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Posts Tagged ‘budget cuts’

Protect, inspire Wolf athletes

Posted in Fundraisers, tagged , , , , on August 1, 2023| Leave a Comment »

The women who make Wolf athletics hum are (l to r) Barbi Ford, Aimee Bishop, and Jessica Caselden. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

This is for every person involved in Coupeville school athletics.

Every athlete. Every coach. Every support staff member. Every parent.

This is us, as a community, stepping up and making a statement.

A loud, clear call to arms — that we value the athletic trainer role, that we will not let budget cuts carve away at the safety of Coupeville’s teens, or their ability to be inspired by the success of one of their own.

Jessica Caselden is a Wolf through and through.

She grew up in the aisles of Videoville and on the ballfields and courts at Coupeville’s schools, part of a tight-knit group of young women.

As that group wanders into their (very early) 30’s, they have sunk their roots even deeper into the prairie from which they hailed.

Some have come home, like Jessica. Others were always here.

Together, they celebrate each other’s birthdays, their marriages, their achievements, with their children forming the next generation of Wolves.

One pack, forever united.

A lifelong bond. (Photo courtesy Kassie O’Neil)

Jessica graduated from CHS, went off into the world to gain knowledge and experience, then returned to Cow Town to become a teacher and athletic trainer at her alma mater.

She bought her childhood home, got married this summer, is in it for the long run.

Her impact has been immeasurable, even in a short time.

Having an athletic trainer on the sideline at games, one trained to respond quickly and calmly, should be a requirement at all schools.

The state requires an ambulance sitting by at prep football games, and yet, some of the scariest situations I have witnessed have come at seemingly “safe” sports such as basketball and softball.

When Coupeville administrators hired Jessica to fill the athletic trainer role before the start of the 2022-2023 school year, it was a smart decision in every way.

It was money well used, something she proved time and again as the seasons played out.

I have been covering sports on Whidbey, off and on, since 1990, and this past school year was the first I can remember in which CHS football didn’t lose a player to a season-ending injury.

Part of that is luck, certainly, and a share of the credit goes to a staff led by Bennett Richter, a group of new-age coaches who realize putting a premium on safety doesn’t have to derail your chance to win.

But do not discount Jessica’s contributions, from dealing immediately with on-field injuries, to working with players at practices, to always being available to answer questions and offer reassurances to parents.

Having an athletic trainer cuts down on injuries, prevents small setbacks from becoming major ones, and gives young athletes the same protections routinely provided to those playing at the college and professional levels.

Beyond that, Jessica is incredibly accessible, providing instruction and inspiration to the same athletes whose owie’s and boo-boo’s she tends to on a daily basis.

She is a caregiver and a role model, at a time of life when Wolf athletes need both.

And while she interacts with both teen boys and girls with a quiet grace, a friendly demeanor, and a welcoming aura, we need to acknowledge her special impact on the young women wearing CHS uniforms.

Coupeville, like most Washington state schools, didn’t offer many athletic outlets for its female students until Title IX forced changes in the ’70s.

Since then, Wolf girls have combined to win more league titles than their male counterparts, but they have done so with only a handful of women in positions of power.

Phyllis Textor and Lori Stolee worked as CHS athletic directors, and there have been a sprinkling of female coaches, from Toni Crebbin to Breanne Smedley, from Amy King to Ashley Menges and others.

Having a strong female presence on the sideline, in practice, in the classroom, is invaluable.

It reinforces the truth — any girl in Coupeville can be a success, a leader, an inspiration — whether they travel the world chasing professional basketball dreams or return to embrace their destiny on the prairie.

Prairie powerhouses. (Photo courtesy Mandi Black)

When budget cuts claimed the athletic trainer position, among the most outspoken were the Wolf softball players, who wrote letters to the school board and Coupeville administrators.

I understand we are in a financial bind, a place almost every school district finds itself in coming out of the pandemic, and that cuts have to be made.

This is not the position to slash, however.

It’s too important.

It goes right to the core of everything Coupeville wants to accomplish with its strategic plan.

“Connect with family and community.”

“Promote student and staff well-being.”

“Empower students.”

While the 2023-2024 budget, passed last Thursday, does not fund the athletic trainer position, we, as a community have a chance to change that.

The cost would be $8,600.

Coupeville Schools Superintendent Steve King confirmed in an email the district will accept a scholarship donation from an outside source, with the district retaining control over staffing the position.

CHS Athletic Director Willie Smith, who is the athletic trainer’s direct supervisor, confirmed the school wishes to retain Jessica in the position.

We, as a community, as Wolf Nation, can save this position, while making a clear statement to administrators they need to reevaluate the importance of an athletic trainer before embarking on the next budget battle.

The district needs to be all in, just like Jessica.

Our donations give administrators the time to find a way to make this work in the future, while protecting student/athletes in the present.

I call that a win-win.

 

To join the movement to save the Athletic Trainer position, pop over to:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/protect-inspire-wolf-athletes

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Look back in anger, look ahead with hope

Posted in Ranting and Raving, tagged , , , on July 30, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Does the 2023-2024 budget reflect Coupeville’s strategic plan? Opinions vary.

We are not broken, but we need to fix things.

In the wake of efforts to pass a budget for the 2023-2024 school year, there is considerable anger bubbling just under the surface in the Coupeville School District.

Anger that, in many ways, feels justified.

It would be easy for district administrators and school board members to heave a sigh of relief in the wake of passing the budget, assuming everyone will go back to singing kumbaya, jointly working together to implement what is in that budget.

That would be dangerously naive.

People have still lost jobs.

And the majority of those budget cuts claimed positions which directly impact student safety and well-being.

A Dean of Students with 19 years in the trenches and countless teenage lives changed for the better.

An athletic trainer who helped Coupeville enjoy the most injury-free sports year I can remember in 30 years of writing, while also inspiring young women into following her career path.

Paraeducators who are the first, and last line, of defense, of positive reinforcement, of making sure each child gets the most from their day and returns home safely to their family.

There is a face behind every cut. Do not forget that.

With those cuts, and others, public perception, justified or not, is that the budget prioritizes a food service program which has lost money every year except when the state paid for free meals across the board at the height of the pandemic.

As administrators, as board members, I don’t know if you truly realize how close you all came to having this turn into something much nastier.

To having the anger not be an abstract thought, something you read about in letters to the board or in first-person accounts here on Coupeville Sports, but a reality of your daily life.

Life is different if they picket your houses.

More restrained voices won out this time when those discussions arose. They might not always.

Now, we don’t have multiple active lawsuits in play, as appears to be the case at a nearby district whose sports teams vie with the Wolves in the Northwest 2B/1B League.

And our district passed a budget Thursday, beating the state deadline, largely because to not do so would unleash chaos.

Whether that chaos, while painful, might have been beneficial in the long run, is a debate that will continue to play out.

I was one of only three people not on the school board or part of district administration who sat through two budget workshops and the budget hearing.

During those six-plus hours, I was conflicted.

I looked upon good men and women, people who I believe (or want to believe) are in those positions because they want to help Coupeville students reach the highest levels of achievement.

As in any group, there were disagreements on how best to reach that goal. Some were vocalized, though almost always couched in politeness.

I’m not saying the people in that room needed to scream at each other or take advantage of the fact Prairie Center had an ongoing sale on throwing-size tomatoes.

It would have been entertaining, certainly, as I sank deeper into a sea of half-understood financial figures and acronyms.

And I do believe a little righteous anger unleashed often has its place.

As The Real World taught my generation “This is the true story, to find out what happens, when people stop being polite, and start getting real.”

Sitting in the audience I was not allowed to scream “That is some righteous bullshit,” lest I get booted out to sit in the parking lot, no matter how many times those exact words burbled up inside me.

There is a reason I would not fit well seated at the “adult” table in these matters.

Coupeville’s school board directors and its administrators have an ability to operate in that world in a way I do not, and let’s give them credit for that.

While still wishing one or two would unleash a public “that is some righteous bullshit” when appropriate.

Such as when the answer to how some revenues in the new budget will be realized essentially comes off as us being told “It’s magic.”

But anyways.

What I witnessed, in my opinion, is a budget process which has to be fixed.

You can NOT send board members a revised budget at 11:30 PM on a Tuesday, when the budget workshop is 18 hours later, and the budget deadline is four days after that.

That is insanity, and all the excuses in the world — no matter how legit they may be — don’t change that.

Yes, the Finance Director is relatively new to the district.

Yes, the transition to the Qmlativ platform has made the budgeting process harder.

Yes, there are 1,001 real-life financial issues affecting school districts everywhere, not just in Coupeville.

It doesn’t matter.

You can NOT give board members 18 hours (or more like 10-12, if we accept most people sleep during the night…) to crunch hundreds of pages.

And this was not a one-time thing.

Every step of the way in the budget process this year, it felt as if the board was being forced to scramble, to work from behind, to try and do their due diligence without being given proper time.

Don’t come to me with excuses. I sympathize, but it doesn’t matter.

Fix it.

Secondly, all involved need to do a better job of keeping the taxpayers — their ultimate bosses — in the mix.

The district, at every level, has a PR problem, but with a little work, it could be improved.

Communicate with us, the great unwashed public.

You believe this is your best budget, that these decisions have to be made — sell it to us or don’t be surprised when social media chatter rips you a new one.

I understand you also have to have room and freedom to do your job, but if you are not willing to explain your decision making — well before we’re five minutes from seeing the budget approved — the blowback will only grow.

A lot of people do not feel their concerns were truly heard, no matter the post-game platitudes.

That has to be improved.

Also, read the room.

When your budget is about to slash jobs — again, real people, not just numbers on a spreadsheet — informing us you’re being honored by other administrators for those very budget cuts kind of goes over like a public fart.

Just sayin’.

Finally, let’s make it about me.

Someone out there, someone with a better understanding of financial matters, of how school districts operate, needs to step up and launch their own blog.

I’ve spent my scattershot journalism career primarily writing about sports and movies. I very specifically made the choice not to train for covering these matters.

You can start a blog literally for free or spend a few bucks as I have to give it at least a hint of a professional sheen.

Someone comes in and focuses on budget matters, on financial doings, on how the sausage is made at a time when money is tight everywhere, I’ll promote your work.

Then happily go back to watching a triple feature of Death Car on the Freeway, Night of the Killer Bears, and Swing You Sinners.

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School budget passes, cuts official

Posted in school board, tagged , , , , on July 27, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Coupeville paraeducators, including some seen here, will be affected by budget cuts. (Photo courtesy Shelly LaRue)

Some see numbers on a spreadsheet, others see faces.

Except some of those faces won’t be around this fall, as passage of the 2023-2024 Coupeville school budget carries with it the loss of multiple employees.

When the School Board voted 4-1 Thursday to accept a budget presented by Superintendent Steve King and Finance Director Brian Gianello, it also confirmed more than a million dollars in cuts.

Dean of Students Tom Black is not coming back, despite a vocal grassroots movement in which person after person testified to his impact on their lives.

Jessica Caselden remains a teacher, but her other position, as Athletic Trainer, will no longer be funded, despite a letter campaign led by Coupeville High School softball players.

Two paraeducators formerly paid with Covid-era ESSER funds have not been retained, while another was eliminated by attrition.

The district originally posted a job opening to replace a fourth paraeducator who left the district, but are no longer planning to fill that position, King confirmed at a previous budget workshop.

All remaining paraeducators are losing a half hour from their day.

This comes as district officials have said the plan is to keep Coupeville’s special needs students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) in-house, instead of giving state money to other school districts in trade for adding those students to their own programs.

For a full list of cuts, pop over to:

https://www.coupeville.k12.wa.us/Page/300

That list, last updated June 21, does not reflect one recent change — reducing the number of teachers being cut.

Earlier in the evening Thursday, the school board approved the hires of Annie Deposit (K-5), Brett Casey (3rd grade), and Jessica Graham (Elementary School) as part of the consent agenda.

The trio, who come in with lower pay rates than their predecessors, replace teachers who, respectively, resigned, continued a leave, and retired, and are necessary to meet K-3 class size targets.

The cuts, which came at the sole discretion of the superintendent, were made in response to the school board approving a Modified Education Plan in April.

This was after the general fund balance dipped well below the target — 6% of the budget year’s expenditures — and the board instructed King to cut up to $1.45 million.

In his remarks Thursday, the superintendent hit on familiar themes — that, in his opinion, the pandemic, the McCleary ruling, unreliable support from the legislature, and rising costs — are impacting all school districts, and not just Coupeville.

While acknowledging the personal loss entailed in cutting jobs, he stands behind his decisions.

“I applaud everyone’s passion,” King said. “What I am proud of is that we have been able to protect student programs, that we are not discussing the loss of those.”

That was a statement echoed by Gianello, who has only been on the job a short time after replacing the retired Denise Peet.

“There are challenges, but also celebrations. Not cutting programs is one of those, I believe,” Gianello said.

“Is this a perfect plan? Probably not, but I think it’s a good framework with some flexibility in it.”

The budget shows projected revenues of $18,443,000 for 2023-2024, with expenses of $18,438,027, giving Coupeville an excess of revenues of $4,973.

The “flexibility” of the budget garnered much discussion at two lightly attended budget workshops, but in front of a half-full room Thursday, board members largely passed on a chance to rehash their questions.

Several crowd members made public comments, primarily in support of paraeducators.

“Adopting a budget that is intent on decimating paraeducators is not in the best interest of our district, and, most importantly, our students,” said Coupeville Education Support Association President Shelly LaRue.

“Paraeducators are valuable and irreplaceable,” added Coupeville Middle School teacher Katja Willeford.

In the end, board members, eyeing an Aug. 1 Washington state deadline for school budgets, opted to accept the proposed budget.

Christie Sears, Alison Perera, Morgan White, and Nancy Conard voted yes, while Sherry Phay voted no.

“I will not vote for a budget which puts priority on a food program over support staff,” Phay said.

White, who graduated from CHS, is now raising her own children in Cow Town — Cole and Riley — with husband Greg, another Wolf alumni.

In trying to find a middle ground, her voice was overcome with emotion as she put words to the thoughts of many, while never claiming to speak for anyone but herself.

“The conversation doesn’t end here,” White said. “This is the beginning, and it is really good to be having these very hard conversations.

“Kindness has been on my mind a lot lately,” she added.

“I really believe everyone in this room is trying to do the right thing.

“We may disagree on some things, but I hope we can continue to work with kindness, and show love and care for each other, and for the kids we are working for.”

In the end, though, CMS teacher Wilbur Purdue, a 21-year teaching vet and true son of the prairie, probably summed it up best in his comments to the board.

“It’s shaping up to be a challenging year.”

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“It’s about finding long term financial stability”

Posted in budget cuts, tagged , , , , on July 26, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Round two was a lot like round one, just with less people in the room.

The Coupeville School Board held a second budget workshop Wednesday, a day before its regularly scheduled monthly meeting.

The first go-round last week attracted an audience of 11 to watch Superintendent Steve King and Finance Director Brian Gianello present the proposed 2023-2024 budget.

This time around, there were three Coupeville Educational Support Association (CESA) union members and one sports blogger in attendance as the five board members peppered the duo with questions.

It all sets up Thursday’s marquee event, which is the official budget hearing and offers board members their first chance to vote on the budget.

Everything begins at 5:30 PM in the Kathleen Anderson Board Room (#305) at the district office, which sits right in front of Coupeville High School at 501 S. Main.

Unlike the workshops, Thursday’s meeting comes with live mics for board members, a full agenda, opportunity for public comment, and video streaming.

Hopefully.

The district sent out an email raising the possibility streaming may have issues with tech master Will Smith being on vacation.

“We will still provide streaming with the link and call-in instruction on the agenda,” Steve King said.

“But given the circumstances our video and audio may not be as effective as it usually is.”

That agenda can be found here:

https://go.boarddocs.com/wa/coupeville/Board.nsf/Public

Wednesday’s workshop came after the district released a revised budget (Version 4.0) at 11:30 PM Tuesday.

The short turnaround, which continues a trend of requiring board members to crunch endless pages of numbers in a very short period of time, is something those directors want to see changed.

“This is a process which could have been better handled on a year-round basis,” Alison Perera said.

“We need to standardize things, so we all have the same information, and the time to properly deal with that information,” added Sherry Phay.

All five board members balanced their comments, praising Gianello for his work on the budget after replacing the recently retired Denise Peet.

But they also stood firm that they need more time in the future to properly do their own share of the work.

“I am sympathetic to the situation Brian is in,” said board member Nancy Conard, who was Coupeville’s Finance Director for many years.

“But we need to improve how we, as a district, handle our financial reporting. And we need to have more lead time in the future to get all of our concerns answered.

“I want to see us proceed with extreme caution on this budget, and the next one, so we can have a true level of confidence in what we are doing.”

Gianello, who arrived in Coupeville after a stint as Finance Director for the La Conner School District, agreed with board members in general terms, and pledged to do his best to keep them abreast of his work.

“I feel really good about this version of the budget,” he said.

“I took your questions (from the first workshop) and talked to the state, and I think we’ve addressed many of your concerns.”

The proposed budget as it stands shows projected revenues of $18,443,000 for 2023-2024, with expenses of $18,438,027, giving Coupeville an excess of revenues of $4,973.

Wednesday’s workshop included much back-and-forth over how those projections could, or could not, play out.

Conard pointed to a line in the budget projecting the school’s Connected Food Program will generate a $50,000 revenue spike in “local money” thanks to the state legislature providing funding for elementary school breakfast and lunch.

“How is that possible, when breakfast is free for the students?” she asked. “Who’s paying? Where is that additional money coming from?”

“Um … staff sales, maybe?” was Gianello’s response after some paper shuffling, which received an arched eyebrow in response.

That exchange, while civil, captures the main difference between administrators, who appear to view the budget as a work in progress designed to give them the ability to make financial decisions, and board members, who want a more concrete document.

All agree that the ever-changing world has an impact, though there are differences of opinion on how to handle outside influences.

The loss of Covid-era ESSER funds hurts, as does larger-than-expected jumps in things such as insurance and food costs.

On the other hand, projections show Coupeville’s student count likely rising, which would provide more money for the district.

Availability of grants is also on the rise, Gianello said, though he agreed with multiple board members who pointed out you can’t count your grants before they hatch.

One thing that is for certain is that budget cuts will happen Thursday if the board approves the budget as is.

King was given sole discretion to cut up to $1.45 million after the board approved a Modified Education Plan in April.

This was in response to the general fund balance dipping well below 6% of the budget year’s expenditures.

As of June 21, the last time the cut list was updated, King had trimmed $1.269 million, and that list can be found here:

https://www.coupeville.k12.wa.us/Page/300

There is one change likely coming to that list, as King told board members the district will eliminate two teaching positions, and not four as originally planned.

Those cuts were by attrition, but increased class size requires more teachers at the elementary school level.

There are several new teacher hires on the consent agenda for Thursday’s meeting.

If approved, those jobs will still represent savings for Coupeville, King said, as the new teachers come in lower on the pay scale than the ones who retired.

Unless board members make their own counter moves, the other reductions, which include cutting Dean of Students Tom Black and Athletic Trainer Jessica Caselden and trimming paraeducator hours, go into effect with approval of the budget.

And those cuts likely won’t be the end.

“We’re likely just beginning with cuts,” King said. “Everyone is.

“With (the) McCleary (decision raising teacher pay) and Covid, and rising costs, the system is failing us; it’s not sustainable. Going forward, schools are likely looking at significant cuts.

“It’s not just a one-time thing.”

However Thursday plays out, and the months and years to come, board members seem united in one thing.

They understand the impact of a pandemic, of the legislature failing to keep promises, and of the ebb and flow of student counts.

They’re willing to give King and Gianello an opportunity to make their case, but want everyone — board members, administration, employees, parents, and students — to work towards one goal.

“It’s not just about keeping spending in check, fixing things for a day,” Alison Perera said.

“It’s about finding long term financial stability.”

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“Budgetageddon ’23” goes back-to-back nights

Posted in budget cuts, tagged , , , , on July 25, 2023| Leave a Comment »

It’s a double feature, sort of.

The regular monthly meeting of the Coupeville School Board, with the 2023-2024 budget hearing, is still set for Thursday, July 27.

But, at the last second, district officials have added a second budget workshop to the schedule.

Coming on the heels of a two-hour-plus affair July 20, this workshop is set for Wednesday, July 26.

All of these meetings are open to the public and start at 5:30 PM in the Anderson Board Room in the district office, which sits right in front of Coupeville High School.

There is no public comment at workshops, and the district chooses not to stream those meetings.

The regular meeting Thursday, which is the first time the board can vote on the budget, comes with all the bells and whistles – live mics, streaming, public comment, other items on the agenda, etc.

The 2023-2024 budget is the first presented by new Finance Director Brian Gianello, and has garnered increased scrutiny as Superintendent Steve King issues cuts in the wake of the school board approving a Modified Education Plan.

That plan was instituted after the district’s general fund fell below the figure set by the board as acceptable.

King, who has sole discretion on cuts, can slash up to $1.45 million.

As of June 21, the last time the cut list was updated, he had trimmed $1.269 million, with several cuts generating sustained blowback from the community.

The moves which have generated the largest negative response include cutting Dean of Students Tom Black and Athletic Trainer Jessica Caselden and reducing paraeducator hours across the board.

 

Budget cuts as of June 21:

https://www.coupeville.k12.wa.us/Page/300

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