Corrections and Updates

Corrections

•  I misspoke when I said that Jackie Bezos was Jeff Bezos' wife.  She is his mother.  She is the president of his family foundation. 

• I reported that two members of the Advanced Learning Committee were at the C&I meeting last week but I missed the name of one person.  That was Jeanne Thompson, the chair, of the APP Advisory Ctm and a member of the current AL taskforce.

Updates

• The district is following other districts' in dropping the senior project for graduation.  They have waffled a bit saying individual high schools can still require them so you need to check with your high school to see what decision (if any) has been made.  You may recall that one high school student made creating a bill to get rid of the senior project her own senior project.  

• There are about 10 spaces still available on the Speaker's list for tonight's Board meeting. I am scheduled to speak and good news! I found the extra dollars for the math adoption.  I'll put up my testimony separately.  It has to do with capital dollars and I grow very weary of district staff saying that the "voters" approved using capital dollars for one purpose when staff mixes and matches up capital dollars any way they please.  They cannot have it both ways.  Either they use the dollars for EXACTLY what is in the language of the levy/bond OR that money is available for discussion of how to use those dollars (even after the vote). 

• I had wanted to put up a link to the Highly Capable OSPI grant application but it is still not on the Board agenda.  I have a hard copy so I am puzzled why this is not yet linked (I had hoped to not have to scan it into my computer.)  

• Still no agenda for the Operations committee meeting tomorrow.

• In response to your questions regarding the property swap that I noted on the Audit and Finance committee meeting this week, I heard back from legal counsel, Ron English.  I appreciate his prompt response.  I had thought that the Interbay swap had already happened so good to know the district still owns that land.
  
  For the Garfield project, to accommodate the new gymnasium building the City agreed to transfer ownership of a strip of land on the north side to the District.  It was understood that the District would transfer land of equal value to the City at some point in the future.  The School Board approved this arrangement, with the expectation that the City would receive land owned by the District at Interbay.  The City later asked to change the agreement to take other land they needed to expand the Rainier Beach Community Center, and we have now agreed on the details.
  
  The proposal will transfer ownership of strips of land owned by the District at South Shore, along the boundary between the two buildings, and north of the RBCC along the entry road, to the City.  Technically it is called a Lot Boundary Adjustment.
  
  At both sites, nothing will change from the existing physical configuration.  Both agencies will continue to have full use of their present facilities, i.e., the agreement will change the lot line between the two agencies' property to match the actual physical configuration of the properties. 
  
  The value of the two properties is based on appraisals by both the City and District, to assure neither agency gives more or less value than received.
  
  I asked that it be pulled because of work load issues, and will be going to the A&F Committee in August. As described, the action is not time-critical.