Monday, June 02, 2008
Clover Park and How the City Should Get Involved
As I sit here on the council dais tonight, we're beginning to hear from a stream of parents during our open public comment period. (The comments were continuing as I posted this at about 8:15 p.m.) The parents are concerned with how the Clover Park School Board appointed a new superintendent.
The whole issue is extremely complex, but surely the matter will not go away. A high school student got up and told us that her class could not finish a college prep history test ... a test they were preparing for all year ... because they did not have the proper books. More to the point about administration, a parent read from district emails that were disclosed as part of a public records act request. She read from an email in which a board member wrote that the board had made a point about keeping superintendent matters out of email where comments would have to be disclosed to the public.
The short version of the issue is that parents say the school board appointed an internal candidate over candidates who were better qualified and who got better scores in panel review by teachers and members of the community . And yet the district needs big changes, say the parents ... many Clover Park students don't have the basic earning skills to do well in college, said parent Tami Arredondo-Brigham.
"Lakewood will crumble if we don't fix the schools," parent Cindy Baij said. "Actions need to be taken or the school district will destroy Lakewood."
"It seemed like despite an invitation to the part of the process, the voice of the community was not heard," said parent Clint Johnson.
"Our kids are losing the passion," another parent said. "There is disrespect between the teachers and the students, and it goes both ways. That's not acceptable. We need help. I would never recommend Lakewood to someone because of the school district. It's a sad situation in Lakewood, and we need your help."
People have been describing governance problems at the Clover Park School District since the first day I was in Lakewood many years ago. I have met many fine teachers and students. One of my kids got an amazing elementary education at a CP school. Another kid was in a school that was very badly run in ways that left me speechless.
There's no question the CP schools have a poor reputation in many circles, and as long as I have been here it's been discussed that folks don't move to Lakewood because of the schools. Clearly, we should be more engaged in the district. Frankly, folks, almost every school board meeting I ever went to had only a few members of the public in attendance. I can't speak firsthand to all the issues the parents are raising but I know that if they stay involved in the Clover Park school district, that's going to be good. That's, frankly, the real solution. School board members respond to voters. They don't care what members of a city council think.
So .. these parents have come to the council for help. What do we do as a council? Frankly, I don't know. It's not like we have clout with the school board. The school district budget is twice the size of the city's. It's not like we as council members are experts in schools.
Are those just excuses? I don't know. What do you think?
What I find myself doing right now is remembering my long years as a reporter, and all of the school district meetings I went to where I was the only member of the public present. And so I am looking each of these parents as they speak and wondering .. Are you going to go to school board meetings? You've got pain and frustration in your voice now ... but how many night meetings are you willing to go to? How many dinners will you skip? How much time with your children will give you give up to be involved in the schools? Are you going to run for school board? Are you going to support a school board candidate, or stay engaged in the school district?
Because I frankly think that's the answer .. involvement .. hard and prolonged as it maybe. Democracy responds to people. Or, as the saying goes .. government goes to those who show up.
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The whole issue is extremely complex, but surely the matter will not go away. A high school student got up and told us that her class could not finish a college prep history test ... a test they were preparing for all year ... because they did not have the proper books. More to the point about administration, a parent read from district emails that were disclosed as part of a public records act request. She read from an email in which a board member wrote that the board had made a point about keeping superintendent matters out of email where comments would have to be disclosed to the public.
The short version of the issue is that parents say the school board appointed an internal candidate over candidates who were better qualified and who got better scores in panel review by teachers and members of the community . And yet the district needs big changes, say the parents ... many Clover Park students don't have the basic earning skills to do well in college, said parent Tami Arredondo-Brigham.
"Lakewood will crumble if we don't fix the schools," parent Cindy Baij said. "Actions need to be taken or the school district will destroy Lakewood."
"It seemed like despite an invitation to the part of the process, the voice of the community was not heard," said parent Clint Johnson.
"Our kids are losing the passion," another parent said. "There is disrespect between the teachers and the students, and it goes both ways. That's not acceptable. We need help. I would never recommend Lakewood to someone because of the school district. It's a sad situation in Lakewood, and we need your help."
People have been describing governance problems at the Clover Park School District since the first day I was in Lakewood many years ago. I have met many fine teachers and students. One of my kids got an amazing elementary education at a CP school. Another kid was in a school that was very badly run in ways that left me speechless.
There's no question the CP schools have a poor reputation in many circles, and as long as I have been here it's been discussed that folks don't move to Lakewood because of the schools. Clearly, we should be more engaged in the district. Frankly, folks, almost every school board meeting I ever went to had only a few members of the public in attendance. I can't speak firsthand to all the issues the parents are raising but I know that if they stay involved in the Clover Park school district, that's going to be good. That's, frankly, the real solution. School board members respond to voters. They don't care what members of a city council think.
So .. these parents have come to the council for help. What do we do as a council? Frankly, I don't know. It's not like we have clout with the school board. The school district budget is twice the size of the city's. It's not like we as council members are experts in schools.
Are those just excuses? I don't know. What do you think?
What I find myself doing right now is remembering my long years as a reporter, and all of the school district meetings I went to where I was the only member of the public present. And so I am looking each of these parents as they speak and wondering .. Are you going to go to school board meetings? You've got pain and frustration in your voice now ... but how many night meetings are you willing to go to? How many dinners will you skip? How much time with your children will give you give up to be involved in the schools? Are you going to run for school board? Are you going to support a school board candidate, or stay engaged in the school district?
Because I frankly think that's the answer .. involvement .. hard and prolonged as it maybe. Democracy responds to people. Or, as the saying goes .. government goes to those who show up.
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My children attended CP schools for elementary and middle school. They went to a private high school because I had absolutely no faith that either Lakes or CP would provide the education, academic challenges and the atmosphere I expected.
When we moved to Lakewood in the late '70's, the school board consisted of longtime Lakewood businessmen who apparently considered themselves far more capable than the average taxpayer and ran the schools in a largely secretive and paternalistic fashion. I worry that the current school board is moving in that direction. I remember one conversation I had with a school board member (still on the board) about 10-12 years ago when I expressed concern that my child had to choose between advanced classes and music - no way to do both. My concerns were largely dismissed, an attitude I think, which continues to prevail.
Until people are willing to run for the school board and then maintain their independence and be genuinely receptive to public input, we will have the same problems over and over.
When we moved to Lakewood in the late '70's, the school board consisted of longtime Lakewood businessmen who apparently considered themselves far more capable than the average taxpayer and ran the schools in a largely secretive and paternalistic fashion. I worry that the current school board is moving in that direction. I remember one conversation I had with a school board member (still on the board) about 10-12 years ago when I expressed concern that my child had to choose between advanced classes and music - no way to do both. My concerns were largely dismissed, an attitude I think, which continues to prevail.
Until people are willing to run for the school board and then maintain their independence and be genuinely receptive to public input, we will have the same problems over and over.
Participation is the answer as you stated. I think that is what this group of parents are trying to do. They did not get to particpate fully in the process of the Superintendent selection as they were led to believe they would be.
I am not involved in this situation but our family too has opted to not have our children go through Clover Park schools. This is not a decision taken lightly as it involves resources of time and finances to have them elsewhere.
I think it takes more then partipation of the community change things. I think the school board and the district are going to have to start to listen to the families that have children in their schools and actually hear what they are saying.
I am not involved in this situation but our family too has opted to not have our children go through Clover Park schools. This is not a decision taken lightly as it involves resources of time and finances to have them elsewhere.
I think it takes more then partipation of the community change things. I think the school board and the district are going to have to start to listen to the families that have children in their schools and actually hear what they are saying.
# posted by 
: 8:35 AM
: 8:35 AM
My husband and I also took our children out of the CPSD. We had been very involved for several years and realized that our kids were suffering. One stupid- yes stupid- curriculum after another. School models which were ineffective and expensive- one terrible administrative hire after another regardless of communiity input. The only time the district acts like they want community input is levy and bond time. The only thing concerned citizens can do now is actively work against passing levies and bonds. We must vote with our pocket books.
Now that our kids are grown, my husband and I are moving out of Lakewood. A community with declining schools is a declining community.
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Now that our kids are grown, my husband and I are moving out of Lakewood. A community with declining schools is a declining community.
# posted by : 6:45 AM
: 6:45 AMLinks to this post:
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