Yelm superintendent, student speaker urge community to support Nov. 4 school levy

Chris Woods, superintendent of Yelm Community Schools, told the City Council on Oct. 28 that the Nov. 4 levy election matters to students and families and to the local economy because levy revenue funds staff and programs the district otherwise cannot support.

"This levy is not about politics. It's about people," Woods said. He told the council levy funds pay for teachers, counselors, bus drivers, paraeducators, nurses, coaches and support staff and preserve electives, career-technical education, athletics and services for students with special needs. Woods said when levy funding is not available the district has seen "fewer staff, larger class sizes, increased fees for families, reductions in extracurricular activities and support, and a strain on transportation and after school care." He said the levy has endorsements from the Thurston County Chamber Board of Directors and the Thurston County Economic Development Council.

A student speaker reinforced the message. Hannah Hiva, a senior at Yelm High School and student representative on the school board, described extracurricular activities as central to her education and future plans and pleaded with the community to support the levy. "To me, without the help of Yelm athletics, I would not be where I am today," Hiva said, describing the role sports and media opportunities have played for her. She said community donations and a student-led education effort have helped sustain some activities but that the district still needs levy revenue to avoid cuts.

Neither presenter requested specific dollar amounts at the council meeting. Both urged residents to vote and to encourage neighbors to support the levy on Nov. 4.

The remarks occurred during the public comment period and did not trigger council action during the meeting.