Encouraging a yes vote on Wooster school levy
Letter to the Editor,
As a current member of the WCSD Board of Education and as a parent, I encourage you to vote for the WCSD levy. The Master Planning Committee ─ school administrators, teachers, parents, business leaders, and community members ─ began work in 2019 to evaluate Wooster City School facilities. Based on expert opinions, the committee determined that an emphasis should be on grade banding, student safety, and fiscal responsibility.
Public schools serve more than just the educational needs of Wooster’s kids. Counseling services, extended child care, meals, and health services are provided to many of our students. Wooster students deserve to have safe, friendly, and modern facilities. Wooster staff deserve to teach in facilities that accommodate their professional and personal needs as they do this important work.
The Harvard School of Public Health concluded “the evidence is unambiguous — the school building influences student health, thinking, and performance” (Eitland et al., 2017). Decades of research confirm that the physical condition of school facilities affects students, teachers, and overall academic achievement. Modern and safe conditions can also improve the teaching experience and reduce teacher turnover (U.S. Department of Education, 2014). We are asking our teachers to deliver 21st-century education and prepare students for 21st-century jobs without the necessary tools (science labs, technology, and special education spaces). Aging school buildings often lack these important features.
Unfortunately, we must also consider the safety of both students and staff during the school day. Aging school buildings often do not provide necessary security measures. Wooster’s kids deserve safe, modern, and welcoming schools in which to learn, dream, and develop into young adults.
Please vote yes on May 2.
Danielle Schantz
Wooster