Superintendent's Live Blog - December 10, 2008
6:57 | [Comment From Pete] What is the current status of the district's fair funding lawsuit? |
6:59 | Tom Murphy: We won the initial ruling from the Superior Court judge and the State appealed that ruling. We and the State asked the Supreme Court to hear the appeal and they have agreed. We are waiting to hear from the Supreme Court of our date for the appeal. We had originally thought this hearing would occur in the winter session of the Court. It now looks as if the hearing will not occur until the spring session of the Court. |
7:00 | [Comment From Cindy Dennison] Hi Tom....I am curious as to what our district will do if the I-728 funds are elimnated. I am most concerned about the All Day Kindergarten. |
7:05 | Tom Murphy: Hi Cindy, We receive $9.7 Million in I-728 funding. This money is used to support smaller class sizesn in math in grades five through twelve, professional development, extended learning opportunities, and all-day kindergarten. We have fourteen all-day kindergarten sections at ten schools funded through the 728 dollars. It is no mystery that if the entire 728 funding disappears we will have challenges simply maintaining existing programs. However, I will spend most of the next five months considering State budget actions, the focus of our work, and the implications for reductions in funding as I create my budget recommendation for the Board. |
7:05 | [Comment From Riley] How can students feel safe at Todd Beamer after the past few days events? |
7:14 | Tom Murphy: Anytime school is disrupted by the dangerous and illegal actions of a few the assumption of safety is challenged. The safety and security of our students is our highest priority and we are seriously concerned when this priority is threatened. All adults and students have the responsibility to participate in creating the safety and security of all. The adults at Todd Beamer are on high alert, volunteering to patrol hallways, bathrooms, nooks and crannys druing the course of the day. Students must also be vigilant and report behavior they know to be dangerous and illegal. There is nothing cool about protecting the identity of someone who sets the trash can in the bathroom on fire. We have also had an enhanced presence of security and police officers at Beamer and we are grateful for the intensity of the police investigation that resulted in the arrest of two students connected to these fires this afternoon. Vigilance is the responsibility of all. |
7:17 | [Comment From Rick Dennison] How can the Schools come together to work for the COLA and not allow the state to talk about recinding the COLA while other State agencies are allowing raises and "private" institutions are giving 5% raises for three years. We have the hardest working group of State employees sometimes volunteering time ( before the year and after) and money from their pockets to make sure our children get a great education. |
7:31 | Tom Murphy: The Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) in this question refers to the State law that provides K-12 employees an increase in salary based upon the cost of living index. For this next year that is projected to be somewhere between 4.1 and 5.8 percent. The State provides this increase in salary ONLY for the staff driven by the State's Basic Education funding formula written in 1977. Most school districts, including Federal Way, hire many more staff than allocated through the State's funding formula. A court decision placed the responsibility for providing the COLA for these employees on the local school districts. cont Professional organizations and school boards around the State will be formulating their legislative agendas as soon as the Governor releases her recommended budget. I am sure there will be opportunities for these organizations and school boards to collaborate on issues if they so choose. |
7:31 | [Comment From Katherine V.] You have said that you anticipate a $10-12 million shortfall for the next school year. How are you going to make your decisions regarding your recommendations to school board? |
7:40 | Tom Murphy: We will spend the next three to five months providing information to staff and community groups regarding the extent of the funding reductions and what we expect in programatic and staffing impact. We will also be collecting thoughts, comments, and suggestions related to strategies we might employ to address these losses. I will use the information generated through these conversations to help formulate my budget recommendation for our Board, which will be presented at the second Board meeting in April. The community will have opportunity to comment on the recommendations from then to the end of June, when the Board will adopt a budget. |
7:46 | [Comment From Michelle C.] Thank you for bringing instructional coaching to FWPS. This is providing ongoing professional development for teachers that supports student learning. We know that excellent teaching makes the biggest impact on student learning. |
7:49 | Tom Murphy: Thank you for your comments. I am convinced of the power of coaching and the commitment to personal and professional growth and development. I firmly believe that the level of achievement of our students is directly connected to the extent of our ability to engage in reflective practice, with the assistance of a coach, and make instructional decisions based upon that reflection and feedback. It is my vision that every student will experience an outstanding teacher every day, every hour. |
7:52 | [Comment From Caitlyn R.] Mr Murphy. As a past Federal Way student and new community member I appreciate your involvement in the community and I look forward to sending my daughter to the FWPS! Keep up the excellent committment you have made to our kids and community! |
8:00 | Tom Murphy: Thank you for your kind comments. However, an excellent education for ALL students is a result of the involvement of parents and community members who are dedicated and focused not only on their own children but on ALL children. The quality of education your child receives will be as good as you insist it is. The quality of life you experience in our community will depend upon how successful you are in insisting on a quality education for ALL children. |
8:01 | Tom Murphy: I am closing this blog now and I wish to thank those participants in this very first exchange. There will be many more. Stay tuned... |
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