“I want to dispel both the notion about multi-family housing and the reliance enrollment has on housing in general. It’s a 20th century way of thinking.”
— Jesse Simmons, Government Affairs Director for Olympia Master Builders Association
“There’s a number of short-term federal grants the district could apply for that could provide from hundreds to millions of dollars.”
— Jenne Borman, Ph.D., and Madison Elementary School parent
“The Olympia School District over budgets on a yearly basis by at least $10 million. The district could save another $7 million by removing some of the contingencies in revenue forecasts that lead to over budgeting.”
— Josh Hettena, VP Corporate Finance Blackline and McKenny Elementary and Olympia HIgh School Parent
“Children who have access to early learning are less likely to repeat a grade, are more prepared academically for later grades, more likely to graduate from high school and are higher earners in the workforce. If half the qualified kids were enrolled in an early learning program, it could bring in $2 million in revenue.”
— Kelcy Shaffer, Budget Policy Coordinator State of Washington, Jefferson Middle School and Madison Elementary School Alum Parent
“The district’s enrollment projection modeling is inaccurate. The enrollment decline is much more likely a temporary setback, and because of slower economic recovery following a public health crisis, that decrease in enrollment is significantly slowing.”
— Amber Siefer, M.P.A., ADAPTIVE CONSULTING LLC, Lincoln Elementary and Washington Middle School parent
“What we know is that we can keep all schools open. We don’t have to cut programs and services, and we can deliver a balanced budget this year.”
— Dune Ives, Ph.D., LP Brown Elementary School PTO President
“50 employees per year leave the district voluntarily, which totals about $6 million a year. I question if each of those positions needs to be filled, or if the district can re-examine classroom ratios in schools and find ways to freeze half of the upcoming open positions to save $3 million.”
— Josh Hettena, VP Corporate Finance Blackline and McKenny Elementary and Olympia HIgh School Parent
“We can view this as a crisis, or we can step back and we can see it as an opportunity. We can see it as an opportunity to chart a new course, we can see it as an opportunity to succeed where other districts have failed. We can see this as an opportunity to meet our kids where they’re at in their neighborhoods, and we can see this as an opportunity to deliver a balanced budget and keep our schools open.”
— Marissa Smith, Ph.D., Madison Elementary School Parent
