The Tahoma School Board has proposed a bond issue to fund major repairs, replace infrastructure and accommodate the growing student population in our district. Please support the Tahoma school construction bond measure on April 26.

Our schools are reaching or exceeding their capacity at the elementary, middle, junior high and high school levels. In order to maintain the current curriculum offerings, Tahoma School District needs to add space to house current students and the new students coming to our community. Without additional space, schedule restructuring (shifts or multi-track scheduling) will be required in the near future.

As the Advanced Placement (AP)/University of Washington in the High School (UWHS) coordinator and a language arts teacher at Tahoma High, I know that the 19 AP classes and 8 UWHS classes that we currently offer all students could not be offered to all students under the shift or multi-track scheduling options being considered.

Last year, we had 434 THS students earn qualifying scores on an AP exam, potentially earning them university credit and saving future college tuition costs estimated at between $330,000-$1,264,000 –www.collegeboard.com/student/pay/add-it-up/4494.html. Additionally, the 314 seats in UWHS classes that students took at THS saved UW tuition costs of approximately $208,000 – $193 per credit; www.washington.edu/students/osfa/prospectiveug/costs.html. This year, with even more students in our AP/UW classes, the savings for students and parents will be even higher.  Many of our students currently graduate with at least one quarter of college credit completed, and some have earned an entire year of university credit while in high school. In a multi-track or shift schedule, however, fewer college-credit courses would be offered in an individual track or shift, giving students fewer choices.

As a result, university credits and tuition savings will decrease.

Your “yes” vote is needed. A yes vote insures that Tahoma School District has the ability to house and educate our current and future students. This yes vote will also allow us to continue to prepare them with challenging curriculum that increases their opportunities to successfully compete for rewarding and lucrative careers.

Please vote yes on the April 26 bond issue.

Brooke Dillon

Tahoma High AP/UWHS Coordinator

Language Arts Teacher

Maple Valley