June 17, 2019

Supplemental levy reviewed

 

In a May 28 letter to the VPS board of directors, the Management Task Force, a VPS advisory group, recommended that the district consider a supplemental levy ballot measure in 2019-20 as permitted by ESSB 5313. The group’s advice in light of the district’s budget deficit was to put the issue before voters and let them weigh in.

At the June 11 school board work session, Chief Fiscal Officer Brett Blechschmidt reviewed the change in the local levy cap and several supplemental levy amount scenarios, including the impact on total tax rate and additional revenue generated locally based on certain assumptions today.

A supplemental levy for education and operations would allow the district to sustain the recently restored positions identified as potential cuts beyond 2019-20. As part of the district budget development process, those positions were restored temporarily for 2019-20 by using one-time money, including reserve fund balance and state enhanced levy equalization assistance totaling $10.31 million.

“These recently restored positions are not identified or funded under the state’s prototypical school formula,” said Superintendent Steve Webb. “Under the state’s new funding model, they are considered ‘enriched’ staffing that our community had chosen to support through the local education and operations levy before the levy swap and cap was legislated by ESSSB 6362. Repeatedly, I’ve referred to this legislative ‘fix’ as the McCleary mess.

“As we’ve heard loud and clear through our public engagement and budget input process, the Vancouver community has come to expect these supports and services for its children and public schools. Without sustainable funding to restore the ‘enriched’ staffing positions beyond 2019-20, it likely will be necessary to cut those positions to address the $10.31 million budget shortfall in 2020-21,” said Webb.

Read the full article.

Columbia River students close out year with big wins

The CR Sports broadcasting team at Columbia River High School took home a high school Emmy, the biggest award in television. Plus, River won three state titles in sports this spring. See more in this Quick Look video!

Learn more.

Two schools earn state recognition

Pictured left to right: Deanna Hogan, principal, Vancouver Home Connection; Mike Nerland, assistant superintendent, ESD 112; and Steve Lindblom, principal, Vancouver Flex Academy

Two Vancouver schools recently received statewide honors for demonstrating significant improvement during the 2017-2018 school year. Vancouver Flex Academy and Vancouver Home Connection are among 14 schools in Southwest Washington to earn the new State Recognized School distinction from the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, State Board of Education and Educational Opportunity Gap Oversight and Accountability Committee.


Read more.

Important details for Ogden and King elementary schools


The new Ogden Elementary will open on Aug. 27 for the 2019-20 school year. The new school entrance is from 86th Avenue. The school office will open Aug. 12 at a temporary location in the media center of the old Ogden building. Watch Ogden's website for important dates and information including Kindergarten Jump Start and the back-to-school social.

The existing Ogden won’t be torn down immediately. It will host students from Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary during the 2019–2020 year while their school is being rebuilt. King students selected "King Cub University" as the name for their temporary space. KCU's office will open Aug. 12. Important dates and information can be found on King's website.
 

Legacy of green

Nearly 40 students from Gaiser Middle School descended on Tenny Creek Neighborhood Park on an overcast June morning. For several months, the park has been an outdoor classroom and an opportunity for students to serve their community. Their mission: monitor water quality and remove English ivy.

Eighth-grader Will Popkes is well aware of the ivy. “I come down here a lot. It kind of bothers me a little bit that it’s there and it’s not supposed to be,” he said. Popkes explained that the ivy can grow up trees and choke them, as well as draw water from native plants.

Read the full story.

Recap of the June 11 school board meeting

The board of directors approved the following actions at the June 11, 2019, school board meeting.
  • Adoption of Resolution No. 834 authorizing the sale of unlimited tax obligation bonds in 2019
  • Approval of contracts with Beresford Company through a King County Directors Association cooperative bid for the purchase, delivery and installation of carpet at the new McLoughlin Middle School and Marshall and Truman elementary schools
  • Approval of a purchase agreement with Entrance Controls Integrated Security, Portland, Oregon, for purchase and installation of security systems at the new Vancouver iTech Preparatory, McLoughlin Middle School and Marshall and Truman elementary schools
  • Adoption of Resolution No. 831 to award bid no. 2019-027 to Robinson Construction Company, Hillsboro, Oregon, for the Martin Luther King Jr. replacement elementary school

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Fun, fast and fabulous

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Kindness counts

The Random Acts of Kindness Club at Fort Vancouver strives to make the world a better place, one small gesture at a time. Reporter: Sergio Mayo.

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Dates to know


June 18 – Two-hour early release, all schools

June 19 – Two-hour early release, last day of school

July 4 – Independence Day

Aug. 27 – First day of school

Sept. 2 – Labor Day, no school

Get more calendar information.

 

Retirements

Michael Hovland, a paraeducator at Lake Shore Elementary, will retire June 19 with two years of service.

Jim Jeffers, teacher on special assignment at JPC, will retire June 19 with 35.7 years of service.

Sue Kangas, a paraeducator at Marshall Elementary, will retire June 19 with 27 years of service.

Listen to audio recordings of board meetings.
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Copyright © 2019 Vancouver Public Schools. All rights reserved.

Our address is:
2901 Falk Rd., Vancouver, WA 98661
P.O. Box 8937, Vancouver, WA 98668

Superintendent: Dr. Steve Webb
Board of Directors: Rosemary Fryer, Michelle Giovannozzi, Dale Q. Rice, Wendy Smith, Mark Stoker

Vancouver School District is an Equal Opportunity District in education programs, activities, services, and employment. The district does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, sex, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, including gender expression or identity, age, families with children, honorably discharged veteran or military status, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal. The district provides equal access to the Boy Scouts of America and other designated youth groups. The district complies with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 402 of the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Act of 1974, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Older Worker Protection Act, and all other state, federal, and local equal opportunity laws. You may also contact any of the following people by writing to them at Vancouver School District, PO Box 8937, Vancouver, Washington 98668-8937 or by calling 360-313-1000: ADA–Kathy Everidge; Title VII, 504–Tamara Shoup; IDEA–Daniel Bettis; Affirmative Action–Kathy Everidge; Title IX Elementary–Debra Hale; Title IX Secondary–Chris Olsen; Athletic Equity–Albert Alcantar. This notification can be provided in the appropriate language for communities of national origin and minority persons with limited English language skills by contacting 360-313-1250.

 






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