Vasugi and Gajen Ramanathan, Sartell
We moved to Sartell 13 years ago with two little boys because an assistant principal in Willmar recommended we move here because he knew it was one of the best school districts in the state. We are certainly grateful now for that piece of advice we received 13 years ago. Looking back, we could easily say it was the best decision of our lives next to making the decision to move to the United States of America from a war-torn Sri Lanka. Sartell is our home now.
Our children have flourished in this wonderful community because of the teachers, the school district and our neighbors. Our teachers have helped our kids love learning, transformed them from introverted individuals to outgoing leaders and paid attention to their needs. The school district has provided a nurturing environment that has helped our kids succeed. Our neighbors have been strong supporters of the achievements of many Sartell–St. Stephen students, including our own. It’s a combination of all three groups that has made our Sartell–St. Stephen school community a wonderful place to raise children into successful and well-rounded adults.
What we are concerned about is the safety and security of our schools and having adequate learning space for a growing community. We need to be concerned with our kids’ safety as the world changes and we need to be ready to tackle those challenges as they come. We have walked into the schools and have personally seen how crowded they are. In addition, we have heard from our children about overcrowding issues. One of these issues concerns class sizes. Students learn better when teachers have reasonable class sizes and the teachers can pay attention to each and every student. Along with that, we don’t think it’s in our students’ best interest to keep building extensions to existing buildings as a short-term fix for a long-term problem.
Well-educated children become well-educated adults and neighbors. That will enable us to live in a productive community. Neighbors, help keep this city great by voting yes for our schools on May 24.