School Board Authorizes Levy Vote, New Officers, Donations

Career and Technical Education Report Advocates Job Training

The Orcas Island School District (OISD) Board moved quickly through its Dec. 20 agenda to approve a replacement Maintenance and Operations Levy vote on Feb. 14, 2012.  The Levy to be put before voters will collect $1,880,000 for two years, and then increase to $1,990,000 for the next two years. Janet Brownell emphasized that this is a replacement levy, and not a new levy.

New Officers

The Board voted unanimously to elect Tony Ghazel as OISD Board Chair for 2012; Vice-Chair will be Chris Sutton; Legislative Representative will be Janet Brownell. The Board is scheduled to meet with State Senator Kevin Ranker in Olympia on Jan. 10, 2012; meetings with other legislators may be arranged for that date.

Enrollment

In his report to the Board, OISD Business Manager Keith Whitaker discussed declines in enrollment among the district’s five schools: Elementary, Middle, High, Waldron and OASIS (Orcas Alternative Student-Initiated Studies).  Elementary/Middle School Pricipal Kyle Freeman said that the dominant cause for students withdrawing from enrollment is their parents’ inability to secure employment.

Donations

The Board accepted a donation of $33,640 from Bob and Phyllis Henigson for the elementary school Spanish program. The Board also accepted an anonymous donation of $4,000, transfered via Orcas Island Education Foundation, which will provide $3,000 for atlases, transportation for field trips and matter-and-energy science kits for the 3rd and 4th grade classroom.

The additional $1,000 will be used in Anne Ford McGrath’s and Lorena Stankievich’s 1st and 2nd grade classroom for supplies and notebooks.

Special Budget Meeting Planned

Superintendent Barbara Kline, participating via Skype, asked the Board to schedule a specail budget workshop before the January board meetings so that date regarding some cuts to the budget can be reviewed before the regular meeting . The budget meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012, beginning at 5 p.m. in the School Library.

Buck Park Transfer

Completion of an agreement with the Orcas  Park and Recreation District to assume responsibility for Buck Park has been delayed by the need for County Public Works to transfer land involved in the improvements to Mt. Baker Road along the north side of Buck Park. 

Career and Technical Education Program

The Board of Directors complimented Career and Technical Education Program Director Kari Schuh on her extensive 12-page report on that program.

Superintendent Kline said “Apparently the new focus of the rewrite of the “No Child Left Behind” [law] is in career-college work, so this is very timely.” Schuh informed the School Board of three opportunities coming in 2012 for workshops for students interested in  technical and trade jobs.

Schuh said, “There are apprenticeship oppurtunities; they’re screaming for welders, solar technoloty and windpower, so if stud;nts can concentrate in one of those areas, they’ve job a job for life — we all need energy.”

Schuh thanked the “mainstays” of the CTE Committee: Steve Kline; Marian O’Brien and Savvy Sanders. At the request of the School Board, Schuh’s report will be made available on the district web site at www.orcasislandschools.org