The Vashon Education Association — your public school teachers and other educators — thanks everyone who donated money or time to help raise funds to reinstate the teachers and the programs we all cherish.

As educators, parents and community members, we value the same things for our students: strong academics and a well-rounded program including the arts and other enrichment. We feel especially blessed because budget cuts are forcing school districts around the state and nation to cut art, music, foreign language, even recess. We are fortunate to live in a community that cares about shaping our children to be cooperative, critical, creative and compassionate citizens.

The state is shrugging its responsibility to support basic education, but we are grateful that our community understands the importance of a good educational foundation. Thank you.

Sometimes we take our unique community for granted. We honor high school students by awarding every single student who submits a scholarship notebook money to follow their dreams. We have a strong partnership with Vashon Allied Arts and an incomparable Artist in Residence program. Our students are eating healthy, local and sumptuous meals. We accomplish so much because of the support of PIE and the money raised at the annual PTSA auction. Please know that the teachers and other school employees who work at Chautauqua, McMurray and Vashon High School are dedicated to the students in our community and appreciate everything the community does to help us open doors for our students.

Our teachers are looking forward to another great year and are working hard this summer preparing for the many changes in teaching positions, room changes and new national standards in math. We’re bringing more applied skills into the classrooms, learning about the latest research in education and taking courses to continue to enhance our amazing schools.

— Jenny Granum, VEA president, and Glenda Berliner, VEA vice-president