My 11-year-old daughter is named Gabby. Gabby has an extremely rare genetic disorder which causes intellectual disability, speech delays, low muscle tone and other issues.

At her public elementary school, she spends about half her day in a mainstream fifth grade classroom. The other half is spent in a special education classroom, where she gets the additional help that is critical to her learning.

As a proud parent and co-PTSA president, I am in support of voting “yes” on the three bond/levy measures on Feb. 13, which are partially aimed to rebuild schools in disrepair but largely to keep (not increase) the funding that is not covered by the state.

Voting “yes” will not increase your current taxes. In fact, it will slightly decrease them. It will prevent massive cuts to our underpaid teachers’ salaries. It will keep our school counselling, physical education, music and library programs in place.

We are not asking for new funding – we are simply asking to keep the funding that is currently in place. Funding that provides for Gabby’s special education.

If these measures do not pass, there will be an approximate 35 percent cut to the programs that affect children with special needs like Gabby. Please, take a minute to vote “yes.”

Amy Robi,

Kirkland

For more information, please visit www.vote4lwsdkids.org