Many plea for their programs as district faces cuts
Published 1:20 pm Thursday, December 11, 2008
By Brenda Sexton, The Courier-Herald
More than 60 school district employees and parents stuffed into the White River School District boardroom Wednesday night to hear firsthand how the district plans to cover a predicted $1.3 million shortfall in its upcoming budget. Many were present to fight for their programs or schools.
The White River School District, like many surrounding districts, is discovering increases in health benefits, salaries, fuel and energy prices, along with other forces, are creating big gaps between revenue and expenditures for the 2004-05 school year. White River is also hampered by an enrollment that has evened out.
To help slim down, administrators announced cuts at a special meeting May 5. The board said it will halt all future textbook purchases except those currently under way; will leave open positions within the district unfilled, unless they can be staffed by shuffling current employees; reduced paraeducator time; closed the Collins High School daycare; reduced elementary and middle school building budgets by 5 percent and districtwide non-employee related expenses by 10 percent, and raised athletic user fees by $15 per sport, per athlete.
Elk Ridge Elementary School librarian Cheryl Newman spoke on behalf of the district's six librarians and four assistants, who will be part of the shuffling process. Through her tears, she told the board of the library staff's responsibilities in educating students. She said statistics show test scores rise when a school has a full-time librarian or assistant.
Teacher Stephanie McBee represented the WRMS staff. She presented a letter to the board expressing the staff's concern with decreases proposed in its office staff, administration and counseling program, along with concerns toward larger class sizes.
White River High School teacher Trena Page gave a passionate presentation aimed at fighting the state. Page, who serves as a Washington Education Association board member and White River Education Association president, said people should direct their anger at the Legislature. Her concern is for the membership. "My passion is people. People make everything work," she told the board and crowd.
She asked the board to do its part by opposing charter school legislation, which, she said draws money away from education. She said districts have been asked to do more with less for too long, and she fears these cuts will not be a one-year deal.
"It has to stop. It should stop now, but its a process," she said. "I think we've been handed a bad draw. We have to hold together, support one another, and then fix it as quickly as possible."
Superintendent Jay Hambly thanked those gathered for their comments and professionalism in presenting them.
"These decisions and solutions are not easy," he said.
"We love you guys and we are proud of what you do," board member Peter Shook told the crowd. "This makes us pull our hair out, but we're all in this together."
The board and the district said their priority was to keep employees working and programs running.
"We didn't want anyone to lose their job," Hambly said. "We did our best to try not to let that happen."
"We are trying to balance the budget without laying anyone off," Shook said.
District officials will present the budget to the board again in June, approval is expected in August.
In other business, the board:
€ announced there will be no school May 31 in observance of Memorial Day.
€ announced its next regular meeting is 6 p.m. June 9 in the district board/conference room.
€ was updated on the district's inclusive preschool program. This is the first year the program included 3- to 5-year-old students with disabilities and without. There were 29 students in three programs including five tuition-paying peer models. The preschool is open for 2-1/2 hours, two morning sessions and one afternoon, Tuesday through Friday at Mountain Meadow Elementary School.
€ heard from Safe and Civil Schools committee members, a group started last spring with a $48,000 grant through the Puget Sound Educational Service District. The 18-person committee began meeting in November. WRHS graphic arts class designing posters for schools using acronym REACH, which represents the words respect, excellence, achievement, caring and honor. Nancy Engle and Carolyn Hazen spoke, as did parent Herb Entz, who has been hired through a grant stipend as staff to follow through with the program. He told the board when students feel safe they learn better.
€ examined the 2004-05 proposal for spending Initiative 728 money. The district will continue with class size reduction, staff development and extended learning opportunities, however, it will reduce its Teacher on Special Assignment in math from two to one. The district will add reading specialists at Collins Junior High School and WRHS, and purchase a reading academy for Foothills Elementary School. The total I-728 budget is $1.2 million.
€ was updated on construction projects. The district is asking for final occupancy at WRHS. The board also approved a change order for $68,372 to McDonald and Company for additional pump station work at White River Middle School and $17,559 to Shinstine Associates for revisions on the annex renovation. The board accepted the central kitchen remodel, choice portables and annex renovation as complete.
The board also awarded the WRMS upgrade project to Construction Enterprises and Contractors, Inc., who was the low bidder of five and the same contractor doing work at Glacier Middle School. The company's base bid of $662,675 is under the $700,000 budget so the board will decide on alternates at a later date.
The board also awarded the furniture, fixture and equipment bid for both middle schools to School Specialties for $202,695.
€ the board bid farewell to district Capital Projects Manager Milt Tremblay who will take a position taking care of Capitol grounds and buildings in Olympia.
€ set 7 p.m. June 10 in the annex auditorium for Collins High School graduation.
€ approved state-required district technology plan.
Brenda Sexton can be reached at bsexton@cmg-northwest2.go-vip.net/courierherald
