Ridgefield resident Kalin Heath shares her thoughts on the Ridgefield School Bond before voters in Tuesday’s special election
Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are those of the author alone and do not reflect the editorial position of ClarkCountyToday.com
As Feb. 11 approaches, I’ve thought a lot about why I’m voting “yes” for the upcoming bond for Ridgefield School District. My “why” is simple. The main reason people are moving to Ridgefield is because of the schools. As a community we have a responsibility to make sure these incoming students have a place and are given the same learning opportunities that made our schools and community so sought after in the first place.
As a parent of two students in the Ridgefield School District, the alternatives being considered are frightening and would drastically change the school experience for our students, and not in a good way. I grew up in a district that had a hard time passing bonds during my entire K-12 education and I still remember that experience and often think how different and better my experience would have been had the community invested in our schools.
As a community we should want to give our students (current and future) a place where they can be proud of for years to come. Doing nothing isn’t an option, and the alternatives are not acceptable. No one wants to see our community and our district have to face making those alternative decisions.
A “yes” vote means making an investment in the future of our schools and community and turning growth into a positive. Without growth, we wouldn’t have CAPS and Innovation Ridge. We wouldn’t have the Birds and the Beans. We wouldn’t have the Early Learning Center. Growth can create better opportunities if we let it. Growth can create more opportunities for our students to come back and live and work in the place where they grew up. To me this is one of the easiest investments I’ll ever make. So join me on Feb. 11 and vote “yes’’ for the bond and make an investment in our schools, community, present students and the 1,760 incoming students and show them that Ridgefield loves our schools.
Kalin Heath
Ridgefield
