Letter: Invest in children

I've been a community member in Palatine Elementary School District 15 for the past five years and am eager to see the current Moving 15 Forward proposal pass this November. The benefits are numerous, but the most important to me is offering full-day kindergarten to all students.

As an educator, I know this will help our youngest learners be more prepared for the rest of their educational careers and beyond. We want to keep up with neighboring communities who already offer full-day. Additionally, transitioning to the middle school model will give students even more amazing educational and extracurricular opportunities. We would also be aligning the school feeder patterns in a more systematic way with the high school boundaries.

Other benefits would include improving ADA accessibility; updating classrooms, labs, and libraries; making school updates that would extend the life of the facilities; and modernization that would increase school security.

A collaboration of parents and community members has come together to form a group called Yes for 15. and we strongly support this referendum. This plan will improve our district's school safety, infrastructure, and will invest in the future of our community. Simply put, investing in education is an investment in our community and our children.

We strongly encourage everyone to come together and join us in voting yes on Nov. 8.

Natalie Hudson

Palatine