Diving in with

more pool talk

The future St. Edward State Park pool reopening is very welcome news with the Northshore Pool slated for closing and perhaps a similar fate for Juanita High. So many children in the area grew up with swimming as a major part of their lives, and they continue to swim for health and recreation as adults. It is a tragedy, in my opinion, to let Northshore and Juanita pools go, especially during this time of huge need for positive ways to deal with the stress.

Betsie D. Wilson, Bothell

Let’s return to the education basics

Patsy Treese’s letter expressing hope that basic education be broadened to fit all aspects of what is now occurring in education in order to gain more state funds ignores making the following clear.

1. That tests that at least attempt to measure capability have been consistently dumbed down from 1994 to now while comparative performance with other nations has consistently been more and more miserable.

2. That pouring ever-more money into a systemic process that produces such results defines absurdity.

What must be done is a true return to basics. Reading isn’t just recognizing words. Writing isn’t just randomly putting words on paper. And math and science must be taught in a way that makes this country at least competitive with others.

Richard Pelto, Kenmore

School district: creative solutions wanted

At a recent Northshore School Board meeting, the president of Northshore Education Association urged the Board to spend down their excess reserves. He maintains that the school district has much more in reserve than it needs, and the excess should be used to keep teachers working.

I am all for keeping teachers working, but not if we jeopardize the future of the district to do it.

First, there is no “excess” reserve. The district does have monies in reserve to cover fluctuating fund balances, and to provide for emergencies. Also, the district is self-insured, so it is prudent to maintain funds to cover larger than normal losses. Washington state does not permit school districts to borrow money to cover operating costs (bonds cover only capital expenditures), so school districts risk state takeover if they come up short of funds to meet normal, month-to-month obligations. What if the district has a roof cave in, or a flood? If there is no reserve, the district has no money to pay for repairs. In addition, any monies above the reserve are normal operating expenses. All of us have times of the month when our bank account is much more flush than others. If we’ve just gotten paid, and haven’t paid the bills yet, that bank account may look good. That operating budget is part of what the union proposes to spend. We can’t spend the money that is budgeted to pay the rent and buy the groceries, and neither can the district. Imagine how upset the union would be if the district failed to meet payroll, or to cover benefits.

Second, that reserve is vital to maintain their bond rating. The bond rating is based on the district’s “sound and well-managed financial operations characterized by healthy reserves.” A district’s bond rating has a huge impact on whether or not the bonds sell, and what interest rate the district must pay on the bonds. A lower bond rating in this down economy could have devastating effects on the district’s capital funding.

The School Board and Financial Director Dick Anastasi have achieved and maintained a great bond rating for the district. This is not the time to jeopardize decades of careful stewardship.

And, what happens next year, if we spend the reserve? Not only does the district put itself in a precarious financial position, but next year, the personnel cuts will have to be twice as deep. Because next year, there won’t be a reserve to spend. It’s an unsustainable model.

Teacher’s unions across the state are pushing school boards to spend their reserves. I know the economy is tough — King County workers have taken a 20 percent cut in pay, many private sector businesses have either laid off people or taken pay cuts to avoid layoffs, or both; banks are failing, and the economy continues to get worse. The district is making large cuts in administrative and support staff.

Maybe teachers could make a good-faith effort to negotiate something other than layoffs. A cut in pay, or giving up a day that is not a student class day. Or maybe they can come up with something that I haven’t thought of. Now is the time to work on creative, sustainable solutions.

Rachel Hawkridge