ShorelineSchoolBlog.org

Simple Majority For Levies - 4204

2007-10-16T18:18:00.000-07:00

Help get the word out to your friends and neighbors on 4204 by sending them these links:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qy9F4ABo3xg

http://www.simplybetterschools.org

Help Support New Candidates

2007-10-16T18:15:00.000-07:00

Kyle Burleigh for School Board Director, District 1
Maren Norton for School Board Director, District 4
Richard Potter for School Board Director, District 5

What can you (educators, parents, students) do to help these candidates and make a positive difference in the Shoreline School District?

1. Leaflet an area in Shoreline or lake Forest Park on Saturday, October 20.
2. Wave a sign at a designated corner on Friday afternoon, October 19.
3. Write a letter to the Shoreline Enterprise Editor (or to the Times/PI).
4. Talk to at least five of their friends and neighbors in Shoreline and urge them to vote for Potter, Burleigh and Norton!

Here is additional information about each of these activities.

1. Leaflet on Saturday, October 20th:
We will meet at 9:30 am on Saturday morning, October 20, in the parking lot next to the Shoreline Senior Center at the Shoreline Center (south end) on 185th and First Avenue North. Teams of two will leaflet designated areas from 10 am to Noon. Volunteers will be given a designated geographic area and leaflets to distribute to residents or leave in door jambs or on door mats. Most important will be leaving a flyer in the door (NOT the mailbox) or sticking out from a door mat. If people are actually home, the only expectation would be for people to introduce themselves, ask the resident to vote for Norton, Burleigh, and Potter and leave a flyer. Please email me (from your personal, non-school account) or contact your building rep to volunteer!

2. Sign Waving on Friday, October 19th:
Join us to wave Potter and Burleigh signs on the following corners/intersections from 4 PM to 6 PM or 4:30 to 6:30 PM on Friday, October 19th: 15th Ave NE and 145th; 175th exit off of I-5; Ballinger exit off of I-5; 205th and Aurora; Aurora and 175th; Aurora and 185th; Lake City/Bothell Way and 145th; Ballinger and Bothell Way (Lake Forest Park Shopping Center corners) The campaigns will supply the signs. Please choose an intersection to focus on that may be near your school site and email me or contact your building rep to volunteer!

3. Write a Letter to the Editor of the Shoreline Enterprise and/or Seattle Times or PI. Talking points for Letters to Editor and/or community conversations could be as follows:
1) It's time for a change to the School Board. Shoreline cannot afford any more mistakes or fiscal mismanagement. The current Board members took four years to figure out that they needed to be more vigilant and watch the budget more carefully. They continue to rely too heavily on whatever District administrators tell them, and they have failed to ask independent questions.
2) Richard Potter, Kyle Burleigh, and Maren Norton understand and support the value of neighborhood schools. They understand that our community revolves around our schools.
3) Potter, Burleigh and Norton are willing to revisit previous consulting arrangements and determine whether Shoreline District is getting its money's worth out of those arrangements. The Board incumbents have been unwilling to correct past mistakes.
4) The three incumbents have treated educators, parents and concerned citizens as nuisances and placed public comment at the end of long Board meetings. There is a lack of accountability towards the parents, taxpayers, educators, and students in Shoreline. There is an unwillingness on the incumbents' part to engage in dialogue with parents, educators and concerned community members.

5) Shoreline's instructional integrity is at stake. We cannot balance the current District budget on the backs of students and educators. We need to provide adequate resources to the classroom - after all, that's where the rubber hits the road for education.

4. Spread the word:
Talk to at least five of your friends and neighbors in Shoreline and Lake Forest Park and urge them to vote for Potter, Burleigh and Norton!

Jacobs, Burleigh air views on Shoreline School District

2007-10-07T05:00:00.001-07:00

By Sarah Koenig
Enterprise writer

Teacher's Union Endorses Candidates

2007-10-07T05:00:00.000-07:00

District 1
Kyle Burleigh

District 4
Maren Norton

District 5
Richard Potter

Maren Norton Endorsement

2007-10-06T22:21:00.000-07:00

I attended the Shoreline Council Candidate Forum and would like to share my impressions on the School Board candidates:

Within two minutes of Maren Norton speaking I realized she is one of those rare, intelligence, exceptional people that come around occasionally and that we need to grab her because someone else will. She definitely stood out far from the pack.

Why? She has successful experience to bring to the table. She was voted student body president at Stanford University representing 14,000 students and 4 million dollars. She worked at Washington State House of Representatives getting to know our legislation process in Olympia. She went to Michigan Law School. She has an impressive resume and has received too many outstanding achievement awards to mention in email.

On a personal note: I had coffee with Senator Maria Cantwell when I visited Washington DC. When her Educational Legislative Assistant found out I was from Shoreline she asked about Maren Norton. She said she was outstanding and that both Senators are keeping an eye on our local Shoreline School Board elections.

She has awed both our State Senators, she has my vote.
Why is this legislative tidbit important? Because we have huge gaps in un-funded educational mandates and we need someone that understands and can begin the process of closing those funding gaps. She has the experience and connections to do a lot for us.
Please also vote for Richard Potter and Kyle Burleigh.
The school board incumbents are running on the platform that they inherited the school district mess and they have worked hard to correct the problems. Yes that is true, but they didn't start correcting any problems until they were brought out publicly about two years ago. Michael Jacobs has been on the board six years and Jim Leigh for four. Both robotically continued to approve budgets such as the $4.5 mil. (est.) energy studies which the district didn't have money for. Michael Jacobs was part of hiring Jim Welsh the school Superintendent that caused this mess. These incumbents didn't understand their jobs, and what was already falling apart finally came out in the open.
Teachers are frustrated with our current school board. Teachers are the ones in the everyday trenches educating our kids; and are our fist indicators of when things are not working.

Please email this to anyone that can vote and lets get a good school board elected.

Web Sites: marennorton.com
SmileForKyle.com
Vote4Potter.com

Shorelineschools.org for undated meetings and candidate forums

Tiia-Mai Barrett
Highland Terrace Elementary and Einstein Middle School

More changes at schools this week

2007-10-03T10:30:00.000-07:00

Some students are moved to new classes, others moved back

By Sarah Koenig
Enterprise writer

Strike Day Pictures

2007-09-28T12:53:00.000-07:00

Washington Education Association

Shoreline parents, teachers & ESP unite in one-day strike

2007-09-28T12:52:00.000-07:00

District locks parents out
Washington Education Association

School district needs trust, communication to recover from strike

2007-09-28T11:33:00.000-07:00

Enterprise Newspaper

Parents question elementary changes

2007-09-28T11:28:00.000-07:00

By Sarah Koenig Enterprise writer

Teachers Protest Overloaded Classrooms

2007-09-27T14:54:00.000-07:00

Union says school district misled them
By Sarah Koenig Enterprise writer

Shoreline Teachers Protest Overcrowded Classrooms

2007-09-27T14:53:00.001-07:00

King 5 News

Comments

2007-09-26T18:47:00.000-07:00

Posted by Anonymous on September 28, 2007 9:06 AM

The baseball field? Your position is one can only further an opinion on this issue if they've attended school board meetings? In other words, you've done the "heavy lifting" of attending school board meetings so you are so much more well informed? I note that it's pretty easy to take a shot at Mr. Hammond, who has bravely supplied his name, while you sit back under a cloak of anonymity. I submit that this why posters choose to remain anonymous lest they suffer random accusations from cowardly neighborhood gadflies who, it would appear, follow people around and note where they spend their time. Do you have a little spiral bound notebook with notes about people?

Don't express shock and indignation over the fact that the SEA's position does not enjoy 100% approval from parents. I along with many other posters have been asking for solid information about cost saving measures the SEA has proposed that the District has rejected. There have been a couple of responses with answers to this question, but nothing remotely comprehensive. So I suggest that the SEA and their many supporters get this information out so reasonable people...yes, including people who can't attend Board meetings because they have activities with their kids (God forbid) can get the facts. It's not helpful to simply spit venom at those you wrongfully perceive as your opponents. It may make you feel better in the short run, but it doesn't make friends and only hurts your cause.

Posted by Anonymous on September 28, 2007 12:39 AM

I think it's so interesting that people (or one person) can read what Sue Walker writes and take that as the only side to this issue. Don't you think it a bit sleazy that the district waited until after the contracts were signed to disrupt the whole structure of the classroom?

I know that they stated that the full number of students weren't in until after school started, but to that I say B.S. Sue Walker also stated that schools in districts like Everett do not allow for overload compensation in their contracts. Well, this may be because they know their numbers before school begins, and hires teachers according to where he or she is needed.

I sincerely hope that the school board takes this walkout seriously, and perhaps it will impact the way in which they choose to begin the school year for 08-09. I agree with the person who wrote about whether or not anyone (with a teaching certificate) would want to work for 1.5 hours per day. I can tell you that those of us who are certificated and sub in the district, do not. This prohibits us taking jobs at all, and it only amounts to $120 per week. To the person who wants to send the daycare bill out, why don't you send it my way because I'd probably make more money.

As a parent of a child in the district, I'm livid that our children are treated with such arrogance from the school board. Children thrive on structure, they anticipate the first day of school, seeing their friends on recess and lunch, and now in one horrid swoop, it's all changed. How do you explain that to a 1st grader? To the parent who said he or she wants to teach his/her child to negotiate, well this is exactly what the teachers are doing. They have done all that they could, and avoided a strike so our kids could begin school on time, only to have their negotiations thrown in their face. If they didn't make a stand, what sort of lesson is that teaching your kids?

Finally, how is it possible that Shoreline School District is going to be able to attract eager, devoted, and caring educators into the district if they continually put teachers and students on the chopping block? As a recent t-cert graduate, most of my classmates have steered clear of Shoreline. It's quite sad, since there were some incredible educators in my class.

September 27, 2007 8:24 PM
Anonymous said...

I am curious how many people who are criticizing the teachers have actually attended a school board meeting. I have never seen Dave Hammond at a school board meeting. Maybe spend less time in on the baseball field and more time paying attention to what is really happening in the district before making a rambling statement about something you obviously know nothing about.

Anonymous said...
Anyone know the SEA and SESPA mailing addresses? I need to send them an invoice for the child care costs they are creating for me with their strike.Thanks!

September 26, 2007 3:17 AM
David Hammond said...
I would like to support my son's teacher's, but I cannot do so blindly. In this case I have to temper my support because it appears to me the district has taken a reasonable action to control costs while the teacher's union has made an unreasonable response. The fact that a majority of Shoreline Education Association educators opposed the walkout also indicates it is not reasonable.I'll agree the timing and communication of the district's moves could have been better, but they are trying to balance the budget, under great pressure from the community, so I am willing to allow them a bit of grace. They must work within the state's funding mechanism's, in order to maximize the amount of state funding, for good of the district as a whole.I think the walkout was not called for, based on the Shoreline Education Association's assertion that both their unfair labor practice charge and their grievance will be challenging to win. The walkout is an attention-getter, but it is disruptive to the students and their classroom activities. The teacher's union response seems to be focused on the lost wage supplement certain teachers receive for each student assigned to their class, beyond the contractually agreed-to minimum, rather than on what is best for the children. My son's elementary school experience (at North City) included some small class sizes, some large, and a couple of years in split classes. His teachers were able to adapt, I stayed involved, and it all worked out fine.It is unfortunate that the teacher's union and the district administrators have such a combative working relationship. As the Times noted this morning, it reflects badly on our community.

September 26, 2007 8:01 AM
Anonymous said...
David Hammond - Where did you see that "a majority of Shoreline Education Association educators opposed the walkout"? Just curious because I hadn't read that and it puts a lot into perspective.-GTK

September 26, 2007 9:21 AM
Anonymous said...
Regarding the person wanting to bill the SEA for their daycare costs- if that's all this issue means to you, you bring up a good point. I doubt your daycare provider has a college degree or teaching certificate, but even if they do, I doubt they have to teach your kid much of anything and certainly they're not held to WASL standards. Even so, what if we were reverse your logic and pay teachers daycare rates. At $500 per child, a teacher with 28 kids would gross about 14k per month or 168k per year. Feel better?

September 26, 2007 9:37 AM
Anonymous said...
David Hammond- the issue is explained fully on this blog if you take the time to read it before you comment, its not about wages. It's about teachers not getting the support they need which affects all the kids.

September 26, 2007 9:53 AM
Anonymous said...
What is the justification for the attacks on the superintendent and school board? They inherited a fiscal mess and are taking steps to resolve it. Has anyone considered the fact that the reason we are in the current crisis is due to a lack of fiscal responsibility by the prior administrations? Do you think that a different school board or superintendent would magically find money somewhere else or that balancing the budget is simiply not a priority?The union is concerned about lost revenue for it's members and the situation is being wrapped in a "for the children" package to garner community support. The union striking about an agreement that the union recently approved? Fiscal responsibility is not an alternative, it is mandatory for the school district to move forward and address the needs of our students in the future.

September 26, 2007 10:22 AM
Just my opinion said...
What has the SEA done to resolve this new issue regarding the change in class size/imbalances? How have you worked WITH the district to resolve the budget short fall (at this point, not in the Sept 5 negotiations)?I feel strongly that any disruption to students should be an absolute, rock bottom resort. I don't feel as though we are at that last resort step at this point. I also think that this sends a bad message to our children. I want my children to work things out. Compromise. Negotiate. I don't want them to cross their arms, and refuse. Please for the sake of the children, try to work out the differences without disrupting services.Also, make sure that this is truly about the children and imbalanced class size, and not just about the loss of .3 salary for teachers. When balancing a budget something has to give, and with such a tight budget if it's not this it will be something else just as hard to take.

September 26, 2007 10:33 AM
Anonymous said...
Daycare rates? Are you such a simpleton that you think the check you write to a daycare is simply handed over to a teacher? Is your argument deliberately hyperbolic, or do you actually not know that daycares have other expenses like, oh, rent, insurance, utilities, payroll administration, vacation leave, sick leave, etc. You know, BUSINESS expenses. If you are going to refute something, at least try to make sense instead of trotting out some lame and obviously stupid remark. Unless credibility is of no concern, of course. In that case, never mind.

September 26, 2007 10:43 AM
Anonymous said...
Where is the best place to protest on Thursday? Best time?

September 26, 2007 10:54 AM
Ken Altena said...
87% of the teachers present at the meeting voted for the strike. Approximately 250 teachers were in attendance. The superintendent is misleading parents by saying that less than a majority supported the strike. She is using 80% affirmative vote of approximately 50% attending the meeting. Last time I checked, this is not how we report elections in a democracy. Take her spin on the vote in light of the current ballot issue regarding tax measures. Why are school districts supporting the proposed change from a super majority (60%) to a simple majority (50%) in school funding tax measures? Obviously to make it easier for these measures to pass. The super majority was put in place to help protect the majority of people who don't or can't vote in these special elections. The turnout in these elections is often less than 30%. 60% of 30% means only 18% support is needed to pass a tax measure. Does the superintendent talk about the vote in this manner? Of course not. She is putting her own spin on the strike vote. She has no way of knowing that teacher support of the strike was not over 80% across the district. I believe in a democracy we have to believe the vote represents a fair approximation of wishes of the constituents.Additionally, the question should be "why are we in this mess?" Haven't the voters of Shoreline passed every school tax measure presented to us over the last decade? Where did the money go? I don't think the teachers have it.

September 26, 2007 11:11 AM
Anonymous said...
Mr. Hammond, you have unfortunately fallen victum to the Shorelake School district propoganda machine.87%, Shoreline’s teachers voted to conduct the one-day strike, but slightly less than half of the union was able to attend the SEA meeting. The meeting was called last Friday after the union failed to get the district to bargain on the overload issue. Because of the location and the time many SEA members were unable to attend but support was widespread. The Superintendent used the low turnout to give people the false impression that the majority of union members did not support the strike. I think this type of misleading information should give everyone a good understanding for the unethical practices of the district.Your blog is well written but it is based on misinformation provided by the district.

September 26, 2007 3:03 PM
Anonymous said...
Annonymous who asked why the attacks on the Superintendent and School Board. This Superintendent was part of the administration that so royally screwed up the budget. 3 of the Board Members were there at the same time. Sue Walker, Dan Mann, Jim Leigh and Mike Jacobs have shown they don't know how to be fiscally responsible.As for adding teachers. In AP US History, my son's class is 35 in his AP Biology it's 38! Is that conducive to learning? How about the history class at the middle school level that has 38 students in it without always having enough chairs for the students? Doing an overload and giving the teacher an aide for 1 1/2 - 2 hours a day isn't much help. I don't think a new Superintendent or School Board can come up with more money, but how about Sue Walker give up her salary increase in a show of support for what the teachers, students and community are giving up to help balance the budget mess we're in?

September 26, 2007 4:36 PM
Anonymous said...
For those that think this is about teacher's receiving extra pay for overload, consider asking how many elementary teachers choose the extra pay OR the classified support. From what I understand, most choose the extra help in the classroom over the pay, because THAT is what is best for our students and their learning. This is what has been significantly reduced by the district's moving students around. If teachers are to receive the extra support critical for our children, then we parents are going to have to volunteer our time. How many of us are able and willing to do that?

September 26, 2007 6:17 PM
Anonymous said...
TO the person concerned about daycare. While I understand the financial impact to you, it is a darn shame that you aren't more concerned about the quality of your child's education. School is NOT a substitute for daycare, unfortunately I believe many feel that way.

September 26, 2007 7:42 PM
Anonymous said...
FYI, I called all of the School Board members to ask them to present their side to me. I received one nasty return from a spouse stating I wouldn't hear from the Member until next week. I did get Dan Mann on the phone, he was rude, short, told me he was too busy to talk to me and never called back! No one else to date has returned my phone call.

September 26, 2007 7:45 PM
Anonymous said...
Basically what the district is doing is shortchanging students. If a grade level is overloaded, they have taken all the extra kids over the cutoff and moved them into one classroom. Then they offer less support than before by putting in a .2 certificated teacher, who can be there for an hour a day, which also has the added bonus of raising the level at which a classroom is considered at overload. In

SEA/SESPA Response to District's Letter of 9/25/07

2007-09-26T18:36:00.000-07:00

September 26, 2007

Dear Shoreline Staff, Parents and Community,

Most of you are aware by now, that Shoreline teachers, other certificated educators, and classified support staff (SEA and SESPA) are not working at our schools Thursday, Sept. 27. We are protesting the District’s decision to overload classrooms and disrupt our students’ school lives.

We are working instead, tomorrow, to raise community awareness about how frustrated and disheartened we feel about the District’s latest misguided actions.

While the District is sharing a lot of figures to try to justify their latest mismanagement of funds, our concern is the educational and emotional harm their actions have on our students and our teachers and other school employees.

Last Friday, the district told seven fourth graders at Meridian Park Elementary to report to a new 4/5 split class the following Monday. With 18 fifth graders and seven fourth graders, the younger children are outnumbered more than two to one. Courtney Kesselring’s daughter, Careena is greatly impacted. Her three best friends were moved in one fell swoop.

Careena is devastated, Kesselring says, because the move means her friends have a separate class, a separate lunch and a separate recess. Kesselring is also concerned that some of the students moved are not mature enough to be immersed into a fifth and sixth grade culture. "I just wish the District would support the kids where they are and keep the classes whole," Kesselring says.

We agree with Courtney Kesselring. The District ought to support the kids.

The impact is also felt by teachers and other school employees. Staff members normally have a few months to prepare for a split class. They have to learn two separate curriculums and prepare lessons to meet the needs of two separate grades. Giving teachers 48 hours to make this change is unreasonable and educationally irresponsible.

The District has created very few new classes with the additional teaching staff provided across the district. Instead, they shuffled students like chairs, with complete and utter lack of regard for how this impacts the balanced classroom communities created by teachers last spring.
Where once there were three first grade classes with 24, 25 and 25 students, now we have 23, 23 and 28. And what kind of assistance is the district offering the first grade teacher who has 28 first graders all day long? About one hour per day. That means for 80% of the school day, the teacher and the first graders have no assistance. The other classes receive no assistance at all.

So these new teachers hired are not getting new classrooms. They are traveling around the school providing about one hour of assistance in an overloaded classroom per day. In addition, the overloaded classes could continue to get new students as they come to school, so an elementary class may end up with more than 30 students and still have only one hour of assistance per day.

At the secondary level, close to 200 students’ schedules were changed Monday morning. Teachers were told they had to change sections, basically having to start over with students they did not know nearly a month into the school year.

The District says it "appreciates" our frustration with their changes. We are looking for more than an appreciation. We are looking for an understanding of the situation and how it impacts those of us who work with our students every day. We are seeking action that shows instructional integrity and respect for the classroom.

Shoreline budgeted more than half a million dollars to assist with overcrowded classrooms. We expect them to use that money wisely and to do it in a way that doesn’t tear apart already-established classrooms.

When asked where that money, already budgeted for overloaded classrooms, District administrators told us they would use the money to "fill a hole" in the budget. They knowingly adopted a deficit budget and then took instructional money away from the students to "fill the hole."

What is "the hole?" Was it created by the millions of dollars spent on consultants, no-bid contracts, and superintendent buyouts? What matters to us is that our students receive the highest instructional quality possible. Splitting and isolating students, putting 28 or more students into one class and offering an hour of help a day, moving secondary school students to new sections with different teachers nearly a month into school – those are harmful to students, not helpful. These students have one chance for their basic education. Why would the District try to "fill a hole" on our students’ backs?

We are taking a stand against the School Board’s lack of regard for students, staff and families. We ask you to support us by contacting Supt. Sue Walker as well as our five board members to demand they refocus their priorities on Shoreline students.

Sincerely,

Elizabeth Beck
Co-president
Shoreline Education Association

Barbara Cruz
Co-President
Shoreline Educational Support Professionals Association

Turmoil Bruises Shoreline School District

2007-09-25T18:37:00.000-07:00

Seattle Times

Parent Letter To Superintendent Walker

2007-09-25T18:35:00.000-07:00

RE: Student Reallocation

Dear Superintendent Walker:

We are writing in response to the enrollment shifts that are taking place on Monday. We have two children enrolled at Brookside Elementary – one of whom is being moved from a 5th grade class to a 5th/6th split class.

Washington’s Basic Education Act (RCW 28A.150.210) states in part that improving student achievement “will require all parties responsible for education to focus more on what is best for students.” Uprooting students from their classrooms (and the teachers they have begun to bond with) three weeks into the school year hardly seems in line with this charge.

Both the timing of these moves and the manner in which they have been communicated to families have been sorely lacking. Let’s examine some relevant dates in our situation (which we expect will be similar to others):

August 30: Classroom roster information made available to Brookside families.
September 5: First day of school
September 10: State’s official student counts are released.
September 13: District allocates additional certificated teaching staff.

The District had preliminary enrollment numbers and class assignment data available no later than August 30. Any potential class overload situations should have been apparent at that time, and contingency plans could have been established to address these overloads – either during the first week of school, or at worst immediately following the release of the State’s official counts.

Instead, the District chose to wait until three weeks into the school year to abruptly reshuffle students into different classes, causing huge disruptions for schools, students, and families.

Let’s go back to the calendar of events:

September 20: “Open Letter to the Community on Elementary Staffing” is posted on the District’s web site.
September 21: Letter from Brookside principal Kathryn Noble is sent home with all students announcing potential classroom changes.
September 22: Phone message received from Kathryn Noble informing us that our child was being moved.
September 24: Our student reports to his new teacher at the beginning of the day.
At no point during any of these communications was it mentioned how the transition would be handled, what criteria were used to determine which students were moved, or what the curriculum impact would be. Further, the phone message on the 22nd did not contain a phone number to call with questions. We are flying blind, which is completely unnecessary.

Again, the Basic Education Act states that improving student achievement “will require all parties responsible for education to focus more on what is best for students.” Given that our 5th grader (a good student) reacted to the changes by exclaiming, “I don’t want to go to school any more” and “why me”, this situation hardly seems in his best interests. We suspect he is not alone.

Your own Operating Principles state that you will:
Keep the focus on issues of student achievement as the centerpiece of our work together.
Treat students, staff, the public, and each other with respect.
Create opportunities for meaningful participation and input early in the decision making process.
Support and encourage opportunities for open, honest communication.

As parents of an impacted Shoreline School District student, we do not see where any of these principles were taken into consideration with this decision.

Unfortunately, recent District history combined with the haphazard manner in which these changes have been implemented leads us to conclude that the changes were made for one reason – to save the District money. We would also like to point out that it would seem that the degree of savings may be in question. Hiring lawyers and focusing additional staff time to defend against an unfair labor practice and to work through the grievance process costs money as well.

Finally, the question must be asked - could overload calculations and preliminary contingency plans have been developed during last year’s studies relating to the school closure issue? If the answer to this question is “yes”, then what took so long? Couldn’t some of these changes (i.e. split classes) been implemented prior to the beginning of the school year, lessening the disruption? We would like answers.

We respectfully ask that the District reconsider this misinformed action and return students to the classrooms where they belong for the remainder of the school year.

Sincerely,

Ted Reijonen & Sharon Reijonen

Do The Math

2007-09-25T18:33:00.000-07:00

According to Superintendent Sue Walker, Assistant Superintendent Marcia Harris, the Superintendent’s cabinet and the Shoreline School Board, teachers just don’t get it. What is it that your teachers are supposedly too dense to understand? Apparently we can’t do simple math.

District administration’s argument goes something like this: If only teachers understood that tough financial choices must be made, they would realize that wisdom of current district policies. “Fiscal responsibility”, “long term solutions”, “solvency”: These are the buzzwords of Superintendent Sue Walker’s current propaganda blitz. The implication seems clear: District administration and the school board are the responsible adults in this situation. Childish teachers are well meaning, but simply can’t comprehend what’s required to put our District back on track. That’s a job for the grown-ups, and by golly, somebody has to make the tough, responsible choices around here. For God’s sake, all we want to do is add more teachers to decrease class size? What could be wrong with this?

The Bottom Line

It is no accident that District administrators and the School Board use the language of the market. In District speak, Shoreline doesn’t have public schools. It is an “organization.” It doesn’t have a mission to teach children. It’s primary goal must be to maintain “fiscal responsibility” and “solvency.” It doesn’t have a personnel department. It has a “human resources” department. We are all just cogs in a machine.

A funny thing happens when folks start talking about the “bottom line” as being the most important aspect of a situation to consider: Integrity often goes out the window. The end justifies the means. Our leaders should not be questioned: They ultimately know what is best for us.

Teachers can add and subtract too

23+23+29 is all the math one needs to know to understand the District’s plans for Shoreline’s elementary students.

Let’s take a Shoreline elementary school with 3 classes for the fifth and sixth grade. In previous years , the District would balance these classes

by number and grade level for say, three classes of 25 (25+25+25) with overload assistance from paraprofessional support personnel. The District’s new plan is this:

23+23 + 29. Two classes under the overload cap, and one overloaded class with one hour of overload support a day. The other 80% of the time, the teacher and students in the class of 29 students get no extra support at all. What’s more, every time a new student enrolls at this elementary school, they add to the class of 29. The District will keep the classes of 23 artificially low to keep from offering overload support. Great if you are the kid and teacher in the class of 23. A disaster for that overloaded class of 29, 30, 31 or however high it goes.

When the superintendent and school board say they have hired new teachers, one imagines that these teachers will be opening up new classes, thus leading to smaller class sizes and improving instruction. At the elementary level this simply is not the case. The new teacher will be split between providing one hour of support a day for a handful of different teachers. Our district has never attempted to use a teacher in this fashion before.

The District’s plan to “improve instruction” comes at the expense of student learning and quality education.

23 + 23 + 29 does not equal an improvement in instruction.

What’s more, the School Board has already budgeted over $500,000 for overload support. Why are they refusing to spend it?

The Real Bottom Line

Your teachers get that money is important to running a school district. They know we must balance the budget. What they refuse to support is unnecessary changes that lead to a decrease in the quality of instruction for Shoreline Students.

Your teachers demand a Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent, Human Resources Director and School Board that are willing to collaborate with teachers, and act with integrity toward our common goal of bringing our School District back to greatness.

-David Guthrie

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2007-09-24T15:49:00.000-07:00

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Letter Home to Parents

2007-09-24T15:46:00.000-07:00

Shoreline School District teachers and support staff (SEA and SESPA) will not be working on Thursday, Sept. 27. We will be on strike. We are protesting the Shoreline School Board and Superintendent Sue Walker’s decision to overload classrooms and disrupt our students’ school lives in ways that harm the quality of education they receive. We are taking a stand against the school board’s continued financial mismanagement and their continued lack of regard for students, staff and families.

We are asking you to join us in communicating to the Shoreline School Board and Supt. Walker, through words and action, that they must put students first and not compromise our core educational mission in the name of cutting costs.

After a difficult seven months of contract negotiations with the Shoreline School Board, Shoreline, Shoreline certificated educators ratified a new two-year contract on Sept. 4. Throughout negotiations, the Shoreline School Board insisted on making major cuts to student programs, cuts we opposed. The new contract substantially cut services to students (High Impact, Inclusion, Student Leadership and Activities). Two weeks later, the district administration unilaterally, and without telling teachers, radically deviated from 30 years of past practice. To cut even more money from our contract, they are shuffling children from class to class after students have already bonded with their teachers. This has created some extremely large classes and other awkward classes split between two grade levels.

For example, where a school has three first grades (74 students), our longstanding model of balanced classes would result in class sizes of 24, 25, and 25. All three classes would be provided with overload support, as they are larger than 23 students. The administration has now removed students from two of the classrooms to load up the third, resulting in classes of 23, 23, and 28. The classes of 23 now receive no overload support. It is unclear how the administration’s decisions affect secondary students.

The Shoreline School Board has budgeted over $500,000 for overload costs, yet it is willing to compromise the quality of your child’s education to avoid spending that money.

Meanwhile, district administrators are manipulating new contract language to facilitate shuffling students from one class to another. We would never agree to a contract knowing that our students would be moved nearly a month into classes. The contract language district bargainers proposed and misrepresented is harmful to our students.

This Thursday, we are taking a stand to prevent the further harm to Shoreline’s tradition of excellence and high-quality education. Please join us in demanding that the Shoreline School Board and administration abandon this instructionally irresponsible plan, honor SEA and SESPA contract language in its intent, and balance classes to keep class sizes as low as possible.

Here’s how you can help fight for the future of Shoreline. Contact school board members and the superintendent to voice your concerns about student moves and overloaded classrooms. Speak with other families to make sure they are informed.
Please feel free to join us for our activities on Thursday, and check the SEA website for detailed plans as they develop: http://www.shorelineea.org.

Thank you in advance for your support and please know that no matter what, I will l be working hard to make this the best year for your child.

Shoreline Education Association Summary of Issue

2007-09-24T09:17:00.000-07:00

Why have our members voted to take such drastic action? Hopefully this letter will help to explain, since we know that there is much confusion in our community as to why teachers are so upset.

Shoreline’s district administrators, in particular the Superintendent and her Cabinet, have apparently decided that they did not get enough money out of teachers, classified staff, and classrooms through our bargains, so they have decided to make radical changes to the way in which we balance classes and access overload support.

Historically, Shoreline has always (or at least as far back as the SEA Bargaining Team and Executive Board is aware) tried to balance classes, both in terms of numbers and in terms of class mix. There have been one or two exceptions over the course of the last few decades, but in both cases, classes were balanced again either that same year or the year following. This idea of balance in class creation may work slightly differently at different levels. At the elementary level, the process teachers go through in assigning students to classes for the following year involves balancing the number of students in each class, and balancing the class mix – the number of boys & girls, a comparable range of academic achievement, and other factors.

In all of our discussions about overload during bargaining, the district team NEVER indicated its intention to change this longstanding practice. What they did do is ask the SEA team to change a little-known provision that none of us were ever aware of being used. In the old Section 32.2.8 (now 32.2.9) of our Collective Bargaining Agreement, there was a provision that allowed for supplemental staff who provide .5 FTE or greater relief to a particular classroom to be counted when calculating overload triggers. The district proposed that we change this from .5 to .2. We asked if they knew of examples where the old language was being used, since we certainly didn’t know of any classes that were being staffed at 1.5 FTE, and they said no.

The SEA Team asked the district bargainers why they wanted to make this change, and they said that it would allow them to access Title II and I-728 funds to provide certificated relief to overloaded classrooms, thereby taking pressure off the general fund. When we asked how this would work, we were given a secondary example, very vague, that led us to believe that perhaps if there was a very large class with a lot of students on IEPs, a directed studies teacher could co-teach that class with the general ed. teacher. That would be an additional .2 FTE. We thought this sounded like a great idea that would benefit both students and teachers.

Now, what you should also know is that the district proposed this change during one of our mediation sessions. It was in the context of brainstorming cost savings, and they asked us not to take official notes, because they didn’t feel ‘safe’ with our team anymore. That leaves us in a ‘he said-she said’ position regarding the exchange of explanations at the table.

The SEA Bargaining Team wants you to know that the district bargainers NEVER explained their intended application of this language change to us. They did not mention their current ‘plan’ of an elementary application of this language change. They never explained (until Thursday, 9/20 during our ‘demand to bargain’ session) how the .2 would change class size calculations and overload triggers. They absolutely never – not even in our 137 brainstormed ideas of cost savings/increased revenue ideas – indicated any intent to depart from our longstanding past practice of balancing classes. In fact, they never talked about the implementation of this language at all. They implied that it would be an occasional, minor change that would affect a few classes here and there, and would generate minimal cost savings in the neighborhood of $40,000.

Now, they are using this language to wreak havoc on teachers and students by changing classes in the third or fourth week of school, all the while selling it to parents as a good thing. They are using it to avoid overload costs, which is putting our classified colleagues out of jobs and/or insurance coverage. Your bargaining team feels that they were misled, if not lied to, and that now they are saying that we knew about this all along, when we obviously did not. We would NEVER have agreed to this language change if we had had an inkling that this would be its application.

To make matters worse, the district is encouraging (we have even heard examples of pressuring) our members to request waivers, not only of current overload provisions, but of the language providing an additional .2 FTE to each overloaded classroom. This is language that the district bargaining team just proposed and agreed to a couple of weeks ago. Because this language is so new, many of our members are not even fully aware of what they are being asked to waive.

SEA members are always able to submit waiver requests, and we have an outlined process for those requests that has timelines and steps that must be followed. SEA’s Executive Board and Representative Council must carefully weight the effects of any contract waiver on the current year as well as consider the precedent of such waiver on the future application of our collective bargaining agreement.

If SEA were to decide to grant waivers of overload, or even of this new language in 32.2.9, we will have essentially told the district that they can ignore contract language and simply provide whatever support they see fit to overloaded classrooms and we will ‘make do.’ We will have sent the message that provisions in our contract may be virtually ignored in the interest of balancing the budget. Do we, as an association, really want to set that precedent? The district has now communicated to SEA that they have over $500,000 budgeted for overload costs (figures received 9/21/07); why are they asking our members to waive our overload provisions?!

The instructional implications of the district’s current actions are also profound. There is the here and now, and there is the future. While it is upsetting and drastic to move students at this present time, perhaps even more frightening is the prospect of being asked to design future classes that deliberately overload teachers of one class and keep classes just below the threshold for others. The net result could force teachers to load low-impact students into severely large classes and concentrate high-impact students in the smaller classes, thereby lowering the quality of education for all of our students. All this on top of reductions to our high impact and inclusion funds due to the district’s ‘take-backs’ in our contract settlement.

This is not good instructional practice, and SEA members are outraged that our district administrators are portraying it as such.

So, what has SEA done so far to address our members concerns?

SEA leadership has met with district administrators to protest the moving of students, the departure from our longstanding past practice of balanced classes, and the misrepresentation of the district’s intended use of the language change in Section 32.2.9.

We have filed a grievance contesting the change to the longstanding district past practice of balancing classes. While there is nothing in our contract that specifically requires that classes be balanced, we are arguing that it is such an established practice that to change it would constitute a unilateral change in our working conditions and would be in violation of our maintenance of standards clause (Section 5.1).

We have filed a Demand to Bargain because there was NOT a ‘meeting of the minds’ regarding the intent of the language change in 32.2.9. Our bargaining team was misled and is demanding a return to the old language. This is called a recission. The district bargaining team has refused to rescind this section, and so we are filing an Unfair Labor Practice charge against the district for bad faith bargaining.

We have been consulting with WEA Advocacy on our grievance and WEA Legal on our Unfair Labor Practice charge. (Often called a ULP.) Both will take time, but we believe they are important to pursue. Neither will be easy to win – in fact, they will likely be challenging. But if we were successful they could prevent this from happening again in future years.

And of course, you, SEA members, have now taken action, as well. Your vote of no-confidence in the Superintendent and her Cabinet clearly shows that we no longer trust this administration to make educationally sound decisions that put students first. Your decision to strike on Thursday signals our collective intent to engage our community and urge them to join us in forcing the district to abandon this instructionally irresponsible plan, to honor our contract language in its intent, and to show that it clearly values instructional best practice and educational excellence. This may be an effort that is begun on Thursday and continues into the future, we will have to see. Clearly, we are still united, and we are still fighting for the future of Shoreline Schools.

In solidarity,
Elizabeth Beck
Co-president of the Shoreline Education Association

Guthrie EduBlog

2007-09-22T10:02:00.000-07:00

Valuable Insights From An Educator's Perspective

Shoreline educators to strike on Sept. 27

2007-09-21T19:51:00.000-07:00

Teachers and education support professionals in the Shoreline School District will stage a one-day strike next week to protest the Shoreline School Board’s decision to over-load classrooms and relocate students from their existing classes and teachers.

Members of the Shoreline Education Association (SEA) will strike Thursday, Sept. 27. Members of the Shoreline Education Support Professionals Association (SESPA) will join them in support.

On Sept. 4, after months of contentious negotiations, SEA members voted to approve a new two-year contract, narrowly avoiding a strike deadline. But since then, school district administrators have unilaterally implemented dramatic, unwarranted revisions in classroom staffing, changes that district administrators misrepresented at the bargaining table and in the final collective bargaining agreement.

Instead of distributing students equally across classrooms and providing appropriate assistance for large class sizes, Superintendent Sue Walker and the Shoreline School Board plan to cuts costs by dramatically overcrowding certain classes, to the detriment of both students and teachers. On Monday, district administrators plan to move possibly hundreds of students from their existing classrooms and teachers, disrupting student-teacher relationships and student learning.

During the previous contract negotiations, SEA members highlighted the poor financial decisions made by the Shoreline School Board and administration and the impact on students and the quality of education in Shoreline. SEA Co-President Elizabeth Beck said that by striking for one day, educators hope to focus the community’s attention on the misguided and harmful actions of the board and top administrators.

Beck said Shoreline educators are calling on the board and administration to drop their misguided plans to move students. “We’re fighting for the future of Shoreline schools,” Beck said.

Notice to Elementary Parents

2007-09-20T19:15:00.000-07:00

The Shoreline School District’s administrators and school board have proposed a change to the way in which classes are balanced. Sometime in the next week, you may be receiving a notice that your child’s class placement has changed. Perhaps you have already received such a notice.

The district is attempting to avoid class overload costs and balance its budget by creating unbalanced classes within grade levels. For example, in the case of three first-grade classes at a school, there might be two classes with 23 students each and one with 28 students. Teachers believe that unbalanced classes are not good instructional practice, and moreover, feel it is irresponsible to move students – especially elementary students - into new classes in the third or fourth week of school.

The district is claiming that additional certificated staff will address the needs of these large, overloaded classes. Please note that the certificated assistance will only provide help for approximately 20% of the day, leaving the teacher with an overloaded class 80% of the time.
This change has the potential to cause profoundly adverse effects for students both this year and into the future. The Shoreline Education Association is continuing to meet with the district to protest these changes, and I hope that you will join us by contacting school board members to insist that we maintain balanced classes and preserve our tradition of valuing instructional excellence.

Parent action will be imperative in resolving this issue. You are encouraged to contact the following individuals to voice your concerns:

All School Board Members
Brian Schultz
Sue Walker
Marcia Harris

Widespread changes to elementaries proposed

2007-09-20T18:20:00.001-07:00

Enterprise Newspaper

School District Open Letter to the Community on Elementary Staffing

2007-09-19T22:50:00.000-07:00

School District Questions & Answers on Elementary Staffing

2007-09-19T17:47:00.000-07:00

School staff face other cuts to get COLA

2007-09-08T18:54:00.000-07:00

Enterprise Newspaper

WA gets $13 M from Exxon Mobil for math, science education

2007-09-08T18:48:00.001-07:00

King 5

WA receives homeland security award for school mapping program

2007-09-08T18:47:00.001-07:00

King 5

School district bus service reduced

2007-09-06T10:26:00.000-07:00

Shoreline Enterprise

Administrators vote to reduce COLA raises

2007-09-06T10:21:00.001-07:00

Shoreline Enterprise

Back to School!

2007-09-04T18:22:00.000-07:00

SEA contract ratified with a 79% vote.

CONGRATULATIONS to the teachers, staff, school board, students, parents, volunteers and everyone who cares about restoring the reputation of Shoreline schools!

Potential Strike Comments

2007-09-04T11:35:00.000-07:00

Shoreline, Bethel teachers reach tentative contract agreements

2007-09-04T09:39:00.001-07:00

Watch this story

By KOMO Staff & News Services
SHORELINE, Wash. -- A tentative agreement has been reached on a contract for teachers in the Shoreline School District north of Seattle.

Officials said the deal to avert a strike was reached early Tuesday morning.

Teachers in the district of about 9,600 students are set to vote on the proposed contract at 4:30 p.m.

The school district has been climbing its way out of a financial black hole since 2005, when it discovered a nearly $3 million deficit.

And striking teachers and the Bethel School District also reached a tentative contract agreement Monday that could end a short strike. Union officials say teachers could be in their classrooms as soon as Wednesday.

Bethel Education Association President Tom Cruver did not release any details of the settlement, which came after 25 hours of weekend negotiations, but he called it fair.

"It would be fair to say that both sides worked to find a middle ground," he said.

Teachers will vote Tuesday evening. If they ratify the contract, school will resume on Wednesday, Cruver said.

"It's been a difficult situation for the Bethel family, we all want kids in school, we know that's where they belong and we have a great learning community in Bethel and so fortunately today, we're likely to be able to do that this week," said Mark Wenzel, a school district spokesman.

School was supposed to start last Thursday, so the district's roughly 1,050 teachers and 18,000 students, from Spanaway, Graham, Roy, Kapowsin and Frederickson, will have missed three days of school if they meet in their classrooms on Wednesday.

The teachers hit the picket line rather than start school without a contract. Key issues included pay, workload and health care benefits.

Shoreline teachers avert strike

2007-09-04T09:26:00.000-07:00

Watch this story

By CHRIS DANIELS / KING 5 News and KING Staff Reports

SHORELINE, Wash. - Teachers in the Shoreline School District announced early Tuesday they've reached a tentative agreement hours before a looming strike deadline.

Teams remained positive during all night talks, said co-president of Shoreline teachers' union The clock had been ticking for the 550 teachers, who were ready to hit the picket line if an agreement was not reach by 6 a.m. Monday.

A state mediator met with the Shoreline district and the teachers' union over the weekend. After an all-night session, the Shoreline Education Association co-president Elizabeth Beck emerged from the Shoreline Center around 4 a.m. to announce a tentative agreement had been reached with the Shoreline School District.

"We just worked on through," said Beck. "It was a long haul, and both teams remained positive and had a good working relationship throughout."

About 9,600 students in Shoreline could attend the first day of class starting Wednesday.

"At this point, yes, we are planning on having the first day of school tomorrow, but again, this contract is subject to a ratification vote by the Shoreline Education Association membership this afternoon," said Craig Denninger, Shoreline School District.

Members of the Shoreline Education Association will meet at the Shoreline Center at 4:30 p.m. to vote on the tentative agreement.

Key issues included pay and cost-of-living provisions. Teachers said they were fighting proposed budget cuts. Shoreline School District officials say they're facing a half million dollar budget shortfall. Both sides have not yet commented what the terms of the agreement are.

Shoreline schools also avoided another work stoppage. They reached a tentative agreement Sunday with support staffers. Members of the staff union will also meet Tuesday afternoon to vote on their agreement.

Bethel teachers also reach tentative agreement

Teachers in the Bethel School District will vote Tuesday night on a tentative agreement. School could start as early as Wednesday after both sides spent the weekend and most of Labor Day working toward an agreement.

"We promised the teachers that we would bring them a fair and equitable contract and I believe we have done so. The bargaining teams worked hard. The district's worked hard to make that happen," said Tom Cruver, Bethel Education Association President.

Cruver did not release details of the settlement, which was reached in 25 hours of talks over the Labor Day weekend, but called it fair. Key issues included pay, workload and health care benefits.

"It's been a difficult situation for the Bethel family, we all want kids in school, we know that's where they belong and we have a great learning community in Bethel and so fortunately today, we're likely to be able to do that this week," said Mark Wenzel, Comm. Director, Bethel School District.

Teachers have been on strike since last week. They've been fighting for better pay and smaller class sizes.

On Monday, agreement was reached to end a strike that began Thursday in the 18,000-student Bethel district, which includes Spanaway, Graham, Roy, Kapowsin and Frederickson. Teacher union leaders said classes could resume as early as Wednesday.

The work stoppage has now canceled a third day of school for the 1,100 teachers and nearly 18,000 students.

The teachers called for a strike last Tuesday night after seven months of bargaining fell apart.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Agreement with SEA Reached

2007-09-04T09:19:00.000-07:00

The Shoreline School District and the Shoreline Education Association (SEA) reached a tentative agreement at approximately 4 a.m. on Tuesday, September 4. The teachers’ association is calling a membership meeting to vote on the agreement on Tuesday, September 4 in the afternoon. Details about the agreement will be made available at a later date.

Agreement with SESPA Reached

2007-09-03T17:06:00.000-07:00

Dear Parents and Community Members:

The Shoreline Educational Support Personnel Association (SESPA) Bargaining Team has reached a tentative contract agreement with the Shoreline School District. A SESPA general membership meeting is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 4 at the Shoreline Center. They will be voting on the tentative agreement.

The Shoreline Education Association (SEA) Bargaining Team and the District’s bargaining team will be negotiating with the state mediator on Monday night. The Shoreline Education Association (SEA) includes about 550 teachers and other certificated employees.
The Shoreline Education Support Professionals Association (SESPA) includes about 330 paraprofessionals, office managers and other school support staff in the Shoreline School District.
For updates on the contract negotiations, parents and community members may call 206-361-4400.

Will Funding COLA Reduce Special Needs Funding?

2007-09-03T09:50:00.000-07:00

Shoreline teachers one step closer to strike

2007-09-03T09:47:00.000-07:00

Story Published: Sep 2, 2007 at 1:29 PM PDT

By KOMO Staff

SEATTLE -- The possibility of a strike is looming closer for teachers and staff members of the Shoreline School District after contract talks collapsed between the school board and negotiators over the weekend.

The Shoreline School Board met with negotiators on Friday and Saturday, but failed to reach a contract settlement, according to district officials.

The two groups are set to meet again on Monday evening with a state mediator. But if a deal is not reached by 6 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 4, the first day of school, teachers and staff members plan to go on strike.

The district's employees are calling for the district to come up with a contract with higher salaries and better benefits.

"Take some cuts here make some suspension here - the district has continued to spend.," said Elizabeth Beck, the co-president of the Shoreline Education Association.

Beck says the district's mismanagement of funds has led to the current budget crisis.

If the district doesn't meet their demands, the staff members plan to simply be absent, citing the district leaders' botched budget as the reason.

"In order for us to be in those classrooms, we have to have a contract that allows us to meet those students' educational needs," said Barb Cruz.

The Shoreline School District issued the following statement to KOMO 4 News:

"We remain committed to bargaining in good faith and reaching a contract that will both meet mutual interests where possible and allow the district to make progress towards achieving an adequate fund balance and financial stability."

SEA Bargaining Team Update

2007-09-02T13:09:00.000-07:00

The SEA Bargaining Team met with the state mediator and the Shoreline School Board’s bargaining team Thursday evening, all day Friday and on Saturday from 8 a.m. until 12:30 a.m. Sunday morning. Despite our hard work and your support, the Shoreline School Board still refuses to offer a tentative contract agreement our Team can bring to the membership on Tuesday.

Late Saturday night, the teams exchanged new proposals. In the spirit of problem-solving and creative thinking, we will be meeting with the mediator and the district again on Monday to discuss them.

SESPA is bargaining today (Sunday).

SEA and SESPA members voted to strike Sept. 5 if we do not have a tentative agreement by 6 a.m. Sept. 4. While everyone wants a settlement by Tuesday, we must prepare for a strike.

You can download and read a lot of material on the SEA Web page at http://www.shorelineea.org. We have community flyers, a Q & A and a copy of the full-page ad we ran in 23,000 copies of the Friday edition of The Shoreline Enterprise.

Please talk to all of your Shoreline friends, family and neighbors and encourage them to contact the Shoreline School Board and urge the board to settle our contract so school can start on time.

As we contemplate a strike, our WEA colleagues in the Bethel School District have been on strike since Aug. 30. As in Bethel, the contract settlement we seek in Shoreline is reasonable and realistic. We are doing the right thing for ourselves, our students and our schools.

Contract Negotiations Update from the District

2007-09-02T12:35:00.000-07:00

Dear Parents and Community Members:

Athletic practices and contests are operating as scheduled.

Dear Parents and Community Members:
As you are aware, we have been informed that the Shoreline Education Association and the Shoreline Educational Support Professionals Association have authorized a strike to begin Wednesday, September 5 (the scheduled first day of school) if a tentative agreement is not reached by 6 a.m. Tuesday, September 4. Although we are disappointed to learn of the unions’ decision, the Shoreline School District values and appreciates its teachers and support personnel. We want you to know that we are committed to reaching an acceptable agreement with our teachers and classified staff, while remaining fiscally responsible to the future of the Shoreline school community. We have asked a state mediator to join us in an attempt to reach a settlement. The mediator met with the District and SEA until about 1 a.m. Sunday morning and another mediation session is scheduled to begin Monday, Sept. 3 at 4 p.m. A separate mediation session with SESPA is now underway Sunday.

For updates on the contract negotiations, parents and community members may call 206-361-4400.

Several suggestions that both Associations have made to Shoreline School District

2007-09-02T12:31:00.000-07:00

Stop making cash payments to James Welsh (ask the District for the exact amount of the settlement);

Shift some portion of the $280,000 in overhead costs that the Shoreline General Fund is subsidizing for ASB (Associated Student Body). Other school districts charge a large portion of the ASB secretary and Activity Coordinator salaries to ASB to fund. Shoreline can no longer afford these continuing costs. This item would halve the current deficit.

Freeze administrative hiring - there is a vacant Manager position in Instruction that could be left unfilled at the cost of $87,000 in salary.
Work with a local business (like Carter Subaru or Costco) to sponsor the stadium and pay a fee to have the stadium named after them. Sumner School District does this.

Put a moratorium on new programs and initiatives that cost any money from the general fund.

Take a loan from the Capital projects fund (Shoreline has done this before) and hold a series of community fundraisers to pay back the $500,000 (walkathons, auctions, sell suplus furniture and equipment, music concert in the stadium, etc.)

Don't make students pay for board mistakes

2007-09-01T23:51:00.000-07:00

By Elizabeth Beck and Barb Cruz

Shoreline educators are looking forward to the start of school on Sept. 5. We've been hard at work this week preparing our classrooms, and we can't wait to see our students again.

Yet because of the Shoreline School Board's fiscal mismanagement and poor budget decisions, the start of school -- and the future of Shoreline schools -- is in jeopardy.

After at least a decade of revolving-door superintendents, overpaid consultants and questionable no-bid contracts, the Shoreline School Board wants to once again balance its budget on the backs of students and staff.

Throughout more than seven months of contract negotiations, the school board has been unwilling to offer a settlement that Shoreline teachers and education support professionals can accept.

This dispute is not about unrealistic or greedy demands by school employees. Shoreline educators recognize that there is no extra money in the district budget for new student programs, large pay increases or expensive contract improvements. Even though neighboring school districts can provide their students and staff those resources, it's unrealistic to expect those things in Shoreline at this time.

Instead, we are fighting for the future of Shoreline schools.

The school board seeks to cut more than $400,000 in classroom services from the Shoreline Education Association's contract. Those services help students in the classroom and allow teachers to spend more time helping individual students. Teachers also seek more time for planning lessons and other work related to high academic standards.

In addition, the Shoreline School Board is targeting education support professionals for cuts. The board has proposed cutting at least $140,000 from the Shoreline Education Support Professionals Association contract, mainly in work hours and professional stipend pay. The association represents school office managers, paraprofessionals who work with students and other support employees.

By themselves, these proposed cuts would have a negative effect on students and the quality of Shoreline schools. After years of previous cuts, fiscal mismanagement by the school board and sacrifice by school employees and students, the board's insistence on even more reductions is untenable.

Throughout the course of negotiations, school employees have offered other suggestions for balancing the budget. For example, the district could save approximately $150,000 in general fund money by using ASB money to cover more of the cost of ASB activities. District administrators have rejected such common-sense solutions.

Mistakes have been made -- and not by our students, teachers, and support staff. It is time for our community to hold the five elected members of the Shoreline School Board responsible for their bad decisions and the impact they have on the quality of education in Shoreline.

Over the Labor Day weekend, Shoreline teachers and education support professionals will be asking for the community's help in sending the Shoreline School Board a clear message: Shoreline students and staff should not have to pay for the board's mistakes. The board needs to offer its educators a fair settlement and ensure that school starts on time.

Shoreline resident Elizabeth Beck is on leave from her job as a fourth-grade teacher at Syre Elementary school and serves as co-president of the Shoreline Education Association. Barb Cruz is co-president the Shoreline Education Support Professionals Association and is a library technician at Echo Lake Elementary.

Parents Being Played Like Fiddles?

2007-09-01T21:16:00.000-07:00

Someone who is not brave enough to post their name said that parents are being played like fiddles; this is incredibily insensitive, incorrect, and insulting! You, Ms. or Mr. Anonymous, have completely lost credibility when you talk about stepping back.My family, and our many friends here in Shoreline, support the teachers, their union, and will honor their strike! You are the one who may want to step back and take a look at the big picture. Ask yourself some questions about equity, accountability, transparency, and priorities involved in this situation. Then get back to us...

-Shelley Olebar

School start in limbo

2007-08-31T23:57:00.000-07:00

Talks continue, but teachers set strike deadline

By Sarah Koenig Enterprise writer

Parents who wonder whether school will start on time this year have a few more days to wait to find out.

Both the Shoreline Education Association (SEA) and Shoreline Educational Support Professionals Association (SESPA) say they will go on strike Sept. 5 if they don't reach tentative agreements with the Shoreline School District by 6 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 4.

At the Enterprise deadline, no agreements were reached, but negotiations were scheduled for Thursday, Friday and the weekend. Both unions voted Aug. 29 to authorize the strike.

If there's a strike, school won't start Sept. 5 as scheduled.

"Educators don't want to be on strike -- we want to be in our classrooms, but we're willing to go on strike to make sure kids have what they need to be successful," said Elizabeth Beck, co-president of the Shoreline Education Association. "We're hoping our school board will direct its bargainers to work with us to reach those tentative agreements."

Craig Degginger, district spokesperson, said officials were disappointed by the vote.

"We really value and appreciate all of our teachers and support personnel -- it's a difficult situation for all of us, but we're committed to seeing the bargaining process through," he said. "I'm hopeful we will be able to reach a settlement."

The district has been in talks with the two unions for months, and a state mediator has been called in for talks with both. One issue is the cost of living increase, or COLA. Union members will get state COLA funding, but district funding is in question.

All SEA members will get a 4.3 percent COLA next year on their "basic contract." That means a 4.3 percent COLA on most, but not all, of the days they work at school, with no COLA on things like activity pay.

As for SESPA, the state funds more of the COLA for some positions than others, and for many positions it funds no COLA at all. The district proposed that SESPA members could get a COLA if they took cuts in days worked and funding for training.

Union members have endured cuts for years because of past district mismanagement and overspending, union members say. That's meant large class sizes, lack of supplies and professional development and other cuts.

"People are saying we're not willing to give up any more," said Donna Lurie, Uniserve representative for the two unions.

Union leaders suggested other cuts, including changes to ASB funding, corporate sponsorship of the stadium and higher fees for sports, but officials won't consider them, Lurie said.

"We are willing to do our fair share, but not to carry the burden of restoring the district to a large reserve," she said, adding that SESPA members are at the bottom of the pay scale.

In response, district officials point to the state's mandate to balance the 2007-08 budget. The district can't afford to fully fund all COLAs for all SEA and SESPA members because they're large employee groups, they say.

"There are a number of provisions within (both) contracts that are expensive and not funded by the state," said Marcia Harris, deputy superintendent. "Some things we did in the past we can't continue to afford. Some are extras other districts do not have."

Programs, administrative staff and district offerings have already been cut to help balance the budget, and officials continue to look for cuts in other areas, they say.

Harris said she wished the district could do more for union members. "Right now we cannot," she said. "We have to be financially solvent."

Shoreline Education Association Post

2007-08-31T14:24:00.000-07:00

The majority of Shoreline teachers have voted to go on strike Sept. 5th if the Shoreline School Board refuses to negotiate a tentative contract agreement by 6 a.m. Sept. 4.

• Voting to strike is a serious decision, but one we believe is necessary for the future of Shoreline schools. Like you, we want school to start on Sept. 5. Yet, after years of fiscal mismanagement and poor budget decisions, the Shoreline School Board now insists on cutting more than $500,000 in important student services and programs. That is unacceptable.

• Members of the Shoreline Education Association and the Shoreline Education Support Professionals Association have decided to take a stand for our students and our schools. We need your support. Please contact your elected Shoreline School Board and Supt. Sue Walker and urge them to settle educators’ contracts by Sept. 4 so school can start school Sept. 5.

• For more information, please visit http://www.shorelineea.org/

Shoreline Education Assocation

2007-08-30T19:12:00.000-07:00

Questions and Answers About Contract Negotiations in the Shoreline School District

Q: Who are SEA and SESPA members?
A: The Shoreline Education Association (SEA) includes about 550 teachers and other certificated employees. The Shoreline Education Support Professionals Association includes about 330 paraprofessionals, office managers and other school support staff. Both unions’ contracts with the Shoreline School Board expire Aug. 31. Members of the two unions are working together and supporting one another in their quest for contract settlements.

Q: Why isn’t there a contract settlement yet?
A: Both unions have been negotiating with the school board’s bargaining teams for more than seven months. From the beginning, the board has pursued major cuts in both the SEA and SESPA contracts. At the bargaining table and elsewhere, the board has acknowledged it has targeted teachers for at least $429,000 in cuts. For example, the district’s latest proposal would eliminate about $400,000 in funding for classroom assistance that benefits students with special needs. SEA members oppose the school board’s efforts to cut services that directly benefit students. The school board has targeted support professionals for at least $140,000 in cuts, including cuts in the number of work days and their professional pay stipends.

Q: What do Shoreline school employees want?A: They seek contract settlements that make students and staff the top budget priority. They oppose further cuts to their contracts and students services. They want to protect salaries and benefits. Teachers seek additional individually directed non-student time for planning and other work. Educators are unwilling to continue to pay the price after years of fiscal mismanagement and poor budget decisions by the Shoreline School Board.

Q: What is the salary COLA?A: Like educators in every other Washington school district, SESPA and SEA members will receive the voter-mandated cost of living adjustment (COLA) of 3.7 percent funded primarily by the state. The COLA merely keeps up with inflation and is not a salary increase. The Legislature also approved an additional 0.6 percent salary equity increase for certificated staff, for a total increase of 4.3 percent.

Q: What’s happening with employee health care?
A: The school board has refused any improvements in locally funded health benefits for employees. For SEA members, it appears the Shoreline School Board will:
• Pass through state allocation of $707 per full-time employee per month, a small increase from last year.
• Continue existing district contribution of $29 per full-time employee per month.
• Employee assistance program with four sessions per employee and family (a reduction).
• The board’s proposals would increase out-of-pocket costs for SESPA members.

Q: What role does the Shoreline School Board’s fiscal mismanagement play?
A: By the district’s own admission, the board is guilty of “spending beyond our means.” For the last 10 years, members of SEA and SESPA have helped the board balance its budget by sacrificing pay, benefits and other provisions. The Shoreline School Board has hired eight superintendents in the last nine years. For example, the board bought out Supt. Jim Welsh’s contract for $113,000, money that could have been spent on kids in the classroom.

Q: What is the Shoreline School Board’s role in this dispute?A: The five elected members of the Shoreline School Board are ultimately responsible for the district’s budget and finances. They are accountable to the community for their decisions. Three of them are up for re-election in November.
Hold the Shoreline School Board accountable for its actions
President Mike Jacobs, mike.jacobs@shorelineschools.org, 425-776-3191
Debi Erlichman, debi.ehrlichman@shorelineschools.org, 206-365-6632
David Wilson, knossosd@verizon.net, 206-546-5177
Dan Mann, dan.mann@shorelineschools.org, 206-542-3221
Jim Leigh, jim.leigh@shorelineschools.org, 206-363-2942
Superintendent Sue Walker, sue.walker@shorelineschools.org, 206-361-4203

Q: Does the Shoreline School Board have alternatives?
A: Yes. Throughout the course of negotiations, the SEA and SESPA Bargaining Teams have offered suggestions for balancing the budget without making the cuts the school board’s bargaining team insists upon. For example, the district could save approximately $150,000 in general fund money by using ASB money to cover more of the cost of ASB activities. District administrators have rejected such common-sense solutions. Here are other budget solutions the Shoreline School Board should consider instead of cutting the SEA and SESPA contracts:
• Eliminating program manager position.
• Eliminate or reduce athletic director and public information officer positions.
• Reduce administrators’ perks.

Q: Will the state take over the district?
A: The board’s warnings about the state taking over the school district are misleading and unlikely. With assistance from the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the board is in a voluntary plan for fixing the district’s finances and budget. OSPI does not “take over” school districts because their school boards can’t budget properly. And even if it did, the Shoreline School Board bears the ultimate responsibility for the budget decisions it makes – not SEA or SESPA members. That’s why the community elects its school board members.

Q: What role does the state mediator play in contract negotiations?A: A state mediator is involved in both contract negotiations. The mediator does not have the power to force either side to do anything. The mediator’s role is to help facilitate a settlement.

Q: When are the next mediation/bargaining dates?
A: SEA and the school board’s team have bargaining scheduled for Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and SESPA likely will meet with the board’s team on Sunday or Monday.
Q: Will Shoreline teachers and education support professionals go on strike?
A: Shoreline educators seek contract settlements that keep the cuts away from kids and the classroom. They don’t want to strike. They will, however, decide what actions they will take to achieve contract settlements they can ratify. That decision is made collectively, and each person has a voice and a vote.

Educator asks for your support

2007-08-30T12:32:00.000-07:00

Hi All,

It is with a very heavy heart that I write to all of you, not as a fellow parent or friend, but as a teacher in the Shoreline School District. This evening 86.5% of teachers and 87% of Support Staff in attendance voted to authorize a strike if the district and our union bargaining teams have not reached a tentative agreement by Tuesday morning at 6:00 am.

As somebody who grew up attending Shoreline Schools and has worked for the district for over 15 years, this is a very sad day.

The information presented to us included a 10 year look at our district leadership (8 superintendents in 9 years), their financial mismanagement, and how Shoreline staff have time and time again made sacrifices to help get back on track. The proposed cuts, especially to our support staff are absolutely devastating.

I encourage all of you to take the time, if you haven't already, to talk to your children's teachers and support staff, read all available information from both the district and our unions to stay on top of the situation and the issues. Don't forget that 3 school board members are running for their seats again this year.

Bargaining teams will meet again with state negotiators beginning tomorrow evening and continuing throughout the weekend if necessary. Staff will be kept informed of any progress throughout the weekend.

Please join Shoreline teachers and support staff in the fight for the future of Shoreline Schools. Help your schools with picketing and passing out information if they need it. Contact Superintendent Sue Walker and our School board with your messages. Spread the word and talk about what is happening.

We all hope to begin school on time and continue doing our best to provide a quality education for Shoreline children.

Please feel free to ask me any questions and I will do the best I can to answer them, or get an answer.

Linda Cobb
Mom to Kelsey & J.D. Cobb -Ridgecrest Elementary
and
Shorecrest High School
Family & Consumer Science Teacher
lg.cobber@verizon.net

Open letter from Shoreline School Board on contract negotiations

2007-08-29T17:35:00.000-07:00

08-28-2007August 28, 2007

Dear Parents and Community Members:

Re: Contract Negotiations

We would like to provide an update regarding negotiations between the District and our two largest unions (SEA & SESPA). At this time, mediators have been requested to facilitate the conversations between our teams in negotiations. We want you to know that we are committed to reaching an acceptable agreement with our teachers and classified staff, while remaining fiscally responsible to the future of the Shoreline school community.

First and foremost, we deeply value our teachers and classified employees who work most directly with our students. Our staff is the soul of our school district. Their dedication to and daily work with students is a significant part of a child’s life.

We recognize that teachers in Washington are under-compensated for the work that they do. While we believe that the fundamental responsibility for increasing this compensation lies with the State, Shoreline is doing the best it can with current resources. Whereas most districts make decisions during contract negotiations whether or not to use their reserves (savings) in order to accommodate unfunded requests and pass-throughs, Shoreline does not have the luxury to do that at this time.

We are trying to negotiate contracts with our employee organizations that will both meet mutual interests where possible and allow the district to make progress towards achieving a state-mandated adequate fund balance (reserves). Only when we are able to restore our fund balance will we have access to use all revenues for our staff and programs.

We also want you to become informed about the proposals that are currently on the table as well as the issues facing our district. We have attached a document that outlines what SEA is requesting and the District’s response.

Essentially, the District has committed to pass-through the cost of living adjustment (COLA) increases in salary compensation and increases in individually-directed time, if SEA and SESPA will help us redirect a portion of the non-salary money committed in the contracts to help pay for the approximately $500,000 increases to our budget not covered by the State.

Our position might be illustrated by the analogy of a family that is experiencing financial problems. During difficult financial times, a family might curtail some of their discretionary activities or reduce their donations to worthwhile organizations in an effort to minimize the long-term impact of the situation. We essentially are trying to do the same thing. Although we believe that many things we have done in the past are good for students and instruction, we cannot afford to do some of them at this time when we are regaining our fiscal stability.

We acknowledge the sacrifices made by every facet of our community during the past two years, including our employee groups. Throughout the difficult budget-balancing process, we have made every effort to prioritize our direct classroom support. We are committed to working together to insure the continued excellence and long-term stability of the district and appreciate your continued support.

Sincerely,
Sue Walker, Superintendent
Mike Jacobs, Board President
Jim Leigh, Board Vice-President
Debi Ehrlichman, Board Member
Dan Mann, Board Member
David Wilson, Board Member

Fighting for the future of Shoreline students and schools

2007-08-28T18:58:00.000-07:00

School is scheduled to start Sept. 5, but for Shoreline students, teachers and support staff, the future is uncertain.

That’s because the Shoreline School Board President Mike Jacobs and Deputy Supt. Marcia Harris want to fix the district’s budget deficit by unnecessarily cutting student services and slashing jobs and salaries. Our students and staff shouldn’t have to pay the price for years of fiscal mismanagement.

Please join Shoreline teachers and support professionals in the fight for the future of Shoreline Schools. Contact school Superintendent Sue Walker and our elected Shoreline School Board members with this message: Our students and educators must be the district’s highest budget priority!

Shoreline School Board:

President Mike Jacobs, mike.jacobs@shorelineschools.org, 425-776-3191
Debi Erlichman, debi.ehrlichman@shorelineschools.org, 206-365-6632
David Wilson, knossosd@verizon.net, 206-546-5177
Dan Mann, dan.mann@shorelineschools.org, 206-542-3221
Jim Leigh, jim.leigh@shorelineschools.org, 206-363-2942
Superintendent Sue Walker, sue.walker@shorelineschools.org, 206-361-4203

This information provided by the
Shoreline Education Association and Shoreline Education Support Professionals Association