On March 14, an instructional levy to support the Lake Pend Oreille School District and our community will be on the ballot. It is our hope that community members will make an informed decision at the polls.

Over the last five years we have adjusted our practices significantly to reflect the feedback of our community. We have added full-day kindergarten options, increased experiential learning classrooms, and created a Homeschool Academy. We have also continued to build on our pathways for students that better prepare them for both college and career options after high school. We have done this with input and support of our community. A community that voted 70 percent to pass our last instructional levy.

The Lake Pend Oreille School District depends on local tax support to keep all of our schools open. Eighty-two percent of the school districts in Idaho currently have a supplemental levy in place. While these levies are officially called “supplemental” levies, they are in practice “operational” levies. Maintaining district operations is only possible by “supplementing” the tax dollars allocated from the state budget. In our case the levy accounts for approximately 1/3 of the overall operating budget of our school district.

It is important to understand that this levy is different from the plant facilities levy that was run in August. That effort was for building and upgrading schools. I want voters to know that we learned a lesson from the failure of the facilities levy. We moved too fast, held too few community meetings, did not provide options and did not give voters adequate time for questions and consideration.

The levy on the March ballot is not new; it has been in place for the last 17 years, renewed by voters every two years. It is not a permanent levy. The Lake Pend Oreille School Board decided at a recent meeting not to ask the voters for a permanent levy override, for which the district qualities. This levy is only for the next two years and replaces the expiring levy. Owners of a home with an assessed valuation of $250,000 with the homeowner’s exemption, will see an increase to current school taxes of 50 cents per month. This increase allows us to add much needed counseling and nursing support for students.

Without passage of this levy, the school district will be forced to lay off over 300 people. With the massive reduction in teachers and other staff positions, we also will need to consolidate schools. Clark Fork High School, Hope Elementary, Southside Elementary, Lake Pend Oreille Alternative High School, and possibly Northside Elementary students would be moved into other schools.

The Lake Pend Oreille School District serves approximately 3,700 students in 12 schools across Bonner County. The school district is the largest employer in the county with almost 900 full- and part-time employees. Our employees have done a stellar job over the years to provide an excellent education for the children of our community.

Please get out and vote on March 14 to continue success for students, families and the community. Thank you.

Shawn Woodward is superintendent of the Lake Pend Oreille School District.