ML school board kicks off new school year

The Medical Lake School Board kicked off the new school year at its Tuesday, Aug. 27 meeting by moving money around for a new high school roof, hearing summer program reports, receiving an enrollment and preliminary legislative update, and learning how the district is working to "change the narrative" for students.

But on the eve of the first day of the new school year the board was first introduced to some of the district's new crop of teachers before getting on with district business. All told the Medical Lake School Districts hired 19 new teachers and a total of 23 new employees for the 2019-2020 school year, Superintendent Tim Ames said.

The board learned that the high school roof requires replacement, and approved a request to transfer $250,000 from the district's general fund to the capital projects fund for the work.

"Now that we know that we need a new high school roof at $3–5 million, this is that phase-in process," Ames said of the transfer. "Basically we're trying to save up $250,000 over the next five years to help that."

The district will pursue various grants to offset the cost. The work will be done in phases over several years, beginning next spring or summer, Finance Director Chad Moss said.

"It's a 15-year roof (and we) basically can't recapture anything out if it," Moss said. "We've had a good run with it, but it's time."

Assistant Superintendent Kim Headrick provided an overview of current K-12 educational and high school graduation requirements. The class of 2020 must earn a minimum of 24 credits to receive a high school diploma.

In addition, the board also agreed to certify to the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction that the district will hold class for 180 days, among a checklist of other items.

Headrick also offered a report on the district's summer school program. Thirty-four middle and high school participants studied multiple subjects - primarily online - during a two-week session, earning from one-half to two credits. One summer school student picked up missing credits that allowed him to graduate.

"That launched the graduation rate at the high school to 100 percent," Ames said.

A total of 29 elementary students from Michael Anderson and Hallett elementary schools focused on language arts and reading, and 12 special education students participated in supporting Individual Education Plan (IEP) goals during the summer program.

Medical Lake High School Athletic Director Justin Blayne offered a snapshot of summer sports programs, and praised district coaches.

"Coaches, when they assume a coaching role, there's an assumption that summer time and summer programs are just part of the job, but there's no compensation for it," Blayne said. "Yet they never complain, and they provide incredible opportunities for kids."

Coaches from multiple sports supervised a summer conditioning program this year, Blayne said, in addition to sport-specific programs offered.

Ames shared a video with the board called "What is 21st Century Education?" about what he called "changing the narrative," the idea of teaching to the exponential growth of technology within the world that today's students will be entering, and requires new critical thinking, communication, collaboration and a host of other skills.

He pointed out that for the first time this year all district students from K–12 would be using Chromebook laptops computers for their education.

"We need to embrace this, we need to be innovative," he said. "We need to change our narrative about how students use technology."

Ames also provided an update on current enrollment levels.

For budgeting purposes, the district had projected a fall enrollment of 1,800 students for the 2019-2020 school year.

It appears, Ames said, that the district will be at or above that, "which is good for us," he added.

The district receives state funding-based part on the number of students enrolled.

The board also received a preliminary legislative update.

Ames outlined several bills that state legislators will be considering in next years session. Themes include career connected learning, further funding of special education and more inclusive learning environments, graduation pathways, computer science, safe schools and what has become a perennial issue, school funding.

In other business, the board approved on second reading two policies related to staff and student boundaries regarding the use of social media, and disciplinary actions that would result if those boundaries were breached.

The board also passed a policy regarding revenues from local, state and federal sources on first and second reading. Language for the policy was handed down from the state. In the only revision made, the district struck out a section related to involving Native American student parents and tribes in making recommendations for their educational needs.

The board also scheduled a work session one week before its regular board meeting for its School Improvement Plan for Tuesday, Oct. 15 at 5:30 p.m. in the high school library.

The next school board meeting is scheduled for Sept. 17 at 6 p.m. in the district office boardroom.

Lee Hughes can be reached at lee@cheneyfreepress.com.