Did you know that our Vashon Island School District was recently declared one of the best school districts in Washington State (12th of 236). That doesn’t happen without solid school funding.

Our state’s school funding crisis is far from over. The reality is that we have not fully funded our public education system. That’s why our levy represents about 2o percent of our total general fund budget for our school district. That’s real money for teacher training, programming for advanced curriculum and special needs and much more.

We have had three kids lucky enough to have grown up here on our island and attend Vashon schools. One just graduated from college, one is pre-med at Davidson College in North Carolina, and one is a junior in high school. I could not be prouder of the journey they have all taken — the wonderful teachers, the fantastic classes, the incredible community that raised them.

Ballots go out Jan. 24, and the voting deadline is Feb 13. All you need to do is vote by mail. Vote for every teacher who ever moved you, every student you ever saw running around our small community, every class or production that moved you, every memory you made. Quite simply — vote for Vashon schools.

— Lauri Hennessey