FM Partners support new elementary school

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KIDS Committee/Letter to the Editor:

Fort Madison Partner Affiliates: Fort Madison Area Chamber of Commerce; Main Street; Fort Madison Economic Development; and Fort Madison-Southeast Iowa Regional Riverboat Commission, recognize the value that quality educational opportunities bring to our community and offer our support for the passing of the Fort Madison Community School District Bond Referendum. Primarily, it is important to be able to offer our youth a strong educational foundation to compete in our global economy. We have a unique opportunity in Fort Madison to be able to offer choices when it comes to quality education and we use it as a selling point for the community every chance we get. This selling point will become even stronger with a new state of the art public elementary school to boast about as well as improvements happening with Holy Trinity elementary. The proposed elementary school will have an everlasting impact on our children and future generations. It will take all of us, whether you are a parent, grandparent or just care about the future of our community, showing your support for a safe, accessible, 21st Century learning environment to make the new school become a reality. The proposed development not only affords our children the opportunity to attend a new facility but also provides new space for high school athletics. These new fields will offer improved access to someone that may not have been able to watch the programs before due to a physical disability. Then the freed up space, where the current fields are, gains us access to the consideration of development for a performing arts space/community center. That project would qualify us to apply for SAVE Funds (Secure an Advanced Vision for Education), state sales tax funds generated from the entire state, used for school infrastructure projects. Technology, while only a portion of what makes a quality education, has the most focus. The ways of learning are changing and we have an opportunity to create a learning environment that incorporates technology and individualized teaching methods that set all of our children up for success. It is imperative we integrate students with disabilities properly into all classrooms, creating a sense of belonging while eliminating limitations that currently exist. Safety is also a key factor in these building initiatives. As times change, what was adequate for one generation is no longer adequate now. It is our responsibility to ensure everyone at school feels safe- teachers, students and administrative staff. While basic security measures are in place, these older facilities present challenges when it comes to safety. In summation, our support for the Fort Madison Community School District Bond Referendum addresses these key points: economic development and recruitment of professionals and businesses; investing in the future success of our youth; the recruitment of quality educators; and the safety of our children. We hope citizens will vote in favor of the Fort Madison Community School District Bond Referendum, because when we all come together, we can do great things!Sincerely,

Tim Gobble Executive Director, Fort Madison Partners

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