Passing Referendum is 'a Measured Plan' for District's Future: Letter

The following letter was written and submitted by Jennifer Freeman.

A friend recently recalled a story from childhood: A man had a tree that produced fruit in abundance. He became the richest man in town with record annual harvests. Years passed and one day, there was no more fruit. The man spent so much time counting and selling, he neglected to nourish the root. Sadly, his tree went fallow.

This simple allegory speaks to the situation in which we find ourselves in Highland Park and Highwood. For decades we have focused on the fruit of our educational system: quaint walks to school, intimate classes, vintage buildings, excellent teachers, high test scores, stable home values and ample reserves.

This Rockwellian nostalgia is hard to shake. Some say it attracts families to Highland Park and brings back those raised here to raise families of their own. In reality, the fruit is only part of it. Strong schools in a stable district are at the root of what makes the Highland Park educational experience a great one, and we have failed to nourish that root.

With this root-level neglect, the quality of the fruit we bear is suffering. Today, few students live close enough to walk to school. Small class sizes are only for some. We maintain old, underutilized buildings in abundance with too little surrounding land to effectively renovate. We risk losing our great teachers, as they seek more financially stable school districts. The wonderful students and involved parents will never change, but we must be mindful of what draws new families and maintains property values.

The current budget surplus is a result of years of conscientious belt-tightening, and unfortunately, the belt can’t get tighter. The state will cut $4M from the district while mandating buildings meet minimum Life Safety standards. Making even minimum updates requires dipping into the 25% reserve we are obligated to maintain and there aren’t enough incoming tax dollars to recoup that loss.

We can point fingers as to how we came to be in this predicament, but one thing is clear: Prior referendums and tax increases have been temporary fixes to shine up fruit in quality decline and have failed to nourish the root of our system. We cannot continue in this way.

Passing the referendum means, among other things: a measured plan for building closures, updates for neighborhood schools, all-day Kindergarten, ideal class sizes, efficient staffing, a new middle school with collaborative spaces, increased programming and STEM for 5th graders. We will position ourselves to retain excellent teachers and provide for equal and consistent education across classes, grade levels and geographies. We will have safe and secure facilities, more diversity at an earlier age, streamlined dual language and special ed, neighborhood schools (slightly bigger, yes, but still neighborhood), increased property values and future stability.

Not passing this plan means taxes will go up just to support bare-bones infrastructure updates. It means schools will close abruptly, teachers will seek stability elsewhere, boundaries will be in perpetual flux, programming will be cut and class sizes will go up. This will negatively impact home values and the way incoming families view Highland Park.

In weighing the pros and cons of the plan before us, we must be mindful that there is neither endless land nor endless funds to affect positive change. When you cast your vote on March 15, please focus on the root of what really matters for our kids and for Highland Park. Vote YES to the referendum so that we can enjoy the fruits of our spectacular school system now and for generations to come.