School board member gratitude

January is School Board Recognition Month which we observe annually. Each year seems to get more complex for these and other elected officials as they wrestle with new challenges and more contentious environments. Yet here they are, still willing to learn about many topics, consider data and differing perspectives, and lead our communities. I want to acknowledge the hard work of these committed community leaders who play a critical role in ensuring our schools thrive.
 

School board members are the backbone of our school district. They are the voices of the community, working to ensure that decisions align with the needs of students, families, and staff. They oversee district policies and budgets, ensure accountability, and support staff in their efforts to provide students a high-quality education. These responsibilities take significant time, effort, and thoughtfulness and given that they receive only a small stipend for their work each year, it makes their dedication even more remarkable.
 

The role of a school board member includes challenges. School board members are often called upon to make difficult decisions that impact not only our district but the community at large. They must balance the needs of the students with the financial realities of the district, navigate complex issues such as student safety and academic achievement, and ensure that our schools are places where every child can thrive.
 

This year, like many before, our school board members have faced these challenges head-on, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to our students’ success. Whether addressing the challenges of funding, supporting staff and student well-being, or advocating for equity and access in education, our board members continually rise to the occasion. Their stable leadership has been instrumental in guiding our district, even during uncertain times, always keeping the best interests of students at the forefront of every decision.
 

The three student directors who represent each of the high schools in our district play an important part on the school board as well. They serve as liaisons between high school students and the decision-making body for the district. Their student perspectives, questions and comments during board discussions are invaluable to the other directors. While the student directors do not vote, their input and experiences have given all of us pause over the years and has been given deep consideration.
 

I encourage you to take a moment this month to thank our school board members for their service. Whether through a note of appreciation, attending a meeting, or expressing gratitude in day-to-day interactions, let’s make sure they know how much we value their work. District staff will honor them during the January 14 board meeting with words of thanks and baked goods made by the culinary arts students at Sno-Isle TECH Skills Center. Feel free to join us in honoring these public servants:

• Judy Schwab, President
• Kyle Kennedy, Vice President
• Simon Bai, Director
• John Gahagan, Director
• Charles Hauck, Director
• Joseph Jeon, Kamiak Student Director
• Salma Helali, Mariner Student Director
• Raquell Morina, ACES/Big Picture Student Director
   

On behalf of the entire district, thank you to our school board members for all that you do. Your leadership helps us build a brighter future for every child.
 

You can learn more about the school board and their work on the district website.

Co-written by Mukilteo School District Superintendent Alison Brynelson and School Board President Judy Schwab

Public schools at risk

Did you know that ours is the only state in the union that includes the provision to provide ample funding for public schools? As stated in the Washington State Constitution, Article IX, "It is the paramount duty of the state to make ample provision for the education of all children residing within its borders, without distinction or preference on account of race, color, caste, or sex.” However, despite attempts, that is not yet happening.

School districts receive most of their funding from the state and are legally limited with how and how much they can request from local voters. About 76 percent of Mukilteo School District’s annual budget comes from the state. A small portion (about 6 percent) comes from the federal government for specific programs and the balance of 18 percent comes from local sources, primarily voter-approved levies.

Our district reduced its annual budget by $31 million over the past two years and we are not alone. You have likely seen similar stories from neighboring school districts. It’s important to give context to the challenges we currently confront. Our student demographics have changed dramatically over the past 25 years, creating a demand for more specialized and holistic instruction to educate our students. Therefore, we require more highly qualified staff and increased professional development. We have significantly increased our support for students who are struggling.

Rising operational costs have increased substantially in the past few years, just as they have for homeowners and other businesses. Liability insurance alone has increased 100 percent in the past five years, while utility costs have increased more than 40 percent. Other costs such as food and fuel have also dramatically increased. The current per student rates for materials, supplies, and operating costs we receive from the state do not come close to matching the costs of running a school district. If the state funding had kept pace with actual operational costs, we could have saved $6.9 million over the past five years rather than using local levy dollars to cover the gap.

Another example of a state funding gap is with required staff leave. The state requires public schools to provide a certain amount of leave for staff and, if unused, cash it out upon retirement. However, we do not receive enough state funding to meet this requirement and instead rely on our local levy for $21.3 million to fulfill the state’s requirement.

The largest gap in state funding is special education. Despite recent investments, special education remains underfunded, requiring our district to rely on the local levy to meet state and federal requirements. Over the last five years, this has cost the district $45.5 million.

In case you don’t have a calculator handy, for just the three underfunded state requirements above, we have used $73.7 million from local levy dollars over the past five years. If the state requirements were fully funded, we could have avoided the $31 million in reductions the past two years. Instead, those funds could have been used for things like lower class sizes, increased student activities, additional supports for individual students, and mental health and behavioral supports.

Most Washington school districts are struggling to provide the kind of educational resources because of this cumulative underfunding and overreliance on passing local levies. We share these realities with our legislators and advocate for a better funding model for all public schools. We are grateful for our legislators and appreciate the hard choices they must make to balance many priorities. We look forward to continuing working with them to provide the educational resources that students need.

Following through on promises

In 2020 just before the pandemic, Mukilteo School District was one of the few districts in Snohomish County to pass a Capital Bond. A bond requires a 60 percent supermajority to pass a measure, and we did so by about 50 votes. Because of the positive support from our community, we have been able to continue building, updating and maintaining our buildings for the benefit of all who attend our schools and use them after hours. Summer is a busy time for many projects since we have time to make rapid progress with students out of the buildings and with better weather, and this summer was no exception.

Here are some of the most recent project completions and updates from the 2020 Capital Bond. You’ll notice that several projects are “phase 1” of the entire replacement. One of the ways we kept our bond amount low is by approaching large replacement projects in stages. The second and final phase of those projects will depend on a future bond measure.

Security enhancements at all schools

Installation of video intercoms and door release buttons at each school continues, allowing the front office to speak to someone at the front door before letting them into the building. Most recently, full access control was completed at Kamiak High School, and we are in the process of refining the programming.

Several other security enhancements were already completed including the following:

• retrofitting and replacing perimeter gates at seven district schools to allow for better ingress and egress and enhance site security
• Installing intercom system at all schools allowing for standard emergency messaging 
• Replacing existing classroom door hardware at all schools with new hardware that allows a person to quickly lock and unlock the classroom door from the inside 

Mariner High School

Just before school began in September, the new construction area was completed. It includes a new library, student store, student commons, counseling offices, flex classrooms and a covered outdoor area. Over 200 people attended a ribbon cutting event and had a sneak peek at the new open spaces. Those spaces are being used daily now that school is in session and has given Mariner students the room they need to have places to eat lunch, gather as a school, and more!

Explorer Middle School Phase 1

Phase I of the Explorer Middle School replacement is underway and includes a new gym, auxiliary gym, fitness room and changing spaces. The new building will be approximately 21,400 square feet. The football field and track will be replaced with a synthetic turf field and rubberized track along with walkways, landscaping and utilities. This part of the project is scheduled to be complete in Fall 2025.

Mukilteo Elementary School Phase 1

The first phase began over the summer and includes a new building with 10 classrooms and support spaces, a play area, walkways, fire lane improvements and landscaping. As the construction crew dug out the foundation, they discovered the mammoth boulder pictured. See the boulder size compared to the diggers and their drivers! It had to be broken apart before it was movable. The Phase I work is expected to be complete in Fall 2025.

Serene Lake Elementary Phase 1

Phase I will begin this winter and includes construction of a new two-story classroom building, approximately 15,600 square feet, containing eight classrooms and support spaces. Site improvements to support the new facility will include a new water main, fire hydrants, connections to utilities such as sewer and storm water, walkways and landscaping. Building 200, containing classrooms, will be demolished at the end of the project.  The district anticipates completion in 2025.

Performing Arts Center

 Improvements to the district Performing Arts Center at Kamiak High School include lighting and AV system upgrades along with other theater-related systems and components, interior finish upgrades, upgraded signage, relocation of the existing sound station from the upper-level control booth to the main level, reconfiguration of seating to accommodate ADA patron locations, and replacement of finishes within the lobby and auditorium. Improvements to the stage will include new draperies, stage flooring, orchestra pit cover, and orchestra shell.

Budget questions? I am sometimes asked how we have been able to continue these projects while reducing the district budget including some staff positions. It is important to clarify that the capital budget is separate from the general budget. School districts cannot use money from a bond measure to fund general education costs and we must follow through on the projects presented to the public as part of the voter-approved ballot measure.

Want to see more? You can see more project information including architectural renderings, construction photos and project status updates on the new Capital Projects website. I am very proud of the work mentioned above and they have made an important difference in lives of students, staff and community users. Thank you, voters, for making these projects possible!