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WBCSD seeks to educate public on levy as May election approaches

by RACHEL SUN
Staff Writer | May 5, 2021 1:00 AM

Staff at the West Bonner County School district are working to make sure voters are informed and ready to vote ahead of the May 18 levy election.

After the failure to pass the levy in its first attempt on March 9, the district has implemented strategies to make sure the public knows the correct information about the levy — and what is not.

“Some of our administration has responded to opinions in the paper, which we haven't done previously,” said Business Manager Jennifer Anselmo. “But we just feel it's important. Someone’s opinion is one thing, but when they're stating what they claim to be facts, we want to make sure that we are letting our taxpayers know [the truth].”

Information about the levy is available on the district’s website, sd83.org/levy_facts, and in previous Daily Bee articles.

However, staff are not stopping there, considering a second failing levy would mean closing schools, and paring down classes to the bare minimum for graduation requirements — canceling all sports and extracurriculars including AcaDeca, drama and cheer.

One group of community members advocating for the levy’s passage set up Q and A sessions with WBCSD staff, where the public can have their questions answered directly.

The first was held Tuesday night, at the Lake Hills Resort, with the second scheduled for tonight at 5:30 p.m. at Priest River Junior High School.

“The district doesn't work with them,” Anselmo said, “however, the district is a resource for them.”

In addition, the district has been filling its Facebook page with videos from alumni and teachers talking about the school’s impact on the community, and their experiences. It’s something that’s likely to continue even after the pandemic, Anselmo said.

In one video, Priest River Lamanna High School alumnus and college basketball coach Eric Holbrook discusses the impact playing sports in high school had in his life.

“Sports pretty much got me through school,” he said. “If it wasn’t for sports, I don’t know how much I would have went to school. It kept me out of doing dumb things when I was at home, it gave me a goal that I could strive for. I knew for me to get to college and further my education it would take basketball.”

In another video, Cheyenne Coleman demonstrates how to register online for absentee ballots. In another, Candy Turner, a retired teacher of 22 years, talks about the levy.

“We have to have the community support in order to have our schools grow,” she said. “It’s very important, it’s extremely important that our schools become a part of our community. We have to work hand-in-hand to give these kids the opportunities that they need to go out into a global world that we now have.”