Submitted by Matt Fitch
As a taxpayer and parent within the St. Michael-Albertville (STMA) School District, I’m enthusiastically voting “Yes” on the upcoming bond referendum.
Over the past 11 years, our community has experienced significant population growth. Since 2005, enrollment in the St. Michael-Albertville (STMA) School District has grown 62 percent. Because of the popularity of our local schools, school district leaders wisely made the decision to begin the process of creating a plan for addressing district needs based on this growth.
The school board commissioned a task force for the purpose of reviewing and prioritizing funding needs within the district relating to building security, classroom technology, and maintenance and changes for buildings and facilities. After an exhaustive nine month evaluation of district needs, the task force recommended funding a package relating to these needs and the school board unanimously approved their recommendations and placed them on the ballot for a special bond referendum.
The needs include:
- Improving security: The entrances at Albertville Primary, Middle School East, and STMA High School remain secure while our students are learning
- Updating technology: With computers that are about a decade old, STMA cannot adequately prepare students to compete in a modern economy without having access the technology needed to succeed after they graduate.
- Providing basic maintenance of buildings and facilities: School buildings and sports facilities need basic care and changes to accommodate community growth and to continue to be a safe and healthy environment for people to use.
Our community growth has led to increased enrollment in our schools. We need to add classrooms and avoid having to rental trailers to make sure we have the class space needed for our kids to properly learn.
By voting “Yes” on this bond referendum, we can meet our immediate and future needs. Allowing this referendum to fail will only increase the cost to taxpayers and put our community at a disadvantage.
Please be sure to vote “Yes” on February 7 – or before! Early voting is available at STMA Middle School West (Door A) from 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM during the week.
Join me in voting Yes for STMA!
Fitch is a resident of Albertville