Showing posts with label school board. Show all posts
Showing posts with label school board. Show all posts

Shoreline School District considers K-5, 6-8 Grade Level Models

Saturday, May 14, 2016

By Marianne Deal Stephens

On May 9, 2016 the Shoreline School Board had a Study Session* to hear about the work of the Instructional Program Planning Committee (IPPC) and the Facility Planning Committee. This school year, the District “made a commitment to evaluate future instructional configurations to meet the needs of students.” The IPPC, co-chaired by Director of Teacher Professional Practice and Evaluation Anzara Miller and Assistant Superintendent Brian Schultz, included many stakeholders, including district administrators, teachers, principals, classified staff, parents, and specialists.

The IPPC was tasked to examine three areas: preschool configuration, Highly Capable programs configuration, and grade band configuration. As they examined the areas, the committee was asked to reflect on current information such as: “instructional programming; standards alignment and requirements; best practices for delivery of rigorous content; addressing the social emotional needs of students; anticipated future needs.”

While IPPC recommendations could have ramifications for facilities, Assistant Superintendent Brian Schultz explained that the committee’s purpose was “to address the instructional needs of students and staff”. As they considered the instructional programs, the IPPC focused on the social emotional needs of students as well as efficiencies.

Preschool Programs
Hillery Clark, Early Childhood Education Specialist, explained both the current preschool configuration and the recommendation of the committee. Shoreline operates three programs:

Source:  Shoreline School District

The waiting lists show that there is greater need and demand than the District can currently offer. Federal Head Start Funding may begin covering full day programs; the District has requested funding for five full day classrooms.

The IPPC recommends a blending of staff and facilities so that the three preschool programs could share customized facilities (i.e., child friendly bathrooms) and increase access to all of the programs.

Source:  Shoreline School District

Highly Capable Programs

Every October, all Shoreline kindergarten students are screened for the Highly Capable Program. Students may also be nominated at any grade level by parents, teachers, friends, or themselves for testing. Selection is based on the Iowa Assessments (Reading and Math) and the Cognitive Abilities Test. The configuration of the program varies by grade level (see Highly Capable Program on the District website). At this time, the IPPC does not recommend a configuration change, but does suggest further research: “More time is needed and we recommend a committee be formed to explore research and best practices for the Highly Capable Program, grades K-12.”

Grade Model

The most complex question in front of the IPPC was whether the current K-6 and 7-8 configurations best serve the instructional needs of students and staff. Professional Development Specialist Anzara Miller explained how the group: examined current instructional programs; looked at K-8 learning standards by content areas; examined curriculum; learned from District TOSAs (Teachers on Special Assignments who support teachers in a particular subject area); and delved into the differences between 5th and 6th grade. Both Common Core State Standards and State curriculum are arranged in K-5 and 6-8 grade bands (see OSPI Washington State K-12 Learning Standards).

Grade Model: Math
Anzara Miller explained that there is a big shift between 5th and 6th grade math in the major content strands. To better understand the shift, the committee did problems from both 5th and 6th grade math curricula and learned that “a deep level of content knowledge” is necessary for 6th grade math.

Source:  Shoreline School District

Grade Model: Science
Ridgecrest 6th Grade Teacher Joe Peterson presented the committee’s work in the science content area. He noted that “we are asking students to do things that our classrooms are not necessarily equipped to do,” since they eat and do science at their desks and do not have specialized equipment or labs.

Source:  Shoreline School District

Main considerations for science are:  proper lab space and equipment; time limitations (science is 1-2 hours/ week in elementary vs. 1 hour/ day in middle school); and level of teacher expertise. It was noted that the District has looked for but could not find a 6th grade science curriculum that would both meet required standards and be possible in current facilities. Einstein Principal Nyla Fritz explained that many of the Next Generation Science Standards [Common Core standards are only for Math and English Language Arts] that should be met in 6th grade are pushed into 7th and 8th grade, so those years of science must make up for what cannot be accomplished in 6th grade.

Grade Model: English Language Arts and Social Studies
For English Language Arts (ELA) and Social Studies, standards and curriculum are designed for grades K-5 and 6-8. Currently, sixth grade students and teachers cannot access the full curriculum available. In addition, 6th grade teachers cannot participate in professional development with their 7th and 8th grade colleagues.

Grade Model: ELL Impacts
English Language Learner TOSA Melissa Sargent explained that ELL students have particular difficulties with the 6th grade ELA Springboard curriculum. Unlike the 5th grade ELA Wonders curriculum, Springboard only has one level and includes fewer redundancies for language learners. In middle school, a specialized ELA class for ELL students proceeds at an accessible rate; this model would provide more support for 6th grade ELL students than elementary pullout support.

Source:  Shoreline School District

Grade Model: Social Emotional Needs
Einstein Principal Nyla Fritz described how students’ social and emotional needs were a “constant piece” in the committee’s conversations. In the 11-14 age range, kids are going through the biggest period of brain growth since the time they were babies, and this adolescent growth is happening earlier than it used to. Research shows that fewer transitions are better, and with a two-year middle school, the kids are transitioning in and then right back out.

Source:  Shoreline School District

Parent Jaime Lopez shared that when he was first on the committee, “no way did I think that I would want my kid there [at middle school for 6th grade].” However, having looked at curriculum, he sees that K-5 makes sense, and when he considers the big transition of adolescence, he sees that “a third year in middle school would be beneficial.” He explained that the group explored this dimension thoroughly through a member-led subcommittee, and he thinks that the IPPC made the correct recommendation. The unanimously endorsed recommendation reads:

“The IPPC recommends that a 6/7/8 middle school configuration best meets the instructional and social-emotional needs of our students. Additionally, we recommend careful study and involvement of stakeholders in shaping best practices for Shoreline 6/7/8 middle school models.”
Source: Shoreline School District IPPC Recommendations May 9, 2016 

Assistant Superintendent Brian Schultz shared that the District had hoped for an 80% consensus among IPPC members, but ended up with unanimous recommendations. He reiterated that the charge of the committee was to look at instructional needs, and they looked at pieces of the needs and at the totality of the programs. The IPPC also researched nearby districts, and most have had a K-5 and 6-8 configuration for a long time. Shoreline is an “outlier.”

Grade Model: Next Steps
The IPPC recommendations will be passed to the facilities committee, which also has a broad stakeholder base. School Board Director Mike Jacobs expressed that he wants the process to move forward yet he also wants “the community to come to the microphone” to weigh in on any major decisions.

Acknowledging the importance of communication and feedback, Brian Schultz stated that “we have a strong relationship with our community and don’t want to lose one ounce of that trust.” At the Board Meeting following the Study Session, the Board voted to pass the recommendations to the Facilities Committee. It was noted that any changes, should they come about, would take years to implement.

Facilities Planning Update
Deputy Superintendent Marla Miller offered a very brief update on the Facilities Planning Committee. The committee has overseen a detailed assessment of conditions of the District buildings and has studied impacts of growth and class size changes. The committee will consider the IPPC’s recommendations and come out soon with a “preferred package for the next round of facility improvements” as well as “timing for financing and construction of the highest priority projects.” Any major construction would involve a two year hearing process.

*School Board Study Sessions are held to offer the Board an in-depth look at an issue. Minutes from Study Sessions in the past year can be found here.



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Shoreline School District to revamp websites and adopt mobile app

Monday, April 18, 2016

By Marianne Deal Stephens

Parents and community members will have noticed that the various Shoreline School District websites are not consistent in look or organization. That may change in the near future. At the April 11, 2016 School Board Meeting, District Information Officer Curtis Campbell presented a plan to revamp digital communications. 

Mr. Campbell spearheaded the effort to solicit and evaluate vendor proposals for new District and school websites and a new mobile app. The project grew out of Shoreline School Board Priority #6 for 2015-2016, which pertains to District communications.

Source:  Curtis Campbell, Shoreline Schools Information Officer

The goal is to “align our online communications and features under one system,” according to Mr. Campbell. Currently, with a mix of systems, users must log in and out, and the look and features vary greatly. Present District and school sites do not work well on mobile devices.

Through a process involving several District department heads, principals, teachers, librarians, and a few parents, Blackboard was selected to provide the communications system.

End users will be able to ‘pin’ items on their home page according to their role and concerns, and parents will be able to set up their accounts so that the system aggregates content from the schools where you have kids. There should be a single sign on for Data Dashboard and Naviance so that users have a “seamless transition.”

Source: Curtis Campbell, Shoreline Schools Information Officer
The mobile app was particularly attractive to the group. The app will pull information from individual school sites, pertinent district information, and student information into one feed. 

Emergency alerts will be integrated, and parents can choose to receive notifications when a student’s grade or a meal balance drops below a certain, customizable, point.

Sample screen shots of school district mobile app. Source: Blackboard District App

Mr. Campbell suggested that the app could “provide a catalyst for conversations at the dinner table.” Following this comment, there was an audible and possibly good-humored groan from high school students attending the meeting for their Senior Civics course.

Sample screen shots of school district mobile app. Source: Blackboard District App

The District will work with Blackboard to come up with a custom design, and the transition should occur by the start of the 2016-2017 school year. 

The Board voted to approve the recommendation to award the contract to Blackboard and move ahead with the project.



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District delays recommendation on proposed Partial Release Model

Sunday, April 17, 2016

By Marianne Deal Stephens

In March, the Shoreline School District held several community meetings regarding a possible Partial Release Day Calendar Model which would change staff professional development sessions from the current full days to more frequent early release days.

At the recent Shoreline School Board meeting on April 11, 2016, Deputy Superintendent Marla Miller and representatives of a joint SEA/ District committee recommended “delaying implementation of a partial release day calendar to provide additional time for a large stakeholder group to review the proposal and address specific concerns.” For the upcoming 2016-2017 school year, the District will maintain the occasional full non-student day approach to professional development.

For background on the current model and the reasons for proposing an early release model, review the District materials regarding potential calendar changes  .

Feedback on the proposal was mixed, with teachers (SEA On-Line in the detail below) mostly supportive and parents generally less supportive of the proposed model.

Detail from April 2016 Partial Release Survey Results, Shoreline School District

Given the community reaction, the District will continue and expand the process. A stakeholder advisory group will include specialists, students, classified staff, community partners, parent/ guardians, and members of the original joint SEA/ District committee. The group will convene over several months and will issue any recommendation to the Board no later than March 31, 2017.

At the School Board Meeting, members of the joint SEA/ District committee that developed the proposed model shared their thoughts. Ridgecrest Teacher Joe Peterson was “pleased with how the committee looked at all of the ideas” and was “happy to be a part of the process.”

Einstein Teacher Wayne Smolinsky described how having a regular time for collaborations with colleagues would “give us a chance to grow student learning.” Conversations now occur “hurriedly in the morning [before school] or every six weeks.”

Shorecrest Social Studies Teacher Marcy Caruso has taught in districts with an Early Release model, and her own children have such a calendar now. While Ms. Caruso appreciates Shoreline, “educators are short on time to collaborate.” She described how the committee looked at pros and cons and acknowledges the difficult child care issues parents would have to deal with. Ms. Caruso hopes that the difficulties can be ironed out, since she is “confident that [the early release model] will positively impact Shoreline students and their learning.”

Kellogg Principal Lisa Gonzales asserted that, in middle school where students transition in and out in two years, a regularly scheduled system-wide time would be “a huge benefit that will increase student achievement.” She concluded: “All of us … want to do it well, with the respect and cooperation of the parents and community. The gains would be tremendous for all of Shoreline.”

Deputy Superintendent Marla Miller noted that joint SEA/ District group is “not a neutral committee,” and stated that we “want to have an authentic process.” The District wanted to hear what others thought about the overall concept, and hears the legitimate concerns and questions about logistics. She stated that this “isn’t a done deal” and expressed a desire to have “strong opinions” present in the advisory group, and not only those who think it is a great idea.

School Board Director Mike Jacobs is glad that the administrators realize “the importance of parents and community in the process” and commented that “circling around [and delaying any implementation] is vital.” He suggested that the group include “movers and shakers who are invested in the district” since, without community buy-in, it will not work.

Board Vice President Debi Ehrlichman praised the “good decision” to delay a recommendation. She supports teachers, but knows that there are a lot of concerns and has to “speak up for my constituents” whose childcare and transportation would be affected, and who are concerned about student contact time. Though the district has community feedback, the overall number of respondents is “pretty small” so “we need to get more input from parents,” particularly from parent groups “who may not have been able to access the meetings.”

Deputy Superintendent Marla Miller commented that the proposal which was put forward is “a starting point.” If that proposal were implemented, there would be a loss of 16 instructional hours, and she described that “a number of variables can reduce the impact.” Following the meeting, the Deputy Superintendent said that, if the model is implemented, “we want it done well.”

Notes on Community Feedback

Comments objecting to the proposal had frequent themes:
  • it will be more difficult and more expensive to get child care for a partial day than for a full day;
  • the costs will be a burden for many families; 
  • students will have less in-class time; 
  • shortened days are not effective;
  • after school care is already full, with a waitlist; 
  • elementary music and PE will be compromised;
  • the change will be awkward for after school athletes; 
  • we like the full days off for family time or adventures; 
  • students are fresh on Mondays, so it isn’t a good day for reducing time; 
  • Shoreline shouldn’t necessarily do what other districts do. 
Additional comments and questions of interest:
  • how will this affect the achievement gap? 
  • teacher-coaches would not be able to fully participate in both professional development and sports practice; 
  • the schedule would be challenging for Running Start students;
  • could high school students who take classes at both schools still commute? 
  • the impact on McKinney-Vento students should be researched.
Comments supporting the proposal had several themes:
  • the consistency of every week would be easier to deal with than the occasional day; teachers like it and we support them;
  • the teamwork (between teachers and administration) for this proposal is good; 
  • having weekly PD would positively impact teaching and student achievement; 
  • teachers who do ER in other districts use it to better serve the needs of their kids; 
  • activities or enrichment could occur on ER days; 
  • the probability of having fewer substitutes when teachers are absent for PD is positive. 
And, the community offered several suggestions:
  • do a late start rather than an early release (better for sleep, sports, making sure kids are supervised); 
  • use days from midwinter break, winter break, and spring break for professional development; 
  • eliminate or shorten midwinter break; 
  • increase length of school day; 
  • have the ER on Fridays because students are worn out and the time off can lead into the weekend;
  • have the ER on Wednesdays so people don’t take the day before/ after the weekend off; 
  • start the school year earlier; 
  • the survey is for parents— reach out to students and hear our concerns, including those about sports; 
  • have students and parents on the committee; 
  • take more time to plan. 
Many respondents said that they appreciated the opportunity to give feedback.

To view all Partial Release Day Model Survey results and comments:


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Shoreline School Board Meeting Summary April 11, 2016: Striving for Equity

Saturday, April 16, 2016

By Marianne Deal Stephens

Consent Agenda
The Board granted approval to the following items:
  • Gifts:
    • $7036.71 from Cascade K-8 PTSA for all Cascade K-8 students to attend camp;
    • $6800 from Cascade K-8 PTSA for classroom field trips;
    • $34,263.15 from Shorewood Boosters for student groups, allocated according to designations donated to the recent auction; 
  • Establishment of Interlocal Agreement with Puget Sound EDS for the Safety Cooperative. The District will participate in a regional Safety Cooperative and gain support for school safety in the form of professional development, threat assessment, crisis team training, and more;
  • Authorization for Parkwood Site Circulation Study
  • Extended Field Trips for:
    • Shorewood State Golf qualifiers to Spokane in May;
    • Shorewood Geology Students to Orcas Island in June “to see the geology students have been taught in class—Puget Sound glaciation, terrane accretion, plate tectonics”;
    • Cascade K-8 Technology Student Association qualifying students to Nashville in June for the National TSA Conference.
Board President David Wilson read Resolution 2016-3, Declaration of PTA Appreciation Week, into the record. An excerpt:
WHEREAS, the Shoreline PTA Council was established in 1955 and is celebrating its 61st year of providing a powerful voice to advocate, communicate, educate and collaborate on behalf of children…
WHEREAS, the Shoreline Board of Directors is grateful to the Shoreline PTA Council’s 16 units for their continuing support for the well-being and education of every child;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Shoreline Board of Directors hereby proclaims the week of April 11 to 15, 2016, as Shoreline PTA Appreciation Week.


Equity Update
Director of Equity and Family Engagement Dr. Tanisha Brandon-Felder briefed the Board on the first few months of her work in Shoreline. She began with the difference between equality and equity:

Source: Shoreline School District 

Dr. Brandon-Felder explained that, while we want to treat all people equally, “small groups of students … are not reaching the same opportunities” as other students. Since there are great things available here in Shoreline, “we want to create access for all students.”

She has been “listening to lead” by interviewing principals, visiting schools, examining data, studying particular programs like CTE, and more. She participates in a network of other Directors of Equity in the Puget Sound area so that they can share ideas and resources.

She is frequently asked “Why start with race?” and answers that it is a starting point while adding that the overall idea is that equity should be viewed “through all lenses.” Dr. Brandon-Felder indicated the recent LGBTQ potluck that recognized and drew together a segment of the population that may not have been included in the past.

As part of her regular equity work, Dr. Brandon-Felder: holds ongoing coaching sessions with principals, meets with staff groups, and offers professional development sessions. The sessions address awareness skills by covering such topics as cultural assumptions, micro aggressions, and pedagogy of the oppressed. As the next step, she will convene and facilitate an equity committee.

Source: Shoreline School District
 
Acknowledging that “we all have great intent,” Dr. Brandon-Felder described the need to “come together to talk about what equity looks like” in order to come up with a concrete plan. She anticipates that there will be a draft recommendation for Board review by spring of 2017.

Change to School Board Meeting Scheduling Regulations
Superintendent Rebecca Miner presented the First Reading of Proposed Revisions to Policy 1400, which pertains to the scheduling of Shoreline School Board Meetings. As it stands now, the policy requires adherence to a schedule that often conflicts with the actual school calendar. The proposed changes comply to the Open Public Meetings Act and ensure that the district has flexibility which will better serve the Board and the community.

Comments from the Community
Shorewood Graduate, Ridgecrest Teacher, and Shorewood Parent Lisa Witzel commented on the weed overgrowth at Shorewood High School. She suggests that the district do one of three things: rip out the beds “that are being eaten alive” and plant grass; plant rocks; or hire more gardeners. She observed the same conditions at Shorecrest, and regards the situation as a “matter of pride in our district.”

Andrew Edwards, a 7th grader at Cascade K-8, stood up with three other students who recently placed in the State TSA Competition [see previous article]. Andrew and another team member each spent about 500 hours preparing the Video Game Design entry, and they placed 4th in stiff competition. Andrew told the Board that he is “excited to represent my school, my district, and my state” at the TSA National Conference.

Jonathan “Jack” Cameron, a 6th grader at Cascade K-8 who was on the Children’s Stories team which placed 1st, said that “we are excited to have qualified”, as did 7th grader Molly Grauer, who echoed Andrew’s words, saying “we are proud to represent” Cascade K-8 and Shoreline. 7th grader Elena Tapia, who worked with Jack and Molly on Children’s Stories, thanked the School Board for approving the extended field trip. Video Game Design team members Jaeden Caldwell and Myles Parent were not able to attend.

Parent and volunteer Terry Stevens-Ayers offered an update on the Shoreline STEM Festival coming up May 14 at Shoreline Community College. A 4th grader won the contest for t-shirt design, and student registration is picking up. More than 30 exhibitors from a variety of STEM-based organizations will participate, including new partner Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Arts Council. She mentioned that in the future, they are going to increase efforts to include underrepresented minorities by connecting with Natural Leaders and Family Advocates.

Bus Driver Richard Valentine shared that he and his coworkers “had a real safety meeting” with the new head mechanic. Mr. Valentine described the new mechanic as “a breath of fresh air in the transportation department.” He said that, despite the district’s new anti-harassment policy, bullying goes on in his department.

Shorewood PTSA Communications Co-Director Marianne Stephens described Shorewood PTSA’s upcoming “Lattes for Letters” event which will thank teachers who wrote letters of recommendation for graduating seniors with a free coffee drink of their choice on April 25.

Website and Mobile App Improvements
The District’s plan to redo websites and add a mobile app will be discussed in a separate article.

Partial Release Model Tabled
The District will delay any recommendation for a Partial Early Release Model. Results of the community surveys is available online and will be discussed in a separate article.

Board Reports

Director Dick Nicholson attended several events, including the recent Shoreline Public Schools Foundation  Breakfast. The Foundation’s 2016 Growing Great Minds Event on March 31 raised over $90,000.

Director Richard Potter attended a “rather disturbing” presentation at City Hall about sex trafficking. He continues to take part in WSSDA calls on the legislature’s activity.

Director Potter praised several students for their accomplishments: the Cascade K-8 groups that placed in the recent TSA State Competition; Shorewood students involved in the musical Grease; and Shorecrest Track Athlete Wurrie Njadoe who was featured in a recent Seattle Times article [See Shorecrest’s Wurrie Njadoe knew she was home as soon as she hit the track, Seattle Times 4.2.2016].

Director Mike Jacobs attended the “Shoreline Baseballpalooza,” three matchups last week between Shorewood and Shorecrest, and noted the “great numbers” who turned out for Grease at Shorewood.

Board Vice President Debi Ehrlichman thanked Curtis Campbell for a recent PTA Luncheon and congratulated Shorecrest’s Viva Voce Chorale for the first place win that qualifies the group to perform at Carnegie Hall in 2017 [see District news release Shorecrest Viva Voce Chorale qualifies to perform at Carnegie Hall 4.7.2016  ].

Vice President Ehrlichman also saw the Shorewood musical, and remarked that having a professional theater helps raise the bar. She praised the LGBTQ Potluck event for making families and staff feel “like they have a place here” and thanked Dr. Tanisha Brandon-Felder.

President David Wilson attended the March 31 college fair at Shorewood and drew attention to the “great new honors program” at Shoreline Community College [see American Honors Program]. He reported that the showing of the movie “Screenagers” at Kellogg Middle School was packed with parents and community members concentrating on “an issue all of us have to deal with.”

Shoreline School Board agendas and minutes are available online.



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Shoreline School Board Meeting Summary March 28, 2016

Saturday, April 2, 2016


By Marianne Deal Stephens

As the School Board and others waited for 7:00pm, several directors asked Student Representative Rachel Semon about her trip to Ireland with the Shorecrest Highlanders Marching Band. Ms. Semon, Co-Captain of the Flag Team, reported that she and other students had a wonderful trip, and described their very busy schedule of performing and seeing Irish towns and landmarks. As has been previously reported, the students won Best Band in the Dublin St. Patrick’s Day parade, and Best Musical Performance in the Limerick International Band Competition (see article).


Shorecrest Highlanders Flag Team in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Dublin.
Photo by Irish Photographer William Murphy
 
At 7:00pm, Board President David Wilson called the meeting to order. Vice President Debi Ehrlichman was absent due to a family commitment, and all other Directors were in attendance.

Consent Agenda
The Board approved the following items:
  • Gift of $5,868 from the Shoreline Public Schools Foundation to Parkwood Elementary for the Parkwood Spring Break AAA Camp; 
  • Gift of $7,000 from Kellogg PTSA to Kellogg Middle School for Hang Time, Kids in Medicine Seattle, and Classroom Grants;
  • Measures related to the Aldercrest Modernization Project and the Ridgecrest Elementary Playfield Improvement Project;
  • Declaration of Surplus Equipment [including a public sale on April 20, 2015 - see previous article];
  • Extended Field Trips: Cascade K-8 TSA Club to the WSTA State Conference at SeaTac at the end of March; Shorecrest DECA qualifiers to Nashville for the National DECA Competition in April; Shorewood music student qualifiers to WMEA State Solo and Ensemble Contest in Ellensburg in April. 
Shoreline Public Schools Foundation
annual fundraising breakfast
Photo by Steven H. Robinson

President Wilson thanked both the Kellogg Middle School PTSA and the Shoreline Public Schools Foundation for “gifts that enrich our schools.” He brought attention to Resolution 2016-2, Declaration of Shoreline Public Schools Foundation Appreciation Week, which reads in part:

“Whereas the Foundation has raised more than $3.5 million since 1992 to ensure Shoreline students are afforded the best educational opportunities; and… [this year’s theme 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 28 to April 1, 2016 as Shoreline Public Schools Foundation Appreciation Week.”

February 2016 Financial Update
Director of Finance and Business Services Marc Spangenberg presented the February General Fund Cash Flow Report and the latest Monthly Enrollment Report. OSPI recently discovered errors in the State apportionment calculations and transportation operations revenues, and must make corrections. The District will provide actual projections after the State makes corrections. Director Spangenberg mentioned that the state’s challenges may be due to changes in their staffing.

Comments from the Community
Greg Anderson, a parent of two Shoreline graduates and a past recipient of the Briarcrest Golden Acorn Award, spoke first. Referring to the anti-harassment policy up for approval, Mr. Anderson requested that the district “roll some of that language into the facility use policies. He suggests that non-district users of district facilities be held to the same standards as students and personnel. Mr. Anderson’s comments were prompted by some of the current presidential campaigns “where the rhetoric is not consistent with what we [accept] in this district.”

Shorewood Parent Laura Kalvoy spoke about the negative effects of the late start to the school year [the 2015-2016 school year started September 9, which is among the latest in the country]. Her daughter Krystin Kalvoy spoke the board in December about the effects of the late start, and Krystin recently experienced more difficulties having her midyear grades sent to colleges to which she was applying. Schools wanted grades by the beginning of February, but grades were not available until mid-February, right before Mid-Winter Break. The scramble to get the grades sent off was stressful for the students, counselors, and administration.

Mr. Richard Valentine questioned how secure the school buses are at night, and shared that he has “a whole litany” of complaints he will convey to the Board.

Approval of New Graduation Requirements
Director of Teaching and Learning Dr. Teri Poff presented Policy 2410, which was approved unanimously. Shoreline Graduation Requirements will change for the class of 2021. For more information, see previous article.

Approval of Anti-Harassment Policy
Assistant Superintendent Brian Schultz reintroduced Policy 5308, saying that it will provide, for personnel, an ease to access the district anti-harassment policies. The Board approved the adoption unanimously.

Board Reports and Communications
Richard Potter opened with “kudos to Shorecrest” for the band’s awards in Ireland, the Hip Hop Team winning first in State, and a recent art event. Director Potter, as the Board’s Legislative Representative summarized the news from the legislature regarding education: “not a lot of progress.” 

Director Nicholson discussed his work at KCDA and praised Shorecrest’s art exhibit.

With “baseball season is in full force,” Director Mike Jacobs is watching many games and is pleased that Shorewood is doing well. 

“Wonders” by Portland artist Suzanne Lee, an art Installation in the commons.
Photo courtesy of Shorecrest High School

Board President David Wilson attended the dedication of Suzanne Lee’s art at Shorecrest, and praised the art in the new high schools, saying “If you haven’t seen the art, you should go see it.” He also thanked Director of Finance Mark Spangenberg for the clean audit and drew attention to the upcoming Shoreline Foundation Breakfast and Luncheon, mentioning that “this group supports us; let’s support them.”

President Wilson also remembered Shorecrest Assistant Girls Basketball Coach Jerry Jones who passed away recently. He conveyed the Board’s condolences to Mr. Jones’ family, friends, and athletes in his coaching family. [See the recent tribute describing Jerry Jones’ dedication to the Shorewood team in the March 25 Seattle Times and the moving tribute from Coach Dori Monson in My Northwest.com]

Rachel Semon shared that Shorecrest is “doing really well with State and awards in general”, referring to the band’s awards in Ireland and the many recent sports and performance honors.

The meeting adjourned early. The next regular meeting on April 11 will include a report on the work the District is doing in regard to equity.



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Shoreline School Board meeting summary March 14, 2016

Thursday, March 24, 2016

The Shoreline School Board honored Mr. Leo Valenzuela, who has served Shoreline Schools since 1958. Photo by Curtis Campbell, Shoreline Schools Information Officer.

By Marianne Deal Stephens

Prior to the meeting, the Shoreline School District honored Leo Valenzuela, the 2016 Support Person of the Year. A steady stream of colleagues, family members, former students and community members lauded Mr. Valenzuela for his contributions to thousands of lives over more than 50 years in Shoreline Schools. According to his many admirers, Mr. Valenzuela led students as a teacher and counselor with a motto of “Firm, Friendly, and Fair” and now exemplifies leading with love as he interprets for  teachers and families.

A few minutes after 7:00pm, the School Board convened. Board Vice President Debi Ehrlichman noted that Student Representative Rachel Semon was in Ireland leading the Shorecrest Flag Team which accompanied the Shorecrest Band to Dublin.

Consent Agenda 
The Board unanimously passed previously reviewed items:


Revisions to Graduation Requirements
Director of Teaching and Learning Teri Poff offered a first reading of planned revisions to Shoreline Graduation Requirements. In 2014, the State Legislature passed a 24-credit requirement to begin with the Class of 2019. Shoreline currently requires 22.5 credits to graduate, and will adopt changes in order to help all students meet the 24-credit requirement. Shoreline applied for and received a waiver; new requirements will take effect for the Shoreline Class of 2021.

 Current and future Shoreline Graduation Requirements. Shoreline Schools image.

The major core areas of English, Math, Social Studies, and Science, are largely unchanged. Dr. Poff explained that there “is some flexibility” in the Arts and World Language credit requirements: subject to approval, students may be able to substitute a course for one of the arts or language credits.

Graduation requirement legislation and policy includes language about “personal pathways”. Dr. Poff explained that the published graduation requirements are essentially a college track. If students have goals that do not involve attending a 4-year college, “it may be beneficial to substitute” one arts credit and/ or one language credit for a course in the student’s target area.

As they do now, students have other requirements in addition to academic credits:

  • Take Washington State History
  • Pass State Tests  
  • Complete 40 hours Community Service 
  • Complete a High School & Beyond Plan
  • Complete a Culminating Project 

Following the presentation, Board Vice President Debi Ehrlichman noted that with 24 required credits, high school is full-time, with little flexibility. She suggested that “we should change our terminology a bit”, saying it would be nice if, instead a “4-year high school plan,” it should simply be a “high school plan.” Dr. Poff acknowledged that students may end up needing more time with the increased requirements, and concurred that the District should help “take the stigma away from taking a bit longer” to complete high school requirements.

One way to deal with the increased requirements is to help students start earning high school credit in middle school. Currently, some students “bring up” their language credit(s), and the District may increase options for middle school students so that students have a “six year window” for earning high school credits.

For Detail on Graduation Requirements
Graduation Requirements Presentation by Dr. Teri Poff, Shoreline School District
Policy 2410 High School Graduation Requirements (Proposed)

First Reading of Anti Harassment Policy
Assistant Superintendent Brian Schultz presented proposed Policy 5308 by explaining that the District has “appropriate and parallel policies in the student and personnel sections” of policy documents. In this case, there was an existing student policy but the District did not have the corresponding staff policy.

See Student Policy 3308 Prohibition of Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying/ Cyberbullying and Proposed Personnel Policy 5308 Prohibition of Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying/ Cyberbullying.

Power Outage Closure Necessitates State Waiver
On Monday, March 14, both Einstein Middle School and Shorewood High School were closed due to the power outage in west Shoreline. Since the entire school system was not shut down and the District would prefer not to add an extra school day for only those two sites, the District will submit a request for a partial waiver. Superintendent Rebecca Miner described the process and requested the Board’s agreement.

Community Comment
North City Water District Manager Diane Pottinger spoke about the Water District’s “Fix a Leak” challenge in which many Shoreline students participate. Later this year, she will invite school district personnel to tour the Water District’s new pump station.

Mr. Richard Valentine expressed concern over changes he has observed in District employee procedures.

Reports and Communications
Superintendent Miner and a few of the Board Members handed out medals at the 18th annual Shoreline Math Olympiad on March 12 (see previous story and photos).

Director Richard Potter gave a shout out to Shorecrest’s basketball teams for their State achievements. He has attended the well-received Community and Technical College event, and continues to attend the STEM for Her presentations at Shorecrest.

Director Mike Jacobs went to baseball jamborees on Saturday, March 12, and attended the Booster Auction that evening. Referring to the booster auctions (the Shorecrest auction was March 5), he said that there had been “good stuff in the last week.”

Director Dick Nicholson described the Shorecrest Band’s public rehearsal as theatric and impressive.

Board Vice President Debbie Ehrlichman attended several of the community forums about the proposed calendar changes, and the recent “One Love Festival” at Kellogg Middle School. She got a glimpse at the Shorecrest Honor Society applications and had a good conversation with a Shorecrest counselor. She commended the Shorewood and Einstein groups who placed in the Northwest Orchestra Festival in Oregon, and the Shorewood Choir and Shorewood Cheerleaders who were named 3A Academic Champions.

Vice President Ehrlichman drew attention to soup cans that were on the board table at each director’s seat. The cans “are great, considering what went on this past week,” referring to the state legislature’s continued failure to fully fund education. She displayed “What does it mean to fully fund education?”, a Seattle Times special project discussing McCleary, local levies, and education funding in Washington.

 Soup cans with “Kick the Can” labels inspired by the common name for the State Legislature’s 2016 measures on education funding were on the Board table for the March 14 meeting. Superintendent Miner said that the cans appeared in the Board members’ and administrators' mailboxes. Here, Director Dick Nicholson signs papers after the meeting with cans in the foreground.


Board President David Wilson went to both auctions and attended the recent robotics competition. He thanked David Guthrie, Michelle Carroll, and David Tadlock for adding their experience to a recent calendar forum and complimented all in attendance for the civil discourse. He encouraged everyone to attend the calendar forums since any changes will affect the neighborhood.

Full meeting minutes will be posted on the School Board Agendas and Minutes page.



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February 29, 2016 Shoreline School Board meeting summary

Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Many of Shoreline’s 2016 All State Musicians with the School Board.

By Marianne Deal Stephens

As 7:00pm approached, the Board Room filled with many families in attendance for their students to be recognized.

President David Wilson opened the meeting, and the Board approved the Consent Agenda without discussion. The evening’s consent agenda included approvals related to the following projects (summary documents are linked):
The Consent Agenda also approved the following Extended Field Trips:
  • Shorecrest Key Club to District Convention in Seattle in March
  • Shorecrest Hip Hop Team to State Competition in Yakima in March
  • Meridian Park Math Team to State Math Championships in Blaine in April
  • Shorecrest Orchestra to Music in the Parks Festival in Portland in May
  • Shorecrest Football to Camp at Central Washington University in June
  • Shorewood Band to Pearl Harbor Parade in December 
Shorewood Principal Bill Dunbar introduced
Shoreline’s newest graduate, Saul Flores.

Graduation Recognition
Some students graduate midyear, and until now they have not been publicly recognized. Last Monday evening, Shorewood High School Principal Bill Dunbar presented a new graduate to the School Board, saying:
“I am most pleased to present to you, Saul Flores. Saul has met the requirements of the State of Washington and the Shoreline School Board for graduation from Shorewood High School. On behalf of the administration, faculty and staff of Shorewood High School, I take great pride in presenting him to you for graduation. Saul’s plan is to work and save for college in the fall.”  
Shoreline School Board President David Wilson presented Saul with his diploma.

Following Mr. Dunbar’s declaration of Saul’s completion, Board President David Wilson presented Saul with his diploma and the room broke into enthusiastic applause for Saul and his family.

Recognition of All-State Musicians
School District Music Coordinator and Shorecrest / Kellogg Choral Director Leann Rozema and Director of Teaching and Learning Teri Poff introduced some of the District’s most accomplished musicians. The students, selected by recorded audition, performed at the recent WMEA Conference in Yakima. (see photo at head of story)
  • Soprano Kia Burt (Shorewood) enjoyed the “wonderful experience” of working with college professors who directed the All-State Treble Choir. 
  • Soprano Rebecca Hensel (Shorecrest) liked meeting new people and described how the directors had the choir stand in a circle and do yoga-like exercises before they performed. 
  • Cohen Noel, who plays alto saxophone (Einstein), shared that “it was fun to play all of that music… and to get the Husky Band Director.” He added that “it was also fun to get up at 3:00 in the morning and drive to Yakima.”  
See previous article for a complete list of the students and about the event in Yakima.

Instructional Program Planning Committee Update
Assistant Superintendent Brian Schultz introduced the work of a large new committee tasked to evaluate future instructional program configurations, specifically:
  1. grade band configuration
  2. preschool configuration
  3. Highly Capable programs configuration
In evaluating how Shoreline’s programs work together, the broad-based committee of community and staff members will consider:
  • instructional programming
  • standards alignment and requirements
  • best practices for delivery of rigorous content
  • addressing the social emotional needs of students
  • anticipated future needs
Assistant Superintendent Schulz mentioned both facility questions (Do teachers need better science labs?) and curricular questions (What is the impact of the 6th grade Springboard curriculum having closer parallels to the secondary English curriculum than the Elementary English curriculum?) that the committee will discuss as they assess student learning and staff instructional needs. If the committee comes up with major recommendations — they will need 80% consensus to do so — those will be presented in April.

Financial Update
Director of Finance and Business Services Mark Spangenberg and Deputy Superintendent Marla Miller presented the January 2016 financial figures and the latest enrollment report. Director Spangenberg reported that the January General Fund Actuals include nothing out of the ordinary for this time of year, and that his office is “in the process of reviewing how all of our trends look.”

Director Spangenberg noted that the February 2016 Enrollment Report includes a total student head count of 9292, which is 139 larger than February 2015.

Comments from the Community
Meridian Park Parent Callie Steward invited the Board to come see “The Mask You Live In”, the community movie shown on March 6. She mentioned that the parents “wanted to make this a Shoreline community event to start a conversation about how we are raising our boys.”

Meridian Park Parent Kate Beck also came to speak about the community movie. She had originally seen “Miss Representation” and had been thinking about how we limit girls’ options of what they might want to be.

Sheila Capon, a parent of two students in the High Cap program at Meridian Park, wondered about the plan for the classrooms at Meridian Park that will be vacated when Cascade K-8 moves from that Meridian Park wing to the Aldercrest Campus. She hoped that the parents would be included in any discussions and informed of any decisions.

Approval of Dual Language Program for 2017-2018 at Briarcrest Elementary
Director of Categorical Programs Ellen Kaje and Briarcrest Elementary Principal Jonathan Nessan shared community feedback to the proposal for a dual language program. (See previous article)

Dr. Kaje related that they had “great discussions” with “a lot of high interest” from parents and families. (See Feedback Regarding Dual Language) Many parents asked how they could sign their kids up, and expressed sadness if their child will be too old when the program begins in 2017-2018 with one Kindergarten and one First Grade class. Principal Nessan conveyed that most of the Briarcrest staff is enthusiastic and want to be involved.

Several School Board Members had questions. Director Dick Nicholson asked about the impact of adding a new program, and Principal Nessan explained that since this is a general education program, the teacher salaries will be covered by the regular budget. There will be some extra costs for consultation as the District solidifies plans in 2016-2017 and for staff to attend an Annual Dual Language Institute.

Director Nicholson also asked whether we can identify highly qualified teachers. Dr. Kaje responded “I know on the English speaking side we can” and that they are currently having conversations with Spanish speakers and universities.

Director Dick Potter inquired about the dynamic of the dual language class not being “mixed and redistributed” as is the rest of the student population, and about the potential of the class to diminish in size if families move. Principal Nessan is committed to making the program “part of the fabric of the school”, and, according to Dr. Kaje, similar programs have successfully dealt with attrition by adding Spanish speakers to the program years after the class cohort was formed.

Board President David Wilson closed the discussion, saying “this is a lot of work, but it will be a great thing” and called for a motion.

The Dual Language Program passed unanimously and will be commence at Briarcrest Elementary in 2017-2018.

Approval of Land Lease with Evergreen School
Deputy Superintendent Marla Miller explained the proposed land lease agreement with Evergreen School, which has requested a long-term lease “to use excess land at Parkwood School for an outdoor play area for their students”. (See Background: Parkwood Land Lease with Evergreen School)

When the Parkwood grounds were redone, the staff staked out a desired student boundary, which is now enclosed by a fence and does not encompass the entire property boundary. The Evergreen School will use land “beyond the fence” as an “open space for their students to be in a natural area.” The proposal has been discussed since 2013, so the Board asked no additional questions and approved the agreement unanimously.

Board Reports and Communications
Shorecrest Senior and Student Representative to the Board Rachel Semon praised both Shorecrest Basketball teams for making to State, and related that many students were heading to Yakima for the tournament. She also mentioned that the Band and performance teams were doing “a lot of Ireland prep” for their trip to the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Dublin.

Richard Potter attended STEM for Her at Shorecrest, and mentioned that Shorecrest made it into the Seattle Times. [He referred to this article about Girls’ Basketball; the team continued to be featured throughout their journey to the State 2A Title.]

Director Michael Jacobs chaperoned the Shorewood Bowling Team to State, where “Shoreline was well-represented” by placing 4th (Shorewood) and 12th (Shorecrest) in Division 1 and 9th (Shorewood) in Division 2.  (See results on WSBPA)

Director Jacobs noted that “things are starting to ramp up” with the Shorecrest Booster Auction on March 5, the Shorewood Booster Auction on March 12, and Math Olympiad on March 12.

Board Vice President Debbie Ehrlichman enjoyed seeing Shorecrest basketball games and praised “future Shorecrest thespians” who performed the Briarcrest play “Tut, Tut.” She attended the Third Place Commons Breakfast where Shorecrest students worked for community service.

Vice President Debbie Ehrlichman attends the regular PTA/ Superintendent Coffee and observed that parents are “always interested” in new developments, including the Run Hide Fight protocol introduced by Don Dalziel and the proposed new Professional Development model.

Director Dick Nicholson attended a KCDA meeting in Corvallis, Oregon and mentioned that the organization “has the largest backlog of direct sales in our history.”

President David Wilson thanked Curtis Campbell for the Spotlight series, which has highlighted Hang Time at Kellogg and Books and Beats at Einstein. He also encouraged the Board and the public to support the Shoreline Public Schools Foundation Breakfast and Luncheon on March 31st.



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Shoreline School Board Meeting Summary February 8, 2016

Friday, February 12, 2016

By Marianne Deal Stephens

The meeting was the first for Shorecrest Student Representative Rachel Semon, who will sit with the  Shoreline School Board for the rest of the school year. The Board and meeting attendees welcomed Ms. Semon, and President Wilson summarized some of her accomplishments. Ms. Semon is Co-Captain of the Shorecrest Flag Team, works as part of the stage crew for drama productions, is taking AP classes, and aims to attend a four-year college and major in graphic design.

Gifts and Trips
As part of the evening’s Consent Agenda, the Board approved:

  • a $8,900 gift from Microsoft for the Shorewood Robotics program
  • extended field trips for Shorecrest DECA students to attend the State DECA Competition in Bellevue in March; and for Syre 3rd graders to Tillicum Village on Blake Island in June for the culmination of their Pacific Northwest Studies unit.
President Wilson publicly thanked Microsoft for the support and praised Robotics’ “great program”.

Lockdown/ Lockout Procedures Update
Director of Athletics and School Safety Don Dalziel and Emergency Preparedness Coordinator Chuck Goodwin clarified the difference between lockout and lockdown, and presented a new incorporation of “Run, Hide, Fight” into the emergency protocol with the assistance of School Resource Officer Greg McKinney. Mr. Goodwin began by saying that he and his counterparts in other districts continually evaluate best practices and periodically make changes.

In 2009, the District established a procedure for lockdowns, which was updated in 2012. New changes become necessary as school district preparedness personnel and local emergency services evaluate actual incidents and consider State recommendations.

Shoreline School District emergency procedures consist of protocols which are outlined in simple flip charts in every classroom. Changes are incorporated into staff training and charts are easily updated by swapping out pages rather than reprinting an entire handbook.

A lockout is when a threat is a distance from the school, but poses safety issues. In these situations, once the perimeter is secured, some class activity can continue. 

Lockdown is when the threat is near, on campus, or inside the school building. Both scenarios have particular announcements and steps. When students and staff are inside a classroom during a lockdown, “barricade door” is a new step, and “fight” is an optional, last resort.
Source: Shoreline Schools


Mr. Goodwin acknowledged that “fight” is “controversial in nature” and clarified that it “is not a mandate…[it] is an option.” Officer McKinney stated that everyone has the right to defend themselves and would be protected from liability when acting in that capacity.

Director Dick Nicholson inquired about staff training. Mr. Goodwin, along with local police, will be at all-staff meetings at each school. Director Mike Jacobs asked how students would become aware of the updates, and Director Dalziel indicated that there would be a shorter presentation for the students.

Board Directors asked about locks, doors, and buildings. Director Dalziel acknowledged that the District has many different building designs, and Mr. Goodwin briefly discussed the balance of securing doors while also maintaining egress as required by codes.

Board Vice President Ehrlichman asked about the nature of recent events at Shorewood and Shorecrest which involved internal threats. Director Dalziel discussed what is termed “threat assessment” and described how the local ESD (Educational Service District) is providing approaches for threat assessment.

Officer McKinney assured the Board that “we will have officers on the scene within a couple of minutes”, and Board Vice President Ehrlichman offered that “we are lucky to have a police force close”.

Possible Change to Calendar Model
During the recent contract negotiation with the SEA (Shoreline Education Association, the teacher’s union), a joint SEA/ District committee was formed to examine a partial release day model. Deputy Superintendent Marla Miller, Kellogg Principal Liza Gonzales, and Syre Librarian Heidi Alexander presented the committee’s work and recommendation. The committee included teachers and administrators from elementary, middle, and high schools as well as District administrators.

The committee came about because Shoreline’s model for teacher professional development may have to be altered. The State does not provide any funding for professional development (PD), but has been approving waivers for districts that provide Professional Development. Shoreline’s waiver has allowed the district to reduce the number of student days from 180 to 175 while still meeting requirements for total hours of instruction.

Source: Shoreline Schools

While the State offers no funding for professional days, Shoreline has levy-funded prep days before the school year begins as well as full days during the year. Very few districts — only Shoreline and Edmonds in our region — have full days for Development. Most districts have designated early release days, most often on Wednesdays or Fridays.

The group discussed how teachers would prefer the partial release model so that professional development meetings would be more frequent and allow for a collaborative professional process.

The committee has a draft of a plan, and will gather community input on the idea. Deputy Superintendent Miller envisions four community meetings, with open invitations to staff, PTAs, and parents. The District will present the draft plan, allow time for discussion, and have a questionnaire to “to capture feedback”.

Source: Shoreline Schools

The committee acknowledges that the plan would have significant impact on child care needs and will have separate meetings with childcare organizations to see if they could adapt to a new model.

Director Mike Jacobs commented that the meetings need to be “not just us telling them [families in the District] how it will work”. Since the district needs community buy-in, the community input must make an impact and affect the plan. Vice President Ehrlichman suggested that the topic be shared at the next PTA Coffee, and that the district hold more than four broad-based meetings. Superintendent Miner suggested discussing the topic at already-scheduled Cafecitos meetings [at least two schools in Shoreline have Cafecitos meetings on a regular basis with the building principal and Spanish-speaking parents]. President David Wilson asked Information Officer Curtis Campbell to have information on the website, including FAQ.

Deputy Superintendent Marla Miller will announce the meetings and be available for groups to invite her to their meetings.

Legislative Update
Director Dick Potter recently attended the WSSDA (Washington State School Directors’ Association ) Legislative Conference along with Superintendent Miner, Deputy Superintendent Marla Miller, and Board President David Wilson. The conference consisted of two days of presentations and meetings with legislators.

The State is still not fully funding education. Director Potter relayed that McCleary attorney Thomas Ahearne quipped that “it took less time for the U.S. to put a man on the moon than for Washington State to fund education.”

According to the presentations at the WSSDA conference, Washington is 40th among the states for education funding, and 44th in the percentage of tax revenue spent on education. “It is grim” noted Director Potter as he went on to explain that State Superintendent Randy Dorn “has low expectations” for the legislative session.

Among the current issues:
  • the approaching “levy cliff” which could cause teacher layoffs [note: this topic will be explored in a separate article];
  • the class size reduction measure (which, taken with the levy cliff’s resulting in potential teacher layoffs, is part of “a real dichotomy” in the State);
  • test participation rates which may affect funding;
  • teacher and substitute shortages;
  • delinking the EOC Biology exam from graduation requirements since the exam does not reflect current core requirements.
Director Potter mentioned State Treasurer Jim McIntire’s plan to restructure Washington State’s tax system (See Washington needs to reform its tax system to fix broken school funding, Seattle Times 2.3.16  ). According to the Treasurer, the current tax structure will get worse over time. A 1% increase in the economy yields only 0.4% increase in property taxes.

Comments from the Community
SEA President David Guthrie praised the Partial Early Release Model committee’s work as “a fabulous example of collaboration between management and labor”. President Guthrie explained that the model presented in the meeting “really helps us get to the heart of what professional development is” since the teachers can come together, use data, and revise their teaching. He mentioned that this kind of work also “addresses the joy deficit” in teaching. President Guthrie also praised the District for its work on security by making sure that security procedures follow best practices. He mentioned that some staff work in rooms that lock from the outside and asked that that issue be resolved.

Einstein Teacher Pat Valle articulated concerns about how the new security protocols would be communicated with teachers during staff meetings that only run 30-40 minutes. She wondered if the presentation could happen effectively when there would not be much extra time. Ms. Valle also expressed concerns about how teachers will communicate the changes to students, particularly since the process and material. will have to be age-differentiated.

School Board Reports and Communications
Director Dick Nicholson enjoyed the School of Excellence Breakfast at Lake Forest Park Elementary.
Director Mike Jacobs will be chaperoning the Shorewood Bowling Team to State in Vancouver.
Director Dick Potter went to the well-attended Shorecrest Big Band Fundraiser.

Vice President Debi Ehrlichman has three schools left to visit in her midyear visits to all of Shoreline’s schools. She heard “Stories Live” at Meridian Park Elementary, saw “Force in Motion” at Highland Terrace Elementary, and relayed the success of Shorecrest’s recent STEM Day for elementary students on February 5.

Vice President Ehrlichman drew attention to an article in the latest issue of Parent Map: More Than Band-Aids: Demand for School Nurses Increases, but Funding Doesn’t Follow, Parent Map 2.1.16. The article discusses that, while the need for school nurses is increasing, the state does not provide funding, and Shoreline is the only one of Washington’s 295 districts to have a full-time nurse in each school. District Information Officer Curtis Campbell and Shorewood Nurse Paula Williams are quoted in the article.

President David Wilson praised Shorewood’s Chamber Ensemble musicians and their Director Dan Wing for the recent recital.

Shorecrest Senior Rachel Semon mentioned that the Eastside Band Festival was going on at the same time as the meeting, and that her flag team was performing at the event.

Following the public portion of the meeting, the Board went into Executive Session to review the performance of a public employee.



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School Board Summary January 25, 2016

Wednesday, February 3, 2016

School Board Summary January 25, 2016
By Marianne Deal Stephens


The Consent Agenda passed unanimously, and included the following:
  • Project and budget approval for Capital Levy purchase of Chromebook computers for deployment in elementary grades and the READ180 program.
  • Acceptance of gifts
    • $22,190 from The Shoreline Public Schools Foundation for classroom grants, including a Naturalist program at Lake Forest Park Elementary, an Artist program at Syre Elementary, and a Clean Energy Project at Einstein Middle School.
    • $5168 from Shorewood High School PTSA for an SAT Prep Course.
    • $7510 from The Shoreline Public Schools Foundation for the Kids in Medicine program for 4th graders at Echo Lake, Lake Forest Park, Meridian Park, and Syre and for 8th graders at Einstein and Kellogg.
  • Approval of Extended Field Trips
  • Shorecrest and Shorewood Bowling Teams to State Tournament in Vancouver, WA in February.
  • Shorewood DECA qualifiers to International DECA Competition in Nashville in April.
  • Shorewood Band to Victoria, BC in May for annual Victoria Day Parade.
  • Shorecrest Leadership to Leadership Camp at Cispus Learning Center in the summer.
Brookside students at the Seattle Science Foundation for hands-on experience with anatomical models, simulators, and animal tissue. Photo courtesy of Shoreline Public Schools Foundation


2016-17 Enrollment Projections
Deputy Superintendent Marla Miller and Director of Finance Mark Spangenberg presented the District’s enrollment projections for next school year. The projections use current January 2016 data and six previous years’ January totals as the basis for projections.

Deputy Superintendent Miller described how the projection formula weights the most recent years more than previous years since the demographic trends showing an increase in the very young population in the Shoreline community are expected to continue. The District examines how students are ‘rolling up’ through the schools to estimate student numbers in each grade. It is most difficult to estimate Kindergarten attendance. The district begins with a flat estimate for kindergarten, though as Deputy Superintendent Miller said, the District will monitor the numbers and be responsive to any changes by adding staff.

Overall, the District expects a 1.1% increase, which will mean 98 more students for a total population of 9280, or 9420 counting Running Start students. The recently released plan (see previous article) will allow the district to accommodate next year’s increase but, as the Deputy Superintendent noted, the work prepping North City Elementary for the 2017-2018 school year will allow the District to accommodate both continued increases in student numbers and reductions in class sizes.

Director Dick Nicholson asked if there is pressure on any particular school. Deputy Superintendent Miller replied that “we should be able to accommodate students at their home school” next year, and if needed, “Meridian Park is our expansion plan”. Meridian Park Elementary will have some classrooms available since Cascade K-8 is moving to the Aldercrest Campus next year.

November and December Financial Update
Deputy Superintendent Marla Miller and Director of Finance Mark Spangenberg stayed at the table to present the November and December Financial Reports, and the December and January Enrollment Reports. Director Spangenberg noted that the head count in December 2015 included 111 more students than the head count in 2014. Board Vice President Debi Ehrlichman inquired about the drop from December to January — from a head count of 9182 to 9156, a loss of 26 students — saying that a major change might be expected at the end of the semester, but not now. Deputy Superintendent Miller replied that the student departures were not concentrated in a single school, and could not be attributed to any one factor.

School Board Reports and Communications
Several Directors praised District Information Officer Curtis Campbell for the 2015-2016 Annual Report to the Community that was mailed to Shoreline and Lake Forest Park households in January.

Director Richard Potter attended STEM for Her at Shorecrest, the series that began at Shorewood. He is preparing for the WSSDA Legislative Conference January 31-February 1.

Director Mike Jacobs recently attended the Shorewood vs. Mountlake Terrace Boys’ Basketball game, the Shorewood Culinary Arts Dinner, and a Rotary Breakfast. He is looking forward to the State Bowling Tournament.

Director Dick Nicholson attended the Shorecrest Flag Team fundraiser and relayed that eleven teachers and “waved the banners in the correct fashion” and “were fantastic” as they performed at the event.

Board Vice President Debi Ehrlichman attended five Martin Luther King, Jr. Assemblies, which were all “unique and thoughtful”. She started her midyear visits to all of the schools, and has heard positive feedback about each elementary school having a counselor: “they are so grateful for full staffing” and are better able to serve families. While at Brookside, she was asked when the school will get its new field.

Vice President Ehrlichman also attended the reception at Shorewood honoring the Artist Dick Weiss for the public artwork in the Commons. (See previous article.) She noted that the world-renowned artist is the same one who created panels at Sea-Tac Airport. Vice President Ehrlichman, along with Superintendent Miner and Board President David Wilson, attended the Schools of Distinction Event at which Lake Forest Park, Brookside, and Cascade K-8 were recognized.

Board President David Wilson brought attention to this “great year for our DECA program”, with 51 students advancing from the regional contest to the State contest. He offered a “shout out to Damon Oliveto and Emily Wray” [DECA teachers at Shorewood and Shorecrest, respectively] and praised the students. He judged in the first round, and attests that “these are great kids.”

Source: DECA Teacher Emily Wray’s website.

President Wilson also met some future students at Kinderfest, saying that the huge crowd “bodes well for us.”

The Board concluded the public part of the meeting to went into an an Executive Session to discuss potential litigation.



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