From Jillynn Niemeier

Monroe

To the Editor:

No matter how you voted on the recent referendum, we can all agree on one thing: we care about our schools and our students. The outcome makes it clear our schools need support, and that burden cannot fall only on our local community.

It’s time to take the fight to the state legislature. Too often, politicians are content to let communities become divided over referendums, while taking none of the responsibility for creating the funding challenges in the first place. Public schools are being asked to do more with less, and meaningful change must happen at the state level. It’s time to hold those, like Sen. Marklein accountable, who as budget co-chair, made the decision to add zero to per pupil funding and woefully underfunded the “historic” special education amount.

While we focus on the bigger picture, we should also take time to recognize what’s happening right here in our community. Next week, April 11-17, is the Week of the Young Child, celebrating the importance of early childhood education from birth through second grade. These early years matter, and they deserve our attention and support.

As part of the week, consider attending a Meet and Greet with Corrine, who is passionate about supporting children, families, and strong public schools in our community. This is a great opportunity to connect, ask questions, and continue the conversation about how we can best support our youngest learners. The event will take place at the Niemeier household (1620 23rd Ave) on April 15th at 4:00 p.m.