UPDATED: Notes on tonight's school board meeting

OPINION:   I walked into the School Board Chambers tonight to walls decorated with creative, colorful art drawn by elementary students from Benjamin Franklin Elementary in Kirkland.   The Principal and her staff gave glowing reports.

Award-winning Mike Town was on the agenda but couldn't make it.  His video was played. 

Three citizens spoke during the "Public Comment" period -- a Co-Chair of Lake Washington School Foundation advertising his Legacy Luncheon fundraiser, a new Council PTSA officer and myself.

Updated:  I urged the School Board (five elected officials) to work harder at selling the Capital Improvement Bond next time.  The few times Directors actively campaign are when they run for office and sell district funding measures to constituents.  Based on my observations at 4 input sessions, over 5 Work Sessions, and 4 Board meetings, the Board majority didn't appear to work hard or smart in selling the bond.  They relied heavily on a Levy Committee phone bank, chaired by Board President Pendergrass.  With the exception of Ravi Shahani and possibly Pendergrass, it appears from my polling of the Administration, that several dropped the ball.  Ravi assertively and effectively addressed the City of Redmond Council and Mayor.  He also attended a community input meeting at Redmond Junior High, though did not participate.   Clearly, Ravi demonstrates he cares about the District in which he lives - Education Hill, Redmond, WA. -- better than most.  Pendergrass met with the Levy Committee twice/month for several months.  I asked President Pendergrass to try to "speak as One Voice" in the next election (and work harder in their home-district).  Hopefully, the Board will write a joint Letter to local newspapers, attract TV media and hold a public forum.  What do you think they could do better?   Or, is something else needed?

Next, the Board reviewed an internal report on "governance process".   The results were hard "to read" and generated little enthusiasm.  However, one item kindled the Board to think about organizing additional constituent groups into a 2-way dialogue with the Board. 

Superintendent Chip Kimball gave insight into the District's budget needs.  The district will collect about $4.5 million more in the 2010-11 school year, based on the levy authorized in February’s election. That increased local levy revenue will restore the $3.5 million in state revenues lost and about $800,000 lost in federal Title I dollars. The result is a flat budget for next year.

Even though the District could collect an additional 1.5% next year from taxpayers if they wanted, Dr.Kimball recommended against it owing to survey results and the economy.  Dr. Kimball and his School Board made a prudent decision.  The City of Redmond had a similar choice last year but raised their taxes by 1% (the maximum) under the prodding of Mayor John Marchione.  Comments? 

Opinion by Bob Yoder

UPDATED: Mike Town celebrates his NEA award at Redmond High.

Redmond High teacher Mike Town receiving award from Phillipe Cousteau

UPDATED:  Excitement abounded at Redmond High School this morning.  The Performing Arts Center overflowed with students and citizens as dignitaries from the state and around the country were on hand to recognize and award Mike Town for his NEA Green Prize in Public Education.

The NEA Foundation presented Mr.  Town a $25,000 award and national recognition for his Cool School Challenge curriculum.  In addition to the NEA award, it was announced Mike won a 1-year Fellowship to work in Washington D.C. under the National Science Foundation.  His absence will be noticed in the Pacific Northwest community next year.

Through Cool Schools Challenge and Wild Sky Wilderness efforts, Town has developed strong relationships with Congressman Jay Inslee and Governor Gregoire.   A Keynote speaker, Phillipe Cousteau commented that Mike has an ability to reach out to legislatures.  "In talking to Mike last night, he knew more about congressmen and staffers than I did", said Cousteau drawing a chuckle from the audience.  Phillipe lives in D.C. and frequents the Hill.   Phillipe is Correspondent for Green Planet and the grandson of Jacque Cousteau.

Town competed with 38 applicants for the award.  Town's Cool School Challenge curriculum has helped students, teachers, and school districts from over 150 schools nationwide reduce over 1.5 million pounds of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions.  Through infrastructure changes and the students' work, Redmond High School has saved over $30,000 per year in electricity and waste costs and reduced their carbon dioxide emissions by over 200,000 pounds.

In addition to the success of the Cool School Challenge project, Town has the highest enrollment of an AP Environmental Science class in the state, with approximately half of every of the Redmond High School graduating class taking his course.  Town thanked Principal Jane Todd and acknowledged ex-Mayor Rosemary Ives for her support.    

Video clips of Mike and from Governor Gregoire were played.  Mike has always lived in small towns outside of cities.  He said "the single biggest point source for green-house gas is local high schools.  And, ""the best way of mitigating environmental problems has and always will be education."   Governor Gregoire praised Town for his work to reduce the carbon footprint at Redmond fire houses and she plans to take Mike's program to schools statewide.   

Congressman Jay Inslee will join Mike Town and other panelists in Bellingham, Saturday, May 15th to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Western Washington's Huxley College of the Environment.  Town is a graduate.  According to Manca Valum, Director of Development, Huxley is "probably the oldest college in the country with the sole purpose of studying the environment."  It was founded in 1969.  Ms. Vahum was in the audience.

The teaching curriculum can be freely downloaded from the Cool School Challenge web site.  It helps student teams gather data about the carbon footprint of each class and, based on their findings, create an action plan to reduce their impact.

Reported by Bob Yoder

Pictures by Yoder

Redmond Chamber of Commerce members renewing in April

Greater Redmond Chamber of Commerce April Renewing Members

Platinum 30+ Years

Precision Press 1978

Western Industrial Tooling Inc.1978

Gold 20 - 29 Years (1980 – 1989)

Evergreen Healthcare 1980

Genie Industries 1982

Silver Cloud Inn - Redmond 1982

McDonald’s Book Exchange 1983

Overlake Christian Church 1988

Redmond Wekshop 1989

Silver 15 - 19 Years (1990 – 1994)

Family Resource Center 1993

B.E. Meyers & Co, Inc. 1994

Bronze 10 - 14 Years (1995 – 1999)

Strobe Data Inc. 1996

Julin & McBride, PS 1997

J E Cumming Corporation 1999

Redmond Endodontics 1999

Sound Mental Health 1999

Renewing

Redmond Self Storage 2001

Habitat for Humanity East King Co.

US Healthworks 2002

Speedware Motorsports, LLC 2005

Edward Jones 2006

Send Out Cards 2007

Essential Moves Inc. 2008

White Coyote Technology 2008

Eakins Insurance Agency 2009

Express Employment Professionals

Heart of the Clutter, LLC 2009

Hilton Valve Inc. 2009

Rubbish Truck 2009

Source:  Greater Redmond Chamber of Commerce Newsletter

By Bob Yoder

"Lake Washington School District Will Not Cut Next Year’s Budget
More local levy dollars will fill in for state cuts

Redmond, Wash. – While the final state budget, adopted yesterday, includes cuts to state funding of K-12 education, Lake Washington School District has analyzed the impact to its budget and determined that expected cuts will not be needed for the 2010-2011 school year.

The legislature’s local levy authority package as enacted will allow the district to collect enough in local levy dollars to make up for those state cuts. Because the budget will be flat for next year, the district will not hold budget input meetings this spring.

“We’ve gotten a reprieve,” noted Dr. Chip Kimball, superintendent. “I’m relieved that cuts ended up being less than anticipated in the proposed budget packages. However, I’m concerned about the state’s increasing reliance on local taxpayers to pay for what the state should provide, and am concerned about the loss of federal stimulus dollars in another year.”"

Excerpt from LWSD press release

Green Redmond "Last Saturday" volunteers needed to restore local parkland forests.

Redmond, WA – The City of Redmond and the Cascade Land Conservancy joined together to form the Green Redmond Partnership. It is the Partnership’s goal to bring 1035 acres of Redmond’s forested parkland into active management over the next 20 years. Active management allows Redmond’s forests to remain an important element of the native ecosystem.

To ensure our forests stay healthy, volunteers are needed to work in the parks removing non-native invasive plants. The first work party of 2010 is Saturday, April 24 from 9am to noon at Viewpoint Park, 1840 NE 24th Street. No prior experience is necessary and tools and gloves are provided.

This event is part of a series of work parties – “Last Saturday” of each month through October. To plan ahead, following are the dates and locations for 2010:

May 29 – Westside Park, 5810 156th Avenue NE

June 26 – Grass Lawn Park, 7031 148th Avenue NE

July 31 – Farrel-McWhirter Farm Park, 19545 Redmond Road

August 28 – Idylwood Park, 3650 West Lake Sammamish Parkway NE

September 25 – Hartman Park, 17300 NE 104th Street   (near Redmond Bike Park)

October 30 – Idylwood Park, 3650 West Lake Sammamish Parkway NE

BREAKING NEWS: LWESP bargaining unit overwhelmingly ratifies agreement.

LWESP bargaining unit agreement goes to LWSD administration on May 3 for school board approval.

 UPDATED:  The Lake Washington Educational Support Personnel (LWESP) bargaining unit met this afternoon at 4:30 p.m. in the Redmond High cafeteria and overwhelmingly voted to ratify the package agreement.

It didn't take long for the approximate 90 LWSD office managers and support personnel to discuss and vote on the agreement.  The union has 160 - 170 members.  The meeting lasted one and a half hours.    

Donna Lurie (left), chief negotiator for the LWESP bargaining team, stated "the ratified package agreement: 1) includes improvements to contract language, 2) clarifies procedures, 3) provides wage increases, and 4) resolves issues of the sick leave use on March 8." The agreement is retroactive to August 16, 2009. 

Ms. Lurie praised the mediator team of John and Carol Glaser.  "They were very skilled facilitators and helped create a safe environment.  They were enormously helpful, I think, to both parties."  The team was brought in several weeks ago.  Donna said "she was very thankful it's settled and we look forward to a more respectful and productive relationship in the future."   The agreement lasts three years, ending 8/31/2012.

Negotiations for LWESP started in February 2009 and came into loggerheads.  Ms. Lurie stepped in early January 2010 and moved the negotiations forward with tangible proposals, according to Kathryn Reith, LWSD Communications Director.  Donna Lurie has been negotiating for 28 years. She works out of the Bothell Washington Cascade office covering Shoreline, North Shore, and LWSD.

The tentative agreement is now in the hands of the District Management Team.  Deputy Superintendent Janene Fogard and Communications Director Kathryn Reith will recommend the agreement  on May 3 for ratification by the School Board.   

By Bob Yoder
Seattle Times Communities Partner

Photo by Yoder

High School Sports Blog | Redmond knocks off Bishop Blanchet

High School Sports Blog Redmond knocks off Bishop Blanchet Seattle Times Newspaper:

"Redmond's Matt Kimmel went 3 for 3 with a two-run homer and an RBI single to lead the Mustangs past the Braves, 11-5.

'He had been scuffling a little bit and struggling and getting a little bit anxious at the plate,' Mustangs coach Dan Pudwill said. 'We talked to him about being patient and getting his pitch and he really did a good job of that. We talked to him about hitting with two strikes and being great with two strikes and he was. He hit a ball over the right-field fence with two strikes. It was something else.'" Unabridged story here

By Mason Kelly
Seattle Times "High School Sports Blog"

PC shipments soar in first quarter

PC shipments soar in first quarter -Good news for Microsoft:

"Worldwide personal-computer shipments rose more than 24 percent in the first quarter, according to numbers released by the IDC research firm this afternoon, as the PC market continued to show signs of recovering from the economic recession.

Combined with strong quarterly results yesterday from industry bellwether Intel, the numbers are good news for Microsoft as the Redmond company prepares to report its quarterly earnings next week." Read more

By Todd Bishop
Tech Flash

Redmond High's MIke Town to Receive the Green Prize in Public Education

Mike Town to Receive the Green Prize in Public Education

Washington, DC (April 14, 2010) – The NEA Foundation will present Redmond High School Teacher Mike Town with the inaugural Green Prize in Public Education.   An award ceremony will take place at Redmond High School's Performance Arts Center on Monday, April 19th at 9:30 am.

Harriet Sanford, President and CEO of the NEA Foundation will be joined by Philippe Cousteau, CEO of EarthEcho International and Correspondent for Planet Green to present the award.

Mike Town was selected for the Green Prize for innovative efforts to provide students with the knowledge, skills, and spirit needed to be successful in the 21st century and to address the gauntlet of environmental challenges facing our planet. Mike will be awarded $25,000 and the recipients’ work will be shared with educators and students nationwide.

The NEA Foundation is an independent, public charity created in 1969 and sustained by contributions from educators, corporate sponsors and others. The NEA Foundation offers grants and programs that support educators' efforts to close the gaps in student achievement, increase classroom innovations, salute excellence in education, and provide professional development. Visit http://www.neafoundation.org/

Press Release
Posted by Bob Yoder

"Adopt - A - Neighborhood" - A new city litter program?

I found this new sign today driving home from Bella Bottega Shopping Center.  It's on NE 98th Street up the hill a block from Red-Wood Road in the Education Hill neighborhood. Map.  At first, I thought it was a city sign and some kind of a new "neighborhood program" the city was starting.  It was professionally installed; a locator service was used.  

But, where is the City logo?   Could this be a home-made sign?  I phoned a city neighborhood planner I know and sent her a picture.  It was news to her.  Come back soon.     

By Bob Yoder 

Photo by Yoder

City of Sammamish Schools Ranked Second in the U.S. for the buck by Forbes

City of Sammamish Ranked Second in the U.S. for Best Schools for Your Housing Buck

Forbes Magazine announced on Tuesday, April 6 that the city of Sammamish is ranked second in the United States for “Best Schools for Your Housing Buck.” To generate these ranking, Forbes worked with GreatSchools, an independent nonprofit,  to analyze 17,377 cities and towns from 49 states.  

The city of Sammamish ranked second, only behind Acton, Mass. in the $400,000-$599,999 median home price category. Here are the statistics from GreatSchools used in this comparison:· Number of Public Schools: 13 (eight in LWSD, five in Issaquah School District)

· Population: 35,242

· Education Quality Score: 95.88

· Median Home Price: $569,140

· Property Taxes as a % of Home Value: 0.81%

· Unemployment Rate: 5.9%

The Seattle Times earns Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News coverage of 4 officers' killings | Seattle Times Newspaper

Local News The Seattle Times earns Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News coverage of 4 officers' killings Seattle Times Newspaper:

"The Seattle Times won its eighth Pulitzer Prize in the newspaper's 114-year history on Monday, earning the top prize in journalism for coverage of the shocking murders of four Lakewood police officers.

The Pulitzer committee, in awarding the Breaking News prize, cited The Seattle Times' 'comprehensive coverage, in print and online,' of the killings — the worst act of violence against law enforcement in state history — and the 40-hour manhunt for the shooter, Maurice Clemmons." Read More

Seattle Times Staff Report

Posted By Bob Yoder

Seattle Times Communities Partner

I was talking to the Seattle Times Communities Manager when the Pulitzer Prize announcement hit the News Room.  ROAR!!