School board prepares for bond vote: enrollment and finances looking good

School Board directors Keith Whitaker and Janet Brownell take pleasure in their work.

It was evident at the Feb. 26 Orcas Island School District monthly  meeting that conservative enrollment projections and stable accounting practices have built a sound platform for the school to go out for a bond issue, even in these uncertain economic times.

As the school board, minus Director Scott Lancaster, who was ill, convened in the school library, their attention first came to the consent agenda.

After the coaches stipends were separated out from the consent agenda, a succinct discussion was held between Tony Ghazel and Ben Thomas regarding the payments: Ghazel asked, “Do we have any money?” and Thomas replied, “Yes we do,” noting that all the stipends were budgeted items.

The motion to approve the coaching stipends passed unanimously.

Reports from ASB, OEA, OIEF

Maddie Smith Associated Student Body (ASB) President previewed the events planned by the ASB in the next few months: a talent show on March 20, a Geography Bee, Junior class movie night and Senior class neon dance , both in March, and an Ice Cream Social planned for later in the spring.

Smith reported that the Key Club and ASB volunteered to help out with the Huenachi Mariachi Band that performed at the school and at Orcas Center on Friday, and mentioned that the school’s Ecology Club is figuring out how to separate recycling from garbage.

Mandy Randolph reported for the Orcas Education Association (OEA) that they’d received a local organizing grant to increase participation at the OEA meetings. The grant will pay for adding pizza and pop to the next meeting.

On March 7,  Marta Branch, Maurice Austin and Randolph will join teachers from all  the San Juan Islands who are getting together to discuss bargaining issues.

Randolph said that OEA members were concerned about the effect of the state budget on district. “We’re bracing ourselves for a difficult spring, but out of that, we as a union appreciate our board and administrators and seeing you down there on our behalf,” Randolph said.

Orcas Island Education Foundation (OIEF) President Michelle Reed presented the board with a  $3,000 check to benefit the Athletic Program,  with $700 of it going to the weight room. The funds were student generated, from proceeds of Christmas tree sales at the Ace Hardware lot, owned by Scott and Therese Lancaster.

San Juan Nature Institute

Fiona Norris of the San Juan Nature Institute made a presentation of the work the Nature Institute has done with the Orcas Island School District.

Norris credited former Nature Institute Executive Director Victoria Parker, who in 2005 “put into practice education programs that encouraged active learning and stewardship.”

The “Partners in Science” program brings scientists into the classroom to engage students in 4^th through 6^th grades, investigating salmon in freshwater streams, and in their marine environment through beach seining and explorations aboard the Friday Harbor Labs’ vessel “Centennial.”

Norris said, “This sort of enhancement of program is very exciting. I do know they learn because today’s 6^th graders were telling us what they learned in 5^th grade.”

Bond discussion

Trevor Carlson, Senior Vice President of Seattle Northwest Securities (SNW), a business that helps “school districts borrow money by planning, Implementing and managing bond sales,” spoke to the board about the bond market’s current condition and ways to implement a school bond election.

Carlson spoke to the OISD board in last October. He presented a timeline to the board for a bond election that indicated

A six-month lead is the minimum time to realistically put a bond issue up for vote.

Although current stock market volatility plays into the decision to go out for a bond, Carlson said, “It’s still a great time to be borrowing long term on behalf of the residents of Orcas Island.”

Following the passage of a bond vote, the district could have “cash in hand to start construction within six to eight weeks,” Carlson said. He added that the district could “put the financing package on the shelf … or decide to divide the issue, with 50% of the amount called in “immediately,” and 50% issued in a year.

“We can delay the sale of the bonds, the date is not locked in. If you have authorization from the voters, you can wait as much as 5 to 7 years to issue bonds.”

He also said that bonds have “a call feature for optional redemption which gives refinancing opportunity in the future.”

The existing bond expires Dec. 1 of this year, and the board discussed the advisability of continuing bond payments. Carlson said, “It’s nice to avoid the tax rate going from 0 to a higher level… Folks get used to paying zero rather quickly, it’s a nice amount to pay.”

With the OISD tax rate below 50 cents, Carlson said that in comparison to the tax rate of $5 in Pierce County, the district’s  tax rate is “very low.”

He added that the OISD has a strong credit rating.

Site Councils

Bob Connell  spoke in favor of creating school site councils, where each building — elementary, middle school and high school — have a method for individual decision-making.

Superintendent/Principal Barbara Kline voiced her support, saying “Site councils give parents a voice in academics and gives them a chance to participate.”

Connell envisions the site councils as a public forum, “a place to go to explore public education.” He suggested being “as generic as possible,” and meeting with those that express an interest.

OISD Board member Keith Whitaker said that, initially, he’d like to see the effort made to determine level of interest.

“We certainly see that at the Oasis site council,” said Kline. It was agreed that she and Elementary/Middle School Principal Tom Gobeske discuss the plan with Connell and Tony Ghazel.

Business report

Business manager Ben Thomas presented his monthly report, saying that because of the above-projected enrollment , the district is realizing “substantial funding.” Currently, there is $212,741 in the general fund; last year at this time the balance was $65,938.

Thomas said, “Compared to the budgets I’ve seen in the last couple of years, we’re definitely going in the right direction.”

Thomas praised Accounts Payable manager Dali Cuthbert as a “good hire,” and said that the books were up-to-date as of January.

Thomas complimented Business Office staff Sara Morgan, saying she “did a great job of delineating all expenditures.”

He also praised Lisa Clark for maintaining good district records.

OISD Director Charlie Glasser commented, “It’s nice to be positive and looking solid. We should acknowledge the good work of the Superintendent and her team to make sure this budget is working — and all the people in the district office.”

Enrollment

Although the enrollment projections for next year are a little less conservative than they were this year, the district is comfortable with

We’re coming together in terms of enrollment, how we deal with state challenges is a different issue, Ben Thomas

Whitaker brought out that even though larger classes graduate and smaller classes enter OISD, ” The individual cohort [class] in Orcas schools show a remarkably stable 97 to 100% survival rate.”

Whitaker will analyze his figures for the next month before the enrollment projections need to be made in April. Currently the OISD shows an enrollment of 455 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) students.

Transportation

The board had a lengthy discussion about transportation costs, which showed that about $42,000 was spent in transportation above what was paid for by the state.

When the board questioned whether they could decide on their own to cut bus routes, Administrative Assistant Cathy Ferran said that the state Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) had told her that the board is within its rights to design bus routes.