Submitted by KM Hills.
A friend, who knows I have serious concerns about about the management of Clover Park School District, sent me pictures/screen captures which referenced the old Lake City Elementary School field being used as a staging zone. It appears the new Claudia Thomas Middle school was underbuilt and already requires modular buildings. The picture and information was shared in the Lakewood Life Facebook group.
“The decision was made to add this annex when the school board decided not to change the boundaries, moving all Woodbrook and Mann students to Thomas,” said Clover Park School District Communications Manager Ben Miller on the Lakewood Life discussion. Another post in the same Lakewood Life thread was from Alicia Torrez, who also appears to work for the District and she wrote “New buildings attract a higher student population” “it is not always easy to predict incoming student numbers.”
I do not accept the excuse that student numbers are hard to predict. The Board had access to years of enrollment data for both Mann and Woodbrook plus had knowledge of all waivers out of either of those schools and the Board should have accounted for both. Claudia Thomas Middle School should have been built to accomodate all displaced students and there needed to be a plan for growth. This facility should have been built looking 50 years into the future. It sounds legitimate that there was poor planning by the Board to not change the boundaries and the School Board is clearly responsible for the shortcomings. Any blame clearly lands on their desks.
Ben Miller did note the construction cost for Thomas is coming in under budget but one has to ask does that include the cost of this new annex? Not to mention how does it look when there is a brand new multi-million dollar facility with temporary structures on what should have been open space?
I have strongly presented my concerns about years worth of poor test scores in the CPSD. I have also expressed my concerns about levy dollars which Mike Lonergan, Assessor Treasurer, confirmed greatly increased in this District due to the McCleary Decision.
Now just as firmly, I want to express the idea that there needs to be a change of leadership on the Board. This significant change is needed to minimize continued failures for the students and tax payers who fund the QUARTER BILLION DOLLAR BUDGET of the District. Those who have served on the Board longest & have overseen all of these failures must go! If Marty Schafer ( who joined the Board in 2005 with 7 years as President) and Carol Jacobs (in her 6th four year term) haven’t achieved their goals by now they never will.
The views expressed in this article are the writer’s own.
Robert S Hammar says
Are you going to file for a seat on the CPSB in the next election?
KM Hills says
Mr. Hammar-
No I am not. The way the School Board elections are set up is that you have to live in a certain area to run for a specific position.
My hope is that I may influence others to run who live within the same designated areas as Board members whom have served too long.
Robert S Hammar says
Are you going to file for election to the CPSB in next election?
John Arbeeny says
The problem often encountered with elected Boards or City Councils for that matter, is that they increasingly identify with the administration employees rather than the citizens who elected them. They are elected to represent the voters not the employees; something they all too soon forget. The longer they “serve” the more the identification to the point where they too might as well be employees.
After years in their positions they will crow about their qualifications, knowing the ins and outs of the system, possessing a “skill set” that uniquely qualifies them to be re-elected. However that’s not why we elect them. Employees are hired based upon their qualifications, knowing the ins and outs of the system, possessing a “skill set”: elected officials are elected to represent the voters.
The recent incompetence in new school construction is just a continuation of the incompetence regarding the primary mission of any school system: educate the children. Instead we now see this Board dodge responsibility for that primary mission in favor of political indoctrination and social experimentation, the most recent example of which is “diversity, inclusion, equity”. For Board members who have been in their position for decades, how come it took this long for them to “come to their senses”?
Want to change the direction of CPSD? Then change the CPSB. That means taking responsibility for what happens; that means running for office against incompetent current board members. Double up each position and make them run in a primary. Force them to take responsibility for their time “homesteading” on the Board. Make democracy work: no more uncontested elections. That’s what it’s going to take.
Robert S Hammar says
John Are you going to file for election to the CPSB in next election?
John Arbeeny says
Likely. I’ve already run for Lakewood City Council 2001 (lost) 2003 (won). Have you ever run for election? Are you going to file for election to the CPSB in next election?
Robert S Hammar says
I’m 88 so running now is for the younger parents. I years ago had many issues with the UPSB so I ran against the SB Chairman. My family and I walked over 300 miles and rang about 3000 doorbells and I won. Served two terms.I was later appointed to several state wide school advisory boards The only way change can happen is once your elected is working with at least 2 other like mined board members to affect change.
John Arbeeny says
LOL! Good for you! I’m 74~! but don’t feel it. I think though that my generation’s educational experience has something to recommend it even today: education systems back then graduated people who were prepared to go to college or into the trades to begin making a living. We’re not seeing this today. I attended a sit down between the CPSD in 2005(?) and Lakewood City Council. When the group was asked what was the central purpose of the District the then Super. Dr. Doris Walker declared “Social justice”! I knew then what the problem was with CPSD. Seems nothing has changed in the last 16 years…..with some of the same CPSB members that are still in office.
Robert S Hammar says
Social Justice We have made progress but still have a lonfg way to go. Look at thi web site to see a wonderful program in our area www.palmerscholars.org/our-approach
Kristi says
The school board (all but 1) and Superintendent are more concerned about PC culture than actually meeting the needs of students and families.