My name is Jeff Curtis and my wife, Sherry and I are parents of three children, a freshman at Juanita High School, sixth grader at Finn Hill Middle School, and a soon to be student at Juanita Elementary.

We adopted the girls two years ago and have had them as foster children for four years.

My wife and I, have truly learned about the educational community over these past four years and it has been an eye opening experience.

I chose to volunteer as a member of the Lake Washington School District Long-Term Facilities Task Force, because I know how important the future of my children, my neighbor’s children, and my children’s children are and this is why I fully support the April 26 school bond.

The bond proposal before voters reflects the task force’s recommendations to build more schools to meet growing classroom needs. It’s a common-sense plan that focuses on the most urgent priorities while maintaining the current tax rate.

And, as a parent, I see first-hand that there is simply not enough classroom space for our kids. Our schools are overcrowded and the problem is just getting worse. Many students are learning in portable buildings, which are not meant to be a long-term solution.

The growth in our school district is not going away, and we need to address it to ensure our students get the best education possible. Our school district currently has 27,830 students, and has experienced seven straight years of enrollment increases. In the past year alone, we went from the state’s sixth largest school district to its fourth largest.

The April 26 bond proposal reflects careful planning, extensive community input and allows us to address our schools’ most urgent needs without raising our tax rate.

Please join me in voting yes for the Lake Washington School District bond.

Jeff Curtis, Kirkland