Gopi Ramanathan, Sartell High School class of 2016, Ithaca, New York
In 2016 – when I was a senior at Sartell High School – I was part of the campaign to pass the original bond that aided in building the new Sartell High School and renovating other existing district buildings. At that time, I was also separately involved with the Sartell-St. Stephen school board, and the board had made the decision at that time to put out a referendum for the bond before putting a referendum on a levy. The reasoning behind this decision was that there would be no point in pushing for a levy (which only covers learning expenditures) if the bond (which only covers building costs) did not pass. A common phrase which was repeatedly stated throughout the original bond referendum process was ‘Bond for Building, Levy for Learning.’
Fast forward to today, where the bond has passed successfully, and a new high school has been built. With the new building and other upgrades to help facilitate students’ education in the district, there is an inherent need for levy money in order to support expanded learning opportunities. We are already experiencing what happens when new facilities are built without the money, as many programs which make the Sartell learning experience unique – such as introductory engineering courses, apprenticeship programs for nursing, business and other fields and rigorous AP/college courses – have been cut. Over time, without the support of the levy, we could see a dramatic increase in classroom sizes, continued programming cuts and a general reduction in the quality of education in the district.
The unique traits of our school district have provided me an excellent stepping stone for my current college life at Cornell University. The opportunities I had as a student will struggle to exist for future students who come through this district without the help of a Levy for Learning. With new facilities come new and greater opportunities to provide unique educational experiences for every student, but we as a community must take responsibility in supporting our students and passing this upcoming levy.
