Kitsap Education

Three seats on the Central Kitsap School Board will be up for grabs in November. The seats are currently held by Bruce Richards, Carl Johnson and Eric K. Greene.

The terms of board members Christy Cathcart and Christopher Stokke expire in 2011.

If you want to run for any of these seats, you must file at the Kitsap County Auditor’s Office between June 1 and June 5. Candidates must be registered to vote and must live in the area they wish to represent.

Geographical descriptions of the areas represented by the current officeholders can be found at www.cksd.wednet.edu/SchBoard/SchoolBoard.htm or by calling 662 1610.

The House released its budget today and the Senate comes tomorrow. While I appreciate legislators getting this stuff out in a timely way, it’s hard not to think conspiracy when I know  most if not all education folks in the area are out of the office this week on spring break. It’s going to be hard to unpack the budget in terms of education until next Monday.

Seven years ago, just a few months into my job as education reporter at the Kitsap Sun, I got a call from Ridgetop Junior High science teacher Terry Donison. She had a two-headed salmon (albeit a tiny fry) in a tank in her classroom and she wanted me to write a story about it. Well, I put the phone down and ran over to Jeff Brody, then the news editor. Boy do I have a story for you! I exclaimed. Let’s just say Brody was underwhelmed by the newest hire’s “nose for news.” But he let me do it anyway. And Sam and Ella the two-headed salmon turned into a news story that literally went ’round the world. It was great fun following the progress of the tiny fish that eventually died at about age four months.

Now I never thought I would get that lucky again (can you hear the “but” that’s coming?)

That’s right. Last week during a casual conversation with Central Kitsap Superintendent Greg Lynch and CK communications director David Biel I mentioned Sam and Ella. And I joked with Biel that if he ever heard of another two-headed salmon in the schools, he’d better give me a call. A broad smile spread across Biel’s face. We’ve got one right now at Woodlands Elementary, he said. No way!!

So on Wednesday I got to meet the new Sam and Ella. It (they?) live in the library at Woodlands under the careful watch of school learning specialist Jeff Sullivan. The fish has piqued curiousity at Woodlands and Sulllivan promises that if the creatures lives through Spring Break, he will hold a naming contest.

Update:

It’s almost 4 pm and I’ve finished reporting and writing the new “Sam and Ella” story. It was interesting to talk with Craig Bartlett of the Department of Fish and Wildlife. Last time, a fish and wildlife spokesman pretty much poo-pooed the two-headed phenomenon and didn’t really give me an explanation. Bartlett and the fish scientists went the extra mile this year and came up with a couple theories. Heat or jiggling the tray could definitely affect the egg. But Bartlett said the scientist didn’t rule out chemicals, especially based on this story from Australia where thousands of two-headed and otherwise deformed fish seemed to have been caused by a chemical contamination. Genetics weren’t ruled out either, but Bartlett said it was highly unlikely because so many different factors must align to create a mutation like axial bifurcation, or the fancy name for two heads.

The new Everett superintendent, who comes to the district from Port Angeles, is taking a pay cut to help with the budget problems.  Read this story to find out more.  Note particularly the list of other salaries at the bottom of the story.

In Ellensburg, full-day kindergarten is on the chopping block. In University Place, some administrators won’t get raises next school year. Puyallup leaders are proposing some pretty dramatic cuts: 160 staff members, including 103 teachers, and a change in junior high sports from competitive to intramural. An elementary schools in Mountlake Terrace could close to help cut the budget in Edmonds. In Port Townsend, an elementary school will definitely close.

The Ellensburg story

The University Place story

The Puyallup story

The Edmonds story

The Port Townsend story

The short version of this: Schools are hurting all over.

I’ll admit I have been delaying writing a story about budget cuts in schools for a pretty long time. It’s all so uncertain: the state economic forecast, the federal stimulus money, the differences between budgets in the House, the Senate and the governor’s office. Ick.

But today was the day. And now at least it’s out there. Read the story on kitsapsun.com.  And look for more stories in the future. That’s one thing that’s not squishy right now.

As they say in the news biz (or what’s left of it:) Hot off the presses! I just got the following in my email inbox from North Mason schools:

Board Considering Capital Levy to Address Most Urgent Facility Needs

The Facilities Advisory Committee has asked the NMSD Board of Directors to place a Capital Levy on the ballot in the May 19, 2009 election. This Capital Levy will allow the district to complete its most critical and urgent repairs while keeping taxes down and protecting funds for classrooms. On March 19, the Board Members directed Superintendent David Peterson to prepare the necessary resolution to submit this Capital Levy to the voters.

The capital levy will allow the district to complete $3.5 million dollars worth of repairs and replacements, such as replacing some boilers, fixing the walls at the high school so water doesn’t come through them, repair and replace seriously leaking roofs, replace the fresh water pumps supplying water to our schools, do essential repairs to the Hawkins gym, hook Belfair Elementary into the sewer, and purchase some portable classrooms to handle the overcrowding at the high school and middle school.

In February, a majority of voters made clear that this is not the time to be asking for a major or a long-term tax increase to expand and modernize our schools. Board members understand the message and agree that it would be inappropriate and unwise to place another long-term bond measure on the ballot anytime soon. There are, however, serious and urgent facility needs that must be addressed, and the board does not want to take money from teaching and learning to get the work done.

In no way will the Capital Levy take care of the long term issues that a bond would address. It will not pay for new construction, or allow for the complete modernization of any of the schools. It will, however, address the problems that the Advisory Committee believes will have to be fixed within the next three years. Without the Capital Levy, the district will need to use general fund money to repair already failed systems/structures and replace dying heating/ventilation equipment, pumps, and roofs. This general fund money is needed in the classrooms, especially in light of the significant reductions in state funding.

The Board will be considering, at the March 26 meeting, whether the cost of the identified projects should be spread out over three years or four years. The $3.5 project could be funded with a 3-year tax of 70 cents per thousand of assessed value ($14.58/month on a $250,000 house) or a 4-year tax of 54 cents per thousand ($11.25/month). A third proposal would result in a 4-year tax of 49 cents per thousand. The community is invited to attend this board meeting, starting at 6:30 PM, in the district board room.

What is the difference between a Capital Levy and a Capital Bond?

When a community approves a Capital Bond, the voters are authorizing the school district to do two things. First, the district is authorized to raise a large amount of money by selling long-term, tax exempt, municipal bonds. Second, the district is authorized to collect taxes over a 20, 25 or 30 year period to pay off the bonds, plus interest. It is like taking out a mortgage on a house – the bank buys the house, and you make payments over time to pay the bank back, with interest. Bonds are necessary when the cost of a project exceeds the ability of the community to pay “in real time.” Trying to pay for a $40 million project with a 3- or 4- year levy would result in a very high tax rate.

When a community approves a Capital Levy, it is authorizing the district to collect taxes for a short period of time (up to 6 years) to take care of selected facility needs that go well beyond basic “maintenance.” The district does not sell bonds, but applies the tax revenue directly to the immediate project. Districts use capital levies for smaller projects, like the ones the Board has identified as necessary and urgent for our district.

School districts around the state continue with their superintendent searches. Bellevue recently made an offer to a candidate from California. North Thurston schools will be visited this week by three finalists. One surprise: Raj Manhas, a former controversial superintendent of Seattle schools, is up for the job.

A story that ran this weekend about parents’ reactions to an incident on a North Kitsap school bus prompted A LOT of comments on the Kitsap Sun website.

Among the comments were stories parents relayed from their school-bus riding children about swearing, general bad behavior, even a possible knife incident. One poster even said her child reported that another child committed suicide over teasing on the bus.

So maybe this points to a larger problem. Tell me your stories from the school bus and the stories your children tell. Let’s tackle this as a community that wants to make sure all children are as safe as possible, especially when riding to school. Let’s toss around ideas for solutions, rather than blame.

I spent this afternoon checking into the alleged third-degree rape on a North Kitsap school bus. My inbox was full of emails from parents concerned about the incident and the NK district’s response. No doubt about it, this was a not an easy situation. I had to appreciate several people who wrote not only with concern about putting their own kids on the buses, but also with concern for the victim in this case.

One thing that did emerge from my reporting was the fact that not all North Kitsap buses are equipped with cameras, while those in CK, SK and Bremerton are. District spokeswoman Chris Case couldn’t get all the information about why all the NK buses don’t have cameras (it was late Friday afternoon after all) but hopefully I can find out more next week.

Here’s the story I put together. It’s on the web now and will be in tomorrow’s paper.

Parents of North Kitsap students are raising concerns over a recent alleged incident of third-degree rape by a seventh-grade student on a school bus and whether students are safe as they travel to and from school each day.

 “Like any parent I am disturbed and alarmed that such a thing could happen on any bus in North Kitsap. Since I have a teenage girl who rides an NK bus on a daily basis, I am especially troubled!” wrote Gary Floring in a Friday email sent to North Kitsap School District administration and copied to many parents.

“Along with other concerned parents and citizens of the North Kitsap School District, I demand to know what is being done immediately to ensure the safety and security of the children who ride NK buses,” he added.

Teressa Lange, a mother of three North Kitsap students enrolled in Kingston area schools, said she too is very concerned about safety on buses, and disturbed that parents weren’t told about the incident immediately after it was reported on March 12. The first public information came March 19 in a Kitsap Sun story.

The district has been “inept in getting information out to parents,” said Lange, who first learned about the incident in an email from Floring. “The rumors start flying through the schools and the parents are the last to know.”

It’s alleged that on the afternoon of March 11 on a bus from the Kingston Middle School, a 13-year-old boy inappropriately touched a 14-year-old girl. Deputies said they did not have cause to arrest another boy thought to be involved. Both boys were given 10-day emergency expulsions.

The driver did not see the incident, nor did any other students on the bus report it to the driver. The bus was not equipped with recording equipment. But students did report it to KMS officials the next day and that’s when a school district investigation began.

Parents were not notified by the school district immediately to allow the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Department time to do a thorough investigation, according to a school district press release. And district officials are still deciding what will happen when the boys’ 10-day expulsions expire, said district spokeswoman Chris Case.

“We’re still trying to sort this all out,” added Case. Counselors have been available to KMS students who need to talk about the issue, though few have sought help, Case said.

Bus safety is an issue that local school districts address often. South Kitsap, North Kitsap and Bremerton bus drivers are trained regularly in safety and security. Buses are also equipped with large mirrors allowing drivers to see all seats.

Students, as well, are given instructions on proper bus behavior.

“Our discipline policies are the same as in the classroom, respect each other’s personal space and their belongings,” said Scott Logan, transportation director for South Kitsap schools. In Central Kitsap, parents of students are given the bus rules too and asked to talk with their children, said spokesman David Beil.

Bremerton schools’ spokeswoman Patty Glaser echoed Logan’s statement, adding that most behavioral issues on buses involve middle school students. And without “another pair of adult eyes” on the bus “you can’t control every aspect from the time the student gets on the bus until they get off,” she said.  

Case said North Kitsap has had aides on buses in the past, but that those positions were cut when money was short. Special education buses typically have aides, but most other regular transportation buses do not.

The presence of recording equipment on buses is not the same across the districts though. North Kitsap has 50 buses, not all equipped with recording equipment. Exact numbers of recording devices could not be obtained Friday.

Central Kitsap’s 87 buses are equipped with recording equipment, as are Bremerton buses. Logan said South Kitsap’s 85 buses have either VHS recording equipment, or digital in the case of newer vehicles.  Recording equipment is kept in a “black box” apparatus on the buses. Video is “generally pulled if there is any question on an incident.”

The digital recording equipment can cost as much as $2,000 to install. Newer buses, which have a base price of $92,000, come already equipped with it, added Logan.

Buses began carrying recording equipment in the early 1990s. The cameras can see all the seats on the bus, but can’t see students who are slumping below the tops of the seats.

“Our buses have a rule though for students that the drivers must be able to see your head,” said Logan.

Floring said his daughter, who attends North Kitsap High School, has not reported any shocking incidents aboard her bus this year. The kids are “loud, rambunctious” and sometimes swear, said Floring, but nothing beyond that.

Despite his concern for safety, Floring said his “hat is off” to bus drivers who deal with 50 or 60 kids on a bus during a day. “I can imagine that would be pandemonium sometimes.”

Emails continued to roll into Floring’s inbox Friday and parents expressed concern for the victim of the incident while wondering how to keep their kids safe.

Wrote NK parent Mark Dassel: “I recommend a thorough review of school bus safety and standards. If deficient in any respect, these need to be raised to the highest standards. No platitudes please.”