I am passionate about public schools. I am writing as a parent and a “saved” Bainbridge Island School District teacher to urge support for the upcoming Bainbridge Schools Foundation (BSF) telethon and fund drive.

Children are the heart and future of our community. Strong public schools, regardless of whether you have children in the public system, ensure this future.

It would be nice if state and federal money covered the costs of basic education, but they do not. And while we wait for a judge’s decision in the NEWS lawsuit (see www.waschoolexcellence.org), the BSF fills this gap.

The BSF funds those special projects that help our district strive for excellence: artists and writers visiting in schools, the newest educational technology, seed money for the latest curriculum or new idea.

Would teachers survive without this funding? Yes, but we would not thrive in the atmosphere of community support and educational excellence we currently inhabit.

Even more essential, the BSF helps fund teacher salaries. They were ready and eager to take on a major fundraising effort last spring when state and federal funding dramatically declined.

Through the efforts of the BSF, teachers were recalled earlier and with far less disruption to successful programs than in other districts.

I was one of those teachers, grateful to be back in my classroom this fall, feeling supported and appreciated by my community.

Ultimately, BSF funds learning. Whether teachers’ salaries or innovative new programs, donations go directly to benefit our children. Please consider these important issues when you donate to One Call for All or respond to the BSF phonathon.

Meg Evans

Bainbridge Island