School Board Summary 3/23/2015

School Board Summary 3/23/2015

by Marianne Deal Stephens

Shoreline School Board President Mike Jacobs introduced the meeting’s Consent Agenda by acknowledging “the great generosity of our community” as demonstrated by the acceptance of financial gifts: 

• $7500 from the Cascade K-8 PTSA for Field Trips and Enrichment for all classrooms; 
• $5000 from Americans for the Arts (Washington, D.C.) for Arts Education; 
• $7898 from the Microsoft Matching Gifts Program for Shorewood Robotics.

The Board recognized the ongoing support of the Shoreline Public Schools Foundation by adopting Resolution 2015-3. An excerpt: 

WHEREAS, the work of the Foundation, with its theme this year of “Growing Great Minds,” impacts every student and educator in the district through generous building, classroom and community-wide grants, support for summer school and scholarships; 

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Shoreline Board of Directors designates the week of March 23 to 27, 2015 as Shoreline Public Schools Foundation Appreciation Week.

Other items on the Consent Agenda included: 

• Approval of revised School Board Meeting Schedule. Find schedules, agendas, and minutes on the Shoreline School Board page.  http://www.shorelineschools.org/school_board/
• Final Acceptance of the Aldercrest Annex Gym and Electrical Building Demolition Project, which has been completed by KD&S Environmental Inc.
• Approval of an Interlocal Agreement with Lake Washington Institute of Technology (LWIT) for Cooperative Educational Services for Vocational-Technical and Basic Education 2015-2020. This is a 5-year continuation of an existing program in which students ages 16-21 who have dropped out of or who have been suspended from the Shoreline School District and would still like to graduate receive services from LWIT. Shoreline counselors advise students regarding graduation opportunities and training in a Career and Technical Career Cluster. See CTE.  http://learn.shorelineschools.org/spec/ceducation/index.php
• Approval of Extended Field Trips: 
• Shorewood Hip Hop Team to the State Dance/ Drill Competition in Yakima;
• Shorecrest DECA Team to the DECA Inter Career Development Conference in Orlando, Florida;
• Shorewood 10th-12th grades Culinary Arts students to the Westin Hotel in Downtown Seattle;
• Parched 6th graders to Camp Seymour for Outdoor Environment Camp.

Draft Pre-Hazard Mitigation Plan

Director of School Safety Don Dalziel presented regarding this planning document, which is intended to raise awareness of the potential impacts of natural disasters and help the District address natural hazards in a pragmatic and cost-effective manner. The plan does not change District policies, codes, or ordinances, but may reduce the negative consequences of future disasters.

The document identifies three potential hazards for Shoreline: earthquakes, floods, and landslides. The District’s buildings, like most buildings in Puget Sound, have an increased risk of earthquakes. Director Dalziel related that our buildings are currently rated excellent or good in regard to earthquake soundness.

Three buildings—Brookside Elementary, Lake Forest Park Elementary, and Syre Elementary—are listed in the “low” risk category for floods.

One campus—Brookside—has been identified with a moderate level of landslide hazard. The public is invited to comment on the Draft Pre-Hazard Mitigation Plan at the April 6 School Board Meeting. Citizens interested in reviewing the plan may contact Director Don Dalziel, 

Following public comment, Don Dalziel and Emergency Preparedness Coordinator Chuck Goodwin will oversee revision and then present the final Draft Pre-Hazard Mitigation Plan to the Board on April 27. After Board approval, the plan will go to OSPI and FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) for approval. 

Program Alignment Coherence Team (PACT), Policy 2120

Director Teri Poff described the purpose of PACT and presented slight revisions to its procedures. PACT receives requests for and approves new courses for a one-year pilot, reviews courses after the pilot, and, if deemed successful, sends recommendations for course adoptions to the School Board. 

PACT’s goals reflect broad aims of providing effective basic education for all students and ensuring flexibility for the special needs of individuals and groups. PACT has established procedures guiding proposals from initiation through discussion with appropriate parties—departments and learning specialists, counselors, building leadership teams (including department chairs, counselor, and assistant principal)—and onto the PACT team itself, which includes principals, counselors, an SEA representative, a content instructional specialist or content area teacher, and an administrator.

PACT also oversees the review and elimination of outdated materials. Though courses are usually proposed by teachers, last year a group of students at Shorewood proposed an AP Computer Science course, which is now under pilot. 

Financial Update

Deputy Superintendent Marla Miller and Director of Finance and Business Services Mark Spangenberg presented the January and February Financial Update. They noted that, due to higher enrollment than budgeted, State General Revenue projections have been increased. February’s report reflects the beginning of 2015 levy collections. To review budget and enrollment reports, see the District Budget page.

2015 Legislative Areas of Focus

Board Member Richard Potter discussed the District’s priorities, which fall into two major areas, Financial and Reform. In regard to school finances, the Board supports the McCleary decision and at the same time does not support any proposal to increase state funding which simply redistributes revenues that are currently approved and collected locally.

The Board does not support the Levy Swap idea since local taxpayers would pay a disproportionate share of the State’s obligations. In regard to Reform, the Board and District are committed to the success of every student, and notes that since several recent initiatives “have our systems operating at our full capacity,” they “encourage the legislature to reject any legislation that adds to the reform overload.”