Shoreline School Board, January 9, 2012
Saturday, January 14, 2012
By Devon Vose Rickabaugh
Achievement Gap data
Shoreline School Board met January 9th and heard achievement gap data presented by Dr Jack Monpas-Huber. There is less difference between African American students and Caucasian students graduating and going to college than with Hispanic students in the district. Director Nicholson asked about programs directed at helping Hispanic students. The directors agreed to gather information about programs to close the achievement gap.
Shoreline Virtual Learning program
Shoreline Virtual Learning (SVL) program was updated by Teri Poff and Brian Schultz. The district is partnering with Spokane School District in a web-based instructor-led program. The Spokane teachers have written, taught and tested the program and will be providing the instruction initially. Poff stressed the program is starting slowly to see how it works in the district. For now a student will have to carry a full load of classes in order to take one virtual class. Superintendent Sue Walker said that the statistics on success of Virtual learning are “grim”. She advocated taking it slowly.
Student Smoking Policy
The board voted to approve a minor change to the student smoking policy wherein a first offense for a student using tobacco in an unauthorized place will not include suspension. Rather it will mean a “conference with students and/or parents, notify parent of offense, notify Drug/Alcohol Specialist of offense; and/or disciplinary action (non-suspension).”
Tree cutting at Shorecrest
Director Jacobs said he’d gotten several calls from the community concerned about the cutting down of four large sequoias at Shorecrest High School over the recent holiday. Superintendent Walker said that the design for the new school made it necessary to remove the trees, but that the board had not been informed when it would happen. “It’s definitely a loss and we’re committed to restoring something similar to the area."
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1 comments:
SAN,
Well, I'm glad to finally see a mention of the "Sequoia Tree Cutting Incident."
But as usual, I find the SSD response very disappointing, to say the least.
Supt Walker just rights it off as "necessary" to cut the four huge trees. However, all of the original designs presented to the community and submitted for the Conditional Use Permit showed the trees retained. It was only in the very last rendition that they were suddenly gone. There was no notice to the public or parties of record.
The Briarcrest neighborhood, in particular was shocked and appalled. Everyone could not fathom why the accessways could not have been designed to retain those 50 yr old trees.
And Mr Jacobs says he's committed to restore "something similar". What does that mean? Just four little Sequoias? Mr Degginger said they'd replace them with vine maples, cherry trees and maybe cedars.
The Shoreline School District continues to amaze the community with it's tone deaf responses to the impacts they impose.
Don't they get it? Shoreline cares about trees! And THESE trees mattered.
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