— by Ayn Gailey —
[Note: This article has been updated to clarify the school lunch price increase.]*
Classes and graduation ceremonies may have wrapped, but the OISD School Board, none of whom take compensation for their services, keeps on working.
At the June 22 regular board meeting, Principal Kyle Freeman announced that we will not have a football team this fall due to lack of interest. Freeman added, “We’re not shelving the program, just taking the year off… We will redouble our efforts next year.”
*After reviewing data, board member Scott Lancaster made a motion to approve a modest price increase in lunch costs next year. The current K-6 lunch price is $2.50 and will now be increased to $2.75. The current 7-8 lunch price of $3 will remain the same. The current 9-12 grade lunch price is $3.00 and will now go up to $3.25. The Board of Directors confirmed that these prices are fairly close to lunch prices on Lopez and San Juan Island. They also reiterated that they still support the philosophy of the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Program and aim to continue providing wholesome and nutritious meals for children in the District’s schools.
Linnea Anderson, Juvenile Court Services representative for San Juan County, was present and described her work as a “labor of love” before presenting a Memo of Understanding to address juvenile services on Orcas Island. She also said that Superintendent Webb and the district’s leadership team impressed her with their thoroughness and dedication, standing out from all other schools she’s worked with.
She informed the board that there is now a remote courtroom on Orcas Island for court hearings for staff, which should make future juvenile matters easier to deal with. Technology updates have helped make this possible. Juvenile Court Services are now providing certified training for school staff to provide early intervention to shut off the pipeline to jail and to help with the following common goals:
1) reduce chronic absenteeism
2) increase services to reduce barriers to education
3) increase positive civil engagement and career readiness
The board moved to accept several donations to the district, including a generous donation from the Music Advocacy Group for $12,432.66 to support OISD music programs.
They also accepted donations from Orcas Island Community Foundation for the following:
$26,000 for Elementary School Social Work Services;
$8,000 for The Primary Intervention Program(PIP);
$9,437.02 for Classroom set of 32 Chromebooks, Printer and Charging Cart;
$2,495 for Polymerase Chain Reaction Machine for High School Science Program;
$1,000 from OICF Youth Grant 2017 for OISD Meal Assistance Program;
$3,375 from an anonymous donor to match Luke Bronn’s Senior Project fundraising, supporting K-12 art programs.
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Thank you, Luke Bronn for your amazing senior project – and to the anonymous matching donor – Art is so important in elementary school! I hope this means that A-Ok will keep having art teachers come to the school and not try to make it a position for just one art teacher. It enriches everyone when children experience different art teachers and materials in their formative years.
Luke’s project was incredible. The donations from that project went directly to the school and will further deepen the availability of art supplies and classes K12. The donations, however, did not go to AOK. If anyone is interested in supporting AOK (which brings teaching artists into the schools) — you can always give at OIEF.org. We all need MORE art — especially in our schools!