Over my 20 years in Fountain Hills, I’ve been the “student” of Fountain Hills Unified School District efforts to provide the best education possible for our community’s kids.

I’ve watched more than 20 School Board members come and go (me included) and the tenure of five superintendents. I’ve seen changes in school facilities, including remodeling and new construction. And, school leadership has changed over the years as principals and vice principals have moved around, on, and sometimes up. Teaching staff has transitioned, too. All for good reason.

Schools change; they’re very dynamic. State direction and emphasis changes. And, kids themselves change from generation to generation. Yet some things just don’t change.

Consistently for two decades we’ve graduated classes from 150 to 200-plus every year. Our graduation rate is near the top of the state’s stats. Our state-wide test scores are consistently in the top tiers, from elementary to high school.

Our students enter post-high school education programs at an incredibly high rate. Our extra-curricular activities include champions in many areas.

And it’s clear that things don’t change for good reason. Fountain Hills citizens have consistently supported the Fountain Hills Unified School District at the polls; they’ve encouraging students to excel in school; they’re engaged at all levels through boosters, PTO and other ways.

Class sizes are manageable, teachers are up-to-date on training, community members provide additional resources and support, and facilities are safe and secure. The result? Fountain Hills kids succeed.

We can continue those traditions. I encourage you to vote yes on the school bond and yes on the school maintenance/operations override.

And make it three…vote yes on the Town of Fountain Hills’ road bond. After all: what’s good for our town is good for our schools, and what’s good for our schools is good for our town!