Kimball Administration does away with "The August Institute" - Changing culture

new logo

In the August 6 School Board Meeting, Superintendent Kimball announced the "August Institute" was dead.  He jokingly said, anyone saying the words "August Institute" would have to pay $5.00. The Administration and School Board also did away with the thirty-year old District LOGO.  This appears the beginning of a sea change in LWSD culture.

Prior Superintendent Don Saul was a big believer in the Institute.  According to LWSD Communications Director, Kathryn Reith, "the Institute represented the kick-off to the new school year with the intention of   professional development of the district's leadership team".  It occurred two-three weeks prior to the opening of school.    

Ms. Reith wrote:   "The drawback of August Institute was that it could take up to two weeks worth of time just when principals needed time in their building to plan and prepare for the year and hire teachers if needed. Operations staff members were busy preparing school buildings, materials and systems for the return of teachers and other staff."   In short, the Institute interfered with operations. 

Superintendent Kimball said rather than "cram a bunch of information in their heads" in two weeks of August to remember in November, it's better to develop and train the administrators over time throughout the year.

Kimball was pleased to tell the Board and public that 85% of the District's elementary school teachers took summer math training even though it was optional.  He said this kind of commitment was "unheard of".   Read More

Mayor Marchione recommends support of Lake Washington School District ballot measures.

UPDATE (1/6):   Council approved the Mayor's resolution 6-1.

Tonight, the Redmond city council will vote on the Mayor's resolution to approve Lake Washington School District's two levies and bond ballot measures.  The Resolution is clear and concise and worthy of your review.  It's main points are as follows: 

1.  LWSD must rely on local levy dollars for almost one-fifth of the general operating funds that pay for basic expenses like textbooks, teacher training, transportation...

2.  LWSD relies on local levy dollars for technology for learning and efficient administration.  (Some extras:(1:1 computing will be added to secondary and intermediate school levels:  $2M.  Staff training, professional development, and equipment safety will be added: $2.5M).

3.  LWSD relies on local levy dollars to protect taxpayer's investment in school building to ensure timely replacement of major building systems like roofs and floors and enhance energy conservation and safety.

4. LWSD is prudently preparing for an increase in students by planning for more classroom space to prevent over crowding. (high schools will be reconfigured to 9-10-11-12; the need for 2 additional elementary schools will be eliminated; modernization of Juanita High School.) .

FISCAL IMPACT:   The Office of the Mayor says the three measures will cost property owners approximately $14 per month for an average 2010 assessed home in the district of $505,000.  (Assessed property values are assumed to increase 2% in 2011 and 4% in 2012 and beyond). 

Passage of the Capital modernization and remodeling Bond requires 60% voter approval. 

by Bob Yoder

Sources:  - AM No. 10-002:  Approval of Resolution Supporting the Lake Washington School District Propositions (Executive, City of Redmond)
a. Resolution No. 1318: A Resolution Supporting Passage of Lake Washington School District's February 9, 2010, Proposed Ballot Proposition Nos. 1, 2, and 3: Replacement of Existing Educational Programs and Operations Levy, Replacement of Existing Capital Projects Levies, and General Obligation Bonds in an amount of $234,000,000

UPDATE: The School Board members keep an arms length from their neighborhoods.

Update: Evergreen Public Hospital District #2 has a five- member Board of Commissioners similar to the Lake Washington School District Board of Directors, but their governance is more representative (than LWSD).

The Hospital commissioners have chartered their District to allow for representation of their 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 rarely 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.
by Bob Yoder

Anatomy of the LW School Board's parliamentary process

Below, is a record of how the LW School Board voted on three funding resolutions for the 2/9/2009
election.   I recorded their decision-making process from the archive video-tape of the meeting, as follows:

After about 25 minutes of general discussion by the Board and Superindendent the voting process started, as follows".  (Nancy, Chris, Jackie, and Doug are School Board Directors). 

Nancy:  Did Doug move?  Do you want to get it on the table?

Jackie:  Yeh, we can have a motion to approve, if you'd like.

Doug:  I'll move adoption of .... do we want to have these as a package?

Nancy:  I'm fine with a package.   (is this supposed to be the second to the motion?)

Jackie:  I'm fine with all three.  (the three resolutions?  which ones?  they weren't read).

Doug:  All right, I'll move we adopt all three, but I want to amend that so that we give staff the authority to:  1) deal with the issue that Chris raised, that if there's any flexibility of formatting the ballot we give that, and 2) we give flexibility to insert the appropriate name of the entity that's actually going to be conducting the election.

Jackie:  So we have a motion and a Second. 
(We do?  Was the Second named?  Did the motion identify the resolutions for the public and record?)

No vote was taken.  Discussion ensued.

Twelve minutes passed before a second motion, by Pres. Pendergrass, was put on the table: 

Jackie:  "I'll entertain, aahh... we have a motion and a second  (Doug questions the second)...
Jackie:  Yes, Nancy seconded. 
The motion is to:

allow changes in language that need to be appropriate for the......whatever the elections are called these days....and then to check on the ballot measures to make sure that they look as consistent with one another that is possible.

Jackie:  With that, all those in favor say Aye (four Ayes) - any opposed? (*silence).  Our work is cut out for us over the next few months".

Again, the measures were not read prior to the vote.  My point, is how can the viewing public be expected to know what's going on in this vote?  And, if the resolutions were never read by a Director, then how can they be voted on?   

*Director Ravi Shahani did not attend the meeting.  His district is in the Education Hill area.

Part One:  The public is left scratching their heads after the School Board funding vote.