School Board Meeting Summary January 26, 2015

School Board Meeting Summary January 26, 2015

by Marianne Deal Stephens

The Consent Agenda of the January 26, 2015 School Board Meeting included:

• approval of several change orders for the Shorecrest and Shorewood construction projects;
• acceptance of $33,581 in gifts from the Shoreline Public Schools Foundation for Classroom Grants [financing projects in every school, ranging from a square dance to naturalist lessons to a Shakespeare workshop];
• adoption of Resolution No. 2015-1, Temporary Waiver Request from High School Graduation Requirements [would give the district until 2021 to implement the new state-mandated requirements]; 
• approval of extended field trips for Cascade K-8 8th graders to Fort Worden and Meridian Park 6th grade to Camp Orkila.

District Equity Committee Update

In 2014, the District created an Equity Committee to examine and improve racial equity in the Shoreline Schools. Deborah Northern from the Puget Sound Educational Service District (PSESD) is facilitating the committee, which is part of an expansion of a program originally impelemented in the Road Map Project region in South King County. 

The Shoreline District Equity Committee consists of 28 principals, teachers, parents, students, family advocates, counselors, district administrators, and a school board member. Currently, the group and the many staff throughout the district are working on an extensive Racial Equity Self-Inventory that will assess current district practices and identify barriers or gaps. The primary goal is to increase student academic achievement. Particular recommendations will be presented to the School Board in April. 

District Instructional Materials Committee (DIMIC) 

Director of Teaching and Learning Teri Poff briefly presented the latest DIMIC recommendation for a Document Based Questions (DBQ) Project for grades 6-12 Social Studies. The district plans to implement the DBQ Project this fall as a supplement to the core textbooks.

Enrollment Projections for 2015-16

Mark Spangenberg, Director of Finance and Business Services, presented projections for next school year. Overall, the district expects enrollment to increase by about +3%, or approximately 266 students, between 2014-15 and 2015-16. Enrollment declined 2009-2013, and began to increase in the 2013-14 school year. 

December 2014 General Fund Cash Flow Report

Director Mark Spangenberg updated the board on the state of the budget. No major items of interest. 

Referenced above:

• The Puget Sound Educational Service District includes 35 school districts and more than 200 private schools in King and Pierce Counties and Bainbridge Island.
• The Road Map Project is a community-wide effort that aims to improve education in South King County and South Seattle.
• The DBQ Project uses primary and secondary sources to help students develop critical thinking skills. The project emphasizes reading, writing, and discussion and debate.