Constructing new school cost-effective solution for future

I am writing in support of the Muldown Elementary School bond. My children were “Mully’s” and though the school was already 20 years old when they started, it was still considered a relatively new and innovative school.

But that was decades ago, and much has changed in education. The school has outlived its lifespan. It’s time to replace it. We have reached a point where our children are being distracted in their learning because of limitations in the physical environment of their classrooms. When kids need to put on coats during class to stay warm, that’s a distraction. When the roof leaks during rain storms, that’s a distraction and a safety issue. To date, the school district has done the best it can with limited resources for repair and upkeep. It is no longer enough.

The community task force worked long and hard to come up with the best options to present to the school board, which made an informed decision to put forward the bond, based on the best information available. Building this new school is the least disruptive to our children, the most cost-effective long-term, and it solves every single problem that exists at Muldown Elementary. None of the other options do.

As a community, we have supported the renovation of the middle school. We have built a new high school. We consistently invest in the infrastructure of education for our children because it’s important — now and for the future. We have an opportunity to provide our elementary students with the school they need for safe and distraction-free learning. Yes, it costs a lot of money to build schools, but postponing construction on this project will not make it any cheaper or easier to accomplish. Our little Mully’s deserve to go to school in a warm, dry and safe building designed for optimal education. Let’s get this done for our kids. Vote “Yes” for Muldown!

Marilyn R Nelson, Whitefish