From Susan Andersen

Monroe

To the Editor:

I believe that our community’s most precious resource is our children. I believe they deserve and need school facilities that are up to date, safe, fully ADA-compliant and able to provide the education that will allow them to accomplish their goals and competently meet the challenges of our times. This is why I will be voting YES on the Monroe High School Referendum on Nov. 8.

The structural issues in the current high school building — sinking foundation, extensive water seepage, need for constant dehumidifiers and barn fans to control humidity — are so severe that a new building would very likely be more cost effective than trying to fix the current one. There are accessibility issues, too, such as the basement locker rooms that create barriers for students with disabilities to participate in PE and sports.  These issues are pressing and must be addressed. In the 2021 survey, 63% of the community agreed that a new building on a new site was the better way to go about.

Collaborative learning, use of up-to-date educational technology and the space for hands-on learning are critically important to allow our students to gain competitive skills and thrive throughout their academic and work careers. A new building specifically designed to provide that learning environment could go a long way to retaining talented students and faculty and attracting more families to our district, bringing more revenue and resources for future generations of students. I can only imagine what our talented teachers, staff and students could accomplish in a modern, well-equipped school building — one that would raise the appeal of our school district as a whole.

I believe the support is there to pass this referendum and that we, as a community, value our students enough to make this happen. I hope you, too, will vote YES for our schools.