Washougal School District launches listening tours ahead of levy vote

After the Washougal School District's replacement educational programs and operations and technology and capital projects levy proposals failed in February, district leaders knew that they had to revamp their communication process and engage in "straight talk," in the words of WSD Superintendent Mary Templeton, if they hoped to convince enough community members to vote for the measures on Tuesday, April 25. They also knew that board meetings don't provide an appropriate venue for the types of conversations they were hoping to have with voters, and the spread of information on social media was doing more harm than good. So they launched a series of "board listening tour" sessions to give people opportunities to sit down with board members and district staff members and talk with them face-to-face. No more podium lectures. No more incendiary Facebook posts. Just honest dialogue. "People don't come in here and say all the nice things. They say all the hard things, too," Washougal School Board member Sadie McKenzie said during the district's third "listening tour" session at Washougal High School on Tuesday, March 28. "We've heard a little bit of both, but in the end, I think we can all (decide) that we need to do what's best for the kids. I think that listening is the most important thing. The community just wants to be heard -- they say that over and over. That's why we're here. We're not trying to change anybody's minds. We're just giving them all the information, and we hope that they'll vote 'yes.'" The WSD held its first session on Tuesday, March 16, at Cape Horn-Skye Elementary School. The district also will hold a "virtual open house" from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Monday, April 10, and will hold two more listening sessions from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 11, at the Washougal High School Excelsior building commons, and from 9 to 11 a.m. Friday, April 21, at Bethel Community Church, 1438 "B" St., Washougal. "We are excited," Templeton said during the session on Tuesday, March 28. "This has been a wonderful opportunity. It's been really healthy. COVID was tough on all of us, myself included, and to come back to some normalcy, where we can connect, talk, share ideas and experiences, (has been great). People are talking to us about things that they think and what they're concerned about. They have a lot of questions about the details of the levy, and that's great because we get to answer those (questions) with factual information." Both Templeton and McKenzie told the Post-Record that a major theme that emerged from the conversations is that many community members "didn't know there was a levy." "(When I hear that), I think, ''OK, I'll take that. I'll own that. What can I do better to communicate the importance of the levy and what it funds, and how do I connect the dots to the great things that are going on at the schools?'" Templeton said. "I've been processing that. I'm like, 'OK, you think you know how to communicate, but you get that kind of feedback and you (need to) go back to the drawing board.' Our intent was that everybody would know what (the levy) is and why it's important. We're doing that now. We're reframing (the conversations)." Some Washougal residents falsely believe the levy replacements would cause them to see a 200% increase in their taxes, according to Templeton. "That's great to hear," she said, "because then I say, 'Well, it's actually going to be about a $2 (per month) change from what you're paying right now to what you would most likely pay next year.'" In addition, community members are still expressing concerns about the district's equity policy, according to Templeton. "We still are getting questions about critical race theory," she said. "It's really great to get that question because then I get to say, 'Tell me what you're seeing.' They give an example. And then I get the opportunity to say, 'We aren't doing critical race theory. However, here's what we are doing -- we are creating a sense of belonging and support for every student, and we're making sure that when a student walks in the door, (we recognize) not just a thin slice of their humanity, but the whole package, the whole kid, and we're supporting them.' It gives me the chance to talk about that with passion because I am passionate about that." District leaders and board members are so pleased with the sessions that they are planning to continue them in the future regardless of the levy outcome, Templeton said. "I think it's been great for the community because I feel like at board meetings, it's, you know, a board meeting -- we don't get to talk back or have a conversation with (community members)," McKenzie said. "I think that it's important to have conversations back and forth with our community, and I hope this is something that we plan on continuing to do even after the levy." If approved, the levies would replace the district's three-year EPO and instructional technology levies, which are set to expire at the end of 2023. The proposed EPO levy rates for 2023-25 would be lower than the rates voters approved in 2020: $1.99 per $1,000 assessed property value (APV) in 2024, 2025 and 2026, down from $2.14 per $1,000 APV in 2021, 2022 and 2023. If approved, the levy would collect $9.5 million in 2024, $10.5 million in 2025 and $11.5 million in 2026. WSD leaders recommended keeping the replacement capital facilities and technology levy rate at 21 cents per $1,000 in assessed property value (APV) in 2024, then increasing it to 84 cents per $1,000 APV (2025) and to 85 cents per $1,000 APV in 2026. The school district projected the levy would collect $950,000 in 2024, $3.95 million in 2025, and $4.15 million in 2026. Students say they are 'increasingly aware of what's at stake' District leaders provided a more detailed look at their double-levy failure reduction plan during a board meeting on Tuesday, March 14. The district received resignation or retirement notices from four classified staff members as of Tuesday, March 14, positions that wouldn't fill in the event of a double-levy failure. The district would also not renew 10 of its classified staff members who currently work under one-year contracts and eliminate 26 provisional/continuing classified staff positions from its 2023-24 budget. The district is preparing to eliminate three administrative positions, two building leadership positions, and 44 classified staff members -- eight transportation operation (bus drivers, mechanics, dispatch) positions; 20 building support (paraeducators, secretaries, healthroom assistants) positions; five culinary support positions; five operations staff (maintenance, facilities, grounds, custodians, warehouse) positions; four community support services (early learning, family resource coordinators, family liaison) positions; and two district office staff positions. It also would eliminate all 70 of its coaching positions at Washougal High School and all 38 of its coaching positions at Jemtegaard and Canyon Creek middle schools, as well as all 47 of its club and class advisor positions (seven band, two choir, three drama club/production, four music performance, two art, two elementary STEM, two elementary coding, one outdoor school, four science liaisons, one traffic safety, one National Honor Society, three knowledge bowl, two robotics science/olympiad, three Associated Student Body, one yearbook, four class/grade level, one Gay-Straight Alliance Club, one Black Student Union, one International Club, one Spanish Club, and one Advanced Placement coordinator). Washougal High School junior Claire Zakovics said during a board meeting on Tuesday, March 28, that students have expressed concerns about larger class sizes and the elimination of extracurricular activities if the levies don't pass in April. "The discussions have significantly increased around the school, especially among students," she said. "As students, we appreciate the opportunities that are provided by these levies, and many of us are becoming increasingly aware of what's at stake when the current levy expires. I've talked with (my fellow drama) students about it, and they mentioned that the drama department gave them a sense of belonging and significantly lowered their anxiety. ... I think the main focus should be spreading the word and bringing awareness to what's going to happen if it doesn't pass." Proposed cuts 'not a small deal,' teachers union president says James Bennett, the president of the Washougal Educators Association, told the Post-Record that he's talked with district leaders about the proposed cuts, but doesn't anticipate "a lot of wrangling" over them. "It's not really a negotiation like a contract negotiation," he said. "There's a process already in place, so we just have to make sure that the contract is followed and that the seniority rules and whatnot are followed. I don't anticipate big problems with that. The majority of the 40 positions that they're talking about are positions that they will reduce through attrition. There's a number of staff that are on one-year-only contracts, and they'll just choose not to renew those. There won't be any arm-wrestling, so to speak, over those kinds of positions." A more pressing issue for teachers' union members, he said, is the changes that would result from the reductions. "We (would) have less support staff and paraeducators in the classroom," he said. "We have some number of students in the district that have, for example, one-on-one support, the special education students that require a para with them throughout the day for them to be able to make it through the day in a regular classroom situation. We may not have those (support) people in the classroom (next year). We may not have class sizes that we currently have, so we may have to figure out how we're going to fit more desks in a classroom. We've only ever had 28, 29, 30 desks in there. How are we going to fit 32 or 35 desks? How does our curriculum change? How do our course offerings change?" Bennett expressed concerns that some students may decide to transfer to another school if their extracurricular activity of choice is eliminated, leading to a further decline in enrollment and fewer state funds, and that some staff members may decide to do the same. "We may see some turnover down the line," he said. "It's not a matter of, 'I'm going to leave because I'm upset with my employer' or whatever. It's just the reality of the situation. (They might think), 'I can have a better job and a better life if I go over there.'" Due to the district's status as Washougal's largest employer "by far," the proposed cuts "are not a small deal," Bennett said. "There's some significant effects there," he added. "It's a case-by-case basis as to what that looks like for some people, but (we're talking about) a significant chunk of money. People are going to lose their jobs. In a community like Washougal, 100 people losing their jobs, that's a chunk out of our community. That's going to show up in the profits and employment in (local businesses) as well. It's not a small deal." Citizens for Schools to host 'ballots and brews' event April 11 The Washougal Citizens for Schools political action committee will hold a "Ballots and Brews" event at 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 11, at Ashwood Taps and Trucks, 1535 "E" St. Washougal. The taproom/food cart pod "is inviting everyone to come, eat some great food, have a drink and cast a 'yes' vote in support of schools," according to a news release. "We're excited to show our support for the school levies," said Ashwood co-owner Megan Davis. "As business owners, we recognize the important role great schools have in making a community a great place to work and live. Washougal is a great place to be, and the schools are a big part of that." Washougal Citizens for Schools members are organizing volunteers "to talk with voters and make sure everyone who loves the great things happening in Washougal schools votes 'yes,' funding the amazing programs that benefit every Washougal graduate," according to the news release. "Drop off or mail your ballot, enjoy dinner while supporting a local business, and help us be sure the levies pass," said event organizer Leslie DeShazer. "Our students deserve all of the opportunities possible to develop a well-rounded education." Ballots will be mailed to registered voters Friday, April 7, and should arrive in mailboxes no later than Thursday, April 13, according to Clark County.

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