Lake Washington Schools Foundation Brings Video Technology to A.G. Bell Elementary

Librarian Julie Hembree and student

Young actors, screenwriters and producers are hard at work in the A.G. Bell Elementary library, where school librarian Julie Hembree is introducing elementary school kids to the power of video technology.

A Reaching for Success grant from the Lake Washington Schools Foundation enabled Hembree to buy a video camera and green screen software for her classes to use to create video book reviews, math tutorials, and research assignments. Reaching for Success grants allow Lake Washington School District teachers and principals to develop creative educational programs that expand curriculum and meet schools’ improvement goals.

Using video technology is a way to integrate STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) activities and concepts into curriculum. Students can develop important skills while learning how to use a popular technology. According to Hembree, “By creating a movie they’re using technology, they’re using innovation, they’re using creativity, and these are all skills they can use as they move forward into middle and high school.”   Read More >>

Over $100,000 spent on computer virus eradication at LWSD

As of March 15, total eradication of the computer virus in LWSD schools is still incomplete according to Kathryn Reith, Communications Director for LWSD.   A "Freedom of Information" public record request by Redmond Neighborhood Blog revealed $100,399.92 has been spent so far in labor and Sophos software support to eradicate the virus. Reith was told by the technology department they don't expect much more in expense.  Loss of teacher-student producticivity is an intangible unaccounted for. 

Reith expects to come forth with information at a later date on further anti-virus safeguards the District will put in place.  When the virus first struck the computer systems, School Director Douglas Egglington asked Superintendent Pierce in a public meeting for transparency on the costs for eradication.  There had been no follow-up until this post.

Reported by Bob Yoder

43,000 acres of King County forestland is conserved

Executive Constantine reaches agreement to conserve largest piece of unprotected forestland remaining in King County

Purchase of conservation easement for White River Forest near Enumclaw would protect 43,000 acres – an area roughly twice the size of city of Bellevue

White River Forest detail map (1.5 Mb Acrobat pdf)

King County Executive Dow Constantine today said he has reached an agreement to permanently protect the 43,000 acres of the White River Forest east of Enumclaw from development – an area roughly twice the size of the city of Bellevue.

“This is the largest swath of unprotected forestland remaining in King County,” said Executive Constantine. “With this agreement, we will dramatically extend our green wall against sprawl, and achieve the ambitious goal set a decade ago of protecting 200,000 acres of working forests countywide.”

Managed by the Hancock Timber Resource Group, the White River Forest is located along scenic Highway 410, which takes motorists to Crystal Mountain ski resort in the winter and over Chinook pass in the summer.

To purchase development rights to the property, the Executive today sent legislation to the County Council to authorize $8.1 million in existing funding from the County’s dedicated open space fund known as the Conservation Futures Fund. The Council last fall approved $3 million from Conservation Futures and from the King County Parks levy toward the total $11.1 million price. The land would remain in private ownership with the right to harvest timber sustainably.

Dan Christensen, CEO of Hancock Timber Resource Group, said the Company is committed to conservation efforts and managing forests sustainably.  Read More >>

Community invited to weigh in on LWSD ballot measures

Redmond, Wash. – Lake Washington School District is inviting parents, staff, and community members to provide input on what measures the district’s board of directors should propose for the ballot in February 2014. At that time, the district’s Educational Programs & Operations Levy, which funds 22.9 percent of the district’s general fund, will be up for renewal. The capital projects levy, which funds major building repairs and upgrades as well as all technology, is also up for renewal.

The district is also looking at how to provide space to house current and growing enrollment. Over 4,000 more students are expected to be added to the district’s enrollment over the next nine years. Many of these students are currently in the system, as the current graduating classes of high school students are smaller than the larger incoming classes of elementary school students. These larger classes are due not only to new development but also from more students in existing housing all over the district. In addition, the district is planning for the increased classroom space that will be needed to house all-day kindergarten for all students, when the state comes through with the funding for that program.

The district is also scheduled to consider the third phase of a four-phase modernization program, which aims to update school buildings every 30 to 40 years. The first two phases were funded by bond measures passed in 1998 and 2006. Phase 1 was completed on time and on budget. Phase 2 is now nearing completion. The third phase is under consideration for a possible bond measure next year.

The public is invited to attend any of the following four meetings:

• Tuesday, April 23, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Redmond High School
• Tuesday, April 30, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Eastlake High School
• Wednesday, May 1, 6:30-8:30, Lake Washington High School
• Thursday, May 9, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Juanita High School

In addition, information and an input form will be posted on the district website beginning on April 23. Those who cannot attend a meeting will be able to weigh in online. Input from the meetings and the online form will be consolidated. Dr. Traci Pierce, Superintendent, will use the community’s input to help make a recommendation to the school board. The board will vote on what measures to put on the ballot in February 2014.

Sign up to host an international student this summer!

Host Families Needed to Welcome 34 International Students
Education First Educational Homestay Programs (EHP) is now accepting caring volunteer host families who are ready to welcome students into their home for a few weeks this summer. This non-profit program provides a unique opportunity for families to make life-long friendships with international students while learning about their culture – all without leaving home.

From July 16 – August 5^th host families on the Eastside will welcome 34 EHP students. Our students will attend language and culture classes and enjoy planned activities during weekdays, chaperoned by our staff. Host-siblings are welcome to join some activities too! Weekends will be free for host families to enjoy activities with their students while building long lasting cross-cultural bonds. Families also earn travel rewards and discounts through this program. Children of host families can earn community service credit and 24-hour support from EHP staff is available.

Families able to provide a room (shared is fine), an extra plate at the table, and – most importantly – a stable caring environment, have what it takes to share their life with an eager student from abroad this summer. Host family sign-ups close on May 15th. Contact Karene Busby at (425) 466-8538, eburg1962@comcast.net for details.


About Education First For almost 50 years, Education First has helped millions of people become “citizens of the world” by breaking down barriers of language, culture and geography. Through cultural exchanges, educational travel, language training and degree programs, Education First is the world leader in international education.

For more information about Education First: www.redmondexchangestudents.com, www.efhomestay.org or www.ef.com/ehp.

LETTER: The planning steps LWSD needs to consider

Susan Wilkins said...

My suggestion that school construction on the west side of the district should have instead occurred on the east side re-ignited the debate about east versus west in the district. I didn't mean to imply that the east side is more deserving of construction. I believe we should carefully focus our construction money where it's needed most and in proportion to what is actually needed.

What I am dismayed at is that so many schools in the district have been torn down and completely rebuilt - and most of those schools happened to be on the west side of the district and were still in fairly good condition. When we voted we were told that these schools would be "modernized" and I thought that meant updated or remodeled. To me, modernization means replacement of aging plumbing, electrical, lighting, doors, windows, carpeting/flooring, etc. But the school district figured out that they could justify tearing down and replacing the buildings if they added enough new features and space requirements that it would cost as much to remodel as it would to rebuild. What started out as a sensible district-wide remodeling schedule has morphed into a total teardown mentality with plans to replace every school in the district. The school district routinely spends an outrageous $35,000,000 tearing down and rebuilding elementary schools and insists on calling it modernization! Bell, Keller, Juanita and Thoreau Elementaries each have about 300 students and are only partially full. These schools are all brand new and were rebuilt even as schools elsewhere in the district were flooded with students who ended up in villages of portables.

At the same time, it is very clear that Juanita High School has a multitude of maintenance issues that have been neglected for years. Lighting, heating, ventilation and electrical systems are all in need of updating and basic maintenance. Has Juanita High School not had any maintenance because the school district just assumes it will tear the school down? Can Juanita High School be updated without tearing the building down or is it so inherently flawed that it is beyond repair?

Long-term, central planning (or lack of it) seems to be at the root of the school district's problems. The district has built 19 brand new school buildings in the past 15 years, but they have never figured out how to match student populations with space availability. (Should I remind everyone that Wilder was left half empty while Rosa Parks overflowed with students!) Transportation planning and facilities planning are both managed by the same department and bussing is a mess. Short (2-3 mile) bus rides can take 45 minutes and bus stops are often far from students' homes. (Although the district manages to provide a bus that takes students from Redmond Ridge across to ICS in Kirkland in just 25 minutes.) The school district has the names, addresses and grade levels of all the students in the school district and they could use planning software to balance student populations AND to transport students efficiently and quickly to their schools. (The district must coordinate transportation planning and facilities management to make it work.) The school district tells us that moving school boundaries is "tricky". Well, it is tricky, but with computers and well-designed software (try ESRI's ArcGIS series), it is very possible. Big companies like Microsoft have facilities planners to manage their many employees in many buildings. FedEx, UPS and the Post Office have delivery route planners. Maybe LWSD should call up these companies and ask for some planning advice.

By Susan Wilkins, Education Hill, Redmond

"Council Notes", by Redmond Councilmember Tom Flynn

Tom Flynn

"Council Notes," By Redmond City Councilmember Tom Flynn, Spring, 2013

With Redmond's centennial celebrations now completed, the Council looks forward to a busy 2013.  We have our usual slate of business -- setting policy, approving budgets, and fulfilling our ombudsman duties.  At the same time, no shortage of opportunities for Councilmembers to represent the City's leadership in the region. 

Councilmembers, along with the Mayor, participate in key positions in the following organizations:  Sound Cities Association (SCA), Cascade Water Alliance, Eastside Human Services Forum, Eastside Transportation Partnership, and Water Resource Inventory Area 8 for Salmon Habitat Conservation.  The SCA represents 37 suburban cities in King County and we have a seat on the influential Public Issues Committee.  Your Councilmembers also represent Redmond's interests as SCA representatives in other regional organizations including Enterprise Seattle, King County Growth Management Planning Council, King County Regional Transit Committee, Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) Economic Development District Board, PSRC Growth Management Policy Board, and the Regional Law, Safety and Justice Committee.  In early February of this year, Councilmembers also spent two days in Olympia meeting face to face with state legislators representing the city of Redmond; additional meetings are planned around Redmond's legislative agenda.

By participating in these regional and statewide activities, Councilmembers promote the city's vision for a sustainable and livable community.  We also contribute the City's perspectives on regional transportation law and justice and human services issues.  We collaborate with other jurisdictions and leaders in the region to work on regional and statewide challenges by leveraging resources and ideas.  This participation has helped Redmond to not only identify and compete for regional and statewide funding for various capital projects including the Redmond Central Connector, the 36th Street Bridge, the urban centers in Downtown and Overlake as well as to advocate for Eastlink Light Rail to downtown Redmond but it also positions Redmond as a standout City with unique ideas and perspectives.

We'll continue to represent Redmond across the region to lay the foundation for another great 100 years!

By Councilmember Tom Flynn 

Redmond Police: "Hang up and drive"

The Redmond Police Department Traffic Unit is conducting directed enforcement during morning and afternoon commute hours on Avondale Road beginning this week through the end of the month.

Specifically, traffic officers are looking for cell phone and texting violations, failing to signal, unsafe lane changes, following too closely, speeding, and failing to stop for school buses.  Vehicles are not required to stop as long as one full lane separates the driver and a school bus when traveling in the opposite direction. It is never legal to pass a stopped school bus traveling in the same direction with its red lights flashing no matter how many lanes there are.

Traffic Reader Boards were placed at Avondale Road /180^th Avenue NE a week in advance warning drivers to “Hang up and drive…Patrols start next week.” There were also signs placed at Novelty Hill RD/Avondale Road which read “Distracted driver enforcement next week.”

The City of Redmond has experienced an increase in rear end collisions recently, many of which have no evidence of braking prior to impact. Out of the 750 collisions in Redmond last year, 40% were rear-enders, far higher than the national average which is closer to 30%.

Register Your American Cancer Society Relay For Life Team Today

Redmond, WA – March 18, 2013 – The American Cancer Society Relay For Life® of Redmond/Kirkland gives everyone in the community a chance to help the organization save lives and create a world with less cancer and more birthdays. Register your team today by visiting www.redmondkirklandrelay.com or by calling 1-800-227-2345.

            Former and current cancer patients, those who have lost a loved one to cancer, families, businesses, faith-based and civic organizations, and anyone wanting to make a difference in the fight against cancer are invited to take part in this exciting team event. Relay For Life takes place from 12noon on June 1 until 8am on June 2 at Redmond High School.  Read More >>

LETTER: LWSD needs to plan sensibly and carefully when they ask voters for more money.

Susan Wilkins said...

What many people don’t realize is that when a developer applies for a permit to build new houses or a new apartment or condo complex in Redmond, the school district is automatically informed that new development will take place. For many years, the Lake Washington School District would have its attorney send a letter to the city and the developer demanding the payment of school impact fees for each house/condo/apartment that would be built. The letter was signed by the school superintendent and the developer could not continue with the permitting process until an agreement to pay was signed and registered with the county. A few years ago (~2008), the City of Redmond changed the policy and automatically required the developer to agree to the impact fees and then collected the fees and forwarded them to the school district as part of the planning process. In the past decade, the school district has received millions of dollars in impact fees and has been informed about every unit of housing that has been built.

All along the school district has known about the new apartments and condos that are being built in downtown Redmond. They knew about the thousands of houses being built in North Redmond and out at Redmond Ridge East. They knew that hundreds of new students would soon be enrolling at the schools. Instead of systematically tearing down and rebuilding all the school on their 1998 and 2006 “modernization” lists (with most of those rebuilt schools located on the west side of the district where little growth was occurring), the school district should have reallocated money and built or expanded schools on the east side of the district for all the new students who were moving into the new houses, condos and apartments.

The school district is once again sounding the alarm that classrooms are overcrowded and schools are running out of space. They want taxpayers to fund another round of tear-down/rebuild “modernization” and they also want to add two new elementary schools for $80,000,000, one at Redmond Ridge and the other in north Redmond at the corner of NE 122nd Street & 172nd Avenue NE. The trouble is that the school district is $500,000,000 in debt for the past 15 years of construction (plus another $240,000,000 in interest). There are limits to how much debt the school district can take on, and with the district’s current rate of construction spending, it will soon reach that limit. ***If taxes for bond payments rise too high, lower priority bonds for libraries and parks will be suspended.***

The construction spending spree that the district has been on for the past 15 years needs to end and the district needs to plan sensibly and carefully if/when it asks voters for more money. They need to take an inventory of facilities and classroom space that they already have and reallocate it more efficiently and effectively.

Old Redmond Historic Walking Tour Schedule, 2013

The Redmond Historical Society is pleased to announce the 10^th anniversary of Old Redmond Historic Walking Tours. The tours will be held April 21, May 19, and June 16, from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m.  and the haunted history tour on September 15 will be held in the evening. Historian Tom Hitzroth is the man with the stories, gossip, and names that make the early history of Redmond so interesting.

Tours begin on the front steps of the Justice White House, 7730 Leary Way NE, at the west end of Redmond Town Center where the Saturday Market is held. The fee is $10 per person. This benefits the Redmond Historical Society and is payable by credit card on our website, or you can mail a check to the office at 16600 NE 80 Street, Room 106, Redmond, WA 98052. Registration is required by the Friday before the tour.

Tours include a significant amount of walking and standing, with limited opportunity for resting. We recommend comfortable shoes and weather-appropriate clothing. A tour will not be held if it rains.

If you have any questions, please call the Redmond Historical Society office at 425-885-2919, or email at info@redmondhistoricalsociety.org. Check out our website at www.redmondhistoricalsociety.org.

Evergreen Health holds community open house celebration for Halvorson Cancer Center

EvergreenHealth and Seattle Cancer Care Alliance host community open house celebration for the Halvorson Cancer Center

What:

EvergreenHealth and Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA) invite the community to an open house celebration to mark the grand opening of the Halvorson Cancer Center at EvergreenHealth on Saturday, March 30, 2013, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The Halvorson Cancer Center is a collaboration between EvergreenHealth and SCCA that aligns comprehensive cancer care and supporting services in a beautiful, integrated facility like no other on the Eastside, specifically designed with patients’ and families’ perspectives.  Read More >>

LETTER: The Office of Superintendent of Instruction appears to have erred on transportation efficiency ratings

Susan Wilkins said...

Being familiar with school bus transportation here in Redmond and having recently written about how bus transportation could be improved, it seemed odd that the OSPI would rate the Lake Washington Transportation Department at 100% efficient.

I visited the OSPI website and reviewed the supporting documents and reports that were posted with the school district transportation department efficiency ratings. The OSPI’s Efficiency Detail Report for the Lake Washington School District listed LWSD as having 12,924 basic riders and 1,210 special ed riders. (Total bus riders: 14,134) It also noted that the district had spent $7,532,315 on transportation in the 2011-2012 school year and determined that the school district’s relative efficiency rating was 100%. The Lake Washington School District has only 25,400 students. The idea that more than 14,000 students ride buses to school each day is hard to believe.  Read More >>

This is HOT: TIMBER! Outdoor music festival

Posted on King County Blog

Get on the ball and line up your friends because tickets go on sale Tuesday, March 19 at 10 a.m. PT, for the hottest musical festival this summer will ever know. With a vision for “a big neighborhood campout,” the organizers from Artist Home Presents are partnering with King County Parks to bring the freshly announced Timber! Outdoor Music Festival to Tolt MacDonald Park and Campground this July.

Timber! Outdoor Music Festival
July 26 & 27, 2013
King County Park’s Tolt MacDonald Park and Campground (Carnation, WA)
BUY TICKETS

The first lineup of artists announced:
Helio Sequence
Fruit Bats
Lemolo
Bryan John Appleby
Kithkin
River Giant
and more to be added…
Take what you know about the average music festival, turn it on its head, then add some campfires to the mix and you’re looking at one of the most unique live music experiences that the Pacific Northwest has to offer. Timber! festival goers will enter the outdoor venue by taking a nice walk through the forest until they arrive at the main stage situated in a meadow surrounded by towering fir trees. What’s special about this experience is the level of intimacy you will feel with the music as the sun begins to set and campfires glow while the featured night stage ushers in even more live performances for the ultimate night cap.
This ticket is so hot, it’s already in the news and you can sample their tunes, too.
For more updates on the music lineup, check out the Timber! Outdoor Music Festival Facebook page.

Tolt MacDonald Park & Campground

Ctiy Council studies advantages of LED street lighting

The City of Redmond wants to be on the leading edge of "light emitting diode" (LED) street lighting and has already been trying them out in the Woodbridge neighborhood of SE Redmond.   They figure they can save $35/light annually with LED's over the existing "high pressure sodium" (HPS) lights.   LED's use 30% less energy consumption, have significantly lower maintenance, and bring improved lighting uniformity and color rendering to streetscapes. 

Currently the city owns 1500 city lights and PSE owns about 3,000.  HPS lights have to be relamped every four years which raises the maintenance cost.  LED's can last up to 15 years in our cool northwest weather.  Thus, LED's are less labor intensive and the payback period for new installations is only 4 years and 7 years on a retrofit.  The city council studied LED technology and models from different vendors in their last Study Session but no decision was made by the Mayor on implementation. 

Reported By Bob Yoder

Note:  Sometime after this report the City converted to LED's

Redmond Fire Department Offers Free Home Safety Assessments and Free Smoke Alarm Installations

Redmond, WA – The City of Redmond Fire Department has been awarded a Vision 20/20 Grant through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant program. This grant provides resources to install 2,500 smoke alarms, 15 hearing-impaired smoke alarms, and perform 1,000 home safety assessments for families located within the Redmond Fire Department response area.

Through this grant, Redmond Fire is able to provide educational Home Safety Assessments, which consist of testing/installing smoke alarms, identifying potential fire/safety hazards, educating residents how to prevent cooking fires, and helping them create an escape plan.

The smoke alarm installations and safety assessments are free to Redmond residents and are conducted by Redmond Fire Department personnel.

You may benefit from this service if you don’t have working smoke alarms in each sleeping area and on each level of your home, or you would appreciate assistance in creating a fire escape plan. This service will also identify potential fire hazard risks in your home. Although this grant targets multi-family buildings (including apartments and condominiums that do not have fire sprinkler systems), this service is also available to residents in single family homes.

“Home fire safety assessments, regularly practiced fire drills, and working smoke alarms are essential for your family’s safety”, stated Redmond Assistant Fire Marshal Todd Short. “Let Redmond Fire help keep you and your family safe by conducting a free 20-30 minute home safety assessment and smoke alarm tests”.

If you are interested in having Redmond Fire conduct an informational Home Safety Assessment with smoke alarm installation, please call 425.556.2264 or email Kristen Thorstenson at kmthorstenson@redmond.gov. Assessments will be scheduled by appointment only.

LWSD Transportation Department Scores 100% Efficiency Rating

Redmond, Wash. – The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) has released itstransportation efficiency ratings for school districts around the state. The Lake Washington School District’s rating was 100 percent. School district transportation operations were evaluated for efficiency using a statistical process. Among the data included in the analysis is the number of students transported between home and school and the location of each school bus stop and related destinations.  Read More >>

LETTER: Where will the children moving into downtown Redmond go to school?

Susan Wilkins said...

Where are the children from the new apartments and condos in downtown Redmond supposed to go to school? Redmond Elementary is already near capacity with 401 students and Redmond Middle School is seriously overcrowded with 970 students. Nearly 400 elementary students from the east side of Redmond (Woodbridge, Evans Creek & Hidden Ridge) are bused out to Dickinson Elementary and Alcott Elementary every day. Both of these schools are more than 3 miles outside the city limits. Students from River Trail, north of QFC, are bussed up to Rockwell Elementary. It seems like the vision for downtown Redmond is walkability - walk to shops, walk to parks, walk to entertainment, walk to the transit center. But walk to school? Forget-about-it! Why hasn’t the City of Redmond told the school district to plan for students living in the downtown area and insisted that they build schools to meet the walkability model that is being developed?

The school district says that there isn’t enough land available to build schools in downtown Redmond. Note that Lake Washington Institute of Technology (LWIT) built a satellite campus next to Marymoor Park in 2004 and DigiPen just moved into its new campus along Willows Road last year. A number of churches/religious groups have converted warehouses in the industrial areas that are comparable to a typical school in size and space usage. Redmond could really use another elementary and a middle school downtown (or maybe a K-8) that residents could walk to.

Bob Yoder has hit a nerve when asking what the future identity of downtown Redmond is going to be. Maybe the plan is to create a thriving, exciting downtown for Yuppies (young urban professionals) and DINKs (Dual Income, No Kids) in which case, downtown schools will not be needed. If children are supposed to be part of downtown Redmond, then the City needs to open a dialogue with the school district about where they will go to school within the City limits – and insist that the schools be located where children can actually walk to school.

By Susan Wilkins, Education Hill, Redmond

 

Redmond Mustang PTSA Community Digest

PADDY FEST! Come to the Old Fire House Teen Center for the Paddy Fest on Friday March 15th at 7pm. Cost is $8

REDMOND POLAR PLUNGE! Time is slipping away! Register now for the 2013 Polar Plunge benefitting Special Olympics Washington on Saturday, March 16th at Idlywood Park - St. Pattie's Day themed!

REDMOND'S GOT TALENT FINALS! Come to the Old Fire House for the finals of Redmond's Got Talent! On Friday March 22nd at 7pm. Cost $8

SCRAMBLED EGG 5K. It's a 5k with an egg hunt built in! Join us March 30 at 8:30am at City Hall for our new race, the Scrambled Egg 5K! Participants will find different colored eggs scattered all over the course and each color will either help or hurt your time. We do not reveal what each color means until after the race! If you think you are fast, run straight through without picking up any eggs. Otherwise, try your luck at getting the best time by collecting up to 10 eggs! $30 pre-registration fee includes chip timing and tech fabric shirt.

CROSSFIRE SELECT CLUB OPEN COACHING POSITIONS. The Crossfire Select Soccer Club is now accepting coaching applications to fill head coaching vacancies for the following teams:

· 2 existing boys teams that will be u12 next fall

· 1 existing girls team that will be u15 next fall

. 1 existing girls team that will be u14 next fall

· Incoming U11 boys and girls teams

Please see the web site for more details and how to apply.  READ MORE >>

LWSD urges state legislature to adequately fund K-12

Lake Washington School District Board urges state legislature to address K-12 Funding

Lake Washington board joins others from around the state

Redmond, Wash. – At its March 4 meeting, the Board of Directors of the Lake Washington School District unanimously passed Resolution No. 2142, which urges the Washington State Legislature to address K-12 Funding. The resolution notes that the board “expects the Legislature to adopt a comprehensive system for stable and sustainable revenue that meets the requirements of Washington’s K-12 public schools and students.”

The Washington State School Boards Association has asked school boards across the state to adopt such a resolution.

“We gladly add our voices to the other school boards across the state as well as parent groups and other education advocates who are reminding the state legislature of their paramount duty to fully fund basic education,” noted Jackie Pendergass, president of the board.

Doug Eglington, the board’s legislative chair, noted that the Supreme Court’s McCleary vs. State of Washington opinion made it clear the state is failing to provide adequate funding for basic education. The state has developed a revised definition of basic education but has failed to fund it.

“The legislature has the spending plan done but they have yet to have the hard conversations that will determine how to fund it and how to phase it in,” noted Eglington. “The children of our state, their families and their communities have been waiting a long time. We urge the legislature to complete the job.”

Redmond Safety Alerts, By Jim Bove, RPD Community Facilitator

How Do You Know

We receive many calls for peddler’s knocking on doors, whether legitimate or not. For the record, as of today, these are the only businesses that have been issued peddler licenseseses (they are valid 2/1 – 1/31 of the next calendar year):Eastside Tree Works, Tree of Life Chiropractic, Edward Jones, and Evergreen Tree Care. Something to keep in mind—just because someone may knock on your door and NOT have a peddler license, does not make them a criminal. 

Some people are not required to have a license—for instance, local newspapers, charitable organization, religious organization , non-profit organization, if items being sold door to door are being shipped from outside the state of Washington and the business has no physical presence in Washington State, etc. Regardless, these people will normally carry some sort of official ID.

For more information, please see: http://www.codepublishing.com/WA/redmond.html - RMC 5.08 or search for “peddler” and it’ll bring it up.

From a safety perspective, best advice on dealing with these knocks—simply talk through the door and tell them you aren’t interested (if you aren’t). Yes, they may be legit. They may be legit but don’t know they need a peddler’s license. They may be burglars who are hoping for an empty house so they can go around back and break-in. That’s why it’s important to let them know someone is there and you aren’t interested. If interested, ask them to leave info by the front door so you can research it.  Read More >>

Byron Shutz is running for Redmond City Council Position 2

Redmond, WA, - March 05, 2013 - Redmond resident Byron Shutz announced today that he is running for Redmond City Council Position 2. Council President Pat Vache announced Monday that he is not seeking re-election to Position 2 the end of 2013.

“Redmond celebrated its Centennial anniversary last year, and now Mayor Marchione and the City Council are laying the foundation for Redmond’s next 100 years. This is really a dynamic time for the City.” says Shutz, who served on a Redmond Budget by Priority Results Team in 2012. “While cities across Washington continue to cope with the nation’s economic recovery, Redmond is looking well ahead to the future. The City is in good financial shape.”

Shutz looks for Redmond residents to actively participate in their city’s growth. “Our city services continue to be more refined and responsive, and energized with a pride in weathering the recent challenges. The City’s open data initiatives to engage and activate its residents and businesses will continue to expand citizens’ roles in Redmond’s governance. Redmond’s high-tech economy fosters the city’s integration of two-way technology for the public’s participation on growth management and infrastructure development, safeguarding the environment, ensuring public safety, and thoughtfully managing finances - all essential to Redmond’s continued success.”

Shutz is also proud of Redmond’s diverse and future-ready schools focused on students’ individual learning. “Our public schools are among the best in Washington. Strong schools attract businesses and young families.” Shutz is currently VP and Fundraising Chair of the Lake Washington Citizens Levy Committee. He has been a citizen advocate for Washington State K-12 education and for the Lake Washington School District (LWSD). He has served on the Board of the Lake Washington Schools Foundation as Trustee, Treasurer, and Co-President. He has held a wide range of leadership roles on the PTSA boards of the Lake Washington PTSA Council, Audubon Elementary, Redmond Middle School, and the new LWSD STEM High School.

Shutz moved to the NW in 1978 from Kansas City, Missouri, to attend University of Puget Sound. In 1990 he founded an outdoor equipment design and manufacturing business in south Seattle that he later sold to K2 Industries. He and his wife Susan moved to Redmond’s Idylwood neighborhood in 1994. Their children have attended LWSD public schools in Redmond since kindergarten, and currently attend Redmond Middle School and STEM High School.

OPINION: School Board is making strides in their policy-making process

OPINION:   It is delightful to see the strides our Lake Washington School Board is making to upgrade their quality of governance..   Last night's school board meeting displayed the most dynamic conversation the Board and Superintendent have ever shown in the four years I've been reporting on the District. 

The conversation was catalyzed by three speakers from the audience and previous speakers before them.   One speaker was a Lakeview parent concerned about the lack of affordable access to all day kindergarten.   He is on the school wait list for a second class that just opened.  Tuition for all day kindergarten is $3500 and he couldn't understand why other school districts offer all-day to their students for less cost.  Board Member Siri Bliesner asked Dr. Pierce to plan a way for the district to be more proactive in securing all-day and to ask the other districts how they do it.  Pierce said she would look into it but said she thinks the district could be growing faster than others and space more limited. 

Another Lakeview parent was pleased that the reconsideration process for their "Leader in Me" program was scrutinized but he felt the curriculum selection policy process for Leader in Me was flawed.  School Board member Chris Carlson stated the curriculum selection policy needed to be revisited because Dr. Pierce cited examples where the program implementation was improper.  Members Bernard, Bliesner, and Pendergrass all agreed that curriculum policy needed to be reviewed by the Board and that they had concerns with implementation of Leader In Me.  Carlson asked Pierce for a report on her progress with implementation.  No date was set by the Board to review policy. 

The conversation was enlightening and rewarding.  I'll be following their progress. 

Redmond Mustang PTSA Community Digest

REDMOND POLAR PLUNGE! Time is slipping away! Register now for the 2013 Polar Plunge benefitting Special Olympics Washington on Saturday, March 16th at Idlywood Park - St. Pattie's Day themed!

SCRAMBLED EGG 5K. It's a 5k with an egg hunt built in! Join us March 30 at 8:30am at City Hall for our new race, the Scrambled Egg 5K! Participants will find different colored eggs scattered all over the course and each color will either help or hurt your time. We do not reveal what each color means until after the race! If you think you are fast, run straight through without picking up any eggs. Otherwise, try your luck at getting the best time by collecting up to 10 eggs! $30 pre-registration fee includes chip timing and tech fabric shirt.

HOST FAMILIES NEEDED TO WELCOME 34 INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS. Education First Educational Homestay Programs (EHP) is now accepting caring volunteer host families who are ready to welcome students into their home for a few weeks this summer. From July 16-August 5th host families on the Eastside will welcome 34 EHP students. EHP students will attend language and culture classes and enjoy planned activities during weekdays. Weekends will be free for host families to enjoy discounted activities with their students while building long lasting cross-cultural bonds. Families also earn travel rewards and discounts through this program. Children of host families can earn community service credit and 24-hour support from EHP staff is available. Families able to provide a room (shared room is fine), an extra plate at the table, and - most importantly - a stable caring environment, have what it takes to share their life with an eager student from abroad this summer. Contact Karene Busby at (425) 466-8538 for details.

Redmond's identity crisis

Where did all the outdoor art go that is now replaced by a parking lot?  The city does have a call for artists to plan art for the Cleveland Street corridor. 

Five more buildings will be torn down in the next four months to make room for an expanded Downtown Park.  Few will use the park until the downtown builds out.  It will be an eerie place for a while. 

What's holding back Leary Way from developing with quaint shops while right next door a tall crane builds a 6 story apartment community abutting the sidewalk?

Western brick and wood buildings are being dwarfed by multi-colored high tech apartment communities.  Do they match up?  

Thousands of residents will be moving into downtown Redmond bringing with them more congested roads and pedestrians you can barely see..   Where is the street lighting?

The city has been planning to reconfigure 166th Ave from four lanes to three lanes for safety for many years.  Will the Mayor have the guts to stay on schedule before his term ends?

Currently Downtown Redmond has about 2800 residents.

By 2030 the Administration's vision is 13,000 residents. We are facing a crisis of growth for years to come. 

Bob Yoder, opinion