Snoqualmie Valley School District Headlines

Boundary Committee Develops Five Draft Scenarios

Tue, 9 Mar 2010 00:00:00 PST

The district's Elementary Boundary Study committee, charged with developing new attendance boundaries for Snoqualmie Valley elementary schools, has released five draft scenarios. Parent and community input is being sought through another Web-based survey; Boundary Survey #2 regarding five draft boundary options will be available from March 9 through March 18. (The survey will close at 8am, Thursday, 3/18.)

"The committee looked at many ways to group and regroup neighborhoods," noted committee chair Jeff Hogan. "These five possible scenarios come closest to matching student enrollment over the next several years with school capacities. We have attempted to use natural boundaries and keep neighborhoods together as much as possible." Unfortunately, with over 900 students currently living within a one-mile radius of Cascade View Elementary, it just isn't possible to send them all to the nearest school.

Each option presented below includes a brief description of neighborhoods where current boundaries could change, as well as a map of the potential boundaries for that option. Additionally, two enrollment-related charts are presented for each option. The first shows how the enrollments would change for each school from 2010-11 through 2013-14, based on that particular option, and the second chart shows the number of classrooms needed in each school to serve the projected enrollment for the next four years. These projections have been developed using current student enrollment information, King County birth records, and information on planned and proposed housing developments throughout the district. As with all projections, enrollment numbers for the earlier years are more likely to be in close range to those actually achieved, while later years may see wider variation from these projected numbers. Based on demographic data available, all five of these options will likely accommodate anticipated growth for the next 3-5 years.

Parents and community members are encouraged to review the documentation posted here before doing the survey.

Links to maps of each option will be available on the survey itself, but not all of the information regarding school capacities and enrollment projections will be found on the survey. You can only take the survey once: TAKE ATTENDANCE BOUNDARY SURVEY #2

Next steps after Boundary Survey #2

After receiving community input on the draft scenarios detailed above, the committee will narrow the list from five to a short list of preferred options. These will be highlighted here on the district website, along with a final online survey (Boundary Survey #3) to gather feedback on the preferred scenarios. Three community meetings will also be offered to discuss the options:

Monday, March 29, at 6 p.m. at North Bend Elementary
Tuesday, March 30, at 6 p.m. at Snoqualmie Middle School
Wednesday, March 31, at 6 p.m. -- online E-Meeting (To participate from a home computer, click on E-Meeting for instructions on how to login prior to the event.)

The committee will consider all feedback, before making a final recommendation to the School Board in April.

More Resources:
Elementary Attendance Boundary News - A section has been set up to share information on the boundary process and the committee's activities. Committee documents, survey results, maps and other information will be posted to the site regularly during the process.

Elementary Boundary Study Frequently Asked Questions (updated 3-5-10)

Classified School Employees Week

Mon, 8 Mar 2010 00:00:00 PST

The week of March 8th -12th has been designated as Classified School Employees Week in our school district, as well as many others throughout the state. Classified school employees are involved in nearly every aspect of educating the children who attend our schools. Their roles and responsibilities include:

maintaining school buildings and grounds,
providing secretarial assistance,
supporting technology,
managing student information,
preparing and serving meals,
providing safe pupil transportation,
keeping school facilities clean and healthy,
assisting students in the classroom, and
ensuring a safe and secure learning environment.

We appreciate and value the support provided by the 263 classified employees serving our Snoqualmie Valley schools and the students in them.

The fundamental purpose of our schools is to ensure high levels of learning for every student. While it is the teachers who are most directly involved in the facilitation of the learning process, our classified staff play a critical role in the success of our schools, and ultimately to the success of our students. The support they provide to our teachers and administrators is vitally important in helping meet the needs of our students.

To our classified staff- we appreciate your efforts, value your support, and thank you for the quality care you offer each day to help educate the students in our schools.

To our community- please join us this week in recognizing our classified staff members, and their outstanding contributions to the core purpose of our schools - ensuring that all students learn at high levels.

Educators of the Year Named

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 00:00:00 PST

Congratulations to four staff members who were selected as 2010 Educators of the Year by the Snoqualmie Valley Schools Foundation!

Laura Tarp - Culinary Arts teacher at Mount Si High School
Jan Miller - 2nd grade teacher at Fall City Elementary
Seth Deniston - 3rd grade teacher at Cascade View Elementary
Christi Wright - Principal's secretary at Mount Si High School

The educators were surprised with the news at their schools on February 25. They will be publicly honored at the Snoqualmie Valley Schools Foundation Spring Fundraising Luncheon on Thursday, March 25, 2010 from 11:30am to 1:00pm at the Snoqualmie Ridge Golf Club, to which the community is invited.

The Educator of the Year award program focuses on three categories: one Elementary teacher, one Middle or High school teacher, and one classified staff member. These Snoqualmie Valley educators exemplify commitment to excellence in education and dedication to our students and the community. Nominations came from colleagues, parents, and students and were evaluated by an independent committee of Snoqualmie Valley Chamber of Commerce members. This year, there was a tie at the elementary level, so the committee recommended two outstanding Elementary teachers.

For more information or to RSVP for the luncheon, please visit the the Snoqualmie Valley Schools Foundation website at www.SVSFoundation.org.

Budget Planning for 2010-11

Fri, 8 Jan 2010 00:00:00 PST

District Finance Update

Webcase of Budget E-Meeting

If you missed the two recent community meetings (offered March 3 and 4), click here to hear a Budget Update Webcast. In this audio recording linked with PowerPoint slides from the March 3 E-Meeting, Superintendent Joel Aune and Business Manager Ron Ellis provide an update on the district's 2010-11 budget development efforts. While awaiting the finalized state budget, this presentation shares the potential implications to our district of the Governor's proposed cuts to K-12 education funding, which the Legislature is currently considering.

Click on this brief update for current budget developments as of February 23, 2010.

Our Current Budget

Last spring, the Snoqualmie Valley School District reduced its operating budget for the 2009-10 school year by approximately $3.2 million (or 6%) due to Washington State's cuts to K-12 public education funding. Following an extensive 6-month process, expenditure reductions were identified across all district departments and schools, and continue to be carefully implemented this year.

How did we get here?

School districts across the state are facing unprecedented financial challenges. These challenges are driven in large part by a steady erosion of state funding in recent years and exacerbated by the recent crisis at the state level. The reduction in state revenues is compounded by escalating costs, contract obligations, and a growing list of government mandates that receive no funding. Despite our state's constitution that declares its paramount duty to amply fund education, only about 75-80% of our district's basic needs are supported by state and federal resources. Schools districts must ask local voters to approve levies for the remaining 20% needed to sustain adequate education services for all students.

Legislative Update

The Governor revealed her preliminary proposal on December 10, 2009. Unfortunately, the outlook has worsened for public education. In addition to last year's $9 billion state deficit that drove out cuts to K-12 education over the next two years, the state is predicting (as of this January 8 update) ANOTHER $2.6 billion in cuts over the next year. Events last year also taught us that this estimate may grow even higher between now and the time the legislature adopts the state budget this spring. The preliminary reductions outlined by the Governor include the elimination of I-728 and K-4 class size funding, among other things. These monies currently pay for approximately 20 teaching positions in the Snoqualmie Valley School District. (Hear the latest update on the state's education funding from the OSPI Financial Outlook 1/7/10 presentation.)

Next Steps

The District is beginning its annual budget development process to prepare for the 2010-11 school year. Based on what we're hearing from the state, even deeper reductions and cost savings will be needed. It appears likely that all Washington school districts will be forced to identify deep cuts that impact class size, school operations, programs, staff, and ultimately, students. Similar to last year, our district will provide ongoing website updates and resources concerning the process and timeline around expenditure reduction planning for the 2010-11 school year (see SVSD Budget Update from 1/7/10).

Values Driving Budget Prioritization

The mission of the Snoqualmie Valley School District is to meet the individual learning needs of its students, thereby enabling them: to identify and realize their potentials, to develop skills and attitudes for life-long learning, and to be knowledgeable, productive and involved citizens.

As we embark on another difficult process of identifying areas for reduction, the following criteria will continue to guide decisions and uphold the District's mission:
     • Maintain safe learning and working environments for students and staff
     • Preserve student learning and growth
     • Sustain support of student academic achievement
     • Provide a basic level of support services
     • Adhere to legal requirements
     • Consider long-term implications of reduction

Additional Resources
• OSPI Financial Outlook, Jan. 7 (PowerPoint with Audio) (PowerPoint only)
• SVSD Budget Update as of Jan. 7
• Timeline for Budget Development
• Previous Reductions 2007-2010

Share Your Feedback

Click here to share your ideas and suggestions. This link will remain active through April 11th and all comments will be shared with the School Board prior to adopting any plan. We value your input as we work through these challenging circumstances.

Facilities Solution Recommended

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 00:00:00 PST

The district's Long-term Facilities Planning (LTFP) Committee presented its final recommendation, during a February 11 School Board work session, on how best to address future overcrowding at Mount Si High School.

Following a year-long planning process (that enlisted community feedback to help narrow the options from five models, to two, then to one), the committee unanimously recommended: Annexation of SMS to Mount Si High School and Building a Replacement Middle School on land the district already owns on Snoqualmie Ridge as the preferred solution to meet the future enrollment needs of our district for the next ten years.

This model alleviates overcrowding at Mount Si High School (where the greatest needs are anticipated) by utilizing the space at nearby Snoqualmie Middle School for high school students and staff. This solution also includes building a replacement middle school on district-owned land on Snoqualmie Ridge to accommodate students in grades 6-8, who would attend SMS. The proposal would expand high school classroom capacity to serve 500-600 more students, as well as add common areas, fields, gym facilities and extra parking for high school use. Along with this proposal, the LTFP Committee proposed that a Study Committee, facilitated by the high school administrative team, convene to explore the most effective use of additional SMS capacity in terms of educational programming and student needs.

The estimated cost of this recommendation is approximately $50 million. Building a new middle school costs less than building a new high school (half as much), takes less time to build, and requires less land (our district owns property on Snoqualmie Ridge that could accommodate a middle school). For comparison, a comprehensive remodel and expansion of Mount Si High School would cost about $100 million. Current operating costs for SMS would essentially be transferred to the new middle school building. There would be some increase in high school operating costs from the annexation of the SMS facility, but not as much as a new school would require. The district would also be able to save time and costs by re-using the building design recently developed for Twin Falls Middle School.

This recommendation -- Annexing SMS as part of Mount Si High School and building a replacement middle school - is scheduled to be operational by the fall of 2013, if approved by the School Board and community. This timing aligns with enrollment projections that forecast a strong need at that time for the extra capacity.

NEXT STEPS:

February 11: Recommendation presented to School Board during work session.

February 12: Report to the Board posted on District website

February 12 - March 7: Feedback link remains open for community to submit input for School Board consideration

February 25: Opportunity for Citizen Comment on LTFP Recommendation, 6:30-7:15pm, at the District Office (prior to regular School Board meeting starting at 7:30pm)

March 11: School Board to take action on LTFP recommendation.

The Process to Date

As mentioned above, the proposed solution from the LTFP Committee is the result of an extensive process (which started March of 2009) involving data research and analysis of enrollment projections, building capacities, associated costs, logistical challenges, lessons learned from other districts, program implications and student disruption. The committee explored five facilities models that could potentially address future enrollment needs for the next ten years. In November 2009, after employing a variety of community and staff engagement activities (focus groups, community meetings, staff meetings, web feedback, online E-meeting, surveys), the committee used the feedback to narrow those five options down to the two most viable solutions for our district's specific needs. Both remaining options -- "Annexation of SMS and Building a Replacement Middle School model" and a "Comprehensive Remodel/Expansion of MSHS model" -- focused on increasing high school capacity since that is where the primary needs are projected. The committee then took a deeper look into the costs and logistics involved with both, coupled with more community feedback including results from a scientific phone survey as an indicator of community preference. As a result, the committee voted unanimously to recommend the current scenario (detailed above) to the School Board.

If you'd like more details about this process, including previous options considered and why they have since been dismissed, please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions below. Also, the committee's Report to the Board (dated February 11) shares a thorough historical summary of this process as well as future considerations around school facilities.

LTFP Committee Report to the Board - 2/11/10

Presentation on Recommendation - 2/11/10 (PPT)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) - (updated 12/18/09)

Feedback on Facilities Recommendations. The School Board would like to hear your thoughts on the final recommendation. This link will be closed after March 7, so the Board can review all comments prior to making a decision March 11.

New Tests Replace WASL

Fri, 5 Feb 2010 00:00:00 PST

Changes to the 2010 State Assessment are beginning this 2009-10 school year. The Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) will be replaced by two new tests: the Measurements of Student Progress (MSP) for grades 3-8 and the High School Proficiency Exam (HSPE) for 10th graders. These assessments that are shorter in length but similar in rigor, require fewer testing days, and will involve a move to online testing in coming years.

Measurements of Student Progress (MSP)
Grades 3-8: The MSP name conveys the goal of the new test: to measure student progress. The MSP will be shorter to take than the WASL and will be administered online over the next few years. Reading, math and science will each take just one day to complete, compared to two days each needed previously for the WASL. For now, writing will still require two days. Beginning this spring, about 25 percent of the state's students in grades 6-8 will take the MSP via computer in reading and math. Snoqualmie Valley middle schools may begin piloting online testing this spring.

High School Proficiency Exam (HSPE)
Grade 10: The HSPE name conveys its goal: to measure a student's proficiency of basic skills. State requirements vary slightly for students while transitioning to this new exam. Students in the classes of 2010-2012 must pass a reading and writing assessment to graduate. If a student already passed this requirement via the WASL, he/she will not have to take the HSPE in that content area. Students in the Class of 2013 will be the first required to pass reading, writing, math, and science assessments to be eligible to graduate. The new high school reading, math and science exams will be shorter, requiring just one day each (compared to two for the WASL.) For now, writing will still involve two days. Beginning in spring 2011, about 25 percent of the state's high school students will take the HSPE via computer in reading, writing and math. Since Mount Si High School is not currently equipped to administer online exams simultaneously to an entire class, it's working to evolve its technology resources for this new requirement.

Mark your 2010 calendars...

MSP (grades 3-8) Testing Window:
• May 12-28 (paper-and-pencil)
• May 3-June 4 (online for grades 6-8)

HSPE (grade 10) Testing Window:
• March 16 (reading)
• March 17-18 (writing)
• April 13 (math)
• April 15 (science)

The move to online testing will be phased in over the next few years. Eventually, the state anticipates this change will save time (around administering and evaluating the tests), save money (in printing, postage and scoring), and provide more timely feedback regarding student performance. Paper-and-pencil testing will always be an option for students with special needs.

For more information about the new state assessments, select the following:
• http://www.k12.wa.us/assessment/StateTesting/ (Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction- OSPI).
• FAQs about State Testing
• Roll-out Schedule for Online Testing