January 4, 2007
Dear Shoreline Schools Community:
For the last three months, the District Advisory Committee for Program and Operations has been meeting to formulate recommendations to the Shoreline School Board on ways to reduce the District’s expenditures for the 2007-08 school year and beyond. The Committee is comprised of community members, PTA leaders, teachers, classified staff, administrators, and principals. The Committee was asked to recommend $2 million or more in cost savings that will contribute to the future financial stability of the District. In light of the continuing declining enrollment trends in Shoreline and Lake Forest Park, the Committee was specifically asked to focus its proposals on operational expenses that will protect District’s classrooms and school staffing models that are important to our instructional programs and to our community.
The Committee finalized its recommendations on January 3 and will present them to the School Board at its January 8 meeting held at 7:30 p.m. in the Shoreline Room of the Shoreline Center. The meeting is open to the public. The Committee’s report to the School Board, meeting minutes and data used to make these recommendations are on the District web site: www.shorelineschools.org
The Committee voted to recommend the closures of North City Elementary and Sunset Elementary, the return to the six-period day at the middle school, and the move of the Room Nine Community School and the Home Education Exchange to existing alternate sites. The School Board may accept or modify the recommendations as it chooses.
Once the School Board has heard the proposal and receives a summary of the analysis and effects of the proposed school closures, a structured process set out in State law and District policy begins. During the 90 days prior to the School Board’s decision regarding the proposed school closures, the Board is required to conduct public hearings for each school proposed to be closed. The School Board cannot make a decision on school closures until the conclusion of the 90-day period.
At its meeting on January 22, the School Board will establish a process and timeline for conducting the required hearings for each proposed school closure. Families in the Shoreline community will be notified of the dates of the hearings in advance. A final decision to act on the proposal would likely be made in mid-April. Should a final decision to close these schools be made, the process for relocating students, staff and materials will be shared with the selected schools as soon as possible. Any necessary adjustments to school attendance areas will be made subsequent to the decision on school closures.
We recognize that this process will create uncertainty for the Shoreline School District community. The decision to close schools and move programs is always difficult. In response to declining enrollment, Shoreline has closed 10 elementary schools, three middle schools, and one high school since 1954. It has, however, been 20 years since our community has experienced this type of change. Please know that as a District and as a community of schools, we are sincerely committed to supporting our students, families and staff in the implementation of any future decisions.
Sincerely,
Sue Walker
Superintendent