these efforts to preserve and grow our district by voting yes on the general fund (M&O), capital projects and transportation levies.

Janet Frohnmayer

President, Mercer Island School District Board of Directors