By Barbara Kline
Superintendent/Principal, Orcas Island School District

For five years we have been studying the condition of our buildings. Thanks to the many experts who have worked with us, and the many committees we have all served on, we know what needs to be done to our facilities for the future health and safety of our students and we know that it will never cost less than it does now.

In five years of study we have carefully considered the needs of all of our students and of the programs that serve them. We have looked at enrollment trends, and preschools, spaces needed for English Language Learners, special education, Readiness To Learn, Farm to Cafeteria, Title 1, technology, and vocational or Career and Technical Education. Over five years, we have looked at every class and every program and carefully calculated the numbers of students who use our spaces now and will into the future.

From our experts, we know how much the needed work will cost and that it will never cost less than it does now. That cost is 54 cents per thousand of assessed value.

I will be voting no on the school bond despite the tent revival evangelism of its proponents. Tens of thousands of schools in this country are in the same position the Orcas schools are in. They will not be replaced in this economic environment if ever. Even if they are replaced the amount children will learn will not improve. I could fill a whole car with well documented studies on why the government monopoly public education system is a failed paradigm.

The children who excel in school excel despite it not because of it. Now, there are those who will say that not all children come from healthy environments and the school is keeping them from falling off the cliff. If this is the case then let’s call it what it is, a glorified Children’s House, and quit pretending education is happening. IT IS NOT!

My son Oliver (who never attended a day of school, public or otherwise) got a GED after 30 days of study. His percentile ranking against all high school graduates nationwide on the five exams was, 93, 75, 66, 66, and 50.

Dear Editor,

I’m writing to ask whoever has been taking down the “Kalb for Congress” yard signs to please stop doing that. It’s theft, and goes against our democracy. These signs have disappeared from three locations, while all other signs – Democrats and Republicans – were left in place. Please have respect for your neighbors’ right to know all the candidates.

Bill Griswold
314 Terrill Beach, Eastsound

By the Orcas Island School District Board of Directors

In the 1940′s the island school enrollment was around 100 students. Orcas residents recognized the need to build a new school.  At the time, the island economy was based on farming and logging.   WWII was over and there was a feeling that education was critical to moving the island, and our county forward.  Orcas voters had the vision to put their money into a new, well-constructed building. So in 1949 they built the Nellie S. Milton and they filled it. Almost 70 years later, the foresight to invest in a well-built facility bears this out; that building is our current elementary school.

In the 1970′s the community again recognized a need in our school district.  So in 1979, with about 370 students on campus, they embarked on building a new high school, library, shop, cafeteria, a home ec classroom, and offices. Again voters appreciated the importance of providing better learning facilities for our island’s children.  And they did this during a time when our country had high unemployment, historically high inflation, and mortgages rates in the 15% range.  Without succumbing to the fears that this might be the worst time for expansion, these voters had the vision to improve their schools, and they made that vision a reality.

Our primary election day is coming up on August 17, and ballots are going out in the mail this week.

Since the state did not send out printed Voter Guides for this primary election, I wanted to let people know that there is a Voters’ Guide online on the Washington Secretary of State’s website.

Just go to: www.sos.wa.gov

On the left side of the page, click on “Elections and Voting” and then click on “2010 Online Voters’ Guide”.

Then there are four choices: Federal, Congressional, Legislative, and Judicial.
“Federal” contains the candidates for U.S. Senate in our district, Congressional District 2.
“Congressional” contains all 9 congressional districts in the state. Click on “Congressional District 2″ to see the candidates for U.S. House of Representatives in our district.

Then you can click on any candidate’s name and a page about that candidate will come up.

I encourage people to share this link with others and to print out copies for people who don’t use the internet.

By Corey Wiscomb

After reading both Janet Knowles’ guest column and Chris Bultler’s letter to the Editor in the July 7th, 2010 issue of The Sounder I felt compelled to reply to statements made by the authors that attacked the necessity of the upcoming school bond.  In a thankful way their statements may project questions and/or doubts that other community members may be feeling towards the bond, and so this is a great opportunity to supply the correct information and answers.

First, let me remove the ambiguity about the safety issue that Mr. Butler calls, “the wool over our eyes” being used as propaganda for the new bond:  The Orcas Middle School structure is not up to seismic standard.  When it was built nearly 30 years ago as a new high school the intent was for the building to last 15 years until the next bond would pass.  Why?  Simple, the first bond attempt failed and rather than build a smaller facility at high quality, the decision was made to build the same facility at lesser quality to match the smaller bond that did pass – a mistake that will not be made presently.  Regardless, we are stuck with a large portion of our school facility that, I repeat, does not meet seismic standard.  Take a moment with that.

By Barbara Kline,
Superintendent, Orcas Island School District

Here is a table that shows the enrollment over time. I decided to start it in October 2000 which is the year before OASIS was started. Because Janet [Knowles, see link] was concerned about counting students who did not actually come to the school campus, I subtracted OASIS K-8 from the OISD total in the final column.

OASIS 9-12 and Waldron Island Elementary students are part of the Orcas Island School District and attend classes on campus. Some of the OASIS K-8 students also attend classes on campus. As of the end of the school year 2009-10, a minority of the OASIS students are from off island families.

I used headcount as the best measure of the students who will be using the facilities. Headcount is a count of the actual students who are in each grade. A student’s “head” can only be counted one time even if he/she is attending classes in two schools. For example a student at Orcas High School taking classes in OASIS will be counted in the headcount in the school in which he/she is attending the most classes.

Growing up with a father who was a Superintendent of Schools in a district of  small schools,  the largest of which was about the size of Orcas, and with a mother and siblings all teachers through portions of their lives,  I am strongly in favor of creating an environment for learning that supports the school administration and teachers.   Without this, student learning suffers.

Here on Orcas, the board, the superintendent, the teachers, and the Parent- Teacher Association,  through many meetings, have repeatedly told us that there are serious safety and maintenance problems as well as insufficient classroom design or space for certain courses in some of the school buildings.  Because these people have the most detailed knowledge about the needs of the school, I have faith in their judgment.

Furthermore,  the architectural plans they have worked out with the Mahlum group, who specialize in school design, seem sensible and well thought out.  If we can buy Turtleback, we can vote “yes” in August for the School Bond, and feel equally proud of ourselves for enabling a better life for future generations.

Rachel Adams

Scott Lancaster
Orcas Island School District Board President

I’d like to clear up a few things that have appeared in the Sounder. Keith Whitaker has responded very effectively online, and in the paper to Janet Knowles opinion piece and corrected her misunderstanding of the data. I’d like to add a couple of things to his response.

The figures that the ESD and the school district work from are a snapshot at any given moment in the school year, of our enrollment. The final figures that create our funding source from the state are audited and verified by the state Office of the Superintendent of Public Education (OSPI).

I can see how someone coming to a single board meeting and taking away what can sometimes be a huge packet of data, could easily misunderstand the numbers. It is complex, and we are fortunate to have a staff and administration that keeps impeccable track and care of this data so that our district is fully accountable. I, or any other board member would be happy to go over these packets with anyone who has a question about them.

By Keith Whitaker,
Business Manager (part-time) Orcas Island School District

There are significant inaccuracies and wrong assumptions in Janet Knowles guest column in last week’s Islands Sounder [reprinted below] regarding transparency in the school bond process. Her conclusions are not based in fact, and betray a lack of understanding of the issues in question.

The data she attributes to me were actually taken from the financial report provided to the Board at the May 12 meeting, prepared by Ben Thomas of Educational Service District 189. The statistic ‘395 students,’ though it is in that Board report, does not refer to the entire enrollment of the District – not even all of the ‘real’ students, as she calls them. In her calculations, she simply eliminates the entire enrollment of OASIS, despite the fact that nearly half of the OASIS students are Orcas residents, as ‘real’ as the students in the District’s other four schools.

Our actual total ‘on-island’ enrollment was 473 at that meeting time, only about a half dozen lower than it was five years ago. It is higher now.

Ms.

By Janet Knowles

(Please see editorial note below, following this opinion)

Bond Transparency

This Bond proposal is huge in good times, but inconceivable in hard economic ones.  In my experience as a school Business Manager and Board member at all school levels, I had to ask why a District with declining enrollment would propose such a Bond measure.

Historical Numbers

Apparently the Middle School, which is less than 30 years old, is in such disrepair that it needs replacing due to lack of maintenance for many years. But based on enrollment, it doesn’t need replacement.  The enrollment of Orcas students is in decline. School peak in 1998-99 was 585 full time students.  In 2005/06, there were 500 students, the next year 465, then 430 then 417 (State of Washington website – Office of Superintendant of Public Instruction).  Currently, there are 395 students (stats from Keith Whitaker). If 585 students used to occupy this space and we now only have 395 students (388 for 2010/11), there is no need for a replacement building. The Middle school students could be merged with the Elementary and High School buildings.

It seems it’s only when friends or family show up that I think to do the “touristy” things.

One adventure I’d missed since moving here was to go on a whale watch trip. I booked with Eclipse Charters when I had out-of-state friends visiting a couple of weeks ago, and we had a wonderful time! The whales, eagles and harbor seal sightings were plentiful and magnificent. Our guides answered our questions, pointed out what we might not have noticed and gave us ecological lessons in the process, which I appreciated.

My sincerest thanks to Capt. Dan and Denise Wilk for this terrific service they provide- and to our guides Deb and Mary. Everyone went out of their way to make sure we were comfortable and would leave the boat with memories to last a lifetime. Here’s to “staycations” on the island!

Louise Carnachan

On June 26^th the first community Homeschool Book Exchange was held at the public library.  Participants were encouraged to bring items that were gently used and recycle them for materials they were seeking for next year. We bartered, traded and bought some great books from one and another. It was a pleasure to meet new faces and discuss the challenges and benefits of homeschooling.

The Homeschool Book Exchange will be held again next year, second Friday of June. Mark your calendars, bring your wisdom and recycle your books. Hope to see more of you next year!

Michel Vekved

By Norm Stamper

Having spent three and a half decades in law enforcement, I have some thoughts about what makes for a safe, prosperous and healthy community.  It starts, not surprisingly, with family:  Every child needs a secure, nurturing start in life.  Just as every child needs and deserves a sound, life-shaping formal education.

Which brings me to the school bond issue.

As a supporter of the original $36 million bond measure, I sat on my tail, figuring the case had been made.  All I needed to do was to mail in my ballot, await the inevitable wisdom of Orcas voters, then join my neighbors in celebrating its passage.  I don’t know which disappoints more:  The 45 percent who voted no?  Or the silent supporters who, like me, didn’t bother to share publicly the rationale behind their position?

Throughout my career I was involved in the construction of major capital improvement projects:  new jails and courthouses, new police headquarters in San Diego and Seattle, new precinct houses in both cities.

Orcas School kids, teachers, parents, alumni and friends fill the streets for the July 3 "Community in Action" parade

To all of our kids, teachers, parents, graduates and friends:

A huge round of thanks to you all for helping to make this a memorable Parade. You did a great job of showing support for, and pride in our School! Please enjoy this slideshow at the link below and feel free to share the photos with family and friends:

OrcasIslandSchoolsJuly3rdParade2010

Special thanks to Esther Doss, 10th grader, and daughter of our School Librarian, Maria Doss, for designing the cool banners; to Scott Lancaster of Orcas Island Hardware for the paint; to Maria and Ray Doss and Kelsey and Keith Whitaker for painting them; to Mandy Randolph for having the idea to have the kids carry flags with their grades on them, and for doing a wonderful job of getting kids and parents to come and organizing everybody that day; to Julian Glasser for coming back to Orcas for the Summer and jumping right in to helping organize friends for the Parade; to Justin Paulsen for thinking of the orange crane…

Dear Editors,

Stan Matthews sent you an email with an attachment of a News Release from San Juan County called “Return the Grants for Odlin Park Improvements?”  What they failed to tell you is why so many people on Lopez are upset about the renovation plan for Odlin Park.

Two main points:

First, the Odlin Park Master Plan 2006 put out by the San Juan County Parks Department shows the elimination of the only baseball field in a park on Lopez.  Even teams from San Juan and Orcas have came over and played on this field.  Locals use this field as I have placed a couple of youtube links below.  Parks now has some new drawings that have the baseball field included.

Second, the San Juan County Parks Department wants to remove from Odlin Park an old cannon that was placed 63 years ago by the Lopez Island American Legion as a memorial for the war dead.   The origional Legion members used this cannon as a hands on display, they played on it,  they brought there children to play on it, and the children brought there children to play on it.

Part of the fun of being on vacation is having the opportunity to discover new places and participating in everyday local events.  With this in mind, the Orcas Island Library Board would like to invite summer visitors to our monthly board meeting.

For those of you who love libraries,  serve on  library boards in your hometown, or are simply curious, the meeting will take place on Monday July 12th at 9:00 AM in the library community meeting room. Come see how board members generate ideas and problem solve. Perhaps you can share some ideas from your own libraries.

Agendas will be available at the door and there is always time allotted for public comment.

Remember: The library is open every  Sunday from Noon until 3 p.m.

Rachel Newcombe,
Library Board Member, Community Relations Chair

By Joe Cohen

While attending the 4^th of July parade on Saturday I stopped at the school bond booth – and had a lively discussion with a host of friends and other people.  I listened to a number of great questions about the bond issue – and was pleased with the substance of the answers provided. And yet one important question has not been fully vetted:  What is the cost of waiting – in effect doing nothing now if bond issues fails but is then passed at a later date?

The answer to financial questions always starts with the caveat – it depends.  The cost of waiting to fund the school bond (an approval vote in the future) depends on many factors including construction costs (presumably higher than today).  However the most significant cost in any bond is the interest rate that attaches to the bond.  The interest rate (much as in a mortgage on your home) remains the same over the life of the bond.  So what is the interest rate today for bond issues like the one we are considering?

The 4th has come to an end and the Orcas Island Lions Club would like to thank everyone who participated in this year’s fundraiser, the Annual Salmon BBQ. This year while the numbers were down by about 100 dinners we still managed to serve 427 adult dinners. All money after expenses from the dinner goes back to the community in the Clubs support for sight and hearing projects. Through a generous arrangement with Chris White the Lions Club this past year was able provide glasses to 12 persons in need and carry out one cataract surgery. We are currently assisting in a second surgery as well and assisting an island senior in obtaining hearing aids. These programs aid islanders that do not have the income or insurance to once again take an active role in our community.

The Lions would like to thank the following sponsors for helping with this year’s event: Coastal Cold Storage of Petersburg, Alaska (Fish), American Legion Post 93(Grounds), Orcas Senior Center (Ovens), Island Hardware and Supply (Parade Truck), San Juan Sanitation (Dump Bins), Country Corner (Ice), Kay’s Antiques and Cherri Lindholm Real Estate (Ticket Sales), and Orcas Island Chamber of Commerce, Islanders Sounder and Orcas Issues (Publicity).

Sleepwalking Towards Silent Seas

Islanders who use well water know that a small plumbing fault, such as a running toilet, left unattended for long enough can run a well dry. Wells near the shoreline can be ruined by  saltwater intrusion when they are over pumped. Thus, given enough time, a seemingly small plumbing fault can cause major expense to the well owner and damage the aquifer. Ignoring small problems can have large consequences.

Following World War II the development of synthetic petroleum-based chemicals for home use accelerated, and the accumulation of tiny insults to our environment began. We mostly viewed these chemicals as positive additions to our lives until Rachel Carson published Silent Spring about the devastation caused by DDT on bird populations.

Today, we are slowly moving towards Silent Seas that are devoid of fish, orca whales, seals, and sea birds. Seemingly insignificant doses of synthetic chemicals are transported by storm water into our wetlands, streams, lakes, and marine waters. If we continue to deny our impact as homeowners on our environment, our seas will eventually become dominated by the slow pulse of jellyfishes and the ebb and flow of toxic red tides.