Letter to the Editor: dedicated SESPA members are invested in their jobs

To the Editor:

Members of SESPA are the thread that holds the fabric of the garment of the Shoreline School District together. Over the past 6 years the District, or garment, has told us that we have to use fewer and fewer stitches to hold our garment together. SESPA agreed to fewer stitches and an inferior garment for the short term because administration said when there was money, our garment would again become the strong, sturdy garment it once was.

To date, the District is strong financially. Yet administration continues to whittle away positions that support the strong model that the Shoreline voting public passed last February and expected to be implemented. If only the voters could be knowledgeable about what’s happening in their district. The garment, the Shoreline District, could and should be walking down the national runway as it did years ago. Our nation then rated Shoreline as one of the best.

Administration has repeatedly eliminated cost of living raises to SESPA members who have lost 10% in COLAs the past 4 years. Additionally, we haven’t had a salary increase in the past 2 years. Why single out the lowest paid of all district employees to push them further into the working poor?

Administration continues to try to reduce work hours of Nurses, Library Techs, Security Guards, Behavior Techs, and has reduced hours of staff in Resource Rooms, English Language Learners, and Title programs. This, all while saying “this will not impact the children or the quality of their education”. HA! Ask the certificated staff—they will inform you of the impact!

These dedicated SESPA members are invested in their jobs. They give many “volunteer” hours to make sure things are ready for all children of our district. Most SESPA members live within Shoreline and all encouraged the public to VOTE FOR SHORELINE SCHOOLS!

Shoreline Administration PLEASE give SESPA employees a fair contract so both parties can be proud of working together as adults. Stop the bullying and sew our district back into the strong, powerful, admirable, storm-worthy garment of times gone by.

Nancy Passé

Shoreline