As we’ve noted before, we believe it’s unfortunate that the Vashon Island School District has to resort to a fundraising drive to keep its programs intact and its staff robust.

At the same time, we’d rather embrace a nonprofit foundation that voluntarily raises money on the district’s behalf than witness our schools lose their vitality or strength.

So it was with a sigh of relief that we learned that the Vashon Island Public Schools Foundation raised a hefty $426,000 toward the upcoming academic year — enough to help the district keep its programs and staff intact.

Now, we hope the school district will tackle another matter: a summer school for kids who are struggling. We often boast about those students who are going off to fine colleges, winning awards or logging one accomplishment after another. We pay scant attention, meanwhile, to students who are falling behind.

Let’s take a moment to bask in this spring’s accomplishment, when a fundraising drive proved, once again, that this Island cares mightily about public education. Then let’s hope the school board decides to use some of those dollars to begin a modest summer program — a program as basic and foundational in a good school district as those advanced placement classes young people need to get into good colleges.