On Tuesday the people of Stonington can advance important priorities for the education of our children and the public safety of all citizens while maintaining the fiscal integrity of our town.

A yes vote on the town budget means that Stonington will for the first time be able to offer full-day kindergarten for all children. This will provide a needed boost that can help close an achievement gap while offering more educational opportunity at one of the most important times of life for a child. The budget would also maintain class sizes at or below the targets set by the Board of Education, restore reductions to athletic programs and provide summer academies for students entering middle and high school.

A yes vote on the town budget also means that Stonington will continue to provide its police officers with the training and equipment they need to safely protect all citizens while taking on additional missions now made necessary by recent events. We need look no farther than Newtown and Boston to be reminded of the critical role law enforcement officers play every day in ensuring our safety.

Editor's note: McDonald is chairwoman of the Stonington Board of Education; Scott Bates, chairman of the Stonington Board of Police Commissioners.