Shoreline School Board Meeting Summary November 9, 2015

By Marianne Deal Stephens
Education Reporter

Consent Agenda

Director Richard Potter made the motion to accept the evening’s Consent Agenda, which included:

• Adoption of DIMC Recommendations.

• Acceptance of Gifts:

• $7650 from Cascade K-8 PTSA for educational enrichment and field trips.
• over $5000 in equipment (10 iPads, 10 covers, and 1 charging station) from the Washington Dairy Farmers and Jackson Food Stores) to Lake Forest Park Elementary.
• $11,550 from the Shoreline Public Schools Foundation for IXL Math Licenses for grades 4, 5 and 6.

• Approval of License Agreement for Graduation Ceremonies at XFINITY Arena on June 19, 2016.

• Approval of 2015-2016 Carl Perkins Grant Application for Career Technical Education. 

• Approval of Extended Field Trips: 

• Shorewood Cross Country to attend the State Meet in Pasco in November;
• Shorewood Music Honor Groups to attend All State in Yakima in February;
• Einstein 8th grade orchestra to attend Northwest Orchestra Festival in Gresham in March;
• Shorewood Aeolian Choir to perform in Anaheim, CA in April.

Shoreline Public Schools Foundation (SPSF) Report

SPSF Development Director Cindy Pridemore and President Ken Altena spoke to the Board about the work of the Shoreline Public Schools Foundation, which “raises funds to support academic excellence and expanded learning opportunities for all students in the Shoreline Public Schools.” The non-profit 501(c)(3) organization was started in 1992, and has an all-volunteer Board of Directors and two employees, Development Director Cindy Pridemore and Office and Programs Manager Charlene Carlson.  

Mr. Altena introduced the Foundation’s current three initiatives:

Source: Shoreline Public Schools Foundation

The Board and guests viewed a recently-produced video showing some highlights from Foundation-supported projects in the District. 

Source:  Image from Shoreline Public Schools Foundation Video

 

The Foundation recently completed its successful Fall Campaign, which raised over $50,000. More corporations, including Campbell Nelson, Wells Fargo, and Boeing, now contribute. Ms. Pridemore reaffirmed the Foundation’s dedication to the District, saying that “our community has the capacity and wants to do more” for the students of Shoreline. 

Negative Meal Balance 

Director of School Nutrition Jessica Finger and Deputy Superintendent Marla Miller presented a proposed administrative procedure for responding to “negative meal balance” situations. Student meals can be paid for in a few possible ways: the Federal school nutrition program if the family qualifies for free/ reduced lunches; parent deposits on account; cash. Occasionally, student accounts run low, run out, and begin to incur a negative meal balance. Director Finger researched procedures in other districts, and assembled a committee to review current procedures and develop a new protocol.

The proposal includes two procedures, one for elementary and one for secondary. The outlined steps are designed to discreetly alert families about a low account balance ahead of consequences. If a student’s account reaches zero and then the maximum negative balance (the equivalent of 7 meals for elementary and 3 for secondary), the student may receive a certain number of courtesy meals (5 for elementary and 3 for secondary). The procedures conclude with the following statement:  

“Counselors and Food Services staff should be fully aware and trying to resolve the issue with families well in advance of the maximum. The Director of Food and Nutrition Services should be notified by Food Services staff at this point to determine next steps.”  

        —Shoreline Schools Secondary Negative Meal Balance procedure. The elementary procedure is virtually identical. 

Following the presentation, the Directors and Ms. Finger discussed how to pay for additional lunches for students whose families cannot. Deputy Superintendent Miller explained that the District is not supposed to use funds for individual student lunches. Director Debi Ehrlichman hoped that community groups might hear of the need and organize to address the problem.

For more information, see the District’s Food Services page and the Free and Reduced Meal Program application . 

Note: Monthly enrollment reports (see the November report) include school-by-school Free and Reduced Meal Program percentages. Overall, 25.86% of students in the Shoreline School District are enrolled in the program. Students in the program receive more than meals: the secondary program includes discounts on test registration fees and more. 

School Improvement Plans

The 2015-2016 School Improvement Plans will be covered in a separate article. 

Board Reports

Director Richard Potter, along with Director Wilson, has visited seven schools plus the Children’s Center this year. They have heard good feedback about the K-5 reading curriculum. 

Director Debi Ehrlichman thanked the writer of these summaries for keeping the community informed.

Referring to a recent award, Director Ehrlichman congratulated Shorecrest Counselor Dr. Steve Hirsch, who was named 2015 School Psychologist of the Year by the Washington State Association of School Psychologists (see previous article). 

Director Ehrlichman is looking forward to attending the high school plays and the Shorecrest Holiday Dinner, which will feature food by the Shorecrest Culinary Arts students and help finance the Holiday Baskets effort.

Director David Wilson, referring to his recent school visits, praised our “great principals,” mentioning two in particular: Highland Terrace Principal Jacqueline Estephan and Cascade K-8 Principal Chrisy Francescutti. 

Director Wilson recently attended the Paying for College event put on by the After Shorewood Committee of the Shorewood PTSA. More than 100 people attended and presenter David Aramaki gave parents valuable advice. (see previous article).

Board President Mike Jacobs mentioned the great seasons of Shorewood women's soccer and volleyball teams.