Letters / Nov. 30, 2009

Overcrowding of concern

I encourage voters to support the Cheney School District bond. Cheney is a wonderful place to raise children, and having quality school facilities plays an important role in continuing academic excellence.
I am proud that Sunset Elementary School just received one of four Apple Awards given out in the state of Washington for outstanding academic improvement. I am proud to have my children attend Cheney Middle School where they are given many opportunities to grow in their academics, physical fitness and creative arts. I look forward to my children attending Cheney High School where academic and extracurricular excellence are encouraged and recognized throughout the state.
What I am not excited about is how crowded our schools are becoming. The students in Cheney Middle School are housed in a building meant for about 700 students — there are more than 900 middle school students in attendance. All elementary schools are nearing capacity and soon this growth will hit the high school.
I urge you to support the Cheney School District bond. We need to do this for our children — for our future.

Jane Smedley
Cheney