Dear editor:

The election of school board members for Lehighton Area School District is so important for the future of the quality of education for the students of Lehighton, and for the future of our community.

I am a proud graduate of Lehighton. I was fortunate to serve in education in Lehighton and was the first principal of Shull-David Elementary School.

What made my 35 years wonderful was that I worked with people whose first priority was providing a sound educational program for our students. A group of people running for the school board are negative and do not have a quality education for our students as a priority or in their vocabulary. They care little for the current and future state of our community and are involved for their own personal reasons, and not the right ones.

I was very glad to see that Mr. Williams, a teacher and leader of the teachers, spoke out about all of the good that this administration and present school board have done for the education of our children.

The restructure of the middle school and high school, the building of a new elementary center that will allow all of our elementary students an excellent educational opportunity, new teacher and support personnel contracts, all were accomplished without a tax increase for 3 years — outstanding!

If you care for the children of this community, it is important that you cast your vote for the present school board members. Allow them to continue to carry out the proper role of a school board member, to provide the best quality education for the students of the district.

Our community is moving forward, and this vote would assure that our community and district are an attractive place for families to live, raise their children and be proud.

Respectfully yours,

Jim Wentz

Lehighton Class of 1948