Editor,

Have you heard? South Whidbey’s public schools are on the rise! Enrollment, having steadily grown for the past few years, has surged this fall. Thanks to supportive voters, the school bond passed, and investment in safe, productive learning spaces is underway. Not surprisingly, academic scores have also been climbing. And the board recently hired an outstanding new superintendent with strong student and community engagement. For these reasons, I support reelecting Ann Johnson for the school board.

South Whidbey’s current leadership demonstrates genuine care, working toward the success of every student and the district as a whole. As a retiree, it can be easy to view public schools as someone else’s concern — or a problem we may not be here to see in the future.

I struggled to graduate from high school myself and understand firsthand the challenges many students face. My childhood experience led me to serve on South Whidbey’s School Board for 17 years while my kids were students. Today, I’m proud to have five grandchildren enrolled in SWSD.

As a school board member, I learned the importance of balancing academic accountability with emotional support — and of always listening with an open mind. Public schools are challenging because they reflect our society: imperfect, diverse and ever-evolving. With South Whidbey’s leadership today, the art of balancing many perspectives is being achieved.

Ann Johnson has served on the school board for five years and continues to do an excellent job, collaborating effectively with others. I encourage all who care about our community’s children and future to cast a vote for Ann Johnson this November.

Paul Samuelson

Former school board member