‘This levy is not about politics. It’s about people’

Just one week ahead of the Tuesday, Nov. 4, general election in Thurston County, Chris Woods, Yelm Community Schools (YCS) superintendent, attended a different setting to convey perhaps his final public message ahead of the levy vote.

During a Yelm City Council meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 26, Woods used the public comment portion of the event to voice the importance of passing the upcoming levy.

The YCS Board of Directors approved a levy amount of $1.30 per $1,000 of assessed property value in 2026 for a total of $8,955,000, and $1.30 per $1,000 of assessed property value in 2027 for a total of $9,495,000.

If the levy were to pass, the proposition would authorize YCS to collect levy dollars for essential education programs, extracurricular activities and operations — including teachers, arts, nurses, counselors, classified staff, paraeducators, safety, graduation readiness, technology, athletics, facilities, curriculum and training.

The district has failed its three previous levy attempts — all of which were at the rate of $2.50 per $1,000 of assessed property value. The fourth attempt seeks slightly over half of what the district asked for in the first three levy efforts.

“I am proud to be serving in my third year as superintendent of Yelm Community Schools, but tonight, I speak to you as a neighbor, a fellow voter and someone who cares deeply about the future of our children. I’m here to explain why the Nov. 4, 2025, levy matters so much to our community,” Woods said. “This levy is not about politics. It’s about people. It’s about teachers, counselors, bus drivers, paraeducators, nurses, coaches and support staff who show up every day for our students. It’s about the programs that give our children the chance to discover their strengths. Sports, music, career and technical education, counseling and special education supports. When levy funding isn’t available, those real supports get smaller or disappear and the effects are immediate and personal.”

Woods said that YCS and community members have already seen the consequences of the past three levy defeats. He cited those as fewer staff, larger class sizes, increased fees for families, reductions in extracurricular activities and support and a strain on transportation and afterschool care.

“Those are not abstract problems,” Woods said. “They are things that affect our neighbors, our local economy, but most of all, our children’s daily experience.”

The superintendent said there are several key ways that passing a levy would support YCS, and that it funds staff who work directly with students, such as: teachers, paraeducators, counselors, office professionals, nurses, bus drivers, food service workers, facility and maintenance staff and safety personnel.

“It helps maintain transportation and before and after school options that working families depend on so they can go to work,” Woods said. “It preserves essential learning opportunities through electives and CTE programs, athletics and other extracurricular programs that prepare students for college, careers and a lifetime of opportunity. It provides support for students with special needs, and for those that require extra help to succeed.”

Additionally, Woods shared several key endorsements that the YCS levy measure has secured.

“I also want to share that this levy has been endorsed by the Thurston County Chamber Board of Directors and the Thurston County Economic Development Council,” Woods said. “It’s a strong signal from our regional business community that investing in our schools is an investment in Yelm’s future.

“If this public investment is not renewed, we will face very significant reductions that will impact every part of the school day,” he continued. “We will see increased fees and decreased or eliminated access to vital activities and athletics. Fewer essential student supports like counseling and nursing services, stretched special education and intervention, transportation reductions that make daily life harder for working families.”

According to Woods, those changes will make it more difficult for the Yelm community to attract businesses and families over time.

“This is a moment for our community to decide what kind of a future we want for our children,” Woods said. “Your voice matters. I urge you to vote and encourage your family, friends and neighbors to do the same. The strength of the schools is the strength of our community.”