The Tahoma School District is running two levies – the educational programs and operations levy and the technology levy. The operations levy is very important to our community as it is 20 percent of the district’s operating budget and pays for numerous programs and essential needs in our school district. It helps fund busing students to school, which the state does not fully fund, it provides before and after school learning opportunities for students in all grades and provides supplies and curriculum materials for our schools.

The technology levy provides our schools with learning tools that engage students in new ways and reflects that technological age that our students are surrounded with in their everyday lives. It provides interactive whiteboards that help engage students, interactive assessment tools that allow instant assessment data for teachers to determine understanding with students, and netbooks for students to have in class access to reference tools and publishing software for writing. The opportunities that these technologies provide allow the school to reach students in the same manner that they are communicating and learning outside of school.

Vote yes on Feb. 9 for the levies in Tahoma and support our children’s education.

Scott Mitchell

Maple Valley

Tahoma School District teacher