Three months ago we decided to pursue a referendum to support the education of the 10,708 students in our schools.

Since referendums are a new phenomenon to many of us, including me, we consulted experts.

The experts said that we were in for a long uphill battle. They said that it usually takes 12 to 15 months to put together the kind of effort to educate voters on the importance of passing a referendum.

As we all know, we didn’t have 12 to 15 months. We had three months to make it happen.

Thanks to the efforts of thousands of students, moms, dads, grandparents, friends, neighbors, teachers and staff -- we succeeded in educating the voters.

Thanks to the citizens of Monroe County and the heroic efforts of these volunteers, we will have the resources to reinstate teaching positions and to restore reasonable class sizes and educational programs that make our local schools some of the best in Indiana.

I want to thank members of the steering committee for their leadership and guidance, school board members, the MCEA, parents groups, those who worked at the polls, and all of those involved in the massive canvassing effort – door-to-door and on the phone.

Also, I want to thank those organizations who endorsed our campaign, including the League of Women Voters, Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce, Monroe County Retired Teachers Association, Bloomington Economic Development Corporation, members of more than a dozen local labor unions, and The Herald-Times.

On behalf of the 10,708 students in MCCSC, thank you for your efforts in carrying the message to our community.

I think the experience of the past three months will make us stronger in the months and years to come.

It made us pause to reflect on what we really value – and on what we really believe.

The referendum campaign shone the spotlight on our schools and classrooms brighter, perhaps, than ever before. It has made people step up and take notice of our public schools -- people, perhaps, who have taken our schools for granted. No more.

We must recognize this is not an ending … It is a beginning.

For the good of our students, we must come together and make the best possible use of the precious resources that the voters of our community have entrusted to us.

As we all know, these resources are especially precious in this period of economic uncertainty.

For the next six years … these resources will give us the funding stability that we need to ensure quality education opportunities for our 10,708 students. It will give us the resources to prepare our young people with the 21^st Century knowledge and skills they will need to compete in a global economy.

Clearly, our school board members – and our teachers, administrators and support staff members -- have our work cut out for us. I can promise you that students will be our No. 1 priority – first, last and always. We will do our best to:

• Cut the size of classes
• To give students the opportunity for the individual attention they deserve
• To shore up programs to help “at risk” and disenfranchised students
• Restore stipends for extracurricular activities – band, choir, art and athletics -- the activities that keep so many students engaged

So, once again, THANK YOU very much. You voted “yes” on #2 … and our students will thank you … for years to come.