Orcas School Board: Acronyms Explained

School Board Regular Meeting Thursday, June 28, 5 p.m., Orcas School Library

—  by Leif, Orcas Issues reporter —

Thursday afternoon, June 28, the Orcas Island School District (OISD) board and key administrative personnel met for a public meeting with community participation of about a dozen individuals. The fifty page supplemental information here [Board Packet] contains the details of reports submitted to the board for review. It was a bracing dash through the chill of acronyms for state agencies, educational programs and indicators, finance and project management. If you wanted to participate in the local school district, this is the “FAQ.” Here we go.

First up Margie Sabine, coordinator for the Primary Intervention Program (PIP), represented for the program serving 48 students, or 42% of the enrolled grades K – 3. In its ninth year it offers school-based therapeutic play to at-risk students that need additional one-to-one support. It benefits from nearly 300 volunteer hours and funding from United Way of San Juan County, Tulalip Tribes Charitable Contribution Fund, Orcas Island Community Foundation and San Juan County Health and Human Services. This program was continued by resolution.

Next Liz LeRoy, project manager for a  broad array of capital development projects, gave the rundown emphasizing several points. As per the Gantt chart, the design phase is well under way, permitting submitted, and initial cost estimates and possible add-alternate options are being developed.  The state Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) — the oft mentioned agency overseeing K-12 basic education programs and reform — requires form D-3 to apply for project approval for state assistance for new construction and/or modernization of a school facility, e.g. the Old Gym. Construction is planned for next February.

Community priorities regarding lighting and canopy  as well as options for an ADA bathroom are are being considered. LeRoy states she is pleased with the level of cooperation between EWUA, OPALCO, Century Link and OISD in planning for waterline rerouting, and that though much work has been accomplished, most is not yet visible to observers. The board packet map of work in progress was indecipherable without a key, but  updates/pics are coming to the website so stay tuned.

Business Manager Keith Whitaker lead a scenic tour of his spreadsheets. He updated us on the progress of upgrading the transportation fleet via non-voted bond order and a field trip to Issaquah to get the “new” backup bus. Though the OISD application for $30,000 “Safety Net” funding has been turned down again, Whitaker is continuously updating budget projections with evolving enrollment and staffing demands in an environment of legislature-lead educational economic complexity. He made accessible the mechanics of the capital budgeting and how the levy amount is arrived at.

He has developed a strategy not predicated on uncertain funding but forecasting multi-year budgets with real (future) negative balances with the intent that our school district be the most prepared and thus “outrun the bear” in a scenario of widespread state takeovers.To paraphrase: “The best thing we can do is make realistic assumptions and set moderate parameters allowing us to correct early for a declining fund balance.”

Pre-School – 5th grade Elementary Principal Lorena Stankevich’s report emphasizes preparing students for the future through academic rigor and support, critical thinking and problem solving, and “ownership of learning and self.” Their pedagogy is based on the “Fastbridge SAEBRS” model for Formative Assessment System for Teachers (FAST™), “the only solution that combines Curriculum-Based Measurement (CBM) and Computer-Adaptive Testing (CAT) to transform the way teachers measure and monitor student progress in reading, math and social-emotional behavior.”

SAEBRS (Social, Academic, and Emotional Behavior Risk Screener) “is a brief and efficient tool for universal screening of student risk for social-emotional and behavioral problems for students in Grades K through 12.” Stankevich reports that they are using frequent web-based assessments to drive progress.

Kindergartners participate in Mandy Randolph’s creation, Wednesday in the Woods, with a Nature Specialist in cooperation with YMCA Camp Orkila and 2-3 parent volunteers.

Did you know that OASIS means “Orcas Alternatives for Student Initiated Studies?” Gleaning from their new handbook, it is an alternative-education school within the district, based upon the Washington State law requiring Alternative Learning Experiences (ALE), a state program to support families who wish to individualize learning for their students. It enrolls K-12 and offers online courses as well. OASIS is not home-based instruction but structured learning away from a traditional classroom setting. Like life.

Becky Bell reported on the OASIS program, highlighting the graduation for its special meaning to Orcas students and the highest number of OASIS high school graduates ever. Due to this success they are in moderate teacher overload (“Tier 1”), are trying various solutions, and may consider new hires for the high school. It also includes special programs for bilingual and special-ed students, focusing on students at-risk and  educational transitions.

Kyle Freeman, grades 6-12 principal, discussed “Rules” and “raising citizens” as the overarching context for school life. The board initiated animated discussion about the “cell phone lockdown” during a field trip and progress of teaching “digital citizenship” first, regarding cell phone use during school activities, and second about computer use on the school WiFi. The  Board Packet page 26 has a well worded statement of the related policy and philosophy of the middle school.

Freeman emphasized the ongoing nature of the conversation between students, parents, teachers and administrators with the upshot being that eventually each student will be on their own and now is the time to engage them. This relates too to the new enforcement of rules in athletics: use of equipment, paying for activities for example. Practical economic aspects are the obvious, the underlying emphasis on responsible citizenship the takeaway, and he thanked all for participation in this.

Superintendent Webb highlights one aspect of his monthly report: personnel. There are many open positions and the new teachers need housing. The July meeting will address these issues in addition to the standard budget discussion.

His report discussed management following two recent Varicella (chickenpox) outbreaks including verifying immunization records, reviewing the effectiveness of interventions used, and holding a free vaccination clinic in September.

He shared his pleasure at acquiring new playground equipment and will personally demonstrate his skills on it when it arrives. Other new physical plant improvements include HVAC work which began in June.

Public comment included statements regarding the Montessori program, especially concerns about who is accepted into the program from several folks, an alumna who has studied its effectiveness, and a founder of the local Orcas Montessori program Becky Flint. All were invited by Superintendent Webb to meet with him and others concerned about the future of OISD Montessori. Flint suggested use of archived controlling documents by the steering committee for OISD Montessori to help during the transition to a new program. One observer offered new data on the negative influence of cell phones on attention in class even if they are just present, if inaccessible to the student.

After Keith Whitaker’s final discussion of capital budgeting, the consent agenda was approved and the meeting adjourned by board president Janet Brownell.