To the Editor:

My name is Kimberly Lovell and I am the president of the Berne-Knox-Westerlo Board of Education. On behalf of myself and the entire BKW Board of Education, we are writing in response to the recent editorial regarding the school board’s approval on the revote of the school budget [“Berne-Knox-Westerlo School Board is taking a ‘helluva gamble’,” June 6, 2024].

It appears that there may have been some misconceptions about the board’s intentions and the implications of the budget that was passed.

The primary goal of this budget is not about “winning” or any form of it, as suggested. It is about sustaining the quality and scope of educational programs that have proven successful for our students.

Our district prides itself on maintaining a strong educational experience that supports both the academic and extracurricular pursuits of our students. It is worth noting, we are not adding any staff or programs to the 2024-25 budget; we actually reduced two teaching positions.

We are simply providing our current programming to our students. It’s crucial to understand that the decision to implement a slight tax increase comes after years of careful budget management that avoided such hikes.

The proposed increase, averaging approximately two to three dollars a week per household based on a $100,000 home, is a small measure aimed at ensuring that we do not have to cut back on essential programs that contribute significantly to the development of our students.

These programs are not just academic; they provide our students with skills, stability, and opportunities that are otherwise inaccessible in our rural setting. By maintaining these programs, we help level the playing field, ensuring our students are well-prepared with the soft skills increasingly demanded in every profession beyond high school.

We know that raising taxes always raises concerns. However, we want to assure everyone that this decision was made with great care, keeping in mind the long-term benefits for our students and community.

We hope this explains why we’ve taken these steps and shows our commitment to maintaining a supportive environment for our students' growth.

Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to provide additional information to this important matter.

Kimberly Lovell

President

Berne-Knox-Westerlo

Board of Education

Editor’s note: See related story, “BKW board makes final plea before budget vote next week.”