As you may have noticed over the past year, Wrangler News has carried a multitude of feature articles about the ways in which Kyrene teachers have devised new and exciting ways to help ensure that their students keep pace with today’s advancing science.
There is no question that an investment in technology is fundamental to preparing today’s young people for the future, as well as assuring them access to the tools they need to compete in an environment that grows increasingly demanding of those entering the global workplace.
This is why our school district’s Governing Board is asking the public on Tuesday, Nov. 8, to approve continuation of a $6.8 million tax override measure that allows for the purchase of equipment and software, along with its necessary support and maintenance. As it relates to the owner of a home valued at $225,000, the cost of approving this measure is approximately $6 a month, the same as it has been since the override first was adopted by the public in 2005.
Of the measure’s total, nearly every penny of it of it will help keep Kyrene schools at the forefront of America’s technology initiatives.
While no organization is perfect in its pursuit of excellence, the Kyrene School District deserves an A-plus grade for its efforts to help students reach their maximum potential, even in the face of massive funding reductions implemented by the Arizona Department of Education.
Our neighborhoods represent an elite demographic, illustrated by the number of families who have made this their home and by those who continue to regard this as one of the Valley’s premier communities. Whether we think about it or not, the historic quality of our educational system is among the top reasons we hold this enviable reputation.
Those with school-age children hardly need be reminded of the importance of providing adequate resources for the pursuit of enlightenment. Although we can’t predict the future, it seems obvious that a good education, particularly one that includes a mastery of the basics of technology, is going to be a requirement for jobs of the future.
For those whose children are grown and already in the workforce, the message is still clear: without our schools being revered for maintaining the highest standards of excellence, the intrinsic value of our neighborhoods diminishes as do the futures of those who make this their home.
