As a North Kitsap taxpayer, I want to applaud the school district for doing an outstanding job presenting to local residents the “State of the District,” as published in its recent Report to the Community 2011, which we all received in our mailboxes this week.

Every taxpayer should read this report and feel good about the progress being made in the education sector of our community. As a parent who’s had two kids graduate with honors and receive generous college scholarships in the past few years, I say “thank you” to the North Kitsap School District’s administration, faculty and support staff. You’re doing a fine job; keep up the good work.

I’m especially grateful to have observed two recent watershed achievements in our community. One is the commitment to support one of the peninsula’s crown jewels — the community pool — which will continue to be a blessing to countless young people, competitive swimmers, and retirees for years to come. Few communities throughout the state have such a beautiful, well run public pool.

In the 12-page report, however, particularly in the “What Makes Us Proud” section, I would have liked to have read about the achievements of the most successful curriculum-based program in North Kitsap’s recent history, the choir program. What few area residents know is that under the skillful guidance of several outstanding directors, these choirs and individual students have consistently achieved, state, regional and national recognition for their performance excellence.

In the past two years, the NKHS choir program has produced back-to-back state championships at the annual Washington Music Educators Association-sponsored state solo and ensemble competition at Central Washington University. Can any other curriculum or extra-curricular program in the region boast such achievement?

Though foreboding clouds on the economic horizon hint of further cuts in the school budget, I hope the district will do everything in its power to preserve the already paltry budget for the high school choir program. It’s arguably the most successful program in the district by several measures, and if our community wants to invest its tax dollars to ensure the maximum return on their investment, it will put its money on the award-winning choir program.

Phil Herzog
Poulsbo