Arlee Schools bond issues need support

Editor,

Election day is soon upon us, and the deliberation of making our choices may weigh heavily on our minds. The bond requests for the Arlee Elementary School and the Arlee High School are a choice we must make to ensure that our future students will have an adequate place to study, learn, and grow.

Having reared two sons who attended Arlee Schools from 1975 through 1989, I know how important it is to have classrooms that make up a healthy environment, give them a quest to learn (and continue learning), and make life happy in their eyes. Granted, it is not just the building that encourages our students to excel; teachers make up a big part of that. But learning in a comfortable, warm environment, with plenty of space and storage, makes better students, good athletes and adults who want to give back to their community.

Arlee Schools have produced adults who have gone on to become doctors, lawyers, musicians, composers, officers in the military, heads of businesses and corporations, and great parents. Our students need to have a place where they are proud to attend classes, athletic events, concerts, and have their parents come for conferences.

Arlee Schools have done little additions throughout the years since it first began. We rarely ask our constituents to foot the bill for a full building. The Junior High School was pared down to a bare minimum for the taxpayers. The High School Library/Home Ec rooms were largely funded from a donation of a constituent. Our largest taxpayers in the District (and that includes Missoula, Lake and Sanders counties) are Montana Rail Link, Blackfoot Telephone, Northwestern Corporation, Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes, Arlee Real Estate, and Stramie Ventures LLC, before the rest of us homeowners. I believe it is imperative that we build a K-3 Elementary and a High School gym and cafeteria. Since we are a Joint School District, the K-3 will also use the gym and the cafeteria daily along with all students K-12.

There will always be differences of opinion between all people. I would encourage all of you to consider the future of our children and their children when you get to the polls on Nov. 7. Vote for the Arlee Schools and Community. Let's make Arlee the best place to live, work and attend school, and not just the last of the best places .

Anne M. Stewart

Arlee