Kate Simkowiak

school levy

Volunteers Needed on August 11, 2010 for Levy Ballot Measure

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Edmonds School District has a Supplemental School Programs and Operations Levy on the ballot that was sent out to all registered voters in the district on July 26th. The election day (and postmark date for mailed in ballots) is Tuesday, August 17th. The Edmonds Education Association (EEA) is holding a series of phone call nights to spread the word about the levy election. Scripts are provided; it’s simple and a great way to support our school district and our students.

Parents from Terrace Park Elementary are asked to help on August 11th either from 5:00-6:30 p.m. or 6:30-8:00 p.m.  Phone calls occur at the EEA Offices in Lynnwood.  If you are interested and can help with either time slot please email Brett Hagen at bretthgn@hotmail.com to confirm.  A total of 11 people can work each shift.

To learn more about the levy, please visit this page on the Edmonds School District website.

Phone Bank Volunteers Needed on Vital Levy Election–January 26th

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Parent volunteers are needed to phone local voters who have voted for levy measures in the past to remind them to send in their completed ballots. The Levy Re-authorization is the only item on this February’s ballot, and voter response is expected to be low. While support of school levies is always important, in light of both recent and projected cuts in state funding for our schools, passage of this levy measure is critical.

Volunteers are needed at the phone bank in the Edmonds Education Association Office, 19707 64th Avenue West, Lynnwood on January 26th between 6:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Please contact Michelle Toshima for more details or to sign-up for a time slot on the phones.

***Urgent! School Levy Advocacy Team Needed***

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Good Evening Everyone,

The Maintenance and Operations Levy is up for renewal in February. If this levy is not renewed, the district will have to cut $40 million (about a quarter of the district’s budget) out of its budget for 2010-2011 school year.

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?:
* The current levy funds 24% of the school district’s budget.
* What specfically does it fund?
+ music programs
+ sports programs
+ after school programs
+ transportation (approx. $4 million)
+ special education (approx. $5 million)
+ teacher/staff compensation (above what the state funds)
+ teacher/staff professional development days (above what the state funds: the state only funds one day per year)

* If this levy is not renewed, the district will have to cut $40 million out of its budget for 2010-2011 school year.  It had to cut $11.5 million this school year.
* 70% of voters in our district boundaries do not have school aged children.
* The good news: This is a replacement levy.  No new taxes.  We only need a simple majority to pass the levy.

This levy does NOT increase anyones taxes, it just keeps them at the same level.

* We need to form a School Election Team (SET). This SET team will help spread the word about the importance of voting in favor of the levy.
* The training meeting for the SET will be THIS THURSDAY, OCT 8th, from 4:30-5:30 pm at the EEA office.

If you can attend the SET training or want more info, please contact Michelle Toshima (mtoshima@verizon.net).