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Monte Community education cuts loom
MONTESANO — Montesano Community Education is limping along for now as the school district grapples with severe budget cuts that could endanger the program.

Former program coordinator Judy Thompson told school board members last week at a special budget workshop that the program needs to change if it is to continue. She recently accepted another job in the school district but still oversees the program on a limited basis.
“As much as I believe in community education and I love this program, I do think it’s time for change,” Thompson said.

The school district has run the program since the 1980s, offering year-round courses in a variety of subjects: exercise, sports and recreation, yoga, Spanish, computer literacy, fly-tying, painting, golf, sustainable agriculture, dancing and online Education to Go classes.

The program is funded by the school district and user registration fees. As of April 2009, the program has earned $14,664, while spending $31,084. The total cost to the district this year is expected to be nearly $22,000, Thompson said.

“That’s not an unreasonable amount for a program like this,” she said.

Thompson said one thing the board might want to consider is raising usage fees. Focusing only on classes and activities with high participation, such as the exercise and sports, would be a way of reducing costs, she said. The computer and Spanish classes, on the other hand, have had the lowest participation numbers, she said.

One “huge issue” this year has been advertising, Thompson said. To save money, the district stopped mailing seasonal course listings, causing many to believe the program was no longer running and decreasing awareness, Thompson said. Although the classes are available on the school district’s Web site, course offerings haven’t appeared soon enough or with enough frequency in newspapers, she said.

Monte school administrators cut their pay
MONTESANO — School district administrators volunteered to take five unpaid days off and give up $1,500 each for professional training next school year to help fill an anticipated $1 million budget deficit, Superintendent Marti Harruff announced last week at a special budget workshop.

The concessions amount to a savings of about $23,000, she said.
“I can’t speak highly enough about all you guys doing that,” board member Lori Benedict said. “It’s very, very generous.

Parent Dan Wood said he felt more administrative cuts were needed.
“Tonight’s announcement of reductions is a step in the right direction, but it’s not enough,” he said.

He cited public records showing the district’s administrators are paid more than most others in the county. Wood urged board members to consider deeper administrative cuts before cutting extracurricular programs, especially since the district already notified 22 teachers they won’t be rehired next year unless more money is found.

Dale Green of Montesano, one of about 55 community members and educators attending the meeting, asked when a final decision on cuts would be made.

“The longer you wait, the more painful it is,” Green said. He noted that the teachers let go need to know for sure whether they’ll have a job in the district or not so they can seek employment elsewhere.

Harruff said the district still hasn’t heard from the state what the final effect of budget cuts will be. Once that is known, likely this week, some teachers can be brought back, she said.

Some more could be re-hired over the summer after other cuts are made and still more could be hired when school opens Sept. 8 and the district has a firm count of the actual number of students instead of just a guess, Harruff said.

“We will try to keep as many staff as possible while still running in the black,” she said. “We cannot call people back until we know the students are here.”

This year, the district lost 29 students, so district leaders are cautious about estimating the number of students because it can’t afford to continue staffing at levels exceeding the ratio for the actual student count, she said.

Last school year, the district ran in the red and now is operating under the guidance of state Educational Service District 113.

OSPI seeks records too
ELMA — The Vidette and Daily World newspapers aren’t the only ones who want the school district records of an Elma High School teacher and wrestling coach placed on paid administrative leave last Dec. 1 after the district learned of an allegation of improper conduct with a former female student.

The Office of Professional Practices of the state Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction has subpoenaed the records. The subpoena, dated March 16, demands “any and all records” on the teacher/coach be released to the Office of Professional Services “on or before April 17.”

The teacher/coach, also investigated by Elma Police, remained on paid leave until the completion of an outside investigation on behalf of the school district. He returned to the classroom Feb. 4, according to school district superintendent Howard King. But King also said the teacher would not be resuming his coaching duties in the immediate future.

On May 12, attorneys for the school district filed in Grays Harbor Superior Court a “memorandum concerning release of public records.”

The memorandum says the school district seeks an order from the court that “clearly sets forth any restrictions” on its ability to release documents, including a “letter of direction” to the teacher; a letter to the teacher concerning his coaching assignment; the district’s investigative report and other investigative materials concerning the teacher and records concerning misconduct of all Elma teachers in the past year.

The document also asks for clear direction from the court on restrictions on its ability to “cooperate” with the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction in its investigation of the teacher and in responding to its subpoena.

As of Wednesday, the teacher had still not returned to his coaching duties, King said.

The school district has been unable to release much information on its outside investigation, as the teacher successfully sought a court injunction after The Daily World newspaper in Aberdeen requested his personnel records and any documents pertaining to the district’s investigation. The Vidette has requested the same records.

The completed police investigation was submitted to the Grays Harbor County Prosecutor’s Office for review. Police Chief Jeff Troumbley had indicated to the prosecutor he didn’t have probable cause for a criminal charge, Prosecutor Stew Menefee said. Menefee said he agreed with Troumbley’s conclusion.

The Vidette generally does not name the subject of an allegation and/or investigation unless he or she has been charged.

Oakville school ranks near bottom
OAKVILLE — Oakville Elementary School in the eastern reaches of Grays Harbor County has scored among the lowest — 1,115th out of 1,130 Washington public grade schools — on Evergreen Freedom Foundation’s “Report Card on Washington State’s Elementary Schools 2009.” The report is based on Washington Assessment of Student Learning scores, as well as a “low income gap,” the difference in average achievement levels in fifth-grade reading and math between students from low income and non-low income families.

Satsop levy is passing
SATSOP — With about 40 percent of Satsop’s ballots returned in time for the fist count in Tuesday’s special election, the school district’s voters appeared to be passing its maintenance and operations levy by a broad margin. Ninety-one voted “yes” and 27 “no,” for about a 77 percent to 23 percent split in favor of the levy. Grays Harbor County elections supervisor Julie Murphy said 296 ballots had been mailed to voters in the school district. If approved, the two-year replacement levy, to be collected in 2010 and 2011, would cost district property owners about $1.72 per $1,000 of assessed valuation per year, or $172 a year for a $100,000 home. It would raise about $60,000 each year from district taxpayers. The state would also match the funds, and school district officials hope that would bring in about $55,000 per year.

More Sports
Bulldog baseball secures regional tourney berth
WINLOCK/TOLEDO/CASTLE ROCK — Charging into the District IV Class 1A Baseball Tournament’s title game with a pair of wins Tuesday, May 12, Montesano quickly assured itself of a regional tournament spot, but a loss in the title game on Saturday, May 16, means that the Bulldogs will be the No. 2 seed out of the district when regional play begins May 23 at Daniels Field in Anacortes.

MHS baseball named academic champs
The Montesano High School baseball team was recently named the Class 1A State Academic Champions by the Washington Interscholastic Athletics Association and Les Schwab Tires according to a press release.

The 16 Bulldog baseball participants, coached by Mike Bruner, averaged a 3.518 grade point average. Baseball academic champs in other classifications include University (4A), Mercer Island (3A), Pullman (2A), Liberty Christian (2B) and Endicott (1B).

Academic state championship teams are determined in each activity and in each classification, according to deadline dates, which correspond with the WIAA seasons.

Elma golf tops Monte, LaCenter
om medalist Alexis Keating, Elma was able to out-shoot both Montesano and LaCenter 266-277-295 in a three-team, non-league girls golf match-up Tuesday, May 12, at the Oaksridge Golf Course in Elma. Keating was only six strokes in front of Montesano’s Missy Gregorius who carded a 46 to lead the Bulldogs and the rest of the field. Elma’s Jaimie Smith helped the Eagle effort with her 53, while Montesano received 51 from both Alyssa Hartman and Brooke Watkinson, with Watkinson’s score her best of the season.
A 54 from Melanie Hodge was the LaCenter low score.