Here's an interesting development in Seattle, that we should pay close attention to here in Bellingham. Read
Proposed school boundaries would return Seattle to a neighborhood-based system in the Oct. 6 Seattle Times.
Seattle tried turning elementary schools into specialty magnet schools, encouraging families to send their kids far from home, and are now having to reverse directions. They are rediscovering the value of neighborhood based schools.
Let's not continue down the same path -- let's reverse course in Bellingham now, and decide NOT to create these specialty magnet schools, and instead provide high quality education for every neighborhood school. We can avoid the mistakes and expenses if we take action now.
Attend tonight's (Oct. 7) school board candidate forum, at 7:30 p.m. at the Fairhaven Park Pavillion, hosted by South Hill Neighborhood Association and Fairhaven Neighbors.
Attend Thursday's (Oct. 8) 7:30 p.m. Bellingham School Board meeting, and remind them we don't want to be making the same mistakes Seattle made.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Lowell plan, superintendent search on School Board's Oct. 8 agenda!
The Bellingham School District posted the Oct. 8 board meeting agenda and attachments today. Included under action items:
Management Action Plan for Lowell Elementary School,
prepared by acting superintendent Sherrie Brown, is a preliminary draft for reopening Lowell Elementary School. The plan includes five objective areas: Budget, Enrollment Projections, Staffing, Communications and Logistics.
It includes moving items from storage, into the school, in December!
While this is exciting, it is also important to know that the process includes "evaluating" the impact of reopening Lowell on Happy Valley and Larrabee elementary schools.
Let's make sure this evaluation really is for staffing purposes, and not another attempt by the school district to pit school communities against one another. We need to continue to support all of our elementary schools as neighborhood schools.
The draft plan also continues to use the term "small schools" -- which has been code for "unnecessary." These southside schools are not small. Lowell had more than 300 students, and Happy Valley is supposed to have about 280 students when it is not hosting a second student body. And Larrabee has more than 200 students.
Also on the agenda under action items: "The Board of Directors of Bellingham School District #501 will take action to initiate a search for a new superintendent that includes a process for input from community, staff and students."
We hope this process will allow for new school board members to participate, since they'll be the ones working with the new superintendent.
Please make an effort to be at the school board meeting this Thursday,
7:30 p.m., 1306 Dupont St. Big decisions are being made, and it is very important that the school board, the new acting superintendent Sherrie Brown, and the school board candidates who have been regularly attending these meetings understand how much we value and support our neighborhood schools.
Management Action Plan for Lowell Elementary School,
prepared by acting superintendent Sherrie Brown, is a preliminary draft for reopening Lowell Elementary School. The plan includes five objective areas: Budget, Enrollment Projections, Staffing, Communications and Logistics.
It includes moving items from storage, into the school, in December!
While this is exciting, it is also important to know that the process includes "evaluating" the impact of reopening Lowell on Happy Valley and Larrabee elementary schools.
Let's make sure this evaluation really is for staffing purposes, and not another attempt by the school district to pit school communities against one another. We need to continue to support all of our elementary schools as neighborhood schools.
The draft plan also continues to use the term "small schools" -- which has been code for "unnecessary." These southside schools are not small. Lowell had more than 300 students, and Happy Valley is supposed to have about 280 students when it is not hosting a second student body. And Larrabee has more than 200 students.
Also on the agenda under action items: "The Board of Directors of Bellingham School District #501 will take action to initiate a search for a new superintendent that includes a process for input from community, staff and students."
We hope this process will allow for new school board members to participate, since they'll be the ones working with the new superintendent.
Please make an effort to be at the school board meeting this Thursday,
7:30 p.m., 1306 Dupont St. Big decisions are being made, and it is very important that the school board, the new acting superintendent Sherrie Brown, and the school board candidates who have been regularly attending these meetings understand how much we value and support our neighborhood schools.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Candidates interviewed in Cascadia Weekly
Cascadia Weekly's Tim Johnson did a great job interviewing the candidates running for two open Bellingham School Board seats. Read the article in the Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009 edition here:
Challenges face Bellingham schools, candidates say
Forums coming up
Several forums are coming up for the candidates to speak and answer questions. This is what we have confirmed so far:
* South Hill Neighborhood Association and the Fairhaven Neighbors Association will have its event at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 7, at the Fairhaven Park Pavillion. Candidates or their representatives will make a short statement, and then it will be opened up for questions from the audience.
* League of Women Voters of Bellingham/Whatcom County is partnering with American Association of University Women to put together a joint forum on ballot issues that will cover I-1033 and Ref. 71, as well as the Whatcom Library Levy, and the Bellingham School Board Candidates, 9:45 a.m. to noon Oct. 17, at the Bellingham Senior Activity Center, 315 Halleck St.
Challenges face Bellingham schools, candidates say
Forums coming up
Several forums are coming up for the candidates to speak and answer questions. This is what we have confirmed so far:
* South Hill Neighborhood Association and the Fairhaven Neighbors Association will have its event at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 7, at the Fairhaven Park Pavillion. Candidates or their representatives will make a short statement, and then it will be opened up for questions from the audience.
* League of Women Voters of Bellingham/Whatcom County is partnering with American Association of University Women to put together a joint forum on ballot issues that will cover I-1033 and Ref. 71, as well as the Whatcom Library Levy, and the Bellingham School Board Candidates, 9:45 a.m. to noon Oct. 17, at the Bellingham Senior Activity Center, 315 Halleck St.
Friday, September 25, 2009
District to plan Lowell's reopening
The Bellingham School Board unanimously passed a motion Thursday, Sept. 24, 2009, to direct Acting Superintendent Sherrie Brown to bring a "management action plan for the reopening of Lowell" to the next board meeting, Oct. 8, 2009.
The district sent out an e-blast immediately following the meeting, with more details. Read it here:
Enrollment and facilities update September 2009
This is great news, and the slide show of the work being done at Lowell shows the school will be remarkable when it does reopen.
Also at Thursday night's meeting, members of SEIU Local 925, the union representing custodians, food service and maintenance employees of the district, spoke during the public comment period, and submitted a letter to the district, requesting reinstatement of staff who had been cut during the budget process. They say they lost jobs, hours, reduced substitute support and agreed to no pay raise till 2011, but that the district is giving previously unbudgeted wage increases to other employees at the same time.
Their point: clean, healthy schools should be a priority, and they're asking for positions to be reinstated. Hopefully, the new administration will consider their request.
The district sent out an e-blast immediately following the meeting, with more details. Read it here:
Enrollment and facilities update September 2009
This is great news, and the slide show of the work being done at Lowell shows the school will be remarkable when it does reopen.
Also at Thursday night's meeting, members of SEIU Local 925, the union representing custodians, food service and maintenance employees of the district, spoke during the public comment period, and submitted a letter to the district, requesting reinstatement of staff who had been cut during the budget process. They say they lost jobs, hours, reduced substitute support and agreed to no pay raise till 2011, but that the district is giving previously unbudgeted wage increases to other employees at the same time.
Their point: clean, healthy schools should be a priority, and they're asking for positions to be reinstated. Hopefully, the new administration will consider their request.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
School Board news
The next Bellingham School Board meeting is Thursday, 7:30 p.m., Sept. 24. On the agenda are reports on summer maintenance and bond projects, which will include updates on Lowell and Larrabee elementaries. Minutes from the Sept. 10 school board meeting note that assistant superintendent Ron Cowan plans to talk about both neighborhood schools.
From the Sept. 10 minutes, here is the statement in context, under School Board Directors’ Reports:
"Ann Whitmyer reported the Board has held additional meetings to discuss releasing Dr. Vedra from his contract and appointing Sherrie Brown as acting superintendent.
During the first day of school, Ms. Whitmyer visited Transportations, Options High School, Fairhaven Middle School, and Happy Valley and Columbia elementary schools. Whitmyer asked how much of our higher enrollment can be attributed to students moving from private schools. She also requested an update on facilities, including the status of Lowell Elementary School, which remained closed for the 2009–10 school year as part of the budget reduction process. During the 2009–10 school year, additional work is scheduled at Lowell prior to reopening for the 2010–11 school year.
Assistant Superintendent Row Cowan confirmed that he will present a facilities update to the Board at the September 24 School Board meeting, including updates on Lowell and Larrabee elementary schools, Shuksan Middle Schools play fields, and the ongoing work at Whatcom Middle School."
Also on the agenda is a report on enrollment. Should be interesting!
The agenda, and documents that will be presented at the meeting are online. Go to
http://www.bham.wednet.edu/, click on "district and school board," "school board meetings, agendas and minutes," then "enter public site" and at left agendas and attachments are listed by date.
From the Sept. 10 minutes, here is the statement in context, under School Board Directors’ Reports:
"Ann Whitmyer reported the Board has held additional meetings to discuss releasing Dr. Vedra from his contract and appointing Sherrie Brown as acting superintendent.
During the first day of school, Ms. Whitmyer visited Transportations, Options High School, Fairhaven Middle School, and Happy Valley and Columbia elementary schools. Whitmyer asked how much of our higher enrollment can be attributed to students moving from private schools. She also requested an update on facilities, including the status of Lowell Elementary School, which remained closed for the 2009–10 school year as part of the budget reduction process. During the 2009–10 school year, additional work is scheduled at Lowell prior to reopening for the 2010–11 school year.
Assistant Superintendent Row Cowan confirmed that he will present a facilities update to the Board at the September 24 School Board meeting, including updates on Lowell and Larrabee elementary schools, Shuksan Middle Schools play fields, and the ongoing work at Whatcom Middle School."
Also on the agenda is a report on enrollment. Should be interesting!
The agenda, and documents that will be presented at the meeting are online. Go to
http://www.bham.wednet.edu/, click on "district and school board," "school board meetings, agendas and minutes," then "enter public site" and at left agendas and attachments are listed by date.
Some new links
We've added some new links to the side panel of the blog. First, fall elections approach, and two positions are up for election on the Bellingham School Board, positions 4 and 5. As candidates get their web sites up and running, we will add links to their sites. We hope to set up a forum for candidates to shares their views with the public in the near future. Stay tuned ....
New media links are two articles that appeared this month in The Bellingham Herald. First, the announcement that Superintendent Vedra is leaving the district, and Sherrie Brown will be acting superintendent. That begins October 1. Hopefully, more change is in the air. Also, stay tuned ....
Second, an article in Sunday's edition lauds new programs in Bellingham schools. It does point out that the expense of these programs was questioned during the budget cutting process. What you can find out by reading closely, and also viewing the reader comments, is how these specialty programs at the elementary level are tearing apart neighborhoods, with parents choosing to move their kids to schools outside their area to either avoid programs, or to take advantage of special programs. Already, 80 families are driving to Wade King Elementary from outside the attendance area. This is not what Bellingham's Comprehensive Plan calls for -- the city values neighborhood schools, to give all kids in every neighborhood equal opportunity, and to strenghthen each neighborhood community.
Again, this is the time to speak up -- we have the opportunity to choose a new school board, a new superintendent, ask the city council to seek a new capital facilities plan and protect our Bellingham values!
New media links are two articles that appeared this month in The Bellingham Herald. First, the announcement that Superintendent Vedra is leaving the district, and Sherrie Brown will be acting superintendent. That begins October 1. Hopefully, more change is in the air. Also, stay tuned ....
Second, an article in Sunday's edition lauds new programs in Bellingham schools. It does point out that the expense of these programs was questioned during the budget cutting process. What you can find out by reading closely, and also viewing the reader comments, is how these specialty programs at the elementary level are tearing apart neighborhoods, with parents choosing to move their kids to schools outside their area to either avoid programs, or to take advantage of special programs. Already, 80 families are driving to Wade King Elementary from outside the attendance area. This is not what Bellingham's Comprehensive Plan calls for -- the city values neighborhood schools, to give all kids in every neighborhood equal opportunity, and to strenghthen each neighborhood community.
Again, this is the time to speak up -- we have the opportunity to choose a new school board, a new superintendent, ask the city council to seek a new capital facilities plan and protect our Bellingham values!
Monday, September 21, 2009
City sets hearing on schools' facilities plan
Bellingham City Council will have a public hearing at 7 p.m. October 19, 2009, to hear your opinion of the Bellingham School District's request to add its new capital facilities plan to the Bellingham Comprehensive Plan.
The School District needs the city's OK on this six-year plan so it can collect impact fees from developers, and use that money to provide facilities for new housing. But the problem is, the six-year plan is riddled with inaccurate numbers class sizes at 22 students through fifth grade?), false assumptions (population growth of 14 percent, while enrollment the last six years was flat?) and a lack of necessary information (a re-opening date for Lowell Elementary, and a commitment to neighborhood schools, a component of the city's comprehensive plan).
This is it -- the City Council has said it supports neighborhood schools, and has encouraged the school district to keep its neighborhood schools open. This is the only time the city has a say in how the school district operates. The planning commission agreed that there were problems in the plan, but also made the assumption that the school board knows how to run its district. There was no public process before the school board passed this capital facilities plan ... the document was published online on a Tuesday in the summer, and passed two days later.
Tell the city you want these problems in the plan fixed -- if the district wants to collect money, it should have to follow the rules of the city it is in.
Read the documents ... the city has a great link to them through the planning commission's agenda packet: go to www.cob.org, under "public involvement" click on "Boards and Commissions," then "planning and development commission," then on the right look for "meeting materials." They're under the Aug. 20 meeting.
The information also will be posted and available as a City Council agenda packet. For more info, call Greg Aucutt, city senior planner, at 778-8344 or email gaucutt@cob.org.
You can submit a written comment before Oct. 14, and it will be included in the council's packet; email ccmail@cob.org.
The School District needs the city's OK on this six-year plan so it can collect impact fees from developers, and use that money to provide facilities for new housing. But the problem is, the six-year plan is riddled with inaccurate numbers class sizes at 22 students through fifth grade?), false assumptions (population growth of 14 percent, while enrollment the last six years was flat?) and a lack of necessary information (a re-opening date for Lowell Elementary, and a commitment to neighborhood schools, a component of the city's comprehensive plan).
This is it -- the City Council has said it supports neighborhood schools, and has encouraged the school district to keep its neighborhood schools open. This is the only time the city has a say in how the school district operates. The planning commission agreed that there were problems in the plan, but also made the assumption that the school board knows how to run its district. There was no public process before the school board passed this capital facilities plan ... the document was published online on a Tuesday in the summer, and passed two days later.
Tell the city you want these problems in the plan fixed -- if the district wants to collect money, it should have to follow the rules of the city it is in.
Read the documents ... the city has a great link to them through the planning commission's agenda packet: go to www.cob.org, under "public involvement" click on "Boards and Commissions," then "planning and development commission," then on the right look for "meeting materials." They're under the Aug. 20 meeting.
The information also will be posted and available as a City Council agenda packet. For more info, call Greg Aucutt, city senior planner, at 778-8344 or email gaucutt@cob.org.
You can submit a written comment before Oct. 14, and it will be included in the council's packet; email ccmail@cob.org.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Planning Commission OKs facilities plan
While the city Planning Commission voted Thursday night to recommend the city adopt the school district's new capital facilities plan, it did so with a lot of good discussion.
The Aug. 20 meeting will air on BTV 10 Tuesday, August 25, 2009, at 8 a.m.
Good questions and statements were voiced, such as: "Why isn't a reopening date for Lowell School in the six-year plan" and "Why isn't the school district using the state's projected enrollment for planning (Meridian school district is using the state's numbers), since it seems to be accurate for Bellingham?" and "It seems that portions of the district's capital facilities plan are working against the city's coimprehensive plan."
The school district sent a consultant as its representative at the meeting: She said she strongly urged the district to put an opening date for Lowell in the plan, but district administrators didn't want to, and said they'd revisit Lowell's future in the spring.
The commission went down a list of criteria to decide if it should recommend the city accept this plan; many of the criteria were vague, stating that things had chnaged so a new plan was needed. The commission agreed that things had changed, while also voicing that they didn't necessarily agree with HOW they had changed, and stated that it was really up to the school board to run its district.
The problem with this is, the district isn't adhering to the goals and values of the city that it is in, and this is one of the very few ways the city can actually make an impact, and require the school district to do something: set a reopen date for Lowell, maintain and operate its existing schools, and locate schools within neighborhoods.
The commission recommended that the school district work closely with city leaders to make sure these things happen.
Now, we need to contact City Council members, and let them know we don't want them to accept this capital facilities plan, and we do need their help in keeping our neighborhood schools open.
Here is the text of the Neighborhood School Coalition's statement to the planning commission, submitted by Melissa Schapiro:
The Planning Commission probably doesn’t hear too many protests of school districts’ capital facilities plans. Normally, it’s just updating some numbers, to make sure developers are providing support for the public facilities their buyers will require. However, this Bellingham School District capital facilities plan, for 2009-2015, and the accompanying proposed amendments to the city’s Comprehensive Plan, do call for protest. The plan is a continuation of actions the current School Board and district administration have set in motion during the past year, which are in opposition to the city’s stated goals and values.
The school district, as part of its budget cutting process, is keeping a newly renovated elementary school – with a capacity for more than 300 students – closed this year, saying it doesn’t have money to operate Lowell Elementary. The district is choosing to keep the students in seven portables at another school. Voters were promised those portables would disappear this school year, with the opening of the new Wade King Elementary. At the same time, the district is moving forward with building another new elementary school on the northern limits of the district’s boundary, on Aldrich Road, saying it needs to get kids out of portable classrooms. Enrollment has been flat the past six years. In order to fill this additional school and to pay for its operating expenses, the district will have to shut another school.
The district’s actions are shutting schools in existing neighborhoods – where families choose to live, where children can walk or bike to school, where parents are more involved because of proximity and the community that these neighborhood schools build. These actions are contrary to the city’s Comprehensive Plan, which values maintaining these neighborhood schools as part of the glue that holds the community together.
Building new, as yet unneeded schools in unpopulated areas, and closing these established schools, creates sprawl, traffic and pollution, and very quickly pulls apart residents’ relationships to one another.
The capital facilities plan, and the proposed Comprehensive Plan amendments before you tonight, present information that is overly optimistic about the future:
• It predicts a 14 percent increase in enrollment in the next six years. During the last six years, a time of economic prosperity and a building boom, enrollment remained flat. We all know that with developers going bankrupt, properties being foreclosed and jobs disappearing, people are moving out of the community.
• It includes Lowell Elementary in its stated student capacity, without including a reopen date. The district has been ambiguous about stating this: The school’s reopening has been “delayed,” possibly for one year; the superintendent stated there is no promise it will reopen next year.
• It shows a drop in capacity at the middle school level, when the new Shuksan Middle School opens this fall. Is the new school smaller than the old one?
• It shows a “service standard” of 22.5 students per classroom for grades K through 5. Not one class at Happy Valley Elementary had so few students last year. How can capacity be based on this number, when most of these classes had 26 to 30 students?
The Mayor and City Council have made it clear, in a resolution formally passed in May, that the city supports reopening Lowell this school year, and protecting two other elementary schools the district has on its list to be studied for possible future closure: Larrabee and Columbia. The school district responded with its own resolution, telling the city that if it valued these schools, the city should pay to operate them because the school district didn’t have the money to do so.
The school district has made it clear that it does not value these neighborhood schools, and that it is unconcerned about the impact it has on the community when it closes these schools, and builds new schools in remote areas that require busing.
These proposed amendments to the city’s Comprehensive Plan are the city’s opportunity to require the school district to conform to the values of the city it is in. Require the school district to maintain and operate these neighborhood schools. Require the district to show responsibility for what it already has, before it can move forward with building unneeded new schools that it can’t fund. Require the school district to be consistent: either it is keeping its reserve fund at 4.4 percent this year — well above its policy of 3 percent minimum — because it expects more bad years to come, or it is expecting boom times that require more schools.
Bellingham is a wonderful place to live, because of its many distinct, strong neighborhoods, with schools at their centers. Let’s not look back, six years from now, and wish we still had these schools. You can do something right now.
The Aug. 20 meeting will air on BTV 10 Tuesday, August 25, 2009, at 8 a.m.
Good questions and statements were voiced, such as: "Why isn't a reopening date for Lowell School in the six-year plan" and "Why isn't the school district using the state's projected enrollment for planning (Meridian school district is using the state's numbers), since it seems to be accurate for Bellingham?" and "It seems that portions of the district's capital facilities plan are working against the city's coimprehensive plan."
The school district sent a consultant as its representative at the meeting: She said she strongly urged the district to put an opening date for Lowell in the plan, but district administrators didn't want to, and said they'd revisit Lowell's future in the spring.
The commission went down a list of criteria to decide if it should recommend the city accept this plan; many of the criteria were vague, stating that things had chnaged so a new plan was needed. The commission agreed that things had changed, while also voicing that they didn't necessarily agree with HOW they had changed, and stated that it was really up to the school board to run its district.
The problem with this is, the district isn't adhering to the goals and values of the city that it is in, and this is one of the very few ways the city can actually make an impact, and require the school district to do something: set a reopen date for Lowell, maintain and operate its existing schools, and locate schools within neighborhoods.
The commission recommended that the school district work closely with city leaders to make sure these things happen.
Now, we need to contact City Council members, and let them know we don't want them to accept this capital facilities plan, and we do need their help in keeping our neighborhood schools open.
Here is the text of the Neighborhood School Coalition's statement to the planning commission, submitted by Melissa Schapiro:
The Planning Commission probably doesn’t hear too many protests of school districts’ capital facilities plans. Normally, it’s just updating some numbers, to make sure developers are providing support for the public facilities their buyers will require. However, this Bellingham School District capital facilities plan, for 2009-2015, and the accompanying proposed amendments to the city’s Comprehensive Plan, do call for protest. The plan is a continuation of actions the current School Board and district administration have set in motion during the past year, which are in opposition to the city’s stated goals and values.
The school district, as part of its budget cutting process, is keeping a newly renovated elementary school – with a capacity for more than 300 students – closed this year, saying it doesn’t have money to operate Lowell Elementary. The district is choosing to keep the students in seven portables at another school. Voters were promised those portables would disappear this school year, with the opening of the new Wade King Elementary. At the same time, the district is moving forward with building another new elementary school on the northern limits of the district’s boundary, on Aldrich Road, saying it needs to get kids out of portable classrooms. Enrollment has been flat the past six years. In order to fill this additional school and to pay for its operating expenses, the district will have to shut another school.
The district’s actions are shutting schools in existing neighborhoods – where families choose to live, where children can walk or bike to school, where parents are more involved because of proximity and the community that these neighborhood schools build. These actions are contrary to the city’s Comprehensive Plan, which values maintaining these neighborhood schools as part of the glue that holds the community together.
Building new, as yet unneeded schools in unpopulated areas, and closing these established schools, creates sprawl, traffic and pollution, and very quickly pulls apart residents’ relationships to one another.
The capital facilities plan, and the proposed Comprehensive Plan amendments before you tonight, present information that is overly optimistic about the future:
• It predicts a 14 percent increase in enrollment in the next six years. During the last six years, a time of economic prosperity and a building boom, enrollment remained flat. We all know that with developers going bankrupt, properties being foreclosed and jobs disappearing, people are moving out of the community.
• It includes Lowell Elementary in its stated student capacity, without including a reopen date. The district has been ambiguous about stating this: The school’s reopening has been “delayed,” possibly for one year; the superintendent stated there is no promise it will reopen next year.
• It shows a drop in capacity at the middle school level, when the new Shuksan Middle School opens this fall. Is the new school smaller than the old one?
• It shows a “service standard” of 22.5 students per classroom for grades K through 5. Not one class at Happy Valley Elementary had so few students last year. How can capacity be based on this number, when most of these classes had 26 to 30 students?
The Mayor and City Council have made it clear, in a resolution formally passed in May, that the city supports reopening Lowell this school year, and protecting two other elementary schools the district has on its list to be studied for possible future closure: Larrabee and Columbia. The school district responded with its own resolution, telling the city that if it valued these schools, the city should pay to operate them because the school district didn’t have the money to do so.
The school district has made it clear that it does not value these neighborhood schools, and that it is unconcerned about the impact it has on the community when it closes these schools, and builds new schools in remote areas that require busing.
These proposed amendments to the city’s Comprehensive Plan are the city’s opportunity to require the school district to conform to the values of the city it is in. Require the school district to maintain and operate these neighborhood schools. Require the district to show responsibility for what it already has, before it can move forward with building unneeded new schools that it can’t fund. Require the school district to be consistent: either it is keeping its reserve fund at 4.4 percent this year — well above its policy of 3 percent minimum — because it expects more bad years to come, or it is expecting boom times that require more schools.
Bellingham is a wonderful place to live, because of its many distinct, strong neighborhoods, with schools at their centers. Let’s not look back, six years from now, and wish we still had these schools. You can do something right now.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Democrats to endorse School Board candidates
The Whatcom Democrats will meet this Thursday, Aug. 20, and are expected to endorse candidates for the two open positions on the Bellingham School Board.
This is another great opportunity for your voice to be heard: attend the meeting, and support the candidates who support high quality education, small town values, and neighborhood schools.
7 p.m. at Norway Hall, 1419 N. Forest St., Bellingham
And then, stay tuned for School Board candidate debates this fall.
Thanks!
This is another great opportunity for your voice to be heard: attend the meeting, and support the candidates who support high quality education, small town values, and neighborhood schools.
7 p.m. at Norway Hall, 1419 N. Forest St., Bellingham
And then, stay tuned for School Board candidate debates this fall.
Thanks!
Monday, August 17, 2009
City has a say on Capital Facilities Plan
It's been a hot, busy summer, but now it's time to start thinking about school again. While the Bellingham School Board approved its Capital Facilities Plan back in July, it's just coming before the city's Planning Commission this Thursday night, 7 p.m. August 20, at city council chambers, 210 Lottie St.
On the agenda: "Consideration of an amendment to the Capital Facilities Chapter of the Bellingham Comprehensive Plan to adopt by reference a new six-year capital facilities plan for the Bellingham School District."
It then has to go to the City Council.
The planning commission includes time for public comment at its meetings. This is a great opportunity for us to let the city know how they can help protect neighborhood schools.
As it is, the Capital Facilities plan the district is presenting doesn't include a reopen date for Lowell Elementary, it includes a provision to buy MORE PORTABLES, to continue building a new school in the middle of farmland, and to plan for another new school in the next six years, all while the district says it doesn't have money to operate the schools it has now, and enrollment is flat.
Click here to read what the school district wants the Planning Commission to approve and to read the district's 2009-2015 Capital Facilities Plan:
Proposed amendments to city's Comprehensive Plan
The district needs the city to incorporate the capital facilities plan into its Comprehensive Plan, in order to collect impact fees from developers.
The city can pressure the district regarding this plan. Let them know you want them to! Come to the meeting Thursday night. If you can't make it, submit a written comment to the city through: Heather Aven, 360-778-8300, or e-mail planningcommission@cob.org.
Here's the link to the report being presented to the Planning Commission:
Bellingham School District request re: Capital Facilities update
This hasn't been well publicized, and so far the city has received no comments. Let's change that!
On the agenda: "Consideration of an amendment to the Capital Facilities Chapter of the Bellingham Comprehensive Plan to adopt by reference a new six-year capital facilities plan for the Bellingham School District."
It then has to go to the City Council.
The planning commission includes time for public comment at its meetings. This is a great opportunity for us to let the city know how they can help protect neighborhood schools.
As it is, the Capital Facilities plan the district is presenting doesn't include a reopen date for Lowell Elementary, it includes a provision to buy MORE PORTABLES, to continue building a new school in the middle of farmland, and to plan for another new school in the next six years, all while the district says it doesn't have money to operate the schools it has now, and enrollment is flat.
Click here to read what the school district wants the Planning Commission to approve and to read the district's 2009-2015 Capital Facilities Plan:
Proposed amendments to city's Comprehensive Plan
The district needs the city to incorporate the capital facilities plan into its Comprehensive Plan, in order to collect impact fees from developers.
The city can pressure the district regarding this plan. Let them know you want them to! Come to the meeting Thursday night. If you can't make it, submit a written comment to the city through: Heather Aven, 360-778-8300, or e-mail planningcommission@cob.org.
Here's the link to the report being presented to the Planning Commission:
Bellingham School District request re: Capital Facilities update
This hasn't been well publicized, and so far the city has received no comments. Let's change that!
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