Orcas School District Changes

  Bond remodel, enrollment, budgeting, new track, legislative actions and hiring

— by Margie Doyle —

The Orcas Island School District Board of Directors on Jan. 20, 2015 considered many changing elements of millenial education.

Superintendent Eric Webb commended the school community for the positive light in which it is handling the “stressful change” of the bond reconstruction project. The recent board meeting followed the Martin Luther King holiday, during which classrooms and offices in the former Middle School building were moved throughout the campus as teachers and staff juggled their duties.The replacement Music Room has been completed, and the new Career and Technical Education building will be open for students at the mid-winter break in February. Superintendent Webb thanked all for the positive attitude displayed during the ongoing remodeling process, involving moving and doubling up and moving again in many instances, not to mention phone and internet service disruptions.

Webb also announced that new tests in the alternative education OASIS schools will be introduced to parents with incentives to participate.

Business Manager Keith Whitaker reported on a healthy budget and the board considered preliminary enrollment predictions of about 800 (including OASIS enrollment) for 2015-16.

The Budget Advisory Committee, that was formed in 2007 to guide the District through its years of budget re-structuring, has been disbanded. Webb announced that there is an ongoing discussion about the general budget, reviewing budget processes and business practices with “more defined sub-budgets….for clarification and ownership of needs assessments” within departments and programs.

Progress is also being made on a new track and athletic field improvements such as lights, fencing, bleachers and public access, facilitated by a $1M donation through the Orcas Island Community Foundation last fall.

After meeting with the Athletic Committee and track vendors, Webb said that a diagonal design on the current football and soccer fields north of the school buildings is now being considered. “We’re designing a complex, not just a track.” The donation came with stipulations that the new track must meet WIAA regulations, as the intention is to host intramural track meets. Additional funds for the track will be committed by the school district.

Elementary Principal Kathy Page said that a new Wellness Program for K-6 staff is now implemented with weight training sessions at the school gym and bi-weekly walks scheduled.

School Board Legislative liaison Tony Ghazel reported on three bills in the State Legislature related to education:

• a House bill to “Fund Education First;”
• a Senate bill to spend two-thirds of new revenue on early education, K-12 and Higher Education;
• a bill to expand college in high school.

Kari Schuh, Career and Technical Education (CTE) Director explained that the last bill would consider college credits for high school students, starting in the 10th grade.

New hires for the district include Anne Ha as OASIS Office Manager and Tom Tillman as OASIS testing coordinator.

School District Board meetings are held regularly on the fourth Thursday of each month at 5:30 p.m., now in the School Library in the modular building behind the District offices.