Editor,
With national politics turning off so many voters, please do not let that sway you from voting. Keep in mind, results of local elections impact your daily life, potentially far more than national elections. Your vote is critical. Many local elections are determined by nothing more than a few dozen votes.
I am asking every single registered voter to join the City of Westfield, the Westfield Chamber of Commerce, and countless others in support of the Westfield Yes school referendum. This is not a new referendum; this replaces (at an even lower rate) the current referendum.
This referendum supports the people (teachers) and programs that continue to keep Westfield on top. The state funding formula has created a need for referendums across the state, with Westfield being one of the lowest-funded districts in the state.
I have a child in seventh grade. His algebra teacher offers free after-school assistance. She successfully teaches 35 seventh graders high school algebra at one time. His language arts teacher happily greeted students for hours at Barnes & Noble on a Friday evening in support of an inspiring, visiting author. His science teacher hosts the robotics club until 6 p.m. every Wednesday night, where ingenious kids develop complex machines for competition. His social studies teacher found a way to integrate music, dance, poetry, even competition, into the study of Mesopotamia, and he’s a sports coach, too. All this and more, in one week of school.
Without this referendum continuation, class size will need to increase, and many programs will be cut. Teachers would have burdens placed on them that could undermine the learning environment, making many things difficult or impossible.
As both a WWS parent and a city leader, please join me in your active support for Westfield Yes. Don’t let the circus of national politics keep you from the polls.
Cindy Spoljaric
Westfield City Council, At-Large