Sunday, November 16, 2008

Woodway and Evergreen: Your days are numbered.

The agenda for the Board meeting scheduled for November 18th includes a first reading for the closure of Woodway and a first reading for the closure of Evergreen. What happened to the "study" being conducted by the CPC? What happened to the deliberation by the Board? The CPC was to study and develop a plan for consolidation. Where is that plan?

Will the Board at least "read" something to the audience during the Board meeting? Normally, they think that reading the agenda item constitutes an actual reading of the action item. The rest of us would like to know what is happening and just because our elected BMs don't care doesn't mean the rest of us don't either.

It must be very troubling to be a parent of students at Woodway or Evergreen. They appear to be rather quiet on this topic. Have they been drinking Nick's Kool-Aid?

In a matter of a few years, the Evergreen site will be grabbed by the City of Mountlake Terrace at some bargain basement price - or perhaps just given away. The City wants to develop the site and has been threatening to do so for years. It wasn't long ago when they attempted to rezone the site, making it impossible for the school to make any meaningful improvements. So why did greater minds seek to confront this change in zoning?

When it all comes down to it, the City will get their zoning, a developer will get the site and Marla will get whatever it is that she wants from this. The only loser in the process will be the taxpayers of the Edmonds School District.

NEW BUSINESS (2 minutes each)
1. Single reading, approve Acceptance of Public Works Contract, District Support Center - early site grading package, Resolution #08-47.
2. First reading, Woodway Elementary School Closure (no action)
3. First reading, Evergreen Elementary School Closure (no action)

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think the folks at Evergreen and Woodway Elem are a bunch of wimps. I remember, years ago, when they were talking about closing the old Edmonds High School. The school board meeting had to be held in the gym at Lynnwood High School cause so many people attended. We brought the marching band and the cheerleaders and people spoke passionately about "tradition", and the city of Edmonds' namesake, and people cried. Now those were the good old days when people cared!!

Rick Jorgensen said...

It's very understandable why parents don't come to the meetings to share their opinions. Simply, it never makes a difference. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Parents are not insane. They understand that expressing your opinion to a Board that does not participate WITH the community is pointless. There are only 2 solutions:

1) Get the media to take action (and that only happens if there is a compelling story - issues like this don't hold enough interest)

2) Remove the board members and put in ones that will take action.

Anonymous said...

welcome to the biggest layoff the edmonds school district has done.
Unions and Non Union workers will feel this one.
For those of you in classified, you will feel the biggest hit of all.

Anonymous said...

Are you saying big layoffs because of the closing of two schools or is it another round of budget cuts? The worker bees once again going to be where the cuts are made. Our district is Top heavy and cuts need to be made at the top. Our glass palace is crumbling.

Anonymous said...

Want to get their attention? Easy! Do something that will get their attention and the attention of the media.

What?

Picket the next school board meeting with a meaningful number of people. Bring bull horns and have informed people that are qualified and ready to not only express their angst in words but also to lay out some of the facts that have been ruining our confidence in the school board and upper management. All those issues can be found right here on the blog. You do not even have to go into the board meeting. Just make a public appearance in meaningful numbers outside. The media will show up to find out what is going on. Then have the qualified ones let them know why we are there.

Roll a grand piano up the street and then up to the front door of ESC and have the pianist start playing "We Shall Over Come". After the pianist plays a few rounds on the piano everyone, with or with out bullhorns start singing the song in glorious unison!

It will get their attention, nothing like a street rally to get their attention. Who cares if the media people are members of the Rotary Club and side with the district. People in general know this kind of thing does not take place with out reason. When they read about it or hear about it they will know it was done for a good purpose.

Marla will no doubt run upstairs and call the police. Nick will probably run upstairs, hide in his room and eat another organic goat cheese on hand crafted German rye bread sandwich with fresh organic horse radish flown in from Poland. The board? Well they will still be napping and signing and agreeing to things in their slumber.

Bring your children! Grassroots baby! Wake them up! They will love (sic) it!

Rick Jorgensen said...

What an excellent idea!

This is the preverbal "A-Bomb" so it needs to be used wisely and with focus. It can not be used often or it will lose effectiveness. We need to come together and craft a clear, simple message that can be digested into a soundbite.

If there is anyone out there interested in such an approach, please email me at rick.jorgensen@gmail.com. I'll bring the signs, you bring the bodies.

All individual communication will be held in confidence and never shared without express permission.

Anonymous said...

Don't forget to return the grand piano to EWH. Otherwise that is some kinda plan!