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| Superintendent Dr. Chip Kimball |
REPUBLISHED from 10/11/2010 - Jill, a mother of two with a daughter at Rockwell Elementary, testified to the School Board last night about "the horrors of overcrowding". Jill was shocked when she learned the Rosa Parks Elementary population reached 700 this year and she fears it won't be long for Rockwell. When she moved to the neighborhood 3.5 years ago Rockwell had 480 students. Today it's 610, with new portables and few options for full-day Kindergarten.
Based on Jill's testimony, the overcrowding problem in some elementary schools is real . Data from the input sessions suggested that the District ask for money to deal with immediate overcrowding issues but "not over ask". Superintendent Kimball and the Board agreed on the following proposal for the February, 2011 ballot.
- a $65.4 million, 6-year Levy to pay for new 250-student additions at Redmond High and Eastlake High AND to build nearby a 675 student "STEM" school for grades 6-12.
- the Levy tax is 0.31/$1000 assessed property; or $155/year for a $500,000 house. No financing or interest is applied.
- the "STEM" school core curriculum is "Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math" with a goal to incubate best practices for other schools. STEM will cost $25 million with solid modular construction.
- Juanita High will "not be modernized right now" saving $135 million.
- Kimball's levy measure will cost taxpayers $190 million less than last year's bond which failed by 4%. The Levy only needs and 50% simple majority to pass. Last year's bond required a 60% majority.
- Levy benefits: no HS over 2,000. no meg-high schools. no double shifts. no portables. no excessive busing. permanent classrooms, core gyms and cafeterias. keep space for computers and music.
Results from three community input sessions and a website survey were reviewed by Superintendent Kimball and the Board. Parent and community participants (58%) recommended the District ask for money to deal with immediate overcrowding issues but "not over ask". 69% of the parents said "no not right now" to spending $135 Million on modernizing Juanita High School. Juanita High was built in l971. 70% did not want to eliminate classrooms for music and computers. All-day kindergartens received the most support for solving overcrowding. 70% gave a thumbs down on portables. 68% said yes to two new elementary schools in the next five years. 74% agreed to permanent classroom additions at Redmond and Eastlake High. The statistical validity or significance of the survey was not discussed.
Reported by Bob Yoder
Republished: 1/23/2011
Source: 10/11/2010, Regular Board Meeting archives
Photo of Dr. Kimball from LWSD website
http://lwsd.org/
The numbers are confusing here...it states that the levy is supposed to be $65.4 million and will cost $190 million less than the bond measure that failed in February. The February 2010 bond that failed asked voters for $234 million.
ReplyDeleteAdd $65.4 + $190 million and you get $255.4 million. Can someone explain the discrepancy?
Good catch, but sorry I don't have time to research it. I did check the District's press release and couldn't find find an explanation there.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.lwsd.org/News/News-and-Announcements/Pages/Board-to-Propose-Levy-Measure.aspx
You might try emailing Kathryn Reith at kreith@lwsd.org. She could probably clarify it. In any event thes cost of this package is significantly less than last years. Let me know what you find.
Rather than working in good faith, it feels to me like some district administrators are intentionally creating overcrowding situations in kindergarten classrooms where parent support has traditionally been strong to create a visceral response that will be favorable to them for their policy goals, perhaps at the expense of an "environment conducive to learning." In other cases to bring class sizes down they seem to be trying to be as abrasive and confrontational with parents as possible (more than has been the case in past years) perhaps in the hopes that some parents will choose to home school, and perhaps alleviate overcrowding that way. I am concerned the lawsuits and bad feelings and negative educational consequences these types of approaches inevitably bring only do violence to our children's educational future, the primary goal that should be our joint number one priority.
ReplyDeleteThe term "choice school" is offensive to me as a teacher at one of the comprehensive high schools. We have hundreds of families that choose to move into our attendance area...what makes our school less of a choice? And why do we need a STEM school when our comprehensive schools are already doing exceptionally well in the areas of science and math. By opening a "choice" school, top students in the area of math and science will leave the comprehensive schools, having a negative impact on all programs in those schools, including other curricular areas such as Foreign Language, Business Education and The Fine Arts. Instead of making one small school a great place for science and math, make all of the schools that way for all students.
ReplyDelete