District receives Golden Achievement Award for public relations
Friday, June 11, 2010
The Shoreline School District has received a Golden Achievement Award from the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) for information efforts relating to the successful February bond issue for modernization/replacement of Shorecrest and Shorewood High Schools.
The NSPRA Golden Achievement Awards program is one of the most prestigious honors for K-12 education public relations. It recognizes exemplary public relations activities, programs and projects in school districts nationwide. The award judges honor outstanding achievement in the four steps of a public relations program - analysis, planning, communication and evaluation. Each entry was judged individually against these awards criteria.
Shoreline's award was the only one given to a school district in Washington state this year, and one of only 42 awarded in the U.S. and Canada.
"Successful public relations programs require the talents of many people," said Richard Bagin, APR, executive director of NSPRA. "This effort was evident in your winning entry."
Shoreline's communications were coordinated by Craig Degginger, public information officer. They included Web sites for each high school design team and frequently updated information about the bond issue on its own website.
The monthly Community Connections page in the Journal Newspapers, Update, the District's monthly parent newsletter, and Flagship, the District's community-wide newsletter, provided comprehensive information on the plans for the two high schools and announced plans for the February 9, 2010 election.
Superintendent Sue Walker and other District administrators made more than 70 appearances at community groups, PTA meetings and staff meetings to provide information about the bond measure. The meetings included a PowerPoint presentation and opportunity to view scale conceptual models for each high school.
The Superintendent and the two high school principals each videotaped presentations about the bond measure and the high school designs that were telecast frequently on the District's education access television channel in the weeks prior to the election. The videos were also available for viewing on the District Web site.
The District mailed a facts brochure to all households in Shoreline and Lake Forest Park just prior to the election with information about the bond and levy measures, including the projected cost to taxpayers.
The $150 million bond issue for the replacement/modernization of Shorecrest and Shorewood was approved by more than 62 percent of Shoreline and Lake Forest Park voters in February. Construction is expected to begin at both sites in the summer of 2011, with completion anticipated in time for the 2013-14 school year.
--Craig Degginger
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SESPA FAQ’s on Contract Negotiations in Shoreline:
1. What do the proposed staffing cuts REALLY look like?
Reduced hours for Secondary Nurses and Security staff
Reduced permanent hours and positions for Special Education, ELL, Title I, and Early Childhood
Reduced hours for playground and lunchroom supervision
9-12 work days cut from School Nurse work year
30 work days cut from Secondary Library Tech work year
9 work days cut from Security staff work year
5 work days cut from Behavior Tech work year (on top of previous cuts to daily hours)
5 work days cut from Elementary Library Tech work year.
2. What impact will these cuts have on student services?
School nurses need the non-student days to review student immunizations, create life-threatening health plans, inform coaches and teachers of student health issues, complete State-required reports, and address student medical needs.
Security staff need the non-student days to complete investigation reports, engage in training, compare notes with surrounding districts, and ensure safe school facilities.
Library techs need the non-student days to repair books, process thousands of books, complete District reports, maintain the Library budget, and help carry out the District’s technology initiatives.
Behavior Techs need the non-student days to create and revise behavior management plans, contact other agencies, meet with teachers on suggested interventions, and provide student data reports.
3. What impact will these cuts have on our students?
If the workload is NOT handled on non-student days, it will have to be done while students are in school. Students will receive fewer health and safety services from nurses, security, and student supervisors.
Students will receive less academic, research, and technology help from Library Techs.
Our most vulnerable students will receive less instructional, behavioral, and social skill assistance and coordination from the cuts to Behavior Tech hours and positions.
Cuts to staff and positions in Special Education, ELL, and Title I will result in fewer and less experienced adults helping our struggling students.
. What impact do these cuts have on Shoreline employees?
These cuts will result in the loss of thousands of dollars in wages and benefits for Shoreline employees and their families. Our members are already struggling to survive on the wages and benefits currently provided. We are not paid a “Living Wage” – an hourly wage high enough to afford to live in this area without reliance on family, parent, or government assistance. Many of our members work at least 2 different jobs to make ends meet.
5. How much money does Shoreline REALLY have?
Shoreline’s last financial report in April shows a general fund balance of $16.7 million. It is highly unlikely that the District will spend all of this money down to $3.5 million dollars. Our financial analysts are projecting a total ending fund balance of $11 million in August. This figure includes all of the “reserve” accounts specially created this year for a State COLA (not happening), Curriculum adoptions, unspent school dollars, and other purposes.
6. What is the difference between a “reserve” fund and the “unreserved” fund balance in the School District Budget?
A “reserve” fund is an amount of money that the District sets aside for a designated purpose. Funds are sitting in these accounts and have not been spent. Shoreline has created a long list of “reserve” accounts in an effort to shrink the size of their “unreserved” surplus.
7. Is the Shoreline District administration making personal sacrifices in these tough economic times?
Not really. The School Board just gave a $8,276 pay raise to Superintendent Walker and a $10,000 bonus to Deputy Superintendent Harris. Board members stated that the pay raises were for hard work, dedication, and increased work load. SESPA members are dedicated, work hard and have increased workloads, but the District wants cuts in pay rather than raises.
8. What about the building administrators?
The two-year agreement with building administrators was mysteriously reopened and renegotiated this year to roll their four supplemental days into their base salaries. Future salary increases will be made to these higher base salaries. In addition, administrators are guaranteed to be paid at the midpoint of comparison school districts.
9. What can I do if I am unhappy about the impact of District budget decisions on the people who work directly with students?
Email the School Board at school.board@shorelineschools.org
Email the Superintendent at sue.walker@shorelineschools.org
Call the Superintendent at 206-361-4214.
Tell your friends, family and neighbors to speak up and insist that the safety, health, and instructional needs of kids come first.
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