Soundings (6/21/11)
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Visiting Rotarians: Bud Peth
Guests: Paul Miles, Sarah Brand
Announcements:
Bucks in the Bay
- Lance bucks for 182 teams coming into town this weekend, and his son turns 3 Sunday!
- Brent reminder to donate to our club's foundation, 37-yr wedding anniversary celebrated in CA, his son there got his MBA from UC Irvine with a 4.0 grade average!
- Mike Kirkland sad bucks for the sailboat that hit him;
- Joel Hile had a cruise in Alaska;
- Marla Sanger for missed meeting while in Oregon, was also in Oregon, last Tuesday had some great fishing and even saw some whales in SJ Islands;
- Dennis's daughter Ellen running a marathon this weekend;
- Terry Brown says Phase I will open at Bellingham airport next week, Phase II will start this fall, and Zervas will be bidding on some school projects too;
- Tim Krell had a funny Canucks story;
- Stew Ellison (and Kathy) celebrated multiple kids' graduations: two high school graduations in Bellingham, then hopped in car for Kathy's older daughter graduated from Central, then they barely made it back in time to fly out for a week in Mexico!
- Jane Carten missed meetings, invites everyone to the Bellingham Sister Cities fundraiser event this Sunday 5-8pm at Boundary Bay Brewery;
- Barry Kramer had great Father's Day, kids all home, went to Mariners game;
- Stan Dyer enjoying some good weather finally, but got a bee sting, etc.
- Denise says so happy Karen Haggen final week week of chemo treatment!
Sergeant at Arms by Denise Bosman
Fines for Lesa, Tim Krell, Bill Boyd, John Templeton, owners of rental property, Stowe and Orphalee.
Program
Dennis introduced Greg Baker, superintendent of the Bellingham Public Schools. Greg is new to Bellingham, moved here last year. Grew up in Spokane, went to school there and in Seattle, graduate school at WWU, worked in Alaska, then got his PhD from Harvard. He and his family has really enjoyed moving to Bellingham and his new job.
Budget has been a challenge with reduced funding from the State. The challenge is how to stay strategic in the spending. The school system has been doing a great job for some of our students, but not yet doing great for all students.
Facilities: The new Cordata elementary school is now being completed. The District office had been planned to move there for a year while the District building renovated, but Greg and his staff decided not to go there but open the school a year early there (together with Birchwood) while Birchwood will be rebuilt. Also next year Whatcom middle school will be re-opened this Fall.
Greg spent a good part of last fall just listening and learning about the schools, visiting the facilities and observing.
Themes:
1. Important to invest in early childhood education (full day kindergarden - 3rd grade), very important to set the stage for students;
2. The concept of "one schoolhouse" (all 21 facilities are collectively one unit). This allows us to be strategic in allocating resources;
3. Secondary school innovation and flexibility: how to build a system that is flexible to different student needs. For example, offering online courses, and career technical classes (dental, vet marine engineering, etc.)
4. Increased support for teaching and learning. Some one-on-one teaching, English-language learners, need to better equip teachers how to support those students.
Challenges: Reduced funding from the State, also next year our bond runs out so we will be issuing a new bond-levy which supports 20% of the total budget.
Renewed partnership with the Bellingham School Foundation, a new board and director, to really partner with them going forward.
Respectfully submitted,
Stowe Talbot