Dear Pike Delta York Community:
I am writing to encourage the Pike Delta York community to support an important income tax levy on the May 4, 2021 ballot. Pike Delta York is my school of choice as both a teacher and a parent.
It is a school system that brings pride to the community through academics, sports, FFA, extracurricular activities, and music programs. It is critical that this levy passes in order to ensure that our students continue to receive a high quality education and have the opportunity to excel in sports and other extra-curricular activities.
As a teacher for Pike-Delta-York, I have witnessed many changes and advancements in education over the past twenty-one years. Our students attend school inside well maintained buildings, learn with modern technology, and can explore their strengths in a variety of extracurricular activities.
Although the world of education has seen changes over the years, some things always remain the same: students’ enthusiasm for learning and supportive parents that always want the best for their children.
Over the two decades that I have taught, I am proud to say that I have always had the most positive and supportive parents any teacher could ever ask for. Not only am I a teacher for Pike-Delta-York Schools, but I also choose to open enroll my children to Pike-Delta-York. As a parent, I love all that Pike-Delta-York has to offer my children.
Both of my daughters love going to school each day thanks to the caring teachers and staff that have been part of their lives each year. My oldest daughter thrived in the gifted program throughout her middle school years.
Both of my children have enjoyed participating in the Destination Imagination program for over ten years. They have competed at the local, state, and the global level.
My younger daughter participates in band and is looking forward to participating in track for the first time this spring. I appreciate all that Pike-Delta-York has to offer my children.
Without the passage of the levy this May, Pike Delta York will have no choice, but to make many cuts that will affect our students:
●1 administrator, 9 teachers, and 3 paraprofessionals
●2-3 bus drivers, 1 part time secretary, and 1 network technician
●Elimination of sports and all other extracurricular activities
●Elimination of the following programs: gifted, 2 year kindergarten, and FFA
●Bus transportation cut to only those students in grades K-8 living over 2 miles away from school (no high school transportation)
Each of these cuts will obviously affect our students and parents in a variety of ways: students’ transportation to and from school, larger class sizes, and less opportunities for our students to earn scholarships, just to name a few. School will definitely not look the same for our students without the passage of this levy. .
I urge you to please vote YES for the Pike-Delta-York levy on May 4, 2021. If you are not registered to vote and need help registering, please reach out and I would be more than happy to help you register.
In order to vote in the May 4 election, you must register by 9:00 P.M. on April 5.
Respectfully,
Jennifer Buckenmeyer
Delta, Ohio
