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On November 7, voters in the Central Valley School District will consider a $75.75 million dollar bond election. This bond, if approved will build two new schools on the east end of the District and remodel and modernize opportunity and Ponderosa Elementary schools. This bond fell 3% short of passing last March when it received 57% of the needed 60%. Construction costs are rising at the rate of about 1% per month pushing up the costs of these projects dramatically. This bond has been made necessary by the rapid growth and new home construction in many areas of the District but primarily in the Liberty Lake area. The surge in new home starts began several years ago and shows no sign of letting up. Student population in the District is near 12,000 and is projected to increase to 17,000 in the next ten years. There are not enough classrooms for these students. Liberty Lake Elementary now at more than 700 students is the third largest school in the District, larger than any of the middle schools and only surpassed by the District’s two high schools in student enrollment. If the bond passes in November it will take a minimum of two years to have these new schools ready to open. In those two years the District will enroll 800 to 1000 new students. In the next two years after they open the District will add another 800 to 1000 new students.
Currently, those of us in the Central Valley community proudly believe we meet the goal of great public schools for every child. Our staffs will continue to do their best to insure that every one of their students receives a quality education. However, if this bond measure fails again we will soon be facing the prospect that despite all our efforts we may not be able to deliver a first rate education to every child. In some of our schools teachers are holding class in locker rooms converted to classrooms. The District is currently using 7 portable classroom and daily relocates over 900 students to make maximum use of facilities. Last year at Liberty Lake two elementary music classes were held in the same music room at the same time taught by two different teachers. Some elementary students do not get music classes for lack of space. There is a limit to how many portable classrooms can be added to a site. Too many portables will soon overwhelm the core infrastructure of a building. There is not enough space in the cafeteria, the hallways, gymnasium and library for the overcrowded school. Students will be eating lunch in the hallways and there will not be enough time in the day for all classes to get library time. The office and custodial areas of the building cannot keep pace with the increased demand. Additionally, students in older buildings do not have the same access to technology as in updated buildings. Because the District will be forced to relocate more students, these conditions will spread to all our schools.
Despite the best intentions of administration, teaching staff and support personnel, the pressure and stresses related to these conditions will begin to erode the quality of the product we deliver. A community’s schools are a reflection of the community as a whole. When we have great public schools for every child everyone in the community benefits. The success of this bond will help the District face the challenges before us and continue to help every child who comes through our doors receive the education he or she deserves. The failure of the bond will signal the beginning of a drift toward mediocrity. Please support Central Valley schools. Put kids first and vote yes on November 7.
FULL TIME RELEASED PRESIDENT’S GRANT CONFERENCE HELD
Recipients of the Full Time Released President’s Grant were required to attend a training conference held in Atlanta, Georgia on October 3-7. All expenses were paid by the National Education Association.
Full and part time local presidents and their UniServ reps in years one, two and three of the grant were in attendance. The sessions included valuable training in such topics as “Learning to Utilize the Media” , ‘Engaging New Members” and “Covering Your Assets”. The conference also provided valuable time to work with UniServ Reps and discuss how we can work together to meet Association goals for the future. Kr
WHO READS YOUR SCHOOL E-MAIL?
The answer to this question is everyone, ok, maybe not everyone, maybe no one. However, all employees should be aware that district email is district property and as such is available to anyone who files a public records request with the school district. Newspapers and broadcast media regularly file requests for information. I don’t believe the district has the time or interest to monitor your daily email. However, if they have reason to believe an employee is using district email improperly they have the right to review your email. If a public records request is made the district has no choice but to turn over the information requested. If you have been reading the newspaper or watching the news you are aware of the troubles of some politicians over the use of email.
District policy 6255AP says, in part, the following regarding the use of district email:
Employees are subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal for the following inappropriate behaviors:
On a practical note, I do believe that district employees have been using mailboxes and email for personal use for years and will probably continue to do so. I doubt if the district is interested in disciplining someone for emailing their spouse to tell them what time they expect to be home for dinner or sending a happy birthday wish to a friend. I do believe however, that members should not use district email to send a message that would embarrass them and the district if it were to be published in the Spokesman Review. Kr
BARGAINING NEWS
The Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with the District allows for mutually agreed upon reopeners each year of the contract. With the approval of the CVEA Executive Board the Association has asked and the District has agreed to reopeners this year for contract language related to Special Education issues. This will include language related to all specialists who fall under the District’s Special Services Department. To bargain effectively it will be necessary to get considerable input from all impacted members.
In order to accomplish this our plan is to begin with a survey. Once the survey data have been analyzed we will meet with smaller groups to discuss the survey and get one on one input.
We hope to accomplish these steps this fall and early next year and begin bargaining in March. Stay tuned, more information to follow.
AUDIT COMPLETED
Because our membership has exceeded 750 the Washington Education Association requires that we have an audit every year of the Association’s financial records. We completed that audit the last week of September. The CVEA will receive a written review of the audit with recommendations for any changes in a few weeks. We will advise the membership of the review when it is received.
I plan to be in the following buildings during lunch to meet members and answer questions. kr
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