But that wasn’t the case at a community meeting between the Marysville school board and seniors Feb. 8.

From drugs in schools, to outdated buildings, to grief over the Marysville-Pilchuck shooting, to lack of electives – seniors showed a lot of concern for students in the Marysville School District.

Concerning drugs, LaVern Ledford said it’s her understanding that kids can get whatever they want at school.

“Anyone who thinks they don’t have drugs in schools is delusional,” Superintendent Becky Berg responded, adding she’s heard of kids as young as sixth-graders using drugs.

But the district is working with the Marysville Police Department to combat that, she said, adding that soon there will be five School Resources Officers.

Don Hatch asked why drug dogs aren’t taken into schools anymore. That way you wouldn’t have to worry about “people telling on people,” he said.

While that question never really was answered, Council Member Chris Nation did say, “We’re trying to educate kids not to use drugs.”

As for outdated buildings, the district said it is trying to pass a bond in April that would build five new schools for $230 million.

“We need to rally the community,” Council President Pete Lundberg said.

Hatch added, “We gotta win this one.”

Dean Ledford said taxes are so high some people can’t afford to pay any more. He was told seniors with an income of $36,000 a year or less can get an exemption.

Berg said local schools have lasted long beyond their life pan, so the bonds need to pass.

“We’re going to fight like the dickens” to pass the bonds, she said. “It’s not a Taj Mahal kind of thing.”

Lundberg recalled how he was told Marysville Middle School was going to be bulldozed when he started working there 24 years ago in 1991.

“At some point we have to get started” updating our schools, he said. “It will infuse a sense of pride.”

Some of the seniors said the district needed to do a better job of maintaining facilities. Lundberg said he has heard that a lot at the ongoing community meetings.

“When we had smaller budgets, we cut maintenance” instead of classroom resources, he said.

Donna Leifer and Mary Carlson suggested using more volunteers to help fill in gaps, in both maintenance and academia.

Regarding the shooting, Leifer asked what is going on to help students still dealing with grief.

Berg said about 10 counselors are still at M-P helping kids.

Hatch, whose grandson Nate was the lone survivor of the group that was shot, said more needs to be done to reach out to those who need help.

“Some are ashamed to walk in to see a counselor, afraid they would be belittled,” he said.

Sheila Anderson said students at Marysville Getchell High School have never received counseling. Many of those kids went to grade school and junior high with the victims, who were new freshmen at M-P when the shooting occurred. Others rode the school bus with the victims.

“The kids were hysterical at MG” at lunch following the shooting as they received word over social media, Anderson said.

“They’ll never get over it,” Leifer added.

Concerning electives, Anderson said students need life skills to help them survive.

“The reality base is not there any more,” she said. “We went from ‘Leave it to Beaver’ to Donald Trump.”

She said students need exposure to things like cooking and art.

“Too many drop out,” she said. “Extras keep them in school.”

Learning life skills are the very thing that help families succeed, Anderson added.

Attendees also talked about what they liked about the district. Comments included: sports, MG landscape cleanup, new bus barn, teachers, clean schools, welcoming staff, volunteers, concern about safety, Chromebooks and an open school board.

Frank Busichio said he liked how the curriculum is child-centered. “They teach to every child,” he said.

Hatch added: “We’re closer together. More positive, and working on the negatives.”