Seattle Schools Work Session/Committee Meeting Updates
The Work Sessions scheduled for today now have their agendas available.
One is the Risk Management; Insurance Coverage Review. On the face of it, this department seems to be doing a good job. I only say "seems" because insurance is not my area so it's hard to discern any issues.
Two items of note:
Page 6 about Liability Coverage
Another issue raised was by the president of the Ballard PTA (and I'm sorry, I missed his name). He said that the budget process was demoralizing to teachers and, at Ballard, had pitted departments against each other. He said that, over the last few years, good teachers at Ballard had been told they might be RIFed only to see it pulled back a week or so later. He said it made for a very uncomfortable time at their school.
Gotsch said that Sue Peters had asked about this issue and the district would talk about measures that might alleviate this issue.
One is the Risk Management; Insurance Coverage Review. On the face of it, this department seems to be doing a good job. I only say "seems" because insurance is not my area so it's hard to discern any issues.
Two items of note:
Page 6 about Liability Coverage
Seattle Public Schools’ experience
– One claim in excess of $10 million (athletic injury)
– One claim in excess of $10 million (athletic injury)
– One claim in excess of $5 million (sexual abuse)
– Excluding the above, annual liability claims paid by WSRMP since 2006 have ranged from $21,431 to $112,358, average $34,280.
– Excluding the above, annual liability claims paid by WSRMP since 2006 have ranged from $21,431 to $112,358, average $34,280.
Page 11 - Current Property Coverage
• Is it “enough”?
– Maximum probable loss
• Dunlap + South Shore + South Lake + Rainier Beach (under $200 million replacement cost)
– Maximum probable loss
• Dunlap + South Shore + South Lake + Rainier Beach (under $200 million replacement cost)
I don't know what this means - I'm assuming it's some kind of example but I'm not sure of what. I don't know why those schools are listed.
Work Session on the Budget
This presentation appears to have slides that Ken Gotsch referenced at the SCPTSA meeting on Monday when he spoke about the 2014-2015 budget. Dates are on page 6 (pages are not numbered).
Interesting chart on page 9 of who wants how many dollars at Central.
Updated enrollment figures appear on page 10.
Page 14 appears to show that the district is piloting the Breakfast After the Bell program with RBHS and Aki Kurose being considered for this effort.
I want to put in the discussion here from the Monday night discussion at the SCPTSA meeting from Ballard High about the process and its effects on school communities:
Another issue raised was by the president of the Ballard PTA (and I'm sorry, I missed his name). He said that the budget process was demoralizing to teachers and, at Ballard, had pitted departments against each other. He said that, over the last few years, good teachers at Ballard had been told they might be RIFed only to see it pulled back a week or so later. He said it made for a very uncomfortable time at their school.
Gotsch said that Sue Peters had asked about this issue and the district would talk about measures that might alleviate this issue.
Thursday's Meetings
Operations Committee from 4:30-6:30pm in the Auditorium. Agenda
It appears that the district is moving on to create more dual-language/international schools as we see the re-naming of both Dearborn Park and Mercer Middle schools on the agenda.
BEX IV - Pinehurst K-8 construction contract at Wilson-Pacific as well as the Genesee Hill and Meany Middle construction contracts. There is also to be some discussion of the World School construction budget.
Audit&Finance Committee from 4:30-6:30 pm in the Board Office. Agenda
A lot of regular items but a few notables:
- "Generating school revenue update" from Charles Wright and Pegi McEvoy. Don't know what that means
- And hey, there's that long-awaited "Capital Assets Annual Report." I'd like to see something very detailed come out.
Comments
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/mar/31/thousands-of-okla-teachers-to-rally-for-education/?page=1
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - A huge crowd of teachers , parents and children amassed at the Oklahoma Capitol building Monday to call for an increase in school funding, which hasn’t reached its pre-recession levels despite the addition of tens of thousands more students to the state’s classrooms....
“I’m here hoping that my presence will encourage our state government and state Department of Education to do the right thing for our children,” said Denise Duck, a third-grade teacher from Sulphur, who was among what the Oklahoma Highway Patrol estimated was a crowd of at least 25,000. (more)
-districtWatcher
BEX IV update: New middle, elementary schools to be built on Wilson-Pacific site
Community meeting set for May 13 to share information about the project
From the meeting announcement:
"The comprehensive neighborhood middle school will be constructed to house 1,000 students, including students from the Pinehurst K-8/Indian Heritage program (They will soon have a new name), while the elementary school will house up to 650 students, including the north end elementary Advanced Placement Program."
- North-end Mom