Kennewick School Board Meeting October 12, 2011 5:30 PM
Board members present: Dawn Adams, Heather Kintzley, Lynn Fielding, Brian Brooks, Maricarmen Garcia
Absent: Kathy White
Business:
Superintendent Dave Bond reported –
- Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratory has published a book about the progress of Delta High School. Copies were presented to board members.
- About 1000 Kennewick high school students were tested on the PSAT today
- KSD’s LaPierre property did not sell due to zoning issues. KSD will work to resolve the zoning problem and offer the property for sale again.
- MAP testing is being done in first and second grade for the first time in Kennewick schools. Scores will be reported at the October 26 board meeting. Kennewick has dropped DRA testing.
- Kennewick’s second annual Report to the Community was held at the Administration Center on Friday, September 30. Approximately 65 community participants spent the day learning about the district’s test scores and programs. (note: we will present an article describing the event with supplemental KSD information in the near future).
Vic Roberts gave a comprehensive report of KSD’s levy history and future needs. See details below.
Ron Williamson presented the first reading of Policy No. 3122: Excused and Unexcused Absences. See details below.
KSD Levy
A key issue is whether to leave the levy at the current rate or to raise it to produce additional funding for Kennewick schools when state funding is being reduced. Legislators have recommended that districts raise levy rates near to the levy lid so state funding is less of an issue. That places more responsibility on local taxpayers.
Kennewick has a history of community support for levy and bond issues but given the current economic climate the concern is whether support will remain strong if a tax raise is proposed.
While the district levy committee recommends keeping the levy rate at its current level, Adams expressed her concern that state budget cuts will compromise district programs and recommends consideration of raising the levy rate.
Policy No. 3122
Changes to KSD policy are proposed to bring district policy into alignment with new standardized statewide rules for excused absences. Adams raised a related issue about student absences which initiated board discussion. The board passed the first reading, with an amendment, unanimously.
Browse the levy report below or download the PDF. (right click or option+click and choose “save link as”)
Does this school board have to change/modify every policy/directive that comes from the state? That was the problem this summer with the club policy, and now it looks like they’re playing this little game again with the attendance policy. They got smacked on the nose publicly the last time around, wouldn’t you think this bunch would just lay low for awhile until the heat from the clubs policy fiasco dies down? Guess not.
No, I don’t expect them to lay off at all. The response should be to get aggressive and combative. It’s called “doubling down,” and it is one of the hallmarks of the “players” in our political/economic system. Cutting bait is for the meek, to mix colloquialisms.
How do we get people, including Board members, to read the Kuhn articles on MAP here on KSD Citizens and view the Popham tape: http://edu.wyoming.gov/video/2011/08/23/dr-jim-popham-discusses-paws-and-assessment-literacy.
We are pouring hundreds of thousands of dollars into a system that is not working based on a test that does not support instruction.
Why would they want to do that? Reading would require thought, effort, and it would not further the goals of the Board. Those hundreds of thousands of $$$ don’t just evaporate, they benefit real people and organizations who work very hard to influence and support policy makers like school boards.
http://ocupytricities.org