Students and parents in the Medical Lake School district can begin planning for the 2018-19 school year following board approval of the newest calendar at its Feb. 27 meeting.
In a unanimous decision, the borad approved the calendar which sees the first day of instruction beginning before Labor Day on Wednesday, Aug. 29, and ending June 11.
Notable dates in between are winter vacation from Dec. 20 through Jan. 2 and spring break starting April 1 to April 5. There are four emergency make-up days to compensate for potential snow closures, one Feb. 15, and three at the end of school which could extend classes until June 14.
“There was good collaboration,” Superintendent Tim Ames told those at the meeting.
The alternative calendar had school start Sept. 4 and end June 12 with two emergency days.
In other business, Medical Lake High School’s athletics director, Justin Blayne spoke to a new element of his budget, a $20,000 addition that will be used to assist various non-athletic organizations for travel to competitions.
“It’s tough to fundraise $10,000 (on short notice),” Blayne said. “The needs will vary depending on where the groups travel,” so having the availability of funds will make it easier for groups to compete.
He said that about 100 students — 20 percent of the school — took part in things such as all-state band and other activities. The funds are a supplement to the regular school budget.
“It’s good to be good, but it’s expensive,” MLHS principal Chris Spring said. “This puts us in a much better place.”
In another financial report, Chad Moss, director of finance, reported that the district’s student population grew from 1,811 in January to 1,835 helping last summer’s budget projections remain on track.
“It’s looking really good so far,” Moss said.
Director of teaching and learning, Kim Headrick, reported on the ongoing effort to select new math curriculum for the district.
Ames spoke to the ongoing puzzle of how school funding will look in the coming years. But how that finally looks is still not clear as both houses of the Washington State Legislature have presented different supplemental with a compromise possibly by the time the legislature adjourns March 9.
Ames read a pair of proclamations from Gov. Jay Inslee which spotlighted education support professionals — para pros — which will be honored the week of March 12–16. A second and separate message noted that School Retirees Appreciation Week will take place March 19–25.
The board fixed some minor language in the district’s bidding process and also put some well-used buses on the auction block.
Michael Anderson Elementary school teachers Erin Clark and Michelle Hill traveled with members of their respective classes to make a presentation to the board.
Clark’s first graders did flash card exercises that revolved around word pronunciation and general language skills. Hill’s group presented art projects centered around the French word, “pourquoi.”
A pourquoi story — pourquoi means “why” in French — explains why something is the way it is. Students developed art that helped illustrate stories they presented to the audience.
Paul Delaney can be reached at pdelaney@cheneyfreepress.com.
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