Cascade Citizens for Schools

02/13/2025

Thank you, community! ❤️

02/04/2025

Cascade Education Foundation

Friends and Neighbors:

A rare opportunity to influence our future is at our doorstep. If you are like me, you may feel as though there is little you can do. However now we face a school levy decision that is financially painless and sensible.

The Cascade School District has proposed a measure that does not raise taxes for our property owners but continues the same rate passed in 2021. There is a clear and coherent explanation of the levy on the Cascade School District webpage. It is most readable and will give you an understanding of what the levy has done and will continue to do.

I have a great and unabiding respect for the CSD. My association with the district has been as a parent and a teacher for many years. Now that I have retired from active employment, I have become involved in the Cascade Education Foundation.

If you are unaware of CEF it is a purely voluntary, not for profit group that was born out of a disastrous double levy failure in 1997. I say it was disastrous because kids were affected immediately and painfully. Anything outside the core curriculum was terminated. We had the sad vision of what happens when our kids no longer had sports coached by caring and experienced educators, when field trips were terminated and music and theater plans were halted. I was teaching at IRMS and often wondered what kids must have been thinking. I know what they were feeling because that expressed that huge letdown and confusion vociferously to me and each other. Frankly there was little I could say other than I would do my best to see that such a tragedy did not happen again.

It is critical to say here that is was through the generous contributions of many in our community that any sort of programs were partially resumed. Many coaches and parents volunteered to provide stop gap measures to give the students some sports and activities.
The next levy proposal passed handsomely and to my knowledge has passed ever since. It is a small price to pay for our finest and most valuable resource, our children.
Thank you for reading and hopefully supporting this gallant effort.
Karen Turner aka Mrs. Turner
Cascade Education Foundation President

Cascade Education Foundation; P.O. Box 683; Leavenworth, WA 98826
CascadeEdFoundation.org [email protected] TIN #91-1733196

We execute our mission through strategic relationship building, fundraising, and non-profit business operations/management. This work takes time, knowledge and dedication from our Board.

02/04/2025

Dear Community,
We kindly ask for your support for the Cascade School District Replacement Levies. These are not new taxes, but a continuation of the funding that ensures our students thrive. A "Yes" vote will provide crucial support for the next four years (2026-2029).
Our students depend on the Replacement Educational Programs and Operation Levy to maintain essential programs and services. This levy fills a 20% budget gap not covered by the state, ensuring our students have access to dedicated teachers, nurses, counselors, mental health professionals, special education, textbooks, advanced courses, extracurricular activities, transportation, food services, and safe, well-maintained buildings.
The Replacement Capital Levy is equally important for keeping our schools safe and up-to-date. It supports critical improvements in safety, security, technology, and infrastructure, including the ongoing modernization of Icicle River Middle School and upgrades to our support and athletic facilities. Staying current with technology is essential for our students' success.
This is not a rate increase; the combined levy rates will remain the same at $1.14 per $1,000 of assessed property value, as approved four years ago.
By voting "Yes" you ensure that our students continue to benefit from the unique opportunities that make the Cascade School District exceptional.
Cascade Citizens for Schools
Committee Members: Ann Spratt, Elia Alailima-Daley, Dwight Remick

02/04/2025

Upper Valley Community - The Cascade PTSA (Parent Teacher Student Association) serving the Cascade School District asks for your collaboration in passing the two replacement levies that will be on your ballot and due February 11th.
Throughout the year the PTSA holds fundraisers and works hard to raise money with your help. Then every four years we get to do something infinitely easier and far more impactful, use our vote to support our schools.
Please help ensure that we have a functional and flourishing Cascade School District by voting YES to the two replacement levies on your ballot, which should arrive around January 24th. These levies cover a 20% gap in our District’s budget between what the State funds and what we all want and expect from the District. Both the Replacement Levies: Educational Programs and Operations as well as the Capital Levy are critical to our schools. Approving these levies is not a tax rate increase. The combined levy rates remain $1.14 per $1,000 of assessed property value.
We deeply appreciate each and everyone of you voting to support our students and our schools. Remind your neighbors and friends to vote. Thank you for standing with students this election.

Mercy Rome,
Cascade PTSA - Serving Icicle River Middle School, Cascade High School, Home Link and Kodiak Cubs

01/13/2025

01/09/2025

01/09/2025

In February, the Cascade School District will propose two
replacement levies to voters to replace current levies set to expire in
December 2025. These levies are not new taxes but a continuation of the
existing levies approved by voters in 2021. The renewal of these levies will
not increase the overall tax rate and will continue to support vital programs
and services for students.
Be sure to vote by February 11. Learn more about how levy dollars are
making a difference in our community on our website:
www.cascadesd.org/page/2025-levies

01/07/2025

The upcoming Cascade School District levy requests will have two propositions on the February 11, 2025 ballot. Proposition 1 is a proposed replacement Educational Programs and Operations (EP&O, formerly called M&O) levy. Proposition 2 is a proposed replacement technology/safety levy. Local levies support educational activities that are not funded by the state. These proposed levies are not new taxes but would replace the ones currently being collected. For more information on these, please visit https://www.cascadesd.org/page/2025-levies