Letter: Vote yes for Columbia school bond

Our elementary school, which will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the east wing, is overflowing with children. Adding ECEAP preschool (Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program), all-day kindergarten and lowering class sizes at the first through the third grades — all valued, state-supported programs — led to the overcrowding.

A half-century ago, the relatively small multipurpose room was the right size; now undersized, this room serves as a gym, food serving area, passageway between classrooms, and a commons area. The addition of a gym will allow our students to move from eating in their classrooms to eating in the multipurpose room once again. These additions will increase class instruction time by maximizing the lunch and recess break. Finally, results from our community survey overwhelming supported keeping our 5th grade in the bulging student population in our elementary school; adding a gym and new classrooms will alleviate this overcrowding.

The last 20-year bond will retire next year; with voter approval, the new five-year bond will come with a drop in the current tax rates. Now, after 50 years, it is exciting to consider modernizing portions of our elementary school to not only better serve our students, but our community as well.

This story was originally published January 26, 2017 at 4:33 AM with the headline "Letter: Vote yes for Columbia school bond."