Dear MCW Community

To the Editor:

The May 14th election day is upon us. We have all had opportunities to attend meetings, read literature, and engage in the process. My ask of you now is that as you consider the impact of this project on your personal or business finances, that you also consider the enormity of this decision in relation to the future of the Martin County West School District.

My husband and I moved back to the MCW district eighteen years ago. Our choice was intentional. We grew up here and loved the community and the school system. We wanted to start and raise our family here. This district has served us well, both for our children’s education and for my career as an agricultural educator.

Recently, I have noticed some detachment regarding the future of our district. When some are discussing the future of our school if we do not pass a bond referendum, I hear things like: “it’s a dying district, maybe it’s time to dissolve.” Or I hear “the enrollment is declining, we don’t have to spend that much money.”

I see things much differently. On a daily basis, I see a Martin County West district that is educating around 625 students, a significant portion of our future population. Every single one of those students matter, and their education matters. There are phenomenal things happening, from students mastering concepts in the classroom, perfecting a trade, or excelling in an extra-curricular activity. Those students matter. I would hate to see the look on their faces if they heard adults in our community talking about their school as if it is a “dying district.” They are Mavericks, this is their home. Assuming that we could just dissolve as a district and end in a better place is misinformed. Our tax base would be shifted to another district, our students would go elsewhere, and we’d be left with no school and no identity. The MCW school district taxes are, by far, currently the lowest in the area. Shifting our tax base to an area school district would mean higher taxes, and undoubtedly would include a bond referendum for that district to build a new facility or remodel to accommodate our student population. We will be paying as much or more and will have lost our school.

I see young families all around us, much younger than me, that have also made the intentional choice to move to Martin County West and have their children educated here. These people represent a variety of trades from nurses to dentists, and agronomists to welders. They believe in this school system and the value it provides. If we, as a community, choose again not to invest in the future of our district, we will lose many of those families. They are closely watching the results of this election in order to determine the next steps for their family. They believe in MCW, but they also want to send their children to a school where the community believes in the value of a strong education for their children. If we lose families, that will seal the fate of Martin County West. Others may tell you that will not be the case, but that is simply not true. The state of our facilities and the budget issues our district is facing will be insurmountable if we suffer a mass exodus of families due to the uncertainty of the future.

Voting no with the mindset that we can continue on as is or wait longer to make a plan is unrealistic. We must act now. I’ve sat at school board meetings for much of my career, carefully listening to the information (many times with only two or three other people in the room). This financial trend has been occurring for over a decade and no major action was taken to redirect the course. We finally have a course of action that ensures that our students are served well, our finances will remain strong, and our community will have its own school for decades to come!

For eighteen years of my career, I have given every ounce of energy I have to this school. Why? Because every single student who walks through the doors deserves the best educational experience I can give them. Every single one becomes one of “my kids.” I know that they are your kids, grandkids and neighbors. They will be the people who keep this community going long after many of us are gone. They deserve the investment we are being asked to make in their school. Our community deserves that investment in the future. Whether there are 625 or 595 students, it does not matter. Each one of them is very important and deserves the very best educational experience we can give them.

To me, there is only one choice for the future of Martin County West. We cannot be emotionally detached from this decision. The 625 students we have are the future of our community – the laborers, the providers and the future families. We have the power to come together to do something great to ensure that those students have a solid education, and we that position the Martin County West community for a strong future! Please join me in voting yes for Martin County West on May 14th.

Sincerely,

Stephanie Wohlhuter

Sherburn