Dr. Adenuga Atewologun

Riverland Community College President

As president of Riverland Community College, I am very impressed with the quality of education Austin Public Schools (APS) is providing to the children of Austin. Education of our children is vital for the continued economic growth of our community. We must keep the funding for our schools intact.

Dr. David Krenz and the faculty and staff of Austin Public Schools are committed to providing high quality educational experiences for Austin children and their families. Riverland is proud to collaborate with APS on many programs that provide access to college education including the Be Your Best Summer Academy, Cycles for Success scholarships funded by The Hormel Foundation, and college-level courses taught at the high school.

There is a special election on Nov. 5. The only question on the ballot asks for approval to extend the current school referendum for ten more years. School taxes will not increase if the referendum is extended. In fact, a “yes” vote will result in lower school tax levels than the current level.

The state of Minnesota will provide 60 percent of the cost of the approved school district referendum. However, APS cannot receive those funds unless the referendum is approved. Everyone in our community benefits from strong financial support for our schools.

I encourage all voters to take action on Nov. 5 and vote “yes” to renew the school district referendum.