Thank you to the voters of Hendry County for supporting the half-cent sales tax on Nov. 8. I appreciate the fact that you see the importance of investing in the education of our students. My team and I will ensure that your investment is making the highest impact possible. It will be the focus of every decision. The funds generated from the sales tax will allow new construction, renovations, and upgrades to several areas such as safety, technology, and transportation.

The new tax revenue will also allow our district to keep pace with our growing student population, which is now nearly 7,500 students! As new residents move to Hendry County, we will be able to ensure we have classes and schools available to safely provide high-quality education and learning experiences. Those learning experiences stretch far beyond the classroom and include state-of-the-art training in career and technical fields, as well as athletic opportunities that our students deserve.

Since it is your tax dollars, you should have a voice! Our leadership team is already in the process of outlining an oversight committee that will help guide the investments of the generated tax funds. Once the school board has approved the selection process, policies, and procedures, we will establish a committee of community stakeholders and school district employees, who will drive the decisions that will improve teaching and learning for our students. We anticipate having this committee in place by January 2023.

Thanks to you, the educational future in Hendry County has never looked brighter! Our students will be better equipped to challenge their future and be productive citizens. I am looking forward to the challenges that lie ahead as we support education in Hendry County like never before.

Thank you for supporting education in Hendry County!