Students, teachers, service personnel deserve support of Harrison County voters

So, directly, the Harrison County school system affects each and every one of us.

And with so many employees, the school system is one of the largest employers, playing even more of a role with an economic impact that numbers in the millions.

So when Harrison County residents are given a chance to show their support, it’s easy to understand why they have for many years.

With early voting underway for the Dec. 12 excess levy election, we remind residents to show their support by voting yes on the levy, which will provide about $127.6 million over a five-year period from July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2020.

Because the levy has been in effect, it is not a tax increase but a continuation of a funding stream that is vital for the school system’s continued support.

And make no mistake, as Dr. Manchin reminded in Sunday’s Page A1 story, the Harrison County system is one of the best in the state, one that is looked to in high regard, one that others try to emulate.

And Manchin is quick to credit those who make it so, praising teachers, administrators, students, parents and community members.

“What distinguishes us is the number of people who want to help the school system,” Manchin said when comparing the county to others. “When I first got here, I had so many people coming up, wanting to help. People like your Kelly Nelsons and John Eberts — people willing to give time, money and resources to make the system better.

“Then you have to have support in the homes, supporting what we’re trying to do in the schools on a daily basis. ... The area has an educated workforce that values education, and it makes a difference. We have a lot of parents who are very supportive and who hold us accountable, and the importance of that can’t be overstated.

“(The area) has a culture of work ethic, support of education and the goal of being successful in life.”

The combination of the willingness to give time and money is pivotal to the system thriving, as it has for many students over many years.

The excess levy provides funding for:

— textbooks and teaching supplies;

— technology in terms of hardware, software and wiring;

— band, music, theater and arts programs;

— extracurricular programs in terms of pay for personnel and transportation for students;

— facilities in terms of upgrades and matching funds for state grants to build new buildings;

— pay and benefit supplements for teachers and service personnel;

— additional teachers and staff over the state aid formula;

After studying the system’s needs and the desire to provide the best possible education for all students, it is clear that the excess levy has served the county well. And it is critical to continued success.

“Everyone of us has a vested interest,” Manchin said of the levy. “You may not have children or grandchildren, but you will be impacted by the quality of the programs.

“These children are counting on us as the adults in their lives, as we counted on the adults in our lives as we were growing up.

“Our success is their success. ... We can only open the door — they have to walk through it. But we have to give those boys and girls the opportunity to go through that door. … The levy allows us to have the resources to open the door for many of those children.”

The Exponent Telegram joins with the Harrison County Mayors Association, the Harrison County Chamber of Commerce and many of the county’s municipalities in strongly recommending that voters support the excess school levy.