Author Archives: Laura Ni

October 2013: Volunteers for Issaquah Schools Campaign Update

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Campaign Kickoff            November 4

Our kickoff will be held at 7:00 PM at the King County Library System Service Center, 960 Newport Way NW, Issaquah.  The meeting will last no later than 8:30.

Come to this event to hear:
A brief overview of what is in the (3) levies and how they impact our students
The Superintendent explain why the levies are important
The plans for voter outreach  – messages, target audiences, mailings, facebook, etc.
How you can help get the word out in large or small ways
Questions and comments about the levies – including time for you to talk and make suggestions to the campaign committee

VIS Website  VisVote.org

You can download:
Endorsement form
Flyer that explains who VIS (Volunteers for Issaquah Schools) is
VIS Vote Yes 3 Times flyer
District fact sheet

What is the difference between the District fact sheet and the VIS Vote Yes flyer??  The District must inform the voters as to what these three levies will pay for and VIS’s job is to tell people why they should vote yes!  We will also include a calendar of public events and important dates on the website.  Over time there will be additional campaign tools that you can download.  Thanks to Anne Moore for serving as our webmaster!

Facebook

Like us on facebook!  This is a great way to generate enthusiasm and reach out to voters.  As of today we have 283 likes.

Endorsements

Endorsements will be listed on our website.  Please encourage people to go directly to the website to endorse these three levies!  We will also publish full page endorsement ads in our local papers in January.

We already have endorsements from the following:
Issaquah Education Association
Issaquah PTSA Council
Briarwood Elementary School PTA

Clark Elementary PTA
Challenger Elementary PTA
Discovery Elementary PTSA
Endeavor Elementary PTSA
Issaquah High PTSA

Issaquah Middle School PTSA
Issaquah Valley Elementary PTA
Liberty High School PTSA
Newcastle Elementary School PTSA
Pine Lake Middle School PTSA

Skyline High PTSA
Sunny Hills Elementary PTA
Sunset Elementary PTA

If you have endorsement sheets please scan them and send to Anne Moore at annemoore5@comcast.net or mail to Anne at P O Box 1401, Issaquah WA 98027

Presentations
October
16, 7:00 AM            Sammamish Kiwanis
17, 11:15 AM          Sammamish Chamber lunch meeting

17, 1:15 PM            Pacific Cascade Middle School PTSA
17, 6:30 PM            Maple Hills PTA

17, 6:30 PM            Maywood Middle School PTSA     

22, 7:00 PM            Beaver Lake Middle School PTSA

23, 6:00 PM            Cascade Ridge PTSA
24, 8:45 AM            Cougar Ridge PTSA
28, 6:00 PM            Sammamish Chamber Board
November
5, 9:30 AM              Creekside PTSA
8, 12:00 noon          Providence Point Kiwanis

12, 7:00 PM            Apollo PTA
14, 7:00 PM            Grand Ridge PTSA

18, 7:00 PM            Sammamish City Council

If you know of any community group or civic organization who would like to have a levy presentation please contact our Speakers Bureau Coordinator, Alicia Veevaert, at aliciavee@comcast.net.  We can tailor our presentation to the length of time available.

Untimely Loss – Vicki Hoffman

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PAGE ENTRIES:

Vicki had the unique gift of viewing everything through a lens of positivity.  There was not a person, organization or object in which she did not see “potential”.  Together we labored countless hours locating, rescuing and reviving materials which could be repurposed for our students’ art lessons.  We scoured school district surplus sales from Tacoma to Everett, dividing up our loot to take to the schools who needed them most.  She was the one bold enough to believe our kids could try fusing glass in the classrooms – which led to our roadtrips to Portland where we could purchase glass wholesale and stretch our budgets.  Vicki made these excursions fun and our successes were triumphant.  We spent hours in tiny kiln rooms firing student art projects after hours and on weekends so that each child would be able to create a keepsake for years to come.  Many a student (and prospective adult art docent) started a conversation saying “I’m not good at art” – Vicki would just laugh and disagree – and say “we’re just playing” – and lure them into a world of creativity.  That was her special gift – she lured you in and made you see your own “potential”.  It is a lesson we can all learn, take a chance, see where it leads and have fun along the way.  I will miss her dearly.  – Cyn Baumert

Vicki was a ray of sunshine in my life..11 years ago we began our journey together in the world of Art Docent. She was my mentor and inspiration! I could always share ideas with Vick and know that my lesson plans would come out fabulous! She was instrumental in helping me get the program started when Grand Ridge Elementary opened 7 years ago. Vicki is a legend in our community and will always live on through her dedication in making our world a more colorful place to be!! Love her and miss her…-Debi Courage

There are not enough words to describe Vicki and her heart for children, whether it was being an ISF Voice mentor, or hosting a party that raised funds for ISF, or whether she was involved in distributing every sign that went up for either the bond and levy campaigns, or for ISF’s All in for Kids campaigns.  She was involved at Tiger Mountain, Echo Glen, Issaquah Food Bank, Issaquah Middle School, Issaquah High School, Issaquah Community Network, just to name a few.  Vicki lived in half a lifetime what would take the rest of us to live in five life times.  There was no stone unturned when it came to helping kids.  Our community will definitely feel the loss of this amazing giving soul.  We love you Vicki! -Jody Mull

Vicki made it her business to not only expose as many people, young and old, to art, but to share the joy of creating art and art pieces.  She was perpetually positive, didn’t give in to fits of badmouthing and was professionally gracious and fun loving. -Lacey Leigh
 
Vicki was a gem in our community.   Vicki was my first art docent trainer and she was so inspirational and enthusiastic.  She wore many hats – but all of them showed that she was caring and passionate about the kids in our community.   Vicki is a shining example of using your passion to make the world a better place.  -Kim Foster
 
Personally, I was inspired by her commitment to teaching our kids art – whether it was clay or glass, she was always reaching out to share her passion with kids.  Such a huge loss for Issaquah… -Susan Griffin
 
My connection to Vicki was through the Art Docent program, but she is someone I ran into year after year and she was always an inspiration. I can’t believe I spent ten minutes catching up with her at Barnes & Noble’s only two weeks ago, and now she is gone. I don’t know her family, but I can only imagine how many people she has touched over the years. What a loss to the community!-Teresa Cowan
 
I am so glad to have known her when I started working with the school district. A lovely warm person ready to help a newbie like me. Praying for her family at this time….RIP Vicky. -Sharon Fong

All in for Kids – Yard Sign Guidelines

Link

A HUGE Thank You to Issaquah Sign on Gillman Ave in Issaquah

 

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING CAREFULLY

 

Signs can start to go up on school property now! Please start to load up your school property first, then target high visibility areas and areas leading up to schools first. Please refrain from personal property.

 

Continue cascading signs on school property and on street corners in your area. The greater the display, the more people will take notice. (This is a longer campaign so please realize that signs will disappear. Plan to keep replacing.)

Please place top add on’s just prior to the “Click It” dates.

After Salmon Days is over it is crucial these signs are standing the weeks prior to the call date. We want to cause excitement for the “click it” NOW!

All signs need to come down just after phone a thon no later one week after the campaign ends. We are making an effort to recycle these signs and stakes. So please try to pull and recover as may as possible. Signs will be re-collected at the ISF board meetings and PTSA Council Meetings. THANKs.

I have copies of Bellevue, Newcastle, Issaquah, and King County sign ordinances.  Their guidelines are lenient.  Our rapport is good so please take the time to read them on line if you need.

BE CAREFUL!!!!!!!

  • ISF Reps keep track of where your signs are placed in case of complaints.
  • For complaints or questions call Vicki Hoffman @ 425-681-8584
  • If you take a sign, please put it up, make sure it stays up, and take it down after the phone a thon.
  • Do not attach signs to utility poles.  There is a $50 fine per pole!
  • Do not attach signs to stop signs, speed limit signs, etc. or place them near on ramps for major highways or in major intersections.  The police consider this a safety hazard and will remove the signs.
  • Do not place signs in the medial strips.  Stay to the sides.
  • In Bellevue, Newcastle and Issaquah you can put signs up on city property but stay away from grass areas that need to be mowed.  Look for mulch areas.
  • Unincorporated King County is subject to the following – Signs should not be placed on County right away.  The right away extends 10 feet from the shoulder of every road.  This includes many entrances to developments even though Homeowner Associations maintain them.  If you have permission from your association, go ahead and give this a try.  This is your choice; King County will take action on a complaint basis only.
  • Traveling with garden gloves and a screwdriver is helpfulJ
  • If you need more signs or find you have some left over call Vicki Hoffman Vicki.hoffman@comcast.net   425-681-8584

Legislative Update June 2013

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Legislative Update

By Marie Sullivan, WSSDA Director of Governmental Relations

June 11, 2013

Governor calls for 2nd special session, no clear path forward

After taking the Senate Majority Caucus to task at a “media availability” this morning, Gov. Jay Inslee announced this afternoon he would call legislators back for a second special session starting tomorrow at 9 a.m. No one was surprised.

The second special session can run up to 30 days. Unlike last year, when the Legislature needed just a few more hours after midnight to complete a second special session, the outlook isn’t positive. As one reporter joked, the Capitol may be the only state building with the lights on if lawmakers fail to reach agreement before the biennium ends June 30th.

Earlier in the day, Inslee chastised the Senate Majority for using school children as a lever to get an ideological agenda passed. The Democratic governor specifically mentioned the focus on further reforms to workers compensation and expanding pay day lending as having nothing to do with a two-year operating budget to meet the state’s paramount duty to fund K-12 schools. Inslee said House Democrats had compromised, and handed out a chart to illustrate the point he was making.

Sen. Rodney Tom, one of two Democrats to join 23 Republicans to form the majority caucus last winter, said a government shutdown will be avoided. The Bellevue Democrat is the Senate Caucus Majority Leader.

What’s the hold up?

At issue are a number of policy bills the Senate Majority Caucus is demanding pass as part of the budget negotiations and House Democrats’ insistence on closing tax loopholes to meet McCleary.

House Democrats dramatically reduced their K-12 spending plan when they passed ESHB 1057 on June 6. ESHB 2034, the so-called “trailer bill,” linked funding for early learning, higher education, and some aspects of the 2009-redefined program of basic education to closing seven tax preference policies.

The two Senate education-related bills still in play are ESSB 5242, informally titled “mutual consent,” and SSB 5946, an omnibus bill that includes elements of 3rd grade reading intervention, school discipline limits, Learning Assistance Program (LAP) changes, and professional development for teachers, beginning educator support, school directors and school administrators. The latter is a new concept that has not been discussed in policy committees. One short subsection would require any salary increases beyond inflation for school staff to be spent on district-directed professional development for activities such as common core standards.

During a hearing June 10 before the Senate Ways & Means Committee, Dr. Jonelle Adams, WSSDA Executive Director, asked lawmakers to amend SSB 5946 to authorize WSSDA to conduct the training for school directors included in Sec. 501. The bill passed out of committee this morning without the WSSDA amendment but with a commitment from the bill sponsor to make the modification.

ESSB 5242 passed the Senate 25-23 on Sunday, June 9. It is on the “go-home list” for the Senate Majority Caucus. The revised bill would:

  • ·         Require the State Board of Education to use the new Washington Achievement Index to identify all school districts during the past two school years that did not make progress in closing the opportunity gaps in any of the individual subgroups of students or did not make progress in closing the overall opportunity gap within the district. The SBE would be required to provide the list to OSPI by December 1st of each year, and OSPI must notify the school district that it is on the list by January 1stof each year.
  • ·         Add a definition of “displaced” to include a certificated instructional staff (CIS) member who no longer has an assignment because of reassignment, change in program, change in enrollment, or implementation of a federal accountability intervention model.
  • ·         Prohibit a CIS on probation from being transferred to another evaluator.
  • ·         Require assignment to be agreed upon by the principal and the staff member being reassigned.

o    The principal would receive input from at least two teachers employed at the school.

o    Starting in 2015-16, evaluation results must be considered in personnel decisions.

o    A district superintendent would be given the ability to override a principal’s decision on up to two staff assignments each school year.

  • ·         Put “displaced” CIS into a paid temporary position through May 15th of the year following displacement. If no assignment can be found, the district would place the CIS on unpaid leave until he or she is able to secure assignment. If a substantially similar position is found, the school district would reinstate the salary and benefits to the level prior to when they were placed on unpaid leave.
  • ·         Not apply to current contracts but would apply to new or renewed contracts after the effective date of the section.
  • ·         Submit the legislation to the voters at the next general election. If adopted, the effective date would be 90 days after certification.

For their part, the Senate Majority Caucus passed their operating budget (ESSB 5034) Saturday, June 8. The budget is similar to what passed the Senate more than a month ago with one exception – no Democrats voted in favor this time. The two-year spending plan makes investments in K-12 education but still includes proposals that aren’t widely supported by school directors. (The next Legislative Update will compare the House and Senate budgets.) Budget chair Andy Hill, R-Redmond, has said the Senate will consider a couple of revenue bills but only in return for policy reforms.

WSSDA urges focus on the budget

Following the start of the first special session, the WSSDA Board of Directors adopted positions May 16 on mutual consent, third grade reading interventions, and school grading.

In a letter to legislative leaders, WSSDA Board President Debra Long, a Central Valley school director, and Executive Director Jonelle Adams urged the Legislature to focus on passing a budget that makes a significant down payment on K-12 schools funding. The letter describes the Board’s opposition to the mutual consent legislation and the parameters for supporting a bill on third grade reading.

Long and Adams pointed to two significant education reform bills that passed during the regular session – SB 5329 (lowest-achieving schools) and SB 5491 (statewide indicators).

“While we appreciate the Legislature’s interest in various policy bills on topics such as mutual consent, it is the consensus of the WSSDA Board of Directors that the focus of this special session (and any subsequent special session) should be on passing a budget and adopting a schedule to ramp up funding by 2018, not on enacting new policy.” – excerpt from the June 11, 2013 letter