Superintendent’s messages….

There are two parts to this posting, which contains two messages from San Juan Island School Superintendent Rick Thompson….I hope you get time to read them both. The first addresses the proposed budget cuts to schools at the state level, and the second details the recommendations adopted by the Board for the Capital and Technology Levy  in February. Here’s more:

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District Bracing for More State Cuts to K-12 Education

For the last several years, we have tried to make the community aware of the state funding cuts to basic education which have a direct impact on our classrooms.  On Monday, November 28, the legislature will reconvene in a special session to make further state spending cuts.  Those cuts will include reductions which will most likely impact the San Juan Island School District.  Yesterday the Governor released her budget which included a combination of K-12 reductions along with a half penny increase on sales tax designed to offset the impact of the cuts.  We will continue to follow the special session closely to anticipate where the cuts will come.  We are also expecting reductions to federal funding, in light of automatic cuts to federal spending which will take effect now that the Super committee has not been able to act.

At the time of this writing cuts may come in the form of fewer school days (180 days have been part of the definition of basic education); Local Effort Assistance (funding designed to assist property poor districts); salary reductions, and less money to pay for staffing which results in class size increases.  While not all cuts will impact the SJISD, it is very likely that at the end of the day we will again operate on less money.  The community has shown great responsibility and resiliency in being able to weather the cuts so far, compensating locally for losses of student achievement funds and staffing support.  To date we have been able to keep those cuts as far from the classroom as possible.  This may not be possible now.

As such we continue to thank the community for the generous private support which takes many forms, and we thank you for voicing your opposition to further cuts to K-12 education.  We also appreciate your careful consideration of the Capital and Technology Levy which will be presented to voters on February 14, 2012, so that we don’t use classroom dollars to maintain facility needs. The Great Recession continues to impact the way we operate public schools, and threatens the educational gains that have been made in our state over the last twenty years.  Fully funding basic education continues to be the highest duty of our state legislators.

Please let your voice be known.

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Board Accepts Committee Recommendations for Capital and Technology Levy

In 2008, this community passed a four-year Capital and Technology Levy (in addition to the Maintenance and Operations Levy) to support the ongoing building, grounds and technology needs for our students, coaches, staff and co-curricular participants.   Since the 2008 measure, significant capital needs have arisen, particularly at the Friday Harbor Elementary School site and in the areas of technology.

To better inform the board about a resolution to replace the 2008 measure, a group of staff and citizen volunteers met for several meetings this fall to discuss priorities and to ensure tax dollars would be wisely spent in this challenging economy.

The committee noted the following:

Ø  The current budget is insufficient to maintain the district building and grounds.

Ø  The Friday Harbor Elementary School building needs additional work beyond the roof replacement.

Ø  Some grounds work needs to be done.

Ø  The Carter Avenue fields project is under lease and will not be placed on the measure.

Ø  Technology needs outpace the district’s ability to maintain student and staff work needs.

The committee also noted that all building bonds have been paid off.

For more information, please see the Capital and Technology Levy information on the district’s website, www. sjisd.wednet.edu.

This link will provide you with detailed information about what’s being proposed, and some of the background documents leading to the recommendation.

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