Update, 12/9: .jpg)
Our School Board members should balance the interests of the district's 51 schools against an intimate understanding of the needs of their own communities. They must be both powerful advocates for their own district and for the schools in the entire district. (1) Unfortunately, LWSD Directors are chartered to advocate for the entire district and not represent the constituents of the schools in their own district .... the community they know best.
LWSD has five districts; one Director is elected to a district in which they live. The School Board doesn't want to make it easy for their district's constituents to find them. For example, Director Shahani's community isn't identified with any of the schools in his district. Below, is the legal (and only) description of his district: on record:.jpg)
Our School Board members should balance the interests of the district's 51 schools against an intimate understanding of the needs of their own communities. They must be both powerful advocates for their own district and for the schools in the entire district. (1) Unfortunately, LWSD Directors are chartered to advocate for the entire district and not represent the constituents of the schools in their own district .... the community they know best. "Director Shahani -District 5: Starting at the intersection of school district boundary and 156th Ave./Redmond-Woodinville Rd. South on Redmond-Woodinville Rd. to 164th Ave. South on 164th Ave. to 80th St. West on 80th St. to Redmond Way. West on Redmond Way to 159th Pl. Southeast on 159th Pl. to Leary Way. Southwest on Leary Way to Sammamish River. South along Sammamish River to SR 520. West and south on SR 520 to school district boundary. East following school district boundary to Bellevue-Redmond Rd. North on Bellevue-Redmond Rd. to West Lake Sammamish Pkwy. North on West Lake Sammamish Pkwy. to Marymoor Park Rd. East on Marymoor Park Rd. to 65th St. East on 65th St. to East Lake Sammamish Pkwy. North on East Lake Sammamish Pkwy. to Redmond Way. Northwest on Redmond Way to Avondale Rd. North on Avondale Rd. to Union Hill Rd. East on Union Hill Rd. to 238th Ave. South on 238th Ave. to Evans Creek. Southwest along Evans Creek to Redmond Fall City Rd. Southeast on Redmond Fall City Rd. to school district boundary. North following school district boundary to the point of the beginning. -- LWSD web site, 12/8/09
The other four Director's districts are defined with the same legal description, of little value to their constituents. Interestingly, the Superintendent (Secretary to the Board) seats the Directors on the Dias geographically, with Kirkland Directors on the right and Redmond Directors on the left. Generic, sequential #1, #2, #3, #4, #5 seating is abandoned.
Hopefully, someone will persuade the Administration to publish a map delineating all five districts with a school overlay (not solely a map of The District). The public's awareness of their district and Director would foster the development of grander more intimate school communities. Directors would have to be willing neighborhood leaders and occasionally get in the trenches.
The following district area information is not on the District website - You may want to Bookmark this.
Director, District One (Juanita High School Area) - includes all or part of the attendance areas for Bell El, Juanita El, Keller El, Sandburg El. Thoreau El, Fin Hill Junior, Kirkland Junior, Juanita High, Lk.Wa. High.
Director, District Two: (Kirkland Area) - includes all or part of of the attendance areas for Bell El, Franklin El, Kirk El, Lakeview El, Rose Hill El, Twain El, Kirkland Junior, Rose Hill Junior, Lk. Wa. High.
District, Director Three: (Kamiakin Junior and Rose Hill Junior area.) attendance areas for Frost El, Muir El, Rush El, Twain El, Kamiakin Junior, Rose Hill Junior, Redmond Junior, Juanita High, Redmond High, Lk.Wa. High.
District, Director Four: (Eastlake High School area) attendance areas are: Audubon El, Alcott El, Blackwell El, Carson El, Dickinson El, McAuliffe El, Mead El, Smith El, Evergreen Junior, Inglewood Junior, Redmond Junior , Eastlake High, Redmond High.
District, Director Five: (Redmond Area) attendance areas are: Audubon El, Einsein El, Mann El, Redmond El, Rockwell El, Rosa Parks El, Rush El, Wilder El, Redmond Junior, Rose Hill Junior, Lk.Wa High, Redmond High.
District One: Pendergrass (14 years), elected 11/1995, Term ends 11/2011. [8 schools]
District Two: Carson, (2 years) elected 11/2007, Term ends, 11/2011. [9 schools]
District Three: Bernard (12 years), elected 11/2009, Term ends, 11/2013 [10 schools]
District Four: Eglington (20 years), appointed 2/1989, elected 11/1989, Term ends 11/2013 [13 schools]
District Five: Shahani (6 years), elected 11/2003, Term ends, 11/2011. [12 schools]
by Bob Yoder
(1) paraphrased from a recent Seattle Times editorial on the Seattle School Board.
Evergreen Public Hospital District#2 have a 5 member Board of Commissioners similar to the LWSD Board of Directors but their governance is more representative than LWSD.
ReplyDeleteThe Hospital Commissioners have chartered their District to allow for representation of the entire District AND representation of key urban areas within the broader District.
They accomplish this by designating two representatives as "Commissioners at Large". On the ballot their title is "Commissioner Position #4" and #5. The remaining three Commissioners represent 1) Kirkland/Kenmore, 2)Redmond/Sammamish, and 3)Bothell/Duvall/Woodinville. On the ballot these commissioners are titled "Commissioner District #1", #2, and #3.
At a Hospital District Board meeting, Commissioner Kempf introduced himself as being my Representative when he learned I lived in Redmond.
How different for the School Board Directors who don't wish their presence known within their own community! And, they justify this substandard level of representation by claiming they are responsible for the ENTIRE District.
The School Board could move forward under the Hospital District model; and be more representative of their constituents and local community.
But, as it is, they prefer to stay distant from the neighborhoods of their community.