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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Neighbors fight cell tower proposal near Ashland Gov. Kitzhaber steps down, federal investigation begins Successor Kate Brown must run for election in 2016 Mt. Ashland offers shuttle service Sadness, relief greet Kitzhaber resignation locally Education Levy supporters kick off campaign Bowling for knowledge Sharing black culture It's alive! SOU students create thought-provoking art Environment Mt. Ashland Ski Area celebrates snow GMO opponents can join Jackson County in defending ban Grant will help restore 'legacy' oak habitat in Southern Oregon and Northern California Mt. Ashland Ski Area crew dips to five Mt. Ashland Ski Area announces layoffs Business Ride & Drive: 2015 Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack Silvio Calabi: Range Rover Sport, the off-road GT Where do Ashland’s top chefs go to dine? Ride & Drive: The 2015 BMW M4 Silvio Calabi: Jeep’s Patriot earns respect Politics and elections Gov. Kitzhaber steps down, federal investigation begins Successor Kate Brown must run for election in 2016 Sadness, relief greet Kitzhaber resignation locally Gov. Kitzhaber announces resignation Read Gov. John Kitzhaber's statement on his resignation State News Gov. Kitzhaber announces resignation Read Gov. John Kitzhaber's statement on his resignation Legislative leaders join in call for Kitzhaber resignation (updated) Oregon secretary of state: Meeting with governor 'strange' Oregon's second in command abruptly returns from capital Nation - World Obituaries Arlene M. (Ryan) Mills Michael Wayne South Claire G. Craft Theodore F. 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Ashland Calendar: Feb. 14 ... Workers need more power ... Neighbors fight cell tower proposal near Ashland ... Ashland Calendar: Feb. 14 ... Workers need more power ... ASHLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT Levy supporters kick off campaign Property tax supporting youth academics and activities is up for renewal in May Comment By Joe Zavala Ashland Daily Tidings DailyTidings.com By Joe Zavala Ashland Daily Tidings Posted Feb. 11, 2015 @ 8:57 pm Updated Feb 11, 2015 at 8:58 PM By Joe Zavala Ashland Daily Tidings Posted Feb. 11, 2015 @ 8:57 pm Updated Feb 11, 2015 at 8:58 PM » RELATED CONTENT • School levy support strongest in Ashland • School levy passes with 67% of vote • District asks voters to renew levy » Social News Leslie Gore learned about the kind of impact a public servant can have in a community from her mother, who served on a school board in Concord, Calif., for 12 years. Now, Gore is looking forward to making her own mark, in Ashland, by convincing voters to renew the Youth Activities and Academics Levy on May 19. If passed, the five-year local option levy — officially named measure 15-134 — will require residential property owners within the district’s boundaries to continue paying $1.29 for every $1,000 of the assessed value of their home annually. The funds raised make up roughly 9 percent of Ashland School District’s current budget, or $2.6 million for the 2014-15 school year. “It’s important and I am excited,” said Gore, the chairperson of the YAAL committee, a 10-member group whose goal is to convince Ashlanders to renew the levy. “And, I’m excited to be a part of giving back to the teachers that have given so much to my kids.” A 48-year-old mother of two, including an Ashland High School freshman, Gore says she’s passionate about the levy because since moving here 12 years ago she’s seen first-hand how valuable the various programs it funds are to families, including her own. First passed in 1994, the levy funds middle and high school academic programs and extracurricular activities, as well as district-wide guidance counseling services. It also supports library services, grounds maintenance and elementary school programs such as music and art lessons. Gore’s oldest child has played on the AHS soccer team and currently is a member of the swim team. He also is a member of the school’s renowned speech and debate team and, Gore says, has benefited greatly from the school’s Fresh Start freshmen orientation program, which is also funded by the levy. “The numbers speak for themselves,” she said. “The percent of the budget, if we lose it, can’t be made up. It would have to come from the programs directly, and the schools are such an integral part of our community.” Ashland School District superintendent Jay Hummel ticked off a long list of programs that would struggle to stay afloat without levy funding. Ashland High, for instance, has a wide range of club sports teams, including a perennial state championship-contending snowboard squad, two ski teams, a bowling squad, an equestrian team and a crew team. “It represents a lot for Ashland students to be exposed to a whole variety of extracurricular activities that a lot of students in other districts do not have access to,” Hummel said. Ashland High has 18 OSAA sports teams, all of which are fully funded, and nine club sports teams which are partially funded, according to athletic director Karl Kemper. Students who chose to compete in an OSAA sport at AHS do not have to "pay to play," which is standard practice throughout Oregon. Participation fees can cost student-athletes $200 or more per sport. AHS student-athletes have taken advantage of that perk. Roughly 50 percent of Ashland High students participate in at least one sport and close to 80 percent participate in at least one extracurricular activity, according to Kemper. “I don’t know of another school that does not have a pay-to-play,” he said. “Most kids have to pay $100 to $200 a sport. We don’t do that. So basically, the people have already taken care of that, and the beauty of that is that this whole community is sharing the burden for the kids — and there’s a high percentage of people in Ashland that don’t have school-age children.” Kemper’s right. According to the American Community Survey, only 22 percent of Ashland households include “own children under 18 years.” “The whole community has stepped up to say that there’s a value in the power of participation for kids,” he said. “They put their money where their mouth is and it’s a beautiful thing.” Indeed, the levy passed by a wide margin the last time it was about to expire, passing on Nov. 2, 2010, with 71 percent of the votes. But John Williams, a member of the Ashland School Board whose two sons attend Ashland Middle School, says he’s not taking anything for granted, especially considering a recent flux in the local voting population. “It’s actually not a guarantee, ever,” says Williams, who moved to Ashland in 2005. “Even though we’ve enjoyed great support in the past, it’s been five years since we passed the levy and I believe the data is showing the turnover in registered voters in Ashland is something like 30 percent over the last five years. So when we have to renew this after five years we basically have to educate a significant portion of the registered voters.” That task will fall to Gore and her team of volunteers, most of whom are also parents of ASD students. Over the next few months Gore’s committee will be busy raising money for the campaign, drafting supporting arguments for the voters’ pamphlet, peppering the city with lawn signs, updating the YAAL’s Facebook page and, if necessary, selling the levy the old fashioned way — door to door. It’s hardly the only thing on Gore’s plate. She also works part-time at MustHaveMenus, and is the vice president of the Ashland Booster Club (she’ll be president next school year). But perhaps following the example set by her mother, Gore isn’t afraid of a few late nights in the name of public service. In fact, she’s looking forward to it. “I really think it’s important,” she said. “And I’ve heard it said, if you want something done, ask a busy person.”  Joe Zavala is a reporter for the Ashland Daily Tidings. Reach him at 541-821-0829 or [email protected]. By Joe Zavala Ashland Daily Tidings DailyTidings.com By Joe Zavala Ashland Daily Tidings Posted Feb. 11, 2015 @ 8:57 pm Updated Feb 11, 2015 at 8:58 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. 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