Next week voters are being asked to renew two existing levies in the Coupeville School District.

One levy covers the district’s maintenance and operations, which brings in $2.24 million each year for four years.

Those levy dollars help pay for vital needs in the district such as teacher salaries, para-educators, a school nurse, library services, transportation and instructional materials.

The other levy is a technology levy brings in $300,000 each year and provides funds to keep technology up-to-date, an important investment in society today.

Voters first approved the technology levy four years ago. With that levy, school officials have purchased 738 devices over the past four years. Those devices include 313 iMacs, 197 iPads, 192 Chromebooks, displays, LCD projectors and a district-wide phone system that was recently installed. The phone system, which is Internet based, cost approximately $17,000. The dollars also paid for professional development for staff.

Both of these levies are existing.

The district is not asking for additional funding and it won’t cost taxpayers anymore than what they already pay.

The Island County Auditor’s Office sent out ballots to 7,237 voters who reside within the boundaries of the Coupeville School District, according to the auditor’s office.

As of Tuesday morning, only 2,384 ballots had been received.

Schools rely on community support to help make students successful.

Please vote and turn in your ballots.

Ballots have to be postmarked by Feb. 11 in order to be counted.

People can also drop off their ballots at the auditor’s election office located on North Main Street or at the drop box located at Trinity Lutheran Church in Freeland.

— Megan Hansen is editor of The Whidbey Examiner. Reach her at mhansen@whidbeynewsgroup.com