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Posts Tagged ‘Steve King’

Want a 41-page headache?

Posted in Not sports? Tough!, tagged , , , , , on July 11, 2023| Leave a Comment »

This really ain’t my bag.

When I got into journalism, I went the easy route, covering sports and writing about movies.

My eyes glaze over when I try and parse complicated financial reports, such as the 2023-2024 draft budget for Coupeville schools.

I can pull out some numbers, such as the district acknowledging it expects to take a $400,000+ hit with its Connected Food Program.

The budget projects food service revenues to be $300,000 next school year, down considerably from the $502,960 generated in 2021-2022, when the state was financing free meals for all during the pandemic.

Expenditures for food service in 2023-24 are projected at $706,602.

That’s down from the $774,573 spent in 21-22, and the $863,155 projected in the 22-23 budget.

Now, there is also a line devoted to “School Food Services, Sales of Goods, Supplies and Services,” which projects $250,000 in profit.

The same line shows a $37,874 profit in 21-22 and $0 for the 22-23 budget.

Is the leap because the state has announced it will fund free breakfast and lunch for elementary school children, but NOT middle/high school students?

Or is there something else in play there?

I don’t know, and Superintendent Steve King went on vacation at the start of July.

He and his crew are obviously still tweaking things behind the scenes, but not answering emails currently — a deserved break.

People with a better understanding of budget ins and outs will have a chance to ask questions moving forward, with two school board meetings scheduled for July.

There is a workshop board meeting July 20 and a regular board meeting, with budget hearing, July 27.

Both meetings begin at 5:30 PM in the Anderson Board Room (Annex Room 305), which is located at the front of the CHS campus at 501 S. Main.

Until then, a link to the 41-page draft budget:

 

Click to access DRAFT_2023-2024_F195_Summary_Pages_Fund_Summary_Budget_Summary_GF1-GF15_ASB1_DS1-DS2_CP1-CP3_TVF1.pdf

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“He is irreplaceable, plain and simple”

Posted in budget cuts, tagged , , , , on June 30, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Coupeville High School Class of ’82 grad Matt Bepler injects some rock and roll into the conversation with his new take on a classic design.

United, with one voice.

From the moment Superintendent Steve King cut the position of Dean of Students at Coupeville High School/Middle School, the outcry has been intense.

And it’s not stopping anytime soon.

Wolf Nation wants the world to know what Tom Black has accomplished the past 19 years, and they want him reinstated.

Our latest letter comes from Nicole Strelow, mother to two Coupeville students — Class of 2023 Valedictorian Helen and younger brother Thomas.

 

Mr. Black is an immeasurable resource in our school district.

The kids in Coupeville know he is genuinely invested in their lives and that is a trust built from years of his efforts within our schools.

This trust is something that cannot be replaced by dividing his role to other staff members. 

Mr. Black has provided a source of comfort for the kids knowing that an adult is in their corner in what may be the only safe place for some children.

For the kids lucky to have a secure home the comfort comes in knowing he is their cheerleader as well.

Removing Mr. Black and splitting his job between multiple employees is an unrealistic step.

He is irreplaceable, plain and simple.

In doing this we would be relinquishing some kids to fall through the cracks in the system.

Removing Mr. Black would unfortunately be taking Coupeville schools in the wrong direction for the sake of budget.

Having Mr. Black so visible around the schools and knowledgeable about the students is our largest factor in prevention and keeping our schools safe.

I know the school board is trying to fix our budget and this is a hard task.

But the most important investment the board can make for the children is keeping a valued staff member that makes the biggest positive difference in their lives.

I urge the board to reconsider a different budget cut for the sake of the community.

I would also like to thank Mr. Black personally.

Thank you for not only being a guardian to all the children of Coupeville but thank you for being a support for all of us parents.

You always had kind words of encouragement to parents bringing their 6th grader for the first time to middle school or the parent watching their senior graduate.

Knowing you are walking the halls and greeting every child is a great relief to parents.

Thank you for being the example to our children of what a productive and kind human being in our community looks like.

Nicole Strelow

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Simmer down, internet conspiracy lovers

Posted in Administration, tagged , , , , on June 26, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Coupeville Schools Superintendent Steve King

Facebook comments are not real life.

It’s a Wild West out there, where anyone can say anything, and I don’t have the time or desire to spend countless hours shooting down every hot take which gets attached to a link for one of my stories.

I publish on the blog and am much more on top of comments which are submitted here — including requiring approval for first-time commentators.

But every once in a while, I need to address things which seep out from social media.

Nerves are frayed right now, with budget cuts being implemented. People are quick to jump on every last thing.

So, let’s clear up a few details relating to a recent story, which focused on the Coupeville School Board approving Superintendent Steve King’s contract at its meeting this coming Thursday.

That contract, which runs through 2025, is NOT an extension.

The agreement between King and the board was already in place, but there are changes to wording in the contract, as shown in the screenshots attached to the original story.

They primarily concern the timetable for the board’s annual evaluation of the superintendent.

Approval of the language edits is the reason for the contract being part of the agenda.

Secondly, King, along with other school district administrators and directors, is NOT getting a raise.

My story said nothing about a pay raise, though I can see why people might easily jump to that conclusion.

The most recent dollar figure I found for King on GovSalaries.com, which I quoted in the story, was from 2022 and was at $182,970.

That website, while useful for a lot of things, did NOT reflect King signing a contract June 27, 2022, for $198,522 a year running from 2022-2025.

So yes, he got a raise last time around, but his current salary remains fixed in place.

I should have been clearer about that point.

Coupeville’s top school officials jointly agreed to forgo salary increases for the 2023-2024 school year, or, in some cases, take pay reductions as the district works through its budget cuts.

As taxpayers who fund our schools, we have a right to be vocal about those cuts. Make your case. Make it a good one.

And Superintendent King has a right to do the job he’s been hired to do.

We may not agree on who or what is being cut, but don’t jump to the conclusion Coupeville’s administrators are somehow getting rich at other people’s expense.

The numbers, when properly presented, do not reflect that.

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Superintendent contract set to be extended through 2025

Posted in Administration, tagged , , , , on June 24, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Steve King

Barring a major plot twist, Coupeville Schools Superintendent Steve King’s contract will be extended through 2025 at next Thursday’s school board meeting.

Approval of a new contract is the last item on the agenda for the June 29 meeting, which starts at 5:30 PM in the Anderson Board Room in Annex 307 at Coupeville High School.

The revamped deal, if approved, starts July 1, 2023, and runs through June 30, 2025.

It will pay King an annual salary of $198,522.

The most recent listing for the superintendent on the website GovSalaries.com — https://govsalaries.com/salaries/WA/coupeville-school-district — shows him receiving $182,970 in 2022.

King, who runs the smallest of Whidbey Island’s three school districts, remains ranked #3 in pay.

Oak Harbor Superintendent Karst Brandsma is listed as being paid $230,089 in 2022, while South Whidbey’s Dr. Josephine Moccia taps in at $205,677 for the same year.

King, who has been with Coupeville since 2018, was a finalist for the superintendent position with the Lakewood School District in April.

Dr. Erin Murphy, Deputy Superintendent of the Bainbridge Island School District, was selected for that role.

King is currently overseeing implementation of a “Modified Education Plan” in Coupeville, with a mandate from the school board to reduce expenditures by up to $1,450,000.

That is in response to the district’s general fund being projected to fall below 6% of the budget year’s expenditures.

Where those budget cuts sit as of June 21:

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

 

 

Steve King’s updated contract:

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“Mr. Black is NEEDED at that school”

Posted in budget cuts, tagged , , , , on June 23, 2023| 6 Comments »

Tom Black, a mentor to many. (Photo courtesy Michelle Cernick)

He is their friend, their mentor, their rock.

For 19 years, Tom Black has stood tall for Coupeville students, knowing when to joke, when to gently aim a foot for a butt, when to administer hard love, and when to simply listen and be a port in the storm.

His title has been Dean of Students, but he has been so much more for a generation of Wolves coming of age.

Now, thanks to budget cuts, the man who had a handshake, a hug, gentle words of wisdom, or a cocked eyebrow for all, won’t return to the hallways at CHS and CMS in the fall.

Reaction from community members is a mix of disbelief, grief, and an outpouring of love for Black.

The same was true for Athletic Director Willie Smith and Athletic Trainer Jessica Caselden, who, like Black, are core members of Wolf Nation.

Smith’s job status was restored after a substantial outcry which included letters of support from every other Athletic Director in the Northwest 2B/1B League.

The Athletic Trainer position is still on the chopping block, despite protests from Wolf coaches and athletes — many of whom point out the relatively small cost of the position ($8,200) and Caselden being a positive role model for young female athletes and students.

If we’re being totally fair, any and all budget cuts are unpleasant, and there is no place Superintendent Steve King can trim where someone won’t be displeased.

That being said, the loss of a man like Black hits large for his community.

 

Dom Anania:

Mr. Black is a fixture in that school.

I was Class of 2012 and I wouldn’t have gotten through school without him.

Losing Mr. Black will have an extremely negative impact on the kids coming up.

 

Sandi Belli:

He is truly an amazing person and advocate for the young people he serves.

You can’t teach someone the unique skill set Tom has … they are simply part of this giant of a man!

 

Natalie Castano:

This is a big mistake. Mr. Black has made a HUGE impact on many kids, including myself.

I would not have graduated if it was not for him.

He was always there for me to look up to, encouraging me when I didn’t see myself going far.

After my ex, Jaushon Clay, died, he was a shoulder for me to cry on and a BIG support.

There are so many countless times Mr. Black helped me grow into the person I am today.

I am beyond disappointed and hurt in this decision and I truly think he deserves better.

 

Michelle Cernick:

Mr. Black is a huge part of Coupeville schools.

He truly cares about the welfare of every one of those kids. He makes them all feel special by knowing everyone’s name and birthday.

When my son was in high school, he left home and wouldn’t talk to me. Mr. Black was how I knew he was OK.

He looked out for him to make sure he was doing alright and then he would let me know.

That was a very hard time for my family, and I don’t know what I would have done without Mr. Black.

I am so grateful to him for so much. He was always there for my kids when they needed him.

When my girls graduated, they wanted to make sure they hugged him and got a picture with him.

All three of my children love Tom Black.

He is a wonderful man and CHS will not be the same without him. This news saddens me for the students at CHS.

 

Carol Harrison:

Tom Black as Dean of Students is critical. He is a safe place for students.

He isn’t teaching and giving grades and because he isn’t, he is able to guide students and have their back.

Nineteen years.

I depended on him when I was teaching at CMS. He helped with the kids I was teaching and allowed me to teach.

I can’t imagine him not there or someone in his place to help students; keep Mr. Black!

 

Synda Lambert:

Mr. Black has been the most influential person for all of the kids who have gone to Coupeville Middle and High.

There has to be something done to keep his job.

 

Zachary McCormick:

Mr. Black is a great guy and I loved taking to him in the hallway during the day.

 

Stephanie Montgomery:

It’s not the position itself that is a loss, it is the one and only Mr. Tom Black that is the loss!

There are two people that I can name that I have always trusted to be aware of Zander, whether it’s in the hall, in the lunchroom or scooting across campus.

Mr. Black is one of them. The other is Mr. (Geoff) Kappes.

Mr. Black is aware of what all the students need, when they are entering the building for the morning, during the day on campus, and at the door when they’re leaving for the day.

His smile and personality are the face of Coupeville Middle & High School.

To lose him would cause the whole aura of the school to definitely change.

 

Toni Ricks:

There really are no words to describe the impact Mr. Black has had on Coupeville and the difference he has made for many students.

He takes the time to really listen to the heart of the students and they trust him.

He helps the students struggling to make the right choices and keeps them accountable.

He is able to communicate with the parents as well.

To say that there will be more supervision to help replace him makes no sense; without a relationship, it is not going to make a difference.

Listen to the students and other staff that know Mr. Black.

He is one of the souls that is truly gifted to work with children, and you cannot put a dollar amount on how valuable he is.

 

Angela Rogers:

You can’t put a price on Mr. Black. His impact is immeasurable.

What a huge blow to these kids.💔

We need more Mr. Blacks in our world.

 

Monica Vidoni:

Getting rid of Mr. Black is literally giving away the safe space for the school. It’s sickening.

 

Carrie Wilkinson:

To let Mr. Black go is a downright disgrace to these kids; he has been the glue that has held them all together.

He genuinely puts his heart and soul into each child that walks through those doors; they can trust him, they can confide in him, and he will listen.

All of my kids have graduated from CHS, but still to this day I hold the utmost respect for him.

Please do whatever it takes to keep him on board; these kids need him.

 

Payton Wilson:

Mr. Black kept me in check in the best ways possible.

He is NEEDED at that school.

He is the only one that shows any kind of compassion for the more “troubled youth.”

His office is always a safe space.

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