School improvements long overdue in district

On May 20, Lake Pend Oreille School District voters will have the opportunity to voice their opinion for or against the overdue improvement of the buildings our children are educated in. This opportunity represents our future, their future, and the future of Bonner County, and America.

This school district and committees associated with this effort have done an excellent job evaluating LPOSD's facility needs. The levy's goal is simple: update our schools as we prepare our children to be successful, productive, and responsible citizens. We have a responsibility not only to them but to ourselves to invest the necessary money to provide a safe, clean, and modern environment for LPOSD students. In the 21 years since the last successful plant facilities levy, other communities have taken their responsibility seriously and made significant investments and upgrades to their physical facilities; today they're providing a far superior environment to prepare students for the challenges they'll face as adults.

I doubt homeowners or business owners would allow 21 years to pass without addressing the maintenance and safety issues of their homes or buildings. The real needs of our buildings are evidenced by a waterfall from a student's locker at SMS caused by a leaky roof, lockers at SHS that do not lock or the gymnasium at Kootenai Elementary that also functions as the lunch room, the school kitchen, principal's office, and nurse's station (a sick child shares their misery with fellow students at lunch).

We live in one of the most beautiful regions in America and we're very proud of that - don't our schools, our teachers, and our children deserve better?

Please do the right thing and take responsibility to invest in the future of our community. The time to act is May 20 and a YES vote is the right and responsible thing to do.

KENDON PERRY

Sagle