This is the CHANGE that I voted for!

We took a chance, five years ago, to build a home in a Village in the middle of a renassance. Our small community had an awful stigma- it was a poorer community, with a large minority population, a high rate of unemployment and pollution and no downtown after the foundry closed before we got here. That foundry, was what held the community together- everyone knew someone that worked there. At the same time, that dirty foundry is what our village such a nasty reputation.

In 2000, our builder took a chance to change all of that- he sought to build charming Victorian-styled homes and recreate those lost neighborhoods through Traditional Neighborhood Design. What we received were mediocre schools in trade for a great home value and an exciting "new" community to join.

For five years now, I have been anxiously awaiting our 2010 census levels because I think they will finally wash away what is left of our little stigma. The article below validates that and makes me so proud to still be a part of this village.

Kindergarten Enrollment Set For Record Level

Nearly 40 percent more local parents have committed to kindergarten enrollment in [OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT] for their children in the 2009-10 school year than in 2008-09. Director of Special Education and Curriculum, reported this information to the School Board following three spring Kindergarten Round-ups that provided parents with information about district programs for eligible students.

[Director] stated that parents of 94 students have already registered their students for the September 8 start of classes. The new enrollment compares to 68 last year, for a 38 percent overall increase so far.

"We have a great combination of full-day programs, bussing for all eligible students, and child care arrangements both before and after school," noted [Director]. "On behalf of our instructional staff, we are also proud that our elementary MEAP test scores are at or above average in [OUR] County," she added.

The district has also begun construction on a new middle school that is set to open in 2010. When that happens, there will be two elementary schools to service local students. One opened in 2005 and the other has been extensively renovated with new computers and other classroom and instructional technology. Normally, the district attains between 20 and 30 more kindergarten registrations each summer and shortly before the new school year begins, [Director] pointed out.

"If that trend holds, we would have a record kindergarten enrollment this school year," she predicted.