Investing in East Buchanan

I don’t pay taxes in the East Buchanan School District, so I’m hesitant to outright stump for the school’s proposed 65-cent tax levy increase, which would fund the construction of a new middle school in Gower, moving that institution southward from Easton.

But I can confidently say this: if I did pay taxes in the East Buchanan School District, I’d be happy with my investment thus far.

From the classroom to the music room, the FFA building to the athletic field, East Buchanan students and educators have created a culture of effectiveness and excellence that most rural school districts would envy.

Every single one of these accomplishments comes back to one thing: East Buchanan has the right people, doing the right things, collectively pulling in the same direction.

The administrative leaders (Supt. Dr. John Newell and principals Doug Miller, Dr. Becky Schilling and Josh Barker) are experienced, focused and provide the district with a stable foundation. The teachers care for the community and the children because it’s their community and their children. The parents and community leaders turn out to support the kids in their endeavors.

It’s an exciting atmosphere, akin to catching lightning in a bottle. And even though this (blue and) golden era has been going for some time, there’s a sense that no one is taking it for granted.

There’s an important question to be asked in all of this. Would this golden era have been possible without the new high school? Not likely. EBHS has been Gower’s crown jewel for more than a decade, giving the school district the resources and the space in which to flourish. And it was a breath of fresh air for the elementary, too, as they could finally stretch their legs without sharing the building with high schoolers.

A new middle school could provide a similar bump.

It’s important to remember, too, that East Buchanan finds itself cornered into action here. The middle school building in Easton is antiquated, and if the August levy fails, taxpayers will need to sink hundreds of thousands of dollars (if not millions) into an increasingly inefficient middle school. In doing so, the district would continue to swallow the inconvenience and liability that comes with shipping most of its middle school students back and forth from Gower to Easton each day.

Perhaps the biggest drawback to the levy is its timing. Inflation has been rampant. Everything from housing to groceries have been sky-high. Economic uncertainty lingers. Tax proposals face an uphill battle. But if recent history has shown anything, investing in East Buchanan has been a safe bet.