School Board Hires and Seeks Teachers and Administrators

— Capital Bond Considered

— by Margie Doyle, updated June 28 at 12:45 p.m. —

At the Orcas Island School District regular board meeting on June 23, 2016, the board agreed to hire  the following teachers:

• Lisa Jenkens as a 4th Grade teacher
• Kimberly Malo as a 5th Grade teacher
• Joanne Wester as a leave replacement Waldron Teacher
• Elisabeth Alperin as a High School Science teacher

The School board hired back teachers who had received notices of non-renewal of their contracts in May, including:

• Phil Comito, Seconday Social Studies Teacher
• Blythe Simposon OASIS K-8 Teacher
• Jennifer Pietsch, OAISIS K-8 teacher
• Tom Tillman OASIS K-12 Assessment Coordinator

They also increased the hours for Carol Mathews, Jessie Staub and Kristi Bilgren. They opened a part-time Math Teacher for the 2016-17 school year; this position was funded by the Tiny House grant awarded through Orcas Island Community Foundation.

The board agreed to remove approval for contracting with Elementary Principal Teresa Mayr,  from the June meeting consent agenda.

The board approved Kyle Freeman as Orcas High School/Middle School and Waldron Principal for the coming school year at an approximate cost of $145,895, which includes a 25% benefit allocation. The board also approved hiring Becky Bell as a OASIS K-12 Principal and Director of Special Education for the 2016-17 school year at the approximate annual cost of $136,813, which includes the 25% benefit allocation.

Following approval by the board, OISD director Janet Brownell, said that since 2001, the June date was “the earliest we’ve brought back teachers” whose contracts had not been renewed, since 2001.

The board noted that bringing back two OASIS teachers and the assessment coordinator addressed the challenges of summer planning for the OASIS alternative education program, which has been problematical in recent years.

Bruce Orchid, an OASIS teacher, said that OASIS teachers have “completed all work on learning plans for Sepember,” without incurring any overtime. OISD Superintendent Eric Webb noted that the OASIS program now has full enrollment and is starting a waiting list for next year. “We still have five teachers out there that we’d like to bring back,” he added.

Justin Paulson presented a written accounting of Viking Booster Club funding: $16,504 for the 2015-16 year. While the board members expressed their appreciation for the Booster Club’s efforts to obtain funding and equipment, it was noted that the School Board needs to establish a policy for the district and clarify whether the funds are given to the district, or material goods are give to the district for school use.

“We have the same liability for every program, and so we need to have this discussion for policy clarity,” said Principal Kyle Freeman.

Paulson cautioned that, “Many of these donations are in response to an email over the weekend, and getting goods donated right away to the kids. If you create a policy that is cumbersome, it will go away.” The board requested that Superintendent Eric Webb draft a written policy by September. OISD Director Janet Brownell agreed to work with Supt. Webb on the policy.

Business Manager Keith Whitaker announced in his business report that the total ending fund balance on May 31 of $960, 057 was “the highest fund balance of the year — we can enjoy it for the moment.” He explained that the district budget expenses have been less this year, “almost 2.5 percent better than last year.” He said that end-of year accounting should reduce the overall fund balance; the project ending fund balance of August 2015 is $810,618. Whitaker cautioned that the district should keep in mind the state-mandated “changes in funding and levy structure that are unknown for next couple of years.”

Enrollment average for the year of 789 is “slightly above the enrollment assumption that we started with” but the upcoming year has a “more conservative enrollment assumption so we can avoid the fear factor of enrollment slipping away through the year,” he said.

Work on the staffing element of the 2016-17 budget is still being finalized, Whitaker said. Public Hearings for the 2016-17 budget are scheduled for July 14 and July 28 at 5:30 p.m.

Phase III Construction Bond Discussed

Liz LeRoy, project manager for the 2012 Bond School remodel, presented the board with documentation of proposed project costs for an upcoming capital bond to complete Phase III of the school remodel project. Total costs as proposed came to $11,622,383. Alternatives for a $5,000,000 and $8.000,000 bond were discussed. The board has been considering filing for such a bond vote this August for the November ballot.

Milton (Elementary) School remodel/repair — $574,000
Old gym remodel/repair – $2,798,000
Music Room addition — $1,600,000
High School remodel/repair — $295,000
Track and Field installation — $1,000,000
Administration Building remodel, repair — $65,000
Waldron remodel/repair — $35,000
Site work including road improvements and electricity upgrades — $931,000

LeRoy noted that the bid sheet included a 12% contingency and escalation costs for one year.

Board President Tony Ghazel commented that work on the elementary and high school buildings was overdue.

Janet Brownell suggested that instead of building a Music Room, installing acoustic tiles in the Old Gym would satisfy the need for a performance space. She said, “The tradeoff [would be], you may not get a classroom, but you get a better performance space.” She suggested that the “Way Forward” group that had advised the school district regarding the 2012 Bond Remodel be reconvened to discuss an upcoming capital bond campaign.

OISD Director Chris Sutton noted that the plans included “site work that we’ve been punting on,” but cautioned that the district board should consider the minimum needs in their discussion. “We have been asking for a lot of money and we need to be conscious of not asking for another $10Million,” he said. “Remember how hard it was to get $12?”

Ghazel suggested that the Board defer a call for a capital bond for Phase III until February, 2017, which would allow time to meet with community members.

The Board asked Superintendent Webb to assemble a committee to prioritize the elements to be included in a capital bond, to be presented at the OISD August board meeting. Brownell said,  “There are things that absolutely have to get done, like the track, and we’ll need committee buy-in.”

The board also asked Liz LeRoy to prepare for an update on the specific project costs for its July meeting.