To the editor:

It is our privilege to teach, encourage, comfort and enjoy the children of our beautiful island every school day at Blakely Elementary.

Some of us have been doing so in the building at 4704 Blakely Ave. for decades. We love our school, we are passionate about our work there and we are committed to student learning, safety and emotional well being in everything we do.

Each day we face obstacles to ensuring that every student learns because of the age and design of our building. It has served us well, but it no longer is an appropriate place to house and teach children 180 days a year.

While issues of inability to control temperature, low light, a leaky roof and lack of power supply access for 21st century equipment concern us, it is the challenge of finding space to provide individualized and small group instruction that is our greatest problem. Simply put, students are trying to learn in the hallways in large numbers every day. The hallways are dark, narrow, noisy and congested by trash cans and food carts because of the lack of a lunch room.

Students, parent volunteers and teachers do their best during these lessons and activities, but we are falling short of all that is possible in a modern classroom that includes differentiation of instruction for students of all abilities and integrated technology.

Please vote YES to pass the new school bond. Our responsibility to educate all children to their highest potential is one we share. We ask our community to help us move forward so that we can continue to be the best that we can be and that our children can spend their school day in a building that is safe, comfortable and supports learning.

KATHLEEN POOL, REESE ANDE, KAREN KELLER, SAM CAMERON, KYANNE HAWKINS, MEGHAN FERNALD, CHRISTINE MARION, CARRIE HOLLOWAY, LESLIE MIRKOVICH, DIANE FIELDING BEDELL, MEAGAN GREIWE, LISA MCCASSEY, ROBYN STAHL, MAUREEN WILSON, TERRA CLAIBORNE AND JAN COLBY

Blakely Elementary