Friends, community members, and voters, people have asked me about the Tahoma school construction bond, and I’m seeing what’s been published in the newspaper or via KOMO and KING5 and through the VOTE Committee. These are all good pieces of information.

But let me give you a picture of my daily life:

First, I love my job, no matter the situation. Second, my colleagues are wonderful human beings and fantastic educators. Third, my students are delightful, smart, challenging, and challenged.

Yet, they are all mine and I treasure them. They get my attention, support, intervention, inspiration, and devotion daily. However, we struggle.

We struggle with a school built for 800, but serving 1,100, using 15 portable classrooms.

We struggle with scheduling enough time for our primary subjects as well as PE and music.

We struggle with recess because there are so many kids out there. We only get PE twice a week because there are so many other classes that need to get at least that.

We struggle with comfort.

We have no air conditioning and windows that don’t open.

We have a dinosaur of a heating boiler for which parts are no longer available.

We have 25 kids in a class wearing their coats in the afternoon in October because said boiler doesn’t heat properly.

We have teachers who teach through distractions, like unexpected water features in the hallway due to heavy rain, high wind, and a worn out roof.

It’s time. I’m only at one school of many. My classroom isn’t even in a $1 portable from Kent, purchased multiple years ago with the understanding of being temporary. My students deserve better. I deserve better. Our future deserves better. Vote yes!

Melissa Starr

Lake Wilderness Elementary teacher