School board association hosts meeting on charter schools; 12 districts delay plans to open charter schools

By Liv Finne
July 10, 2013

 

Monday, July 1st was an important date in the implementation of Initiative 1240, the voter-approved measure that legalized charter schools for Washington school children.  That was the deadline for interested school districts to submit an application to the State Board of Education to become a charter school authorizer.

 

Surprisingly, 12 of the 13 school districts that earlier had expressed interest in opening charter schools have delayed plans to become charter school authorizers.  Only education leaders at the Spokane School District say they will move ahead to provide access to charter schools for their students the fall of 2014.  Read More >>

Lake Washington School District budget proposed; Some additional funding now expected from the State

Redmond, Wash. – At its June 24 meeting, the Lake Washington School District Board of Directors received a draft budget for the 2013-14 school year. However, the state of Washington, the district’s largest funding source, did not yet have a budget. That left plenty of question marks in the district’s draft budget. Now that the state budget has been signed into law, the legislative impacts on the Lake Washington School District and the budget draft have become clearer. An updated budget proposal will be presented to the Board of Directors at its August 5 meeting that reflects an expected increase in state funding.

                “This additional funding is a step toward fully funding basic education,” noted Dr. Traci Pierce, superintendent. “After many years of budget cuts or flat budgets, it is a change in the right direction. Many basic needs remain unfunded or dependent on local levies, however.”  Read More >>

LWIT Students Place First, Second and Third in the Nation in SkillsUSA Competition

 

Kirkland, Wash.: All three LWIT students who attended the 2013 SkillsUSA National Competition June 24-28, in Kansas City, Mo., brought home medals.

 

Jonathan Anderson placed first in the country in Marine Service Technology with a gold medal. Nikolaos Antonopoulos placed second in the nation in Motorcycle Service Technology with a silver medal (winning LWIT a Harley-Davidson^® motorcycle courtesy of Harley-Davidson^®). Jeremy Talley placed third in the nation in Power Equipment Technology with a bronze medal. Talley was the silver medal winner in Motorcycle Service Technology in the 2012 SkillsUSA national competition, which won LWIT a Harley- Davidson^® motorcycle.  Read More>>

Tiger Swallowtail behind the Redmond Senior Center

Here is a photo I took a few days ago of a western tiger swallowtail.  It was swooping down and feeding on flowers in the garden area behind the Redmond Senior Center.  

The caterpillars of this species feed on the leaves of a variety of trees.  The caterpillars molt 5 times, eventually reaching a length of up to 2 inches before pupating. In summer, the butterfly can emerge as little as 15 days after the caterpillar pupated, but when the caterpillar pupates in the fall, the butterfly will not emerge until the spring.  Adult females will lay up to 100 eggs, deposited singly on the underside of leaves.

Report and photo by John Reinke

An Educational Forum On Treatments for Mood Disorders July 16th

An Educational Forum On

Treatments For Mood Disorders

Speaker:                David A Harrison, MD, PhD
Date:                      Tuesday, July 16, 2013  7 PM - 9 PM

Location:               Evergreen Hospital, Suite Tan 100, 12303 NE 130th Lane, Kirkland, WA 98034

Dr. David Harrison is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington School of Medicine. He currently works as a consulting psychiatrist for the Mental Health Integration Program (MHIP), a statewide program for improving mental health care in the primary care setting, as an attending psychiatrist on the UW Medical Center consult-liaison and inpatient psychiatry services, and as course chair of the first year medical student course on behavior medicine called Systems of Human Behavior. Dr. Harrison’s professional interests also involve improving the integration of spiritual care and complementary and alternative medicine into psychiatry.

 

Dr. Harrison has spoken at NAMI Forum’s before and has always enjoyed answering your questions.

Happy Fourth of July!

To all my readers, Best Wishes for a Happy and Safe Fourth of July!

Bob Yoder

Redmond City Council approves over $1,785,874 in sidewalk improvements

The 2011-2012 Sidewalk Improvements are this year’s portion of the City’s on-going sidewalk program to improve pedestrian safety and fill in missing sidewalk segments.

Project Description

 

A description of proposed improvements at each site is as follows:

171st Ave NE at NE 100th Street

This project component will construct curb, gutter, and 6’ concrete sidewalk on the eastside of 171st Ave NE at NE 100th Street, and two ADA ramps at the end of 172nd  Ave NE near Hartman Park in coordination with the Bike Park project. This section will also construct a driveway ramp to enter the park and minor landscaping.  Read More >>

School Board approves Eastlake video scoreboard

The School Board voted 4-1 (Pendergrass) to approve the Eastlake Football Booster and Evergreen Ford donation for a $160,000 video scoreboard.  Pendergrass was not for it and recommended to clear up confusion that the district was not buying the scoreboard that the Boosters be advertised as major contributors.  Director Siri Bliesner seconded Director Doug Egglington's motion to approve the scoreboard saying that it provided a media educational  opportunity for students.  The majority of the Board voiced concern that the community spent 6 years on the donation drive while the Board was in the dark on it.   They recommended a policy change on community projects of this magnitude to be kept better informed. 

Reported by Bob Yoder

Hill annouces bipartisan agreement on new state budget

OLYMPIA... State Sen. Andy Hill, the Senate’s chief budget writer, this morning announced that leaders from the Senate and House of Representatives have reached agreement on a new state operating budget that would take effect July 1. The compromise spending plan, which is expected to go before members of both chambers soon, will cover the 2013-15 fiscal biennium.

“All year I’ve been working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and both sides of the Legislature to establish a sustainable plan that prioritizes education and lives within our means,” said Hill, of Redmond, who serves as chairman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee. “I’m looking forward to finalizing and voting on a budget that puts an additional 1 billion dollars directly toward the basic-education obligations associated with the McCleary court ruling; protects our state’s economic slow but steady recovery; and provides relief for college students and their parents by ending tuition increases during the upcoming two year budget.”  Read More >>

Significant King County Parks levy on the August 6 ballot

City Council studied King County Park's Director Kevin Brown's presentation on two combined and enhanced Parks levies slated for the August 6 election.  The levy combines two 2008-2013 levies that are expiring - the Operations and Maintenance (M&O) Levy and the Open Space and Trails Levy.  Total cost of the levy increases from it's present 13.4cent/thousand assessed property value to 18.77cent/thousand assessed value.  Extra enhancements account for 20% of the levy.  The levy funds 72% of the park systems operating expenses.  If the August 6 levy fails M&O funds are reduced to zero.  51% is needed to pass. 

Councilmembers Margeson, Flynn, Vache' and Carson all considered it "risky" to lump the two levies together for an all or none vote with possible shutdown of some parks if the vote failed.   Margeson said there's a "big grab" for taxdollars, including a needed King County METRO levy to help people get to work.  Flynn "wasn't thrilled about the package".  (King County Council voted 7-2 for it.).  Carson said the levy would cost close to double than $45/year county average for a Redmond household.  Margeson was not pleased with King County's unwillingness to transfer Marymoor Park to the City of Redmond.

Reported by Bob Yoder

Sunset Gardens Park Free Summer Lunch for Kids and Teens

Redmond, WA - Join us for a summer of sun, fun, and lunch! Community Lunch at Sunset Garden’s Park is a FREE program for kids and teens ages 18 and under that runs July 8^th-August 23^rd, Monday-Friday from 11:30am-12:30.  Each day starting at 11:30am we’ll host different activities that include playing team sports, conducting science experiments, participating in active games, creating fun take-home crafts, and visits from special guests. At 12:00pm we’ll serve a healthy and delicious lunch provided by the Family Pancake House and sponsored by USDA. Sunset Gardens Park is located near the intersection of NE 95 Street and Avondale Road NE.  Read More >>

City doubles size of petty cash balance to $20,000

Traditionally, the Parks Department through a contracted event coordinator disburses up to $10,000 in prize money for the Criterium Race held over the Derby Days weekend. The largest cash prize is $500. 

 

To mitigate past difficulties with tax recording, Parks and Finance staff have agreed the City should take on the responsibility of disbursing the prize money. The two departments have worked out cash handling/disbursement procedures to be followed before, during, and after the event to protect the employees involved, as well as the funds.  The ordinance enables staff to have the prize money on-hand when needed. The $10,000 funds would be used solely for special event purposes and not for general petty cash.
The new ordinance allows the City to increase cash available in the Petty Cash and Revolving Fund by $10,000 to a maximum amount of $20,000. The additional $10,000 will be used solely for special event purposes.

By Bob Yoder 
Source:  Consent agenda, 6/18/13

New Level II Nursery Opens at Swedish/Issaquah July 8

— Service provides premature, sick, infants with special care, support

 

ISSAQUAH, Wash., June 20, 2013 — Swedish/Issaquah will open its new Level II Nursery on Monday, July 8, having recently received state approval to provide this vital service to the community. The Level II Nursery allows for premature and ill babies — born as early as 34 weeks gestational age — to stay at Swedish/Issaquah to receive the specialized, around-the-clock care they need from a specially trained team of experts.

 

Until now, babies born prematurely (less than 37 weeks gestational age) at Swedish/Issaquah were transferred to other area hospitals to receive neonatal care. Read More >>

Safe, convenient drug take-back law passed by Board of Health

 

Thursday, June 20, 2013New program will provide a safe medicine disposal system for King County residents

Click screenshot to watch video

Today, the King County Board of Health took a significant remaining step towards reducing preventable deaths from drug overdoses by passing a Rule & Regulation to create a drug take-back system for King County residents.

  The program promotes the safe disposal of unused prescription and over-the-counter medicines, and will be funded and operated by the drug manufacturers who produce the medications.
 
Under the new program residents may dispose of unwanted medicines at pharmacies and other secure locations across the county for no charge. The new law will create only the second such system in the country.
Read More >>

National Council on Teacher Quality study criticizes the educators of teachers

By Liv Finne
June 20, 2013

The National Council on Teacher Quality released its first annual report, “Teacher Prep Review,” a comprehensive evaluation of the quality of the colleges and universities that train the nation’s teachers. Using a four-star rating system, the Review assesses the 1,130 institutions that train 99% of schoolteachers.

 

The study finds that three-quarters of teacher-training institutions in the U.S. earned only two stars. Researchers found that these institutions "have become an industry of mediocrity, churning out first-year teachers with classroom management skills and content knowledge inadequate to thrive in classrooms with ever-increasing ethnic and socioeconomic diversity."

 

Out of Washington state’s 24 teacher-training institutions, only one made the Honor Roll of 3 stars or better: Washington State University’s undergraduate preparation program for high school teachers. Two schools in Washington made the Consumer Alert list of the nation’s lowest-performing programs: the University of Washington’s graduate programs for high school teachers in Bothell and Tacoma.   Read More >>

Massive Stormwater vault construction project by Sears to begin Mid-July - NE 20th St closed at night

Bid awarded to Shoreline Construction, Inc. in an amount of $2,245,575.65 for Overlake Village South Detention Vault- Utility Relocation, Construction expected to begin Mid-July.

 

The plan includes the design and construction of the Overlake Village South Detention Vault located in the east parking lot of the Sears store. The South Detention Vault project will deliver the first regional stormwater mitigation facility in Overlake.  The underground project is huge - the size of  City Hall. 

Description

The Overlake Village South Detention Vault project is being constructed in two phases. Phase 1 construction involves the relocation of existing power and stormwater utilities. The current location of these utilities lies within the footprint of the new vault and are an obstruction to the new vault installation. The utility relocation work must be completed prior to constructing the new vault, which is scheduled early 2014.  Read More >>

Year-end Letter from LWSD Superintendent Traci Pierce

As the 2012-13 school year comes to a close, it provides an opportunity to reflect on the past year and all that has been accomplished.

As superintendent I very much enjoyed attending high school graduation ceremonies and watching proud families cheer their seniors as they crossed the stage to receive their diplomas. The core of our district mission is to help all of our students graduate, and we are proud of our 94% on-time graduation rate, though we continue to strive to achieve a 100% graduation rate. Our district vision also speaks to preparing students for college and career. Given the importance of post-secondary education to long-term employment prospects, we monitor post-graduation data to help us determine how we are progressing toward accomplishing our vision for students. Currently, approximately 79% of Lake Washington students immediately enroll in some form of post-secondary education immediately following graduation. That number compares favorably to other districts in the state, and, of course, we continue to work toward raising that percentage.  Read More >>

Birding Tours Explore Marymoor Park At Summer's Peak

Savannah Sparrow By Mary Brisson

Stroll on Solstice Evening and Family Walk on Holiday Weekend

KIRKLAND — A sunset walk on the longest evening of the year and a kid-friendly, Saturday-morning tour on July 6 offer chances to see the birds of summer when they’re most active and abundant at Marymoor Park in Redmond.

Hosted by Eastside Audubon, both walks are free and open to the public.

In early summer, birds like American Goldfinches and Cedar Waxwings are still colorful and singing in the woods, ducks like Common Mergansers may be swimming with their young on the slough, and, with luck, a Short-eared Owl may even be spotted over the meadow at twilight. 

Solstice Evening Walk, Friday, June 21

                Birdsong continues for hours on the long first evening of summer. Walk the Audubon BirdLoop with Eastside Audubon president and master birder Andy McCormick to look and listen along the slough, in the woods, and at the meadow.

                This leisurely and level two-mile walk will start at 6:30 p.m. at Parking Lot D and end at 9 p.m. or when the birds call it a night. (Parking is $1.) Bring binoculars and a snack. All ages welcome (17 and younger with parent).

Family Birding Walk, Saturday, July 6   

                Birds are most active and fun to watch in the morning when the woods and meadows are still cool and fresh. The walk will start at 9 a.m. and go at a kid’s pace until 11 a.m. (you can leave the walk at any time).  Read More >>

Council approves realignment project of salmon-bearing Tosh Creek adjacent West Lake Sammamish Parkway

Award of Bid to TriState Construction, Inc. in an amount of $1,207,448.85 for Tosh Creek Realignment and Culvert Replacement

Tosh Creek is a Class 2 (salmon-bearing) stream that flows off a steep hillside and meets

the valley floor at West Lake Sammamish Parkway (WLSP), where it flows through an

arch culvert approximately 67 feet in length. The channel downstream of WLSP has been

ditched and relocated around a field. The lower stream reach has limited in-stream

habitat and the stream bank vegetation is mostly blackberry. During heavy rains, the

culvert occasionally exceeds capacity, flooding WLSP and requiring debris and sediment

removal from the inlet and outlet each year.
 

Small numbers of Coho salmon spawn in the stream regularly, and the stream supports

healthy numbers of rearing juvenile Coho as well as Cutthroat trout. With restoration, the

stream has the potential for some of the best small-stream salmon habitat in the southwest

quadrant of the City.  Read More >>

Have you switched to Green Power for your PSE electricity?

Most people don't know that Puget Sound Energy (PSE) is steadily increasing renewable energy (solar, biomass, wind) but most of your PSE power still comes from coal, natural gas and fossil fuels in general.  As a result, the average home in Washington creates about 33 pounds of carbon pollution emissions from using electricity every day.

That's why PSE created the Green Power Program.  When you enroll, 100% of your energy is matched with renewable energy credits generated by "green wind and biomass farms", solar, low impact hydro and land fill biogas projects. 

The program costs an average home in Washington about 12% more on their utility bill but the environmental benefits are huge and you're supporting local clean energy jobs.  By signing up for the program and going carbon neutral (minus natural gas usage for heat, etc.) that's equivalent to taking a car off the road for a year or adding 173 seedling trees to the environment. 

Only businesses and residents served by PSE are eligible.

By Bob Yoder

June's Last Saturday Event at Redmond's Watershed Preserve

                       

Redmond, WA – Trained Forest Stewards will again be hosting the Last Saturday volunteer events in Redmond Parks continuing the restoration efforts of the Green Redmond Partnership. All Last Saturday events are from 9am – Noon on the last Saturday of the month, April through October. June’s event will be held at Redmond’s Watershed Preserve 21760 Novelty Hill Road on Saturday, June 29^th.   Read More >>

State Board of Education cancels vote to weaken School Achievement Index

By Liv Finne
June 17, 2013

 

This Wednesday, June 19^th, the State Board of Education meets in Olympia to discuss revisions to the School Achievement Index to reduce the rigor of the performance criteria used to evaluate schools, as I’ve explained here.  Originally, they planned to vote on the revisions after taking public testimony.

 

The State Board, led by Chairman Jeff Vincent, has decided to cancel the vote. The agenda for the meeting now includes this note:

 

Note to attendees: Given the status of proposed legislation impacting the development and use of the State Board’s Achievement Index, the Board leadership has elected to take final Index approval off the proposed action items for the June 19th special meeting.

 

The School Achievement Index will, at least for now, retain its current level of rigor over the performance criteria used to report school performance in Washington.

 

http://www.washingtonpolicy.org/blog/post/state-board-education-cancels-vote-weaken-school-achievement-index

Can you identify this Redmond thief?

Dear Redmond Community & Friends, (from Jim Bove)

 http://canyouid.me/blog/2013/06/redmond-pd-13-009371/

 The above link is a photo of a female believed to be associated with a vehicle prowl and a locker theft (theft from a locker, not an actual theft OF a locker…they are a bit heavy) at a gym, both in Redmond. Both instances involved the victims’ stolen credit cards being used at various establishments.

 Please take a look and send an email to the contact at the bottom of that page if you can help identify her. Also, feel free to check the CanYouId.me website from time to time and help different agencies solve crimes.

 Thanks, have a good weekend, and be safe!

  Jim Bove

Redmond Police Department

bove@redmond.gov

UPDATE:  On 6/18 we received a tip from someone identifying her and she was subsequently arrested for 11 felony counts – 8 were Identity Theft-2nd, and three counts of Possession of Stolen Property-2^nd. These, in addition to several previous felony convictions. The tipster saw the picture and did the right thing by calling.  Thanks!

RHS PTSA Survey, Legacy for Learning, Volunteer opportunities

PTSA SURVEY. Dear RHS PTSA Members, we welcome and value your input. Please let us know how we are doing by completing the following survey, here
. Your input will help us determine our mission and goals for next year. Thank you!

 

2013 LEGACY FOR LEARNING LUNCHEON EXCEEDS GOAL AND BREAKS RECORDS! The Lake Washington Schools Foundation is excited to report that it raised a record amount, over $216,600, at its "Legacy for Learning" luncheon held on May 1 at Juanita High School. (Our goal was $192,000.) The foundation was also honored to have had a record number of registered guests, 562, who enjoyed a delicious lunch, the music of two high school music groups, and a wide range of speakers, including Superintendent Traci Pierce who spoke about the district's new STEM-based Signature Programs. Luncheon proceeds will ensure that all students have quality teachers, equal access to educational opportunities and the skills they will need for college, work and personal success. You can get a glimpse of some of the students impacted by the foundation here: https://vimeo.com/65417465. This successful event was made possible thanks to the work of PTA members, school district staff, community volunteers, sponsors, foundation trustees, and over 70 table captains who helped fill the room with advocates for kids and education. What incredible community support for our kids! Thank you to this generous community!

 

CONGRATULATIONS TO RHS PTSA! This weekend...Read More >>

Amateur raidio operators test skills during national amatueur radio field day event

 

When: From 11am Saturday June 22, 2013, to 11am Sunday June 23, 2013

Where: Redmond Fire Station 17, 16917 NE 116 ST, Redmond WA 98052

 

Have you ever thought about how difficult it would be to coordinate emergency services without electricity, phone lines, Internet, or cell phones?

 

The City of Redmond has. This is why Mayor John Marchione is proclaiming the week of June 16-23, 2013 as Amateur Radio Week in Redmond, in recognition of the valuable public service that Redmond amateur radio operators provide to the community.  Read More >>