June 30th, 2008

A Community of Giving

On a night in late May over three hundred community members gathered to honor the academic accomplishments of the students of the Meridian School District at the “Evening of Excellence”.

After well deserved recognition for academic accomplishment and distinguished service were noted and honored, the program culminated with the distribution of over thirty-thousand dollars in scholarships from the Meridian Public Schools Foundation to Meridian students who were furthering their education at a number of post-secondary institutions.

Students attending the United States Naval Academy, Gonzaga University, BYU, WSU and the University of Washington stood next to students pursuing professional certifications from BTC and Whatcom Community College in a celebration of accomplishment and commitment.

It was wonderful to see so many of our students entering the adult world with a clear plan for their future. It was equally as impressive to see the collective efforts of a community come to fruition through the Meridian Schools Foundation in support of each of these students.

Chairman Paul Kratzig and a team of community volunteers meet regularly to pursue the goal of supporting Meridian students through scholarships. The foundation holds regular fundraising events and is dedicated to the ongoing pursuit of building the endowment that funds the majority of the scholarships that are given.

To date the foundation has given over three hundred and seventy thousand dollars to Meridian students in support of their educational goals.

A community is made by the collective efforts of many people coming together around a common goal. Keeping in mind the many positive programs already in place, we are working very hard to align and improve in every aspect of our school district program in Meridian.

With help from the foundation and support from our community there is no limit to the potential of our students and the positive impact they will one day have in our community, state and country.

April 29th, 2008

Members of the Meridian Community,

I realize that there are a large number of questions that many staff and community members may have about the steps being taken to reduce staffing district-wide. There exists, in Meridian, an immediate need to align the overall financial obligations of the district and the district staffing levels that have been impacted by a combination of declining student enrollment and state budget requirements.

This week, after long and careful consultation with the school board and union leadership, I recommended a plan to the school board to reduce the district office and certificated staffing levels in the district and to align them with the funding that will be available from state, federal and local sources. As many of you are aware, there were some reductions in classified staffing levels in the 2005-2006 school year, and we will be examining the program needs within the district with regard to classified staffing as we as we move forward into the spring.

Situations such as these are never easy. We value deeply the contributions that every member of our district team makes to the education of our children. During Thursday and Friday of last week, efforts were made to speak directly with those staff members who may be impacted by these reductions. At this point the school board, in compliance with state law and the local bargained agreement, has adopted a very specific protocol by which the reductions will impact the overall staff in Meridian. This means that employees whose contracts are "retire-rehire" and "leave replacement" will be impacted first. Based upon specific provisions in the bargained agreement, employees whose status within the district is "provisional continuing" would in most cases be impacted before "tenured continuing" employees. These last two areas are a bit more specific and do involve a very specific and technical interpretation based upon the current assignment of each employee and their qualifications.

These staffing reductions, the first of which was to reduce staffing in the district office, will take place at every location in the district. Every effort possible is being made to maintain the level of programing for our students in Meridian. The school board has been very insistent that I consider very carefully the impact that these measures will have on both children and staff. While we have experienced a very modest increase in the number of children attending our home school outreach program, our numbers in Meridian for our "core program" (IRPS, TMCE, MMS and MHS) have declined by 44+ students this school year over last. We are projected to decline a further 32 students or more in the coming year. These enrollment declines on top of declines in the "core program" in previous years have created a situation where the staffing of the district must be carefully examined and adjusted.

Sometimes positive steps have unintended impacts as well. The very positive Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) that was provided, but only partially funded, by the state to all employees as well as a required three percent increase to all retirement contributions by the district has created a very large financial impact on Meridian and every other district in the state. The result of enrollment decline, Non-Employee Related Costs (NERCS) and the current staffing levels has created a shortfall of two hundred thousand dollars in the 2007-2008 budget that we have been working diligently to close with very careful and frugal attention to expenditures. The additional impacts of COLA and retirement, in addition to loss of PAS dollars will result in an addition two hundred-sixty thousand dollar obligation that the district must now cover. On top of those factors, diesel fuel for our buses has increased by over thirty-five percent and we will likely be dealing with further increases in utilities and other NERCS. In total, the approximate impact of the current budget situation in Meridian approaches half-a-million dollars.

We are making steps to modify every aspect of the overall district program to realize cost savings before we impact staffing levels. These steps include adjusting schedules and looking at how we can be more efficient in our day to day operations in schools and work sites.

Even with all of the challenges that we face, I am hopeful that we can emerge from this very difficult situation with a renewed focus on student learning. I am hopeful that as we get further into spring there may be some movement within our overall staffing picture that might allow us to minimize the impact of the current reductions on staff positions. As we move forward through May and June It is my earnest hope that we can keep our overall district focus on the learning of our children as we work through this process. Again, I know how difficult this situation is for our staff, community and students. I appreciate your time to read this information and to consider its content. If any of our district team have questions I would encourage you to follow up at the district level. I want you all to have factual information as answers to any concerns or questions you might have.

I very hopeful that we will emerge from this tough time in the most positive way possible. Thanks again for your understanding.

January 7th, 2008

On March 11, 2008 Meridian, along with five other county school districts will be running M&O replacement levies that will be coming to the end of their four year cycle. In 2004 the voters of the Meridian School District approved a four year levy that would collect a tax at a rate of $3.26 per thousand dollars of assessed valuation. In all four years that tax rate was lower than projected, and this year the rate is actually $2.52 per thousand. For many years Meridian has collected the lowest percentage of levy authority (the amount that the district is allowed by law to collect) of any district in Whatcom County. In addition, the Meridian School District has made facilities last, and has continued to use them even after they have been identified for upgrades and/or replacement. On the front page of the district website there is a link to the state required "Study and Survey" that gives insights into lifespan and condition of the educational and support facilities. I would encourage each parent and community member to read the report, finished in June of 2006 for yourself.

Due to changes in the state funding formula and the recent changes in the overall valuation of the district, Meridian will be losing approximately $300,000 of state funding. This loss of "Levy Equalization Funds" in addition to some very specific education needs around the areas of technology, professional development and curriculum materials will provide some unique challenges for the district as we continue to move forward in the overall improvement of the educational program at Meridian. Other fiscal pressures such as the ongoing physical maintenance of facilities and the need to maintain and update our fleet of busses that transport our children will be prominent considerations in the work of the school board as they determine a levy rate to send to the voters.

As a district we are committed to continuing to examine our ongoing operations for efficiencies while providing our students the best educational opportunities possible. We encourage each voter to examine the information available regarding the levy, talk with your school board members and to exercise your right to vote when the issue of local school funding comes before you on March 11, 2008.

We thank our community for their continued support of our schools.

December 26th, 2007

Whether it is a youth game on weekend, a middle school contest in the afternoon or much anticipated county match-up on a Friday night, there is always a great deal of excitement and support for our teams in Meridian!

Knowing that our children always receive great interest and support from our community, it is also appropriate to mention that the manner in which we support our students is also very important. Our new Director of Athletics for the Meridian School District, Mr. Eric Tripp, with the support of the district administration is placing a special emphasis on sportsmanship as we support out students at every level. We encourage and expect our community to support our students by cheering positively for our team. Positive support from the crowd is often mentioned by players at every level as a factor that improves their performance. On the other side, negative comments directed toward opposing teams or referees have no potential to positively impact the outcome of a game. Our students are too important to support them in any way other than a positive one! We have the opportunity to set a great example for our children and students every time we attend a contest. Together we can create the very best environment possible for our students to compete, grow and achieve. Please cheer positively and represent our community and schools with excellence and class! GO TROJANS!

November 19th, 2007

Parent/Teacher Conferences... Keeping Student Achievement at the Center ...

As we are in the midst of parent – teacher conferences I am reminded that there is very little that is more important in the academic success of a child than the communication between the parent and the teacher. I very much appreciate the time that the parents and guardians of our community take to be partners in the education of our children. I would encourage all parents to remain actively involved in the education of children by checking in with the kids and the teachers on a regular basis. As the district is involved in the continuous work of curricular alignment and improvement of instruction, we are pleased to have the partnership of our parents and guardians to support and advocate for their children.

... Student Achievement in our Co-Curricular Program ...

Congratulations to our 1A State Champion Girls Soccer Team!

This fall we had the opportunity to watch our students perform in a wide variety of co-curricular activities that serve as an extension of the classroom in Meridian. High school teams in Soccer, Cross Country and Football all completed at the state level and demonstrated great determination and commitment in pursuit of their goals. We also saw the combined efforts of our middle school and high school music programs on display at concerts and on Friday nights.

Our mission of keeping student achievement at the center of everything we do is visibly demonstrated at competitions, concerts and plays. In Meridian we enjoy great support for these activities from our community. It is important that we recognize the link between these activities and the daily work that our teachers and students pursue in the classroom. Using all of our Co-curricular programs to directly support the achievement of students is the combined responsibility of our schools and our community. With the great support that our community provides we have a wonderful opportunity to focus the collective efforts of our district on the continuous improvement of all aspects of our educational program.

... Student Achievement Demonstrated through Leadership ...

This fall we have two students who are representing their peers on the Meridian School Board. Claire Chambers and Haley Pratt are giving of their time to provide a student perspective to the governance of our district. The willingness of these students to partake and serve brings to light the opportunity that we have as a community to help foster and support leadership among our children. Encouraging students to volunteer and to give without thought of immediate return are ways that our community can support the positive emotional and social growth of our children. Both Clare and Haley serve as wonderful examples of students who have maximized their educational opportunities that their families, the community and the district have provided!

Have a great Thanksgiving! We have much to be thankful for in Meridian...It’s a great place to be!

October 9th, 2007

Information on Initiative - 4204

I - 4204 known as "simple majority" is a state level initiative that proposes to adjust the level of support for Maintenance and Operations, Technology, and Transportation levies for school districts to the 50% voter approval that all other levies such as fire, parks, or cemetery districts must attain for passage. The Maintenance and Operations levy currently provides about 13.5% of the funding that the Meridian School District uses to support curricular and extra curricular activities for students. The level of support currently required for passage of school levies in Washington is 60% voter approval. Bond measures, used for capital improvements such as new school construction, would still require 60% of voter approval to pass. Given a recent history of very narrow passage or failure of recent school levies, this measure stands to impact the Meridian School District substantially.

October 5th, 2007

Instruction

This past two weeks in the Meridian School District have been very productive times from the standpoint of moving the quality of student learning forward. The work has centered on alignment of instructional efforts using assessment data to inform instruction in the classroom.

During the early release day on September 26 and the Learning Improvement Day on October 5, our staff was focused on specific efforts in their grade level and subject area teams to enhance and improve instruction. It has been very rewarding to watch the diligence and commitment shown to the main mission of improving student achievement.

In recent observation of our staff over the first six weeks of school, one of the very positive traits that I see is the effort that staff put forth in the building of positive relationships with students. Several research studies in recent years have determined that one of the primary underpinnings for student achievement is the meaningful connection with an adult in school. It is an ongoing effort for our staff to build and maintain these connections with our students.

Involvement

One of the best things about Meridian is the strong involvement of our students in school and community activities. On Friday evening October 5, the Middle School and High school bands put on a combined half time show a the Trojan football game. It is great to see over seventy students working together with a shared purpose in such a positive manner. The efforts by our music teachers to make this happen has provided our students with another opportunity to see each other involved in a positive way!

The very same can be said of the amazing involvement of our students in the school and community athletic activities. The focus and the effort of our school and community coaches to positively involve our children, and to foster a sense of teamwork and connection are values that we are able to build upon in the learning environment.

We also have two students who are beginning a new tradition in Meridian by serving as student representatives to the Meridian School Board. They were elected by a vote of their ASB peers in the spring of this past school year and begin their service on October 17. What a great effort by our school board to help develop leaders in our community!

Investment

The support that our schools receive form members of the community is truly outstanding! The leaders of community activities, the volunteers in the combined PTA, the many members of the Meridian Boosters, are just a few of the many volunteers that serve for the sole purpose of supporting our children as they move through the Meridian schools.

We are also extremely lucky to have the members of the Meridian School Foundation who are working tirelessly at raising and investing funds in support of our students as they move onto post-high school education. This group has raised and is investing over $400,000 dollars to support the children of our community reach their life goals.

It is through this intentional investment of time and effort that our children see the example of what it means to give back to your community in a positive way.

We are so fortunate to live in a community that not only cares, but also gives so willingly to our students and our schools!

Meridian is a great place!

September 7th, 2007

School is off to a great start in the Meridian School District! I am so proud of the preparation and effort that occurred over the summer to begin this school year with our focus squarely on quality instruction and student learning. It was a wonderful experience to get out to each school on the first day and see all staff members making the effort to connect their work to the main mission of student learning.

Over the summer WASL scores were released*. There are some specific areas of improvement that are the direct result of school goals being focused on the improvement of instruction. During the Learning Improvement Days (LIDs) at the beginning of the school year each staff was working with data about their students and setting targets for improvement based on that student performance data. I am very excited to see the continued improvement in student performance as we continue to sharpen our focus on instruction that is informed by assessment data.

In addition to having a clear focus on instruction and learning, our students are also involved in many sports and activities throughout the district. Research clearly links positive participation in sports, music, FFA, drama, and other activities to improved performance in the classroom. It is wonderful to see so many of our students participating and performing so well. In support of these students there are many coaches, advisors, parents, PTA, boosters and community volunteers who make all of this happen. I am so impressed with the level of willingness within the Meridian community to support our children. There is nothing more impressive to me than the commitment shown by the community for the schools and the positive support for solid work in academics and activities.

Meridian is a great place! Our schools are off to an excellent start and we have great support. I am excited about all of the positive potential that our schools and programs possess. I encourage you to become involved in the parent and support organizations in the community. If we are all in this together, we can accomplish great things.

Have a wonderful September.

* Please see the link on each school website for student academic performance data provided by OSPI.

July 15th, 2007

In my first few weeks as superintendent I have been overwhelmed at the kind wishes and genuine interest the community has shown in our schools. The willingness of the Meridian community to actively support its children in all number of ways, gives me great hope for the future of the Meridian School District!

There has been very positive progress over the entire Meridian school system in the past few years. Student performance has improved, many of the co-curricular programs have performed at the top levels in the state, and the support for the schools by parents and the community has continued to be quite high. With all of those positive images in mind, we still have the opportunity to improve our schools in all areas. Quality instruction and student learning is the daily focus for our entire district, wherever and whenever students are interacting with our staff.

One of the most unique and wonderful things about our schools is having a new and fresh beginning each year. There are very few memories as powerful as the first day of school and the hopeful expectations that surround children as they partake in the growth that education provides. When transitions take place, there is an opportunity to examine our practice and refocus our goals. Our task as a district will be to continue the good work that is already taking place and to examine carefully how our entire system will align to best serve the educational needs of our children.

We live in a great community with high expectations for our schools and all of the programs we offer. As a district we will embrace the opportunity for continued improvement and reflection on our practice. I am honored and excited about the opportunity to serve as your superintendent and I welcome your observations, input and support for our schools.