school board community budget consideration survey 2014...middle school world language instruction...

Kent School District

4/28/2014

SCHOOL BOARD COMMUNITY BUDGET CONSIDERATION

SURVEY 2014

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Successfully Preparing All Students For Their Futures

Board of Directors

Ms. Debbie Straus, President Ms. Karen DeBruler, Vice President

Ms. Agda Burchard, Legislative Representative Mr. Russell Hanscom, Director

Ms. Maya Vengadasalam, Director

Dr. Edward L. Vargas Superintendent of Schools

Division Chiefs Dr. Keith Beeman, Chief Talent Officer

Dr. Linda Del Giudice, Chief Accountability Officer Dr. Kendra Johnson, Chief Academic & Innovation Officer

Mr. Thuan Nguyen, Chief Information and Digital Strategy Officer Dr. Richard Stedry, Chief Business Officer

School Improvement Officers Dr. Eric Hong

Ms. Danielle Pfeiffer Mr. Jeffery Sweeney

Executive Directors Ms. Vicki Bates, Standards-based Instruction

Dr. Abderrazak (Razak) Garoui, Accountability, Research and Assessment Ms. Kimberly Halley, Inclusive Education Services

Mr. Chris Loftis, Communications and School/Community Partnerships Mr. Stanley “Stosh” Morency, Information Technology

District Information

Kent School District #415 12033 SE 256th Street

Kent, Washington 98030-6503 (253) 373-7000

www.kent.k12.wa.us

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Summary

Website Traffic:

14-Apr

15-Apr

16-Apr

17-Apr

18-Apr

19-Apr

20-Apr

21-Apr

22-Apr

23-Apr

24-Apr

25-Apr

Total

FAQ 13 8 7 3 2 1 1 3 4 5 6 1 54

Budget Survey Home

570 653 357 213 185 84 48 434 516 232 217 161 3670

Total 583 661 364 216 187 85 49 437 520 237 223 162 3724

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Participation Distribution by Role:

(Survey participants can only select one “Role.”)

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Participation by School Type:

(Survey participants can select multiple “SchoolLevel.”)

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Program Ranking by Role:

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Program Ranking by Level:

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Summary of Results:

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User Entered Items:

All entries are presented as they were submitted.

Row Labels

Advisory Group Member

5th Grade Band and Strings

After School Buses

Elementary Librarian/Instructional Technology Specialists

Elementary School Guidance Counselors

Eliminate "Pay to Participate"

High School Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) Program

High School Shop courses and Home Ec. classes

Job readiness Training for High School Students.

Middle School Baseball, Fast Pitch Softball and Field Technician

Middle School Instructional Technology Coaches

Certificated Staff

4-6 Inclusion Support Teacher

5th Grade Band and Orchestra as a pull out program so it does not compete with other music programs.


6th grade to middle school

7 period day providing exploratory learning topics

a board certified behavior specialist for high impact elementary schools and space for that person to work with students and monitor in-class suspension.

A class set of "Write Source" textbooks for every Elementary Classroom grades 3-5

Add School Psychologists

Add Soccer to middle schools instead of Baseball and softball

Additional Counselors at the High School Level 9-12

Additional Curriculum!

additional teachers at the elementary level

After School Buses

Appropriate Training after hiring for Instructional Assistants

Appropriate Training after hiring for Substitute Teachers

Assistant principals

Assistant Principals or other administrative support

Athletic bus for middle schools

Austism program K-12

Autism classes K=6

Autism Program

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Autism program and autism-specific supports (training, materials, in-class support) for gen ed and special ed teachers

AVID in all Middle Schools

Basic School Supplies

Beginning of the year Grade level planning meeting

Behavior Modification Rooms

Behavior Program K-3

behavior support in elementary schools

Behavior supports

Behavioral support staff to train and implement behavioral supports for students at ALL schools in the district

board certified behavior specialist

Bring back industrial ed. classes in all secondary schools

Counselor time for middle school

Create a Behavior Room for students with behavior issues that disrupt classroom instruction. Grade K-12

CTE/Vocational (wood/metal shop) elective classes in Middle Schools.

Curriculum and training that reinforces the common core

Custodial

Daily district mail

Decrease Caseload of School Psychologists

District Behavior Specialists

District wide program and support for autistic or behavior students

EA in all schools, at least .5fte

EA/Assistant Principals in Elementary Schools

Educational Assistants for every Elementary School

Elementary Assistant Principals

Elementary Behaviorists

Elementary Intrsuctional Technology Coach (.5)


Elementary Literacy coaches

Elementary Project leader money

Elementary School Adjustment Program

Elementary School Counselors

Elementary school counselors regardless of enrollment

Elementary School EA at each School


Elementary school Primary School Adjustment program

Elementary school technology specialist

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Elementary School Board Certified Behavior Specialists


eliminate all the glossy propoganda sent to homes. Use newprint or send to homes by email

Expanded after school recreational activities such as more no cut sports, intramurals, & interest clubs

Family Advocate Program

FIELD TRIP and In-House FIELD TRIP funding

Full autism program

Full time librarians at all elementary schools

Full time psychologists at high needs schools.

Full time technology teachers/coaches at all elementary schools

Full-time EA or Vice Princilpals in high-needs buildings

funding for more classroom paraeducators

Funding of TWO teacher coaches/EIS at Title Schools and schools in failure

General and Special Education Teachers

Give back hours to Office Staff in all schools


High School Debate

High School Instructional Technology Coaches

Higher pay to guest teachers/staff

Highly Capable Program

Hire more teachers to lower class sizes in the k-3 classes.

Hiring more staff (e.g. certificated teachers) to REDUCE CLASS size.

Increase counselors at middle school and high schools to match OSPI recommendations

Increase hiring of high school counselors

Increase materials budget at school level

Increase number of School Psychologists aligned to National Association recommendations

Increase the number of Secondary Counselors

Increased Sub Pay

Increasing copy budgets and or office supplies for schools

Instructional Coaches

Instructional Resources for Special Education

K-12 autism program

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K-12 Visual Arts Education

K-2 BD Program

K-3 Behavior Program

K-3 SA program

K-3 Spec Ed Behavior program

keep Pay to play, letting the $$ go to the school's ASB

Lower Class Sizes in High Poverty Elementary Schools (Schools with Over 75% Free or Reduced Lunches)

Mental Health specialist at every high school. To provide pull-out sessions of counseling.

Mentor Program Specialists

Middle and High School Counselors

Middle School Alternative Program


Middle School Boys and Girls Soccer

Middle School Drama

Middle School Drug/Alcohol Specialist


Middle School Soccer

Middle School Soccer for Boys and Girls

Middle School Soccer Program Boys and girls

Middle School World Language Instruction

More support for autistic students. Separate classrooms for low functioning spectrum students. K-12

Occupational education

Paraeducators in elementary

Paras for behavior Students if in classroom k-6

PLM

Primary Level SA Programs

Primary School Adjustment (SA) program

Primary School Adjustment programs.

primary student adjustment program

Project Leader Money

Re instate drug/alcohol counselors in middle and high school.

reimburse fees for on-line credit recovery classes for hs students who pass the classes.

Reinstate funding for School Psychologists according to NASP recommendations.

Reinstate funding for School Psychologists



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These cuts have impacted students from preschool to post-high school.

Reinstate payment for supervising School Psychologist Interns.

reinstate primary school adjustment program for grades 1-3

Reinstate the Primary School Adjustment Program

reinstatement of the school adjustment program for elementary students

Restoration of budget for special education programs

Restore Behavior Adjustment Program

Restore clerical staff for psych assistance

Restore summer assessment teams

Restore the mentoring program for new School Psychologists.

Restoring K-3 Student Adjustment Programs

School Adjustment Program

School Adjustment program for K-3

School Adjustment Program for Primary and create a specialized Autism Program

School District needs to create another level of self-contained for special education students

School Psychologist

School Psychologists

School Social Workers

Self contained behavior classes k-6

Smaller case loads for counselors.

SMALLER CLASS SIZES

Social Skills training for students

Special Education teachers in K-6 need to have smaller case loads!

SPED

Staff at each school to deal with behavior issues and support teachers

summer school for grades K-6

Supervisory stpends for middle and high school sports

Support programs and staff for children with high behavior and social needs.

Technology Specialists at Elementary Schools.

Testing Coordinators at every building

The beginning of school training

The district needs to have self contained behaviral disorder classrooms for grades K-6.

There should be intense training in civil behavior in the elementary schools.

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There were cuts to the School Psychologist group that have not been reinstated and did not make the list. Our contract language only allows “1: up to 1300 students”. This is well above the recommendations from the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP).Reinstate funding for School Psychologists according to NASP recommendations.All grade levels have been impacted.

TPEP Coaches

We need a board certified behavior specialist at high impact schools

Classified Staff

2-4 Additional Day shift Patol Officer

24 Hour Safety Patrol Officers

2nd day time Safety Patrol Officer

4 Additional Day Patrol Officers(Safety Services)


5th grade band/orchestra

A second Safety Officer for Mill Creek and Meridian Middle Schools.

A. Greater numbers of ELL-focused classes and B. Smaller class sizes in general

Additional hours for Health Techs

Additional Safety Officer Mill Creek Middle School

Administrative Assistant hours

Administrative Assistant hours restored

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT I's SHOULD BE UPGRADED TO AA II TITLES AND PAY

Administrative Assistants

After School Buses

After school homework help

An EA in every elementary

AP for Elementary

Assistant Principals at all elementary schools

Assistant Principals at Elementary

Assistant Principals in All Elementary Schools

Assistant VPs

Autism training for K-6 teachers

Behavior Specialist, Elementary

Building painting and maintenance middle and elementary levels

Classified Staff Pay

credit Retrival Classes in all High Schools. Work students back into fulltime classes

district mail delivered every day

District Mail every day

Drivers ED

Drug & Alcohol Counselors

EA in all elementary schools


Elementary Library Paras

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ELEMENTARY NURSES

Elementary Nurses full time

Elementary Office Assistance

Elementary Office staffing

Elementary School AP

Elementary School Educational Assistants


Elementary School Psych

Elementary school psychologists

Elementary School Tech. Teachers


Expansion of PASA and other family/community-focused outreach programs, including emphasizing healthy (emotionally, physically, financially, etc.) lifestyle choices for the whole family. Furthermore, this should also include more of a focus on preventing unplanned/teen pregnancies. We're not addressing this problem enough, and it is still a relatively silent but pressing concern.

Family Advocate

Family Advocate Program

Full Time Elementary School Nurses

Full Time Elementary Social Worker

Full time nurse support at all schools

Full-time Health Tech in Elementary Schools

Health tech hours


High School ASB Bookkeepers

High School Counselor/Test coordinator

Horticultural/gardening course offered at each high school

IA's in classrooms

Increase library para hours back to 6.0

Increase SpEd Teacher support.

Inter-District Mail

K-6 Special Ed. programs, with more support people for the students!

Keep "Pay to Participate" but lower the fee

Libary Assistant in High Schools

Lower class sizes

Magnet Kindergarten

Make sure all employees of the district have lap tops

Mentorship programs

Middle school arts; i.e woodshop/metal



Middle School Office Assistance

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Middle School Para-educators

Middle school soccer instead of baseball and fast pitch.

More art programs for grades 7 - 12

More art programs for grades K - 6

More Classified Hours in Elementarty

More guidance counselors for Middle school and High school students, including those not going to college.

More security personnel at schools.

New Buses

not Eliminate "Pay to Participate' lower the fees: 50 and 25 low income

Nurses at every elementary school daily

Part time drug and alcohol counselor for middle schools

Permanant Paraeducators

Place a behavior specialist in each school

Place a extra Security Officer at the Middle Schools. increase to two versus one officer.

Pre-schools

Primary School Adjustment Programs

Provide BECCA Support for Elementary Schools

Provide Classroom Aides, more EA hours, and Alternative Locations/Staff for Disruptive Students

Provide more Para support at the middle school level

Rather than a guidance counselor, we need more of a social worker at the elementary level. We have highly impacted families and need more than your typical school counselor. We need someone who can help guide the whole family.

Reinstate colas for all employees

Reinstate daily in-district mail service to all buildings

Reinstate funding for School Psychologists according to NASP recommendations – 1 : 1100 students

Reinstate primary behavioral disturbed classrooms

Re-Instate the lost Admin Assistant Hours @ Elementary Schools

Restore 1 Administrative Position to Kent Phoenix Academy

Restore Admin hours and positions to their correct classifications

Restore Admin. Asst. hours

Restore Administrative Assistant Hours at School Buildings

Restore Classified offiice and clearical support staff to pre cut levels. Staff acording to work load. Not Enrolment. High turn over schools are impacted the most. Any grade level

Restore classified support positions that were cut at the district office/hire more classified support staff.

Restore Custodial and Maint. back to pre cut level. ALL Grade Levels

Restore custodial and maintainence back to pre budget cut levels ,all levels

Restore daily mail service between bldg and KSD

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Restore in-District mail services

Restore office hours at impacted schools and departments.

Restore positions cut (especially clerical) in higher needs schools; base job positions on workload in a school (i.e. special programs, etc.), poverty rate, non-native English speaking and mobility rate rather than mere FTE.

Restore SA program or something similar in elementary schools.

Restore school adjustment programs for children with behavior problems

Restore school nurses

Restore the full functioning ELL program

Restore the magnet kindergarten program

Running Start

Safety Officer for Kent Mt. View Academy.

Safety Services Patrol positions

School Nurses

School Psychologists

School Psychologists ratio to students

School Resource Officer Kentlake High School

Soccer

Social Worker for Elementary

Social Workers/Nurses

Swing shift patrol officer

Swing shift Safety Officer.

Swing shift Safety Patrol Officer

Testing Coordinator

True population based high school alternative education curricula.

Community Member


After School Buses

AVID for middle schools

Behavior Specialist at all levels

Better lunch foods-elementary, too much going into the trash everyday.

Better quality school breakfast program-currently serving too much sugar laden food, elementary.

Bullying intervention-school assemblies, High School and Elementary. Bring in positive role models FREQUENTLY. Keep this ongoing and cosnsistent.

District behavioral specialists

Early years IB Programme





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High school vocational/technical classes

Middle and high school cultural proficiency and leadership classes



Middle Years IB Programme

upgrade playgrounds around the district. Inconsistent from school to school. All kids should have same facilities or equivalant.

Other Administrator


Add more Hands-on applied learning opportunities: Like Maker Spaces

After School Buses





King County SRO Kentlake High School


Middle School Instructional Coaches


Restore maintenance and custodial staffing to previous budget cut levels.

Retore personell that has been trimmed in each department

Safety Services Elementary Emphasis Day Patrol Officer

Safety Services Swing Shift Patrol Officer

Parent

Reinstating of the primary (for grades 1-3) School adjustment program. This program is designed for primary students with severe social/emotional disabilities.

"Safe rooms" (not a padded room) where students can go when they're acting out violently.

12th grade

5th and 6th Grades

5th grade


6th grade

7th and 8th grades

A Special Place for the behavior challenged students

Adaptive P.E.

Add funding for music dept

Additional High School Counselors. The ratio of counselors to students prevents any ability to utilize counselors for guidance.

additional Para- educators for the SA program at East Hill Elementary.

Additional training for special education teachers in K-6.

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Adequate Music Instrument Repair Budget

advanced science classes for middle school

After School Buses

After School Programs

After School Transport

After School Tutoring

After school tutoring

After school/holiday care

All

All elementary schools have full time counselors no matter what the number of students.

Alternatives to suspension

Art

Art class instruction

Art Classes

Art instruction

ART program

Art Teacher

Assistant Educator

Ast. Principal for all elementary schools

Athletic Trainers at all high schools.

Band programs for all schools.

band uniforms

Before and afer school program/care

Behavior disorder classes

behavioral specialist

Budgets for special speakers, workshops and presenters from the community

Bus transportation to and from school for middle school students who live almost a mile away from the school. There are not sidewalks and in a wooded area. Meridian Middle School from Sunrise service area. It is not safe for a young female student.

buses are for students that live to far for them to walk

cheerleading as a sport in high school

cheerleading as a sport in middle school

Class size reduction

Community farm

Comprehensive Elementary Science Curriculum

confined classrooms for children with severe behavior problems

Continue the Highly Capable program as it is currently run for third through sixth grade. Return to a test/teacher appointed application process. Maintain high standards that will ensure that math and science scholars are pushed to their limits. Diversity is definitely important but the important diversity here is the high cap curriculum itself. We should not forget that.

Critical Thinking / Problem Solving

Curriculum and professional development fort teachers to instill 21st century thinking skills

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Curriculum during Breaks; Open school hours for assisted learning including transportation from the district

Daily PE for elementary schools

Debate as a curriculum and a Debate Team

Develop a group titled: Students against bullying. This would be great in all the schools.

Discretionary professional development funding

District funded bus to support No Child Left Behind

District licenses for teachers to access instructional material, especially related to CCSS

Drug and Alcohol Intervention specialists

Dyslexia Screening

Dyslexia Tutoring / Learning Disabilities Tutoring

Early education learning disrability testing for ALL kids.

EAs at all Elementary Schools

Educational Assistant for K-6

Elementary EAs

Elementary Gifted Program

Elementary Hi-Cap

Elementary librarian

Elementary Librarian/Instructional Technology Specialist


Elementary School Art


Elementary School Track Coach for Kent Parks and Recreation Spring Track Program

Elementary School Vice Principal / EA

Elementary special education

Elementary Special Education Programs for all grades in affected schools

Elementary Special Services


Eliminate mandatory fund raisering for sports if you're paying $100.00 to participate. You shouldn't be required to sell stuff too.

Eliminate mixed classes at Kentwood of Core and Honors

Expanded elective offerings at middle school level

Expanding the school day to include Enrichment programs: Art, Music, P.E. Health, Drama Elementary Grades

Extend the school year by 2 weeks/all grades

extra school budget for administrative needs

Family Advocates - all Title schools

Field trip budgets for elementary classrooms

Field Trips

Field Turf High School Baseball Fields

Football, track, baseball and softball fields at northwood need a make over.

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foreign language immersion for all grade levels

Friday early dismissals

full autism program for grades k-12

Full continuum of services for special needs students

Full funding for a school adjustment program for students with diagnosed behavior issues for grades K-3

Full time certificated Career Counselor at each high school

Full time counselor, para, etc. with each behaviorally-challenged student.

Full time nurse at each elementary school.

Full time school nurse or ass at all Elementary schools all day.

Full Time Special Education Teachers (more than 1)

Full Time Testing Protor in each high school.

Fulll time Nurse at Elementary schools

Fund an art docent program for every elementary school in KSD

Fund band programs the way we fund athletics. It would be great to have $$ to purchase new instruments and music and be able to have a real marching band. Also to be able to have some of the music events and contests paid for just like we fund football, etc.

Funding of one (1) full-time elementary school counselor per elementary school and one (1) full-time behavioral specialist per elementary school

Guidance Counselors are very useful for the younger kids so they can get the right classes

Hi-Cap Self Contained Classrooms to remain at current level

Hi-Cap training for Middle and High School teachers

High Cap

High Quality Books for development of Literacy in Elementary School Libraries

High School


High School Baseball Fields

High School College Readiness/Career Counselor

High School Guidance Counselor.

High School Inclusive Education Liaisons

High School STEM-based course expansion

Highly Capable Program

Highly capable programs

Highschool CTE and STEM teachers and coaches

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Hire a Licensed Athletic Trainer for each high school that can also be utilized at the middle schools. Contact sports, including concussion management, return to learn and return to play require appropriate health care.

Improved communications

Incorporating game theory into the curriculum

Increase resources for technology assisting children in special education in K-6 program.

Increase student:para ratio support in K-6 SC classes

Instructional Designers / Technology Coach

Instructional Technology Coaches

Instructional Technology/Specialist and Coaches

Intervention Specialists

K-12

K-2

K-3

Keep P.A.S.A. and also incorporate the Financial Algebra Parenting class into it. Expand the P.A.S.A. program to include this and extend the weeks of the program.

Keyboarding

Language Programs

Laptops for all paraeducators

learning tech. is useful in the future

Lower classroom size in elementary schools

Lunch program

Maintain current HiCap program or expand it further

Math groups. They have reading groups but math groups are also needed in elementary school levels.

Middle / High School Band and Orchestra

Middle School Advancement Via Individual Determination

Middle School after school homework assistance for Math and writing


Middle School boys swimming or Ping Pong team

Middle School field trips

Middle School Guidance Counselor.


More elementary and middle school paraeducators

More nutritious/healthy meal options in all schools

More programs for strong students

More teachers

Music program at KMVA

New Band and Orchestra Instrument Purchase

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New Intervention Program for Struggling Readers

New SpecialEd Program for Struggling Readers

Offer a second semester of art in middle school

On site counselors who are involved and passionate

Parent - Student Email Communication

Part time language specialists for elementary grades.

Part time librarian/technology specialist at all elementary schools

Pay to participate assessd a lower fee (perhaps $50)

PE Middle School and above

Pre-K Program.

Presidents Physical Fitness Award

Programs for kids who are way ahead of the "the curve" and are bored with traditional education. A program where they can excel by thinking "out of the box" A program where they can progress as fast as they can demonstrate what they have learned. Where homework is optional and only as needed for reinforcement. We have AVID and programs for kids who are behind but nothing for kids who are far far ahead. Let's give them a bit of a non-traditional option where they can move ahead and not be kept behind by the concept of "you can only do 8th grade science in 8th grade" Maybe that student is ready for chemistry or physics and maybe a student is ready for calculus in 6th grade - let's stop holding our best and brightest back and let them shine!!

Project Leader Money

Provide free off hour training for SAT/ACT for juniors

Provide additional staff to assist students with IEP's

Provide art education at middle school level

Provide elementary science curriculum

Provide learning foreign languages in elementary or middle school.

Provide locks on cubbies for band students instruments.

Provide math and science tutoring (by teachers) every school day 1/2 hour before and after the school day.

Provide sidewalks and crosswalk signals on the streets too close to the schools for an elementary child to ride on a bus route.

Provide transportation for students who are in their last years of NCLB's AYP school transfer program.

Purchase additional computers and provide additional computer labs

READING AND SPELLING INSTRUCTORS or PARA EDUCATORS

Real Life Math

Reduce class size

Reduce pay to play fee by half.

reinstatement of school adjustment program grades k-3

Restore administrative assistant positions which have been cut in the last two years

Restore K-3 special ed

restore middle school electives for ALL students

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Restore Science Middle School Curriculum

SA teacher for program at East Hill for K-4th

SAT / ACT Test Fees

Scholarships for student athletes

School Adjustment Program K-3

School Lunches (back up)

SMALLER CLASS SIZES

Smaller class sizes/all levels

Social and emotional learning instruction

Special Needs Students

special needs, IEP student and teacher support

Specific programming for children with autism in district

spend the money on management vacation to bahamas

Splitting larger (over 45 students) secondary (Grades 7-12) Music and PE Classes and/or providing a second teacher or qualified Instructional Assistant for all secondary music and PE classes with 40 or more students.

Struggling Readers Identification Program

Support Science Technology Engineering Math (STEM)

take under previlage kids to higher up clothing store so that they can compite with the attention of other privelage kids

Targeted Dyslexia Intervention and Special Ed Instruction

Teach English Students a second Language in Elementary Schools

Teacher evaluation - 360 Degree reviews

Tech Academy technology teacher/advisor

Technology (tablets, ipas, etc) in elementary schools

Track program

Track, football field & tennis court improvements at Northwood Middle. All are in bad shape.

Training for teachers on leveraging mobile technologies

Weekly music and art instruction for all elementary students

Work with Kent parks dept to convert Russell road #1 main field to field turf infield

Principal/AP


After School Buses

Assistant Principal at all elementary schools minimum half time.

Behavior intervention specialists for Elementary, middle, high schools

Dean of Students



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Elementary support for primary students with significant behavior challenges (program and/or building level support)


Family Engagement Specialists


Increase the continuum of support for our special eduction students

Increased teacher staffing

Instructional Coaches

Instructional math/reading coaches for elementary, middle, high schools

K-6 Enhancement staffing

Mental Health Specialists for Elementary; Middle; High Schools

Middle School AVID



Project Leader pay in elementary budgets

School PTA/PTO Member


After School Buses

Asst principals in all elementary schools

Elementary EA/Vice Principal


ELEMENTARY NURSES



Expand the Hi-Cap program


Middle School Art Teachers



School Site Council


After School Buses






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Restore custodial levels at all schools

Restore Elementary Project Leader Pay

Student


After School Buses

After School sports

better and bigger lunch

Better Food

better laptops or ipads instead of these "1000$" laptops that dont work good

Better school lunches

Comunity service

doctor




Financial Mathematics


High school soccer teams

Ipads

Lunch Options

Mentors for all ages



Middle School Soccer

Middle School Soccer and Field Technician

new wieght room equment

Nurse

Starbucks

Tech Academy

Grand Total

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Survey Comments:

All entries are presented as they were submitted.

Row Labels

Advisory Group Member

Certificated Staff

1. Academic programs should be funded before anything else. 2. Elementary coulselors need to have a background in social development. Most of our needs revolve around this area and most classroom teachers do not have skills in this area.

1-1 tech at the elementary level next year makes a full time tech person very necessary for support & professional development.

Additional concerns involve a restoration of psychologist positions lost in recent years.

All elementary schools need to have at least a half time assistant principal. Principals are being asked to wear too many hats. Please restore the counselors, librarian/tech persons. to help all our students succeed and allow principals to focus their efforts. Also consider making 5th and 6th grade band and orchestra pull out programs. The current model of Band, Orchestra and Music choice (BOM) creates its own problems by asking students to make choices they do not understand. Students are asked to be on contract for a full school year to one program but this is not enforced and the General Music program becomes a very difficult always changing holding place for students who do not wish to work.

Although there has not been mention of the reinstatement of daily district mail, I believe it would be a relatively inexpensive item that would improve the efficiency of our schools. With current district mail schedules, items may take 2 weeks to arrive at their destination, barring any errors or omissions of critical information, such as employees who have changed work locations or Meridian without the Elem or Middle.

As a 6th grade teacher, I have seen the deterioration of both research and technology skills the past few years since we have lost our librarian. I also do not get the benefit of our technologist because she only has time to work with younger grades. I think the deterioration of skills I have noticed can be directly attributed to the lack of librarian and technologist teachers. If we want to our students to have 21st century skills, they need to begin learning them in elementary schools. I have also put guidance counselors as my highest priority because I am in a high needs school and I have seen the tremendous difference our counselor makes in the lives of our distressed population. We really could use 2 counselors here--one to deal with students in crisis full time, and one to teach the social skills and emotional health that our students lack coming from uneducated and often crisis-ridden environments.

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As a school that has not had a couns. elor for the past five years, it has become very apparent that all schools have a need for counseling support. The counselor should have a background in social development in order to meet the needs of our high risks students as we have had many students over the past years with poor social development skills.

Counselors per state legislative funding for the past 2 years which has rallocated in the KSD.

Cut useless district trainings, especially the hi-cap trainings which I don't learn hardly anything from.

Defiant students who are verbally, physically or passively aggressive are negatively impacting the learning of themselves and other students. Teachers in high impact schools are overwhelmed managing the needs of students with extreme and on-going behavior needs. As the roles and responsibilities of Vice Principals are expanding, the need for additional support for teachers to manage student behaviors needs to be a top prioriity.

Elementary librarians are essential to the development of literacy skills. In addition, with the focus on digital literacy, librarians will guide students towards reliable resources as they formulate questions and construct meaning from their inquiries.

Exposure to the arts, including music are vital to a rounded education. Music exploration assists other kinds of learners and learning. Beginning music early supports strong music programs in middle and high schools. All schools need librarians!

first and foremost, music is very important. Our kids not having 5th grade band puts them one year behind everyone else in the running for music scholarships and jobs that deal with music. Counselors... the drama and hard times that are happeneing in the elementary school are hard to take care of without the help of a counselor. Kids arent able to express their feelings and frustrations with teachers as much as we are pushed to PASS the test so we have to spend less time getting to know our students and help eleviate the problems or help solve some of their problems. For our free and reduced lunch kids it is sad to find out that in High school if they cant pay they cant play. I have paid for several kids here at our school to play elementary sports like track and volley ball. no kid should be turned down for something like music and sports because they cant pay. How is that free public education. It also puts them at risk because they dont get the same opportunities as those whose parents can pay.

High-needs schools need additional support with discipline and guidance counselors. The decision of whether a guidance counselor, EA or Vice Principal is full time or half time should not be based on numbers of students, but should be based on the needs of the student population. My school has kids who are extremely impacted by poverty, homelessness and unstable home lives. These are the kids that need the most support when it comes to guidance counseling and discipline. Basing the hours of these positions on numbers of studnents in a building rather than actual student need is not putting students first.

I am new to the district and have never worked in a building without a full-time librarian and tech teacher. I think students need these experiences to help support their future learning.

I believe that elementary schools should have a 5 day rotation of specialists that they see so that grade level teams are able to be at coordinated time periods for better planning and longer access to PLC work. The rotation would include: PE,Music,Computer Class, Library, Social Skills

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I believe that restoring AVID directly assists in fulfilling the district's goal of "successfully preparing all students for their futures," and as such should take priority over other initiatives. My reason for placing the pay-to-play option so low is that students have to pay for other activities, including materials fees for various classes, and so the pay-to-play option seems an extension of this to me. There are scholarship and other waivers available for needy students, so students who wish to play but can't afford the fees aren't unduly excluded on the basis of finances. However, students who benefit from AVID classes don't have scholarshipping or free and reduced lunch waivers to help them achieve their post-high-school goals.

I believe very strongly that high-impact schools such as Scenic Hill, need full time counselors. While we expect students to leave their home-life at home, it is not a very easy thing for elementary kids to do. When they are scared, sad, or feel neglected they are going to struggle with all areas of their life. We need to support kids that are struggling or have emotional problems and need extra support to do this. Please give us our counselors back!!!

I believe we need to recall the K-3 Emotionally/Behavior Program. It allows specialized instruction to the most severe emotional and behavior challenged kids in grades K-3. It provides students in this program strategies and specialized teachers to teach the proper way of handling emotions and behavior in order to become productive members of society. Our current programs are not adequate to assist these students in the formative age. Unfortunately, I believe 4th grade is too late for most. In addition, it will allow a general education teacher in K-3 to teach to the majority instead of spending a large amount of time with a minority of kids who continually disrupts the entire class and impedes on the education of others. (IF ONLY PARENTS REALLY KNEW WHAT WENT ON IN SOME OF THEIR KIDS'S CLASSROOM, THEY WOULD BE HORRIFIED - AS ARE SOME OF THE STUDENT'S WHO ARE IN THESE CLASSROOMS) -

I don't see the necessity for counselors in elementary when they aren't being used to counsel kids. Doing paperwork/tasks that don't involve direct contact w/ kids, for the majority of their day, seems like a waste of a full time salary for such a position. Eliminate positions that don't work with students. If you want to close the achievement gap, get rid of those who pull in a certificated salary just sitting at a desk for the majority of their day. You could pay a classified person to do "paperwork". I see less and less involvement with kids and more positions for people to not help kids. Why do we have so many outside-the-classroom certs when they could be put into classrooms to lower class size or help children? We need administrators to make this happen and to keep these certs accountable to kids.

I encourage the school board to restore as many programs as possible. All are worthy of our support and consideration. By providing elementary school counselors, hopefully we can meet more of the complex needs of students at an early age and have stronger students in the future. After school bussing at the high school level is critical in allowing and promoting student participation in after school study groups and math/science/reading labs. These labs are very important in encouraging students to take responsiblility for their learning and providing equal access to all students. The AVID lab is critical in supporting and strengthening student mid-range and first in their family students access to college. Finally, I encourage providing more funding for librarians and technology specialists at the elementary level to build stronger reading and communication skills early in the educational process in the hope that this translates into better learning in all disciplines over all grade levels.

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I have a strong concern for the lack of counseling services currently in the KSD. I have worked my entire career as a counselor in Kent and have never felt more discouraged than I do right now. We have gone from having a comprehensive counseling and guidance plan to basically just trying to get by. The type of work counselors do is essential, and not having the elementary buildings staffed is hurting kids.

I have many students that would benefit from the services of a school counselor. As a classroom teacher, I am not able to meet the emotional needs of some of my neediest students.

I have seen my home elementary school , not a title school, have to "survive" with only the principal, interventionist, IP teacher and ELL teacher as the support system for all students in a school of over 500 students. This year a 1/2 time EA was brought in to deal with assessment. We still have troubled kids and overworked teachers. Kids are acting out and crying for support with home/family issues, bullying, self-worth, etc. We need our counselor back to help us work with potential dropouts ( we can spot them in elementary school) especially our 5th/6th graders.

I highly recommend more hiring of school psychologists, school counselors and social workers, especially in elementary and middle schools in the district. I have noted a high need for school counselors and social workers to be available in schools for accessibility for both students and their families during the school day (where families may not be able to access community resources). There is a high need for services in the Mental Health arena at all levels and we are limited in the school system.

I just participated in the April 16 public hearing, and heard so much passion for bringing back 5th Grade Band and Orchestra. It was incredible. There are so many reasons to bring back the program. Having the program begin a year earlier would give the students a chance to really figure out which instrument they want to play. It would give them more time to get through the "beginner" stage and be able to go even further in middle school and high school. It would also push the students to be at level with those in surrounding districts. It is not fair for our students to be behind other districts when they are competing for things such as All-State Band and Honor Band. I personally began in 5th grade, and I'm not sure I would have gone as far if I hadn't been able to begin at that time. My family was also able to afford private lessons for me which I know many parents in the district are unable to do. Another reason I would love to see the program return is because I would really like the opportunity to teach 5th and 6th Grade Band next year. As a teacher at the elementary level, I also feel strongly that counselors are extremely important. I have so many students who struggle with problems that are more than they should have to deal with alone. There are kids even in Kindergarten who I know would benefit from a counselor. As students get older, it is more and more difficult to deal with life in general. Elementary counselors would make a significant impact for K-6 Grade students. Thank you for listening to the voices of the community.

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I started band as a fifth grader and I work in an elementary school now where it has been taken away. The students build a lot of basic skills in 5th grade that help them to be more proficient when they start middle school and are then taking band/orchestra everyday. I don't think the middle school teacher should have to teach the basics of how to play an instrument, but when the kids only have 1 year (twice a week) of band/orchestra in elementary school, it slows down the teaching and mastery of the instruments and they go into middle school still not knowing how to play the instrument very well. I feel very strongly that our students (who don't have access to much music outside of this because they are very low-income) should have as much exposure to playing instruments as possible and that it should be brought back to the 5th graders. I also feel very strongly that our elementary schools need full time counselors. We are lucky enough to have one in our building and he is busy every minute of every day working with out very needy population. He is an asset to our administrative team and needs to remain full time. I think all elementary schools should have access to counselors for their students all day, every day.

I think addressing the mental health/behavioral needs of our elementary students is a number one priority because it affects all other aspects of their school performance. KSD is a leader in technology resources in both hardware, software and online resources.....yet if we don't have the instructional technology specialists to support these resources, we will continue to have low usage by our staff and students of these wonderful resources! Using technology in the digital age helps students achieve 21st century learning skills. Please restore these important positions.Music has been a big part of my son's school career since 5th grade and he has continued this through his university career at Gonzaga. I am sure his involvement in music is the reason he is able to succeed in his college endeavors and graduate this May, 2014! Please restore 5th grade music program, as this is the seed that will help engage our college bound students.

I think Pay to Participate should have a low income qualification, so students who were unable to afford it could still participate in sports programs. I think families who can afford to pay part of the cost should continue to do so. Sports are important in all of the grade levels, but should not receive funding over academic programs. I also don't want to see the 5th grade band and orchestra program reinstated. This would be a great thing to offer as a before or after school program. Too often I have seen students who don't take the program seriously. They leave their instruments at school, and never practice. The music teacher does a great job with recorder Karate, so students are getting good exposure to music.

I would like to see a more equitable balance in academic, social and physical services here in Kent. Studies show that students who are physically active everyday are healthy enough to take on more rigorous academic demands. They also show that emotionallly/socially compromised students are not able to learn and absorb academic skills. If we want to be a top district in academics, it is imparative that studens are healthy enough to take on the courses we offer.

I would like to see more help with dealing with behavior problems in the middle school. I think that an alternative middle school would be a great solution.

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I would really like to see the district address what to do with students that interrupt the learning process in the classroom. How are teachers able to teach when there are disruptive students who make it impossible for the teacher to finish a lesson or help students that need the help. Also would like to see the district address violent students in the classroom, who attack other students, teachers and support staff. These students seem to get away with attacking staff and nothing is done to protect the students in the room, or support staff and teachers. I have been punched, slapped, and kicked by a student at least three times this year in front of my 23 students. A support staff member who helps me has undergone the same treatment. I have seen more students coming in each year worse than the year before. Let's make our schools a safe place to learn.

In the years that we have not had a counselor in the schools, I have seen a dramatic need for support with families and students that need counseling and help. This could mean help in the areas of: empotional support, academics, life skills, economic support etc...we really need to have someone advocating for our student population, which will in turn help students suceed in the classroom. I also want to advocate for tech specialists. With the need for precise computer skills with the SBAC etc, we need quality lessons that have students researching, typing and incorporating up to date computer skills in their lessons. I would also love to have assistant principals. Our principal is spread too thin now that we do not have help for them to do their job.. They are often called to district meetings, play the role of counselor etc..We need suppport and help..Thank you! Teachers also need pacing guides for each subject with curriculum that support the common core. We also need a report cards that reflects these changes from EALRS to common core... we also need to have proper training in the common core, it is sad when something is not rolled out in the proper way..Thanks for considering implementing some needed programs and support for all of us.

INorder for students to reap the benefits of instrumental music, we need to start instruction when they are developmentally ready for it. Its the same reason we start teaching math in Kindergarten instead of 1st grade.

It is unbelievable that we have to list school counselors on this ranking list when the state gave each district money to supplement the budget to accommodate smaller ratio of students per counselor. The district this year decided to add to counselor case load by adding several tests and did not add counseling staff. The decision of the district to allocate this money else where speaks volumes in regards to where they hold the respect of the school counselor position. Our students are suffering and those who are trained to deal with these issues do not have time to do any preventative work due to increase in work load demand unrelated to counseling.

It would be great if individual schools had some say as to some of this funding allocation - e.g. schools could decide between a counselor or a library/technology teacher if there was only funding for one of the two.

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Kent school district needs to put more money into schools and less into administration.

Middle school activities are critical. In theory, no student at the MS level should ever go home in the early afternoon. All should have activities to be engaged in. They are so impressionable at this age. As you all know, many of them go home to no parents since they are working. This is a recipe for disaster. Get those kids involved in competitive sports, intramural sports and other things. Can't emphasize that enough as an educator. They should have some sense of their interests and know they want to be involved when they get here, the high school level.As the head baseball coach here at KW, I would like the district to be extremely supportive of upgrading all athletic facilities. The upgrade to our football/soccer field has been fabulous. It is an significant investment, but doing the same for softball and baseball at all the high schools will not only add obvious value for those programs, but bring on MANY more yes votes to levies. I know many "academically" minded folks don't always see the value of athletics. Please know it goes far beyond a few games each year. At all levels, but in particularly the HS level, it creates an emotional connection that lasts for years and literally reaches emotional fingers out into the community -- and right or wrong, to a greater extent than anything else. Colleges and Universities understand this and though a different animal, they see positive results from their investment. The same will happen here. As you know, passing levies consistently over the long term is critical. Thanks for listening. Mark Zender

Music is a core subject. Music must be treated like a core subject. ALL Music teachers need the compensation, time, and mutual location to collaborate just like all the other teachers in this district. Elementary students are missing music classes while music teachers cover regular classrooms because of all the substitutes required for PLC's for general ed classrooms, and substitutes are not available for the secondary level with the result of limiting my planning time for classes and implementation of follow through on TPEP requirements because I and my secondary collegeaues are substituting for each other during planning time. This district is making cuts to music under the table, and cheating kids out of an opportunity to develop skills that lead directly back to literacy and math. The voters have told you to allow music programs, especially 5th grade instrumental music, by giving you a "yes" on the last levy vote. Honor the people of Kent, and get the 5th grade instrumental program back for the success of students not the look of the district pocketbook. Parents and teachers should never have to vote for one program over another TWICE. Is it the intention of this district to defraud the people of this district and demoralize the staff?

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My husband spent much time and money earning his Master's Degree in Technology less than 20 years ago. Unlike the skills he taught in woods and metals classes (for 28 years in Kent) all that he learned preparing for his technology degree has been outdated. I recieved my Music Education degree in 1974. All the musical training and skills I learned are still useful and current today. Technology is big in the world today but life skills such as those taught in shop classes and music classes will be used and useful for a lifetime. Our motto is preparing all students for the future. I urge you to put our levy money toward lifelong skills not technology that will be outdated in a few years. In addition, those levies were passed with the promise that 5th grade band and strings would be reinstated. We urged voters to pass the levy for that result. I believe it is wrong to back out of the district's promise to the community.

My son was a part of the AVID program. It was an agonizing curriculum that did not meet the learning targets set forth. They also chose my son, who has two parents who are highly educated, because he is of mixed race with Bs. I had the distinct impression they wanted him to pad the class with guarenteed graduates. There are other programs, such as the Choices program, that help students stay on top academically. I would also recommend a consistent school wide intervention program at secondary before paying for extra staff for AVID.As a teacher who is constantly busy, I hesitate to support paying millions of dollars to fund more certificated teachers that don't actually teach. We have far too many certificated teachers that don't teach as it is and act administrators, whch is why I am not supporting a full time tech person/librarian in each elementary. If they have expectations for actual teaching, I would be more interested in that job. We need qualified people in the building to teach our students not support the administrators.

Our elementary music program is so important! Music training sharpens many qualities: collaboration, the ability to listen, a way of thinking that weaves together disparate ideas, and the power to focus on the present and the future simultaneously. Please restore our 5th grade instrumental orchestra and band program! Thank you for all of your efforts!

Our elementary schools need counselors. As teachers we aren't trained to help some of these kids like counselors do. There isn't time for me to be able to sit and counsel a student about the death of a parent (we have had many in the last few years), a chronic illness of a parent, abuse, or divorce. We do it because we have to without a counselor, but I think we are not having the impact a counselor could. It's embarrasing when parents ask about counseling for their kids, or if their kid could talk to our counselor and we have to tell them we don't have one. If we want out kids to perform well and succeed then we have to take care of their mental/emotional help and teachers can't do it alone.

Please make decisions based on what is instructionally best for kids, not what extras a school can provide.

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Please remember to put kids first, use the motto, "What's best for kids?" We certainly do NOT need any more postitions at the district office. We are a top-heavy district and frankly much of what happens there has little or no direct impact on the classroom and kids.

Please try and give some help to overcrowded high impact schools. Lack of space impacts every aspect of the student day.

Please, please, please reinstate full time counselors at each elementary school. There is a huge need, especially at high needs schools. Please DO NOT MAKE IT AN OPTION FOR PRINCIPALS TO SPEND THE MONEY ON SOMETHING ELSE.

Put 6th grader students in the middle school to better align with Common Core practices.

Rationale for inclusion of middle school soccer to KSD: KSD is extremely diverse yet not serving the community that need the most help becoming involved. We have huge groups of kids in our middle schools that would benefit from having after school programs that would get them positively involved in the school communities. This would also be a way to get more parents on campus to see what their kids are up to. With kids from over 30 countries in our district, and soccer being the most popular team sport in the world, we need to become a more global school district by increasing access to soccer. At KM, we have over 120 student-athletes involved in soccer. Even though our number are high it is very difficult to get our ELL students involved due to the constraints (physical, pay-to-play, insurance forms, concussion forms, etc). If we could reach out to our students earlier in the middle schools, they would be more likely to get involved in sports and by extension into school over a longer time period. Many of our ELL ladies emigrate from countries that do not have easy access for women into sport. By allowing these girls easy access to a sport with which they are familiar, they too would benefit from increased participation in school. Our KM ELL students react positively to having coaches keep after them about grades. By keeping grades up, we are keeping more kids on track to graduate. I know Tacoma plays their soccer seasons in the winter. This model could be used in KSD if field space became an issue. Club soccer programs all play through the winter. Field space should not be an issue.

Since the levy was advertised as being able to bring back 5th grade band and orchestra if passed, I feel that the board should fulfill this promise to the taxpayers, families and students in Kent.

Sports should not be the priority with funds from the levy because many schools have students who would benefit from additional intervention programs to help them succeed in school. Some schools are understaffed and over croweded with outdated materials or supplies or lack of supplies.

Start Middle School Earlier, so the students have more time to stay after and get help and ride home an a bus. Have an athletic bus take students home at middle school level. If we start earlier, then no student would need to be pulled out of school early to get to a game and miss class.

Students desperately need more support in their academic life. With Common Core now being implemented, we're looking at a high number of students who cannot meet standards. These are not arbitrary standards; they reflect how well our students can compete in a international market. We need more resources to help students who are not yet at grade level in English Language Arts and Math.

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Students social-emotional health is most important followed by education followed by sports and extracurriculars.

Teaching is not accomplished anymore when discipline takes over every minute of the day. Students with behavior disorders and autism ruin the classroom environment for those students who want to learn. Kent needs to meet these children's needs. They have the money. They just have to use it in the right places. Just go into a classroom and spend the day with behavior problem students and ask yourself is it fair to the other children. Kent is losing terrific but frustrated teachers to surrounding districts who have behavior classrooms in place. Guest teachers do not return to problem classrooms and there is a shortage of them because of it. I am a guest teacher and I will not touch certain schools and certain classrooms. It is not worth my health and well being. Get real and send the funding to cure this problem.

Thank you for this opportunity to contribute.

The pay to play program does not have an equal impact on all schools. The students at more affluent schools are nearly unaffected, while the students that attend schools like KM, Mill Creek, and Meridian Middle have seen drastic impact.

The school district needs to have self -contained behavioral disorder classrooms in grades K-6.

The top three, 5th Grade Instrumental Music, Elementary Counselors and Elementary Librarians/Tech Specialists are critical and must be replaced. Sports of all types will provide incentives for students that can't be duplicated anywhere else and the Middle School teachers that I know have had a difficult time with the laptop rollout creating time issues that having a tech specialist on site will solve.

Their needs to be focused training in civil behavior in the elementary schools. Students need to be held accountable for the way that they treat their peers and their instructors, with an emphasis on polite and appropriate behavior. These traits support everything that goes on in the classroom as well as what goes on in the lunchrooms and play-fields. We need to CIVILIZE students before they get into high school The tone needs to be set at an early age so all of our students feel safe and our teachers can teach without constantly being on our guard for mean-spirited behavior.

This levy was touted for the reinstatement of programs, specifically 5th grade music, elementary librarians and counselors, and the reinstatement of technology coaches. I have seen firsthand what our librarian is expected to do with our 1:1 initiative laptops as well as her librarian job and it is quite frankly, too much to manage. It would sincerely be disappointing if 5th grade music was not reinstated.

Today I will have a student enter my special education program and begin to receive services. She would have begun yesterday, but she was in a car accident over spring break and had a doctor's appointment. She lives in a home with a sibling with significant mental health issues. This student has so many challenges for a 7 year old and she needs the support of a school counselor, but I have nowehre to turn. She is but one of many such students we are letting slip throught the cracks because we do not provide this support.

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We desperately need elementary school counselors in every school. Death, abuse and other crises are happening at a high rate in every school. I have been called away from my school to help. I'm happy to help, but am not always able to leave my building. Every building needs also needs a counselor to design and implement a comprehensive plan to deliver bully and anti-violence prevention through systematic guidance curriculum.

We have exponentially increasing behavioral and counseling needs at the elementary level. Please give us back a full time counselor! Start restoring the basics. If tech is the wave of the future we need tech specialists at every elementary. Librarians are essential as well. Books still matter! Music opportunities for our 5th graders, equates to a live time of integrated higher level thinking skills.

We need teacher coaches for the implementation of the Common Core in every school. I don't think it would come out of this budget, but it needs to be noted.

When are we going to offer Spanish Classes for Middle Schools like in the past? Kent School District needs to offer foreign Languages in Middle Schools like the majority of districts in Washington, and other states in USA.

When we phone called and door belled to get this levy passed, we made promises to community members and parents about the cuts that would be restored, straight from the literature given us by the VOTE committee. I consider it a breach of the public trust (and so will they) if we do not put back ALL the restorations that were promised in that literature. It is hard to believe we are hiring more administrators at large salaries before we even put back pay to play and after school buses. It seems almost criminal to break the public trust that way.

With all the testing done on line we must restore technology instruction to the elementary school level, otherwise how do you intend kids to be able to navigate the technology espcially in low income schools where you know kids don't have the access they do in other schools or districts!!

With an influx of levy technology money, teachers cannont keep up with current software and hardware. My school is very far behind because we focus on teaching, not learning new technology. It is VERY short-sighted to add hardware without adequate, on-going training!

With serious behavior issues starting at K appearing in our schools, classroom teachers need support in order to be able to deal with the students and still teach the rest of the class. Counselors and behavior specialists are needed to deal with these students. The district should also provide self-contained classes for those students with out-of-control behaviors and violence issues.

Classified Staff

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#6 - After hours courses can be provided, rendering success in three categories: 1. Youth involvement in something other than sports, music, and theater, 2. Gives credible alternative to learners of all abilities, 3. Provides opportunity for impoverished students with a desire to succeed to try.

#6 I would like to see the participation fee be reallocated to the school instead of the general fund and to see it include the ASB.

A Social Worker in Elementary would be more benefiticial for our staff, families and students rather than a 'guidance' counselor. The needs of our families and students are changing. A full time AP for each elementary school would be helpful. Our principals are the instructional leader and they can not do EVERYTHING. You are burning out our administrators.

A. Restore mail pick up back to 5 days a week at least at the High School level. Bank deposits from the large volumns of money receipted, sometime sit for 2-3 days before the deposits are picked up and delivered to accounting for pick up. This delays our deposits and accounting of funds. B. DO NOT eliminate Pay to Participate Athletic fee now that you have gotten the public aware of this. Instead reduce the fee (parents will appreciate it) and allocate the funds back to the struggling ASB accounts rather than having the funds go into the General Fund. With much lower vending and investment revenues and added expenses (official fees, pool rental fees, transportation) the ASB accounts could be in the red within 3-5 years if they don't see some added assistance.

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Add four additional Day Patrol Officers (Safety Services Dept.). Adding four Day Patrol Officers would do the following: A. assist in the day to day all grade levels safety and security issues/concerns.b. all current Safety Officers are at capacity with daily expectations/responsibilities and adding four additional Day Patrol Officers would allow preventative maintenance to address safety and security.C. not all schools have daily high priority cases such as assaults, theft, drugs/alcohol, however providing additional Day Patrol Officers would help support those high impact schools to address the more serious offenses seen throughout the district.D. typically there is no coverage for schools when a Safety Officer is out sick, adding Day Patrol Officers could allow those schools to be covered to continue the safety and security of all students and staff. If not covered all day, frequent drive byes would suffice. E. with the addition of four Day Patrol Officers, this would allow them to be strategically placed to support the Elem. Middle and High Schools that feed into each other. More specifically, one Patrol Officer could work a certain number of Elem. schools which feeds into the specific Middle school which then feeds into the specific High School. In doing so, the same Day Patrol Officer would be able to build relations with students, staff, and families through the school year.

Band was such an important part of my children's learning in the Kent schools. It kept them going throughout their education. It needs to start in 5th grade! I don't know if all elementary schools need counselors but title 1 schools do! Our students come to school with so many problems from home and my IP students have, in addition, problems stemming from being so far behind academically. They have to deal with teasing and bullying and they feel like they're stupid. Our teachers and paras need to teach during their very short allotted time, but right now we're having to teach and counsel. Promises were made during the levy campaign, via word of mouth and handouts about the restoration of some of these programs. I voted yes because of them. I hope the things we were told at that time are considered. Trust is easy to lose and hard to get back and we have future levies to consider.

Elementary buildings are EXTREMELY busy and I believe Principals need more support! Assistant Principals could assist with discipline, paperwork, building programs and whatever else the Principals need. Priincipals give so much of their own time that it's hard for them to have a life. I think principals deserve more help for the HUGE job they do leading staff, students and the communiity!

Even though my workspace is on the administration campus I primarily work with all the library staff (elementary, middle, high school).

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Every building no matter what the population size needs a E.A., Counselor, and Elementary Librarian/Instructional Technology Specialists. If we expect to students to have the social skills they need in today's world and move to early tecnology they have to have the support early. Not having these essential people in our buiding is like asking the teachers to up the scores but then take away their tools.

From an ASB standpoint, the "Pay to Participate" fee should not be eliminated all together, but directed to the school's ASB accounts. We are fully self-supporting and are falling short of covering all of the expenses of high school sports in particular. The parents are quite surprised when they find out the fees they've been paying haven't been directed to the ASB.From a KAEOP union standpoint, it is disappointing to see that there isn't any option for additional office assistance. We are absolutely stretched too thin in many offices making it almost impossible to provide the necessary customer service and complete the tasks which are required. Our staffing model really needs to be reviewed and adjusted as needed. We have been asked to "do more with less" and we have held up our end of the deal. Now that there is more funding available it is crucial to properly staff our buildings.

Guidance counselors are my only priority in elementary school and all the rest is not nearly as important. The need is so high.

How about some portables for overcrowded schools? How about moving some of the special programs (SC) from overcrowded schools to schools which have extra room (Jenkins Creek?)? Needy schools may need more guidance counselors or behavior specialists.

I am a huge advocate of restoring band/orchestra to 5th grade.

I am both an employee of the District and a parent. I see the need for the Assistant VPs in each building. Support is needed in the office for staff & students. Principals are called out of the bldg way too often leaving office staff to deal with issues that should not be handled by the office. Music programs are very important to the school as well- putting back 5th grade band/orchestra will allow students to grow and be ready for high school bands. Counselors are also a necessity in all schools. They are needed for bullying prevention, back up to Admin, working with students, etc.

I would like to see more practical courses, including career-related (financial, medical, horticultural, etc.) and family/parenting/healthy living courses, offered at the high-school level. Also, every middle school should have a music program--I am not sure if they do or not.

Increase classified hours at all schools.

It would be nice to include KMVA in the Library/technology specialists.

My biggest concern as an employee in the KSD is the rising amount of life threatening medical needs and the lack of professional help. I’m a health tech for only 2 hours a day and we have a nurse only one day each week. We've had two diagnoses of diabetes and a seizure just this week alone. Not to mention the already existing list of medical concerns. We need additional admin hours in our health room. There is an endless amount of medical paperwork that only gets a few hours of attention each week. The district is at risk of liability…

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My hope is the school board will listen to the community and also put money back into the classrooms where teachers and students will benefit. If not I will say this again the bond that is planned for Novemeber will not pass. The levy passed with the promise that money will be brought back into the schools and benefit students.

My school has the hightest free and reduced lunch program in the district yet we are streched at the seams maintaining our office with the overload of work from having to also do the outreach programs due to the fact that we have neither a FA or counselor, which we desperately need!

My two children were in band from 5th through 12th grade and I am a proponate of a strong music program. However, I have seen what a difference the loss of librarians and technology specialists have had on our elementary students. I feel that if students don't start playing an instrument until 6th grade, they will still have ample opportunity to participate and enjoy a rich musical experience. I also feel that for the cost, a greater number of students are impacted by the loss of librarians and technology specialists. Kindergarten through 6th grade are impacted by $2.4 million, while only 5th graders are impacted by $1.4 million.

no comment

Pay to play should not be eliminated! Perhaps a reduction in the cost, and the funds stay at the building level and do directly to the sport being paid for. Eliminate all the fund raising students have to do.

Please allow the "Pay to Participate" to continue but funnel that money back to the schools ASB who desperately need this funding. Presently this money goes to the district budget and the schools don't get any.

Reinstate funding for School Psychologists according to NASP recommendations. These cuts have impacted students from preschool to post-high school.

Restore positions that were pulled or not filled last year.

Some buses are 25 years old. It is time to replace this aging fleet of buses.

Start with the first programs cut to restore. Starting with maintanance and operations School staffing needs to be tied to the amount of work involved with a diverse student population. Not a body count.

Thanks for the opportunity to give my opinion on this matter.

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The #1. priority we need at our schools is Counselors - I work at an Elementary School and even though we do not have a huge "Free and Reduced lunch Program", I still see the need for Counselors for our students. I strongly believe that every school in the Kent School District should have a Counselor available for the students that need them. #2. I really see the need for a Technology Specialist for all the students, in all schools at every level. It is important for our kids if we want them to compete with other students: locally, nationally and internationally in technology. I know that we are missing our Librarians at the elementary level as well, especially for those intermediate students; grades 4-6. These students need to learn the important research skills and other library skills before they enter middle school.

The Family Advocate Program was establish approxmiately 18 years ago within the Kent School District. At that time there was a Director at the District Office that supervised the program, each school wide Title 1 Elementary and Middle School had an option of having a Family Advocate or not having one. During budget cuts the Director was eliminated or restructured to eliminate the supervision of the Family Advocate Program. The funding for the program was given directly to the building principals leaving the decision up to the principals to use the funds to continue with a Family Advocate Position at their building or use the funds in other ways at the building level. Eight years ago the Family Advocate Program was established in 14 schools, currently there are 3 Elementary's that have a trained Family Advocate. Some Elementary's have produced new positions which includes Family Advocate in the title however, these employees have many other duties rather than working with our vulnerable families. One Elementary Principal has believed in the Family Advocate Program and has continued with the position since the beginning believing that we must look at the whole picture school/home/emotional to help our students be successful in school. Our students are products of what is happening at home, how can they be expected to be successful if they didn't have dinner last night, a place to sleep, a place to homework, or slept in a car the night before this is what is happening in our community and the areas of focus of the Family Advocate Position. The program is truly minimual cost as each position is a Non-Representated Classified Staff Part-Time at each school, Family Advocates can work at several schools. If you have questions I would welcome them as I am a current Family Advocate and parent of a KSD student, Vicky Wilson home phone 253-852-5512 work 3904 ML or 3398 PT.

Too much money is being spent at the administration level and not enough at the kid level

We could also save money and our health by eliminating the use of Round-up (as Bellevue and other districts have) on our campuses.

We need to lower students per classroom and raise the pay of the Paras doing all these extra tasks for the schools.

We only have two Para-educators and one ELL para for Cedar Heights Middle School. If you are going to go to a full inclusion style model, then more para-educators are needed!

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Whatever programs we do must continue to include not only the students, but their support networks as well. Our program implementation should be especially focused on engaging members of the community who are unfamiliar with our school system. For after-school busing, especially for secondary students, I don't see why we couldn't try to negotiate a deal with King County Metro to provide a reduced-rate bus fare, with loaded amounts onto a KSD student ORCA e-purse, and have the amount added be connected to the after-school activities in which students agree/sign off on to participate. This could end up being cheaper than providing our own busing.

With the demands in the health room of sick kids, critical health issues, changing cloths, shoes, socks, allergies, medicine administering we need more health tech hours in our elementary schools.

Working in an elementary school, I see a strong need for counselors in the schools! Music and the arts have proven time and time again to improve general education, particularly math. WE NEED 5TH GRADE BAND AND ORCHESTRA BACK IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS!!!!!

Community Member

As a parent, I have seen my son passion and knowledge for education fall over this school year. This is very discouraging and leaves me to believe that the Kent School District has lost the focus of the children and should re-evaluate the teachers and system prior to dividing up the funds. I will be looking into other options for the upcoming school year.

Evaluating teacher performance by their student's test scores is too simplistic and ends up being devisive. Students should be evaluated as to their potential and past performance. Teachers that take on students with low potential and/or low past performance should get extra credit or lower expectations on their student scores. Teacher-teacher peer reviews should be more important than test scores. The Administration needs to be evaluated by teachers and have their pay partially based on that evaluation.

I attended a public hearing this last week and made comment regarding vocational classes. Over the past twenty years, many of the pre-vocational and vocational programs have been eliminated from the Kent Public Schools. These classes were of interest to many students and often were the only opportunity to reach students through their interests and background. Vocational classes provided experiences in practical applications of science and mathematics learning at all levels. Classes provided ways to show students the importance of basic mathematics, algebra, geometry and trigonometry in everyday life and advanced education. I believe eliminating these classes was a mistake. I have had students return after completing college to thank me for helping them see the practical applications of science and math.

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I believe that the District has an obligation to restore the programs that were apart of the levy proposal first. That is what we voted on. Other new programs the District would like to add should be presented separately, with costs, and not substituted for restoration programs. The programs should be for ALL schools not a selected few. I view this as a bit of a "bait and switch", proposing one thing and then trying to enact another. If the programs proposed in the levy are not enacted versus "new" programs, it will be extremely difficult to vote positive on future levies, this is a "trust" issue.

I can see, even from a substitue clerical position, that there is much inconsistency in the elementary schools. Para Educators are doing their best to deal with "challenged kids" and should be paid top dollar for the dedication they provide to these children. I was at 1 school, who told me, if they exceed a certain number of paper copies made, they'd be charged for extras. REALLY?????? Buses: too many times, I see many with hardly any kids, 1 kid, on them. Fuel rising ridiculously high, you need to look at ways to make transportation more efficient. As a homeowner, with no kids in the district, 38% of my property taxes are paid into this ditrict. I'd like to see better use of that money spent. Many of my neighbors pay the same and with no kids in the district.

It is not sufficiently clear by the survey introduction and by the listing of programs that the school board is entertaining new programs. All the programs listed on the survey, I believe, fall under the category of restoration.

Middle school instructional technology coaches, librarians, and counselors would be important at Mill Creek and high impact schools (Meridian?). Would also consider librarians and elementary counselors on an as needed basis for buildings and not by enrollment numbers..(high impact, special ed population, etc.)

Music education should be a priority, as it increases academic success in all areas and provides a safe, positive, nurturing environment for students of all ages.

Reinstating 5th grade band and orchestra will increase the level of musicianship in the district, bringing more potential for national recognition. It is in the district's best interest to reinstate that program.

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Serious needs of elementary school counselors. Specifically if budget determines priority to Title 1 schools where population needs are very critical. Guidance and counseling extremely critical in the early years to help students with coping skills. Many students are affected by forms or crisis ,trauma,adjustment in schools due to family situations etc. Teachers are overwhelmed with responsibilities which does not allow them to focus on classroom requirements as needed by standards and core curriculum requirements. Teachers need to teach. Counselors are critical to support students and to be able to create support groups in schools and assist teachers to work as team members with behavioral intervention specialists and psychologists at schools. Pre referral intervention is critical, however, teachers need support to see and or report red flags. Without a consistent position at the school there is a lack of followup and therefore children fall thru the cracks in the system. Our numbers of students in challenging situations, behavior issues etc are at an extreme high. Please seriously award these positions to the elementary schools. Listen to your teachers and those in the schools who can continue to make a difference. I strongly feel that with this support in place, we will see students feeling confident about themselves, to be bettter able to cope with situations and most importantly, to grow and be independent and responsible for the rest of their lives. Again, I strongly ask for your support of elementary counselors in elementary schools.

Sitting at the public hearing, I heard so many testimonies to the importance of band. I was glad to hear those stories: the arts are important statistically but also on such a personal level-- those stories put a face to that. They make it specific. I think another thing to consider with instrumental music though is that students simply do not have the capability to begin on their own or to begin other ways. Who can't buy a basketball at Walmart for $10 and shoot some hoops in the park? Who can't pick up a pencil, and practice drawing? Who can't sing in the shower, and enjoy the gift of song? So many other activities and interests can be introduced, enjoyed, or explored prior to classes or extra curriculars. With instrumental music, unless a family is financially able and already arts-minded enough to provide early lessons with a private teacher, students literally do not have the oppurtunity to even begin music. Start that on time-- in 5th grade as so many other schools do. Put instruments back in the class schedule. Get instruments in students hands. Only then can the songs begin to form.

The lack of Guidance Counselors in one of the state's largest school districts is shocking given the charge of School Counselors to focus their work with Career, Social Emotional Needs, and Academics. Kent has the opportunity to be a leader in the state with this simple adjustment. I have two young children who will be in Kent schools in a couple of years, and I want them to be students in a school that has a comprehensive guidance and counseling program in action.

Other Administrator

Parent

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Deliver a full continuum of services for special needs students, with reinstatement of the school adjustment program for students with diagnosed behavior issues for grades K-3, and a full autism program grades K-12 beginning in 2014-15 and forward.Restore a negotiated ratio of special education teachers to students in the special education classes at every elementary school, at least one full time counselor at each elementary school, and at least one full-time behavioral specialist in buildings with high needs.Provide every school with a resolution (or refocus) room for students that need to be removed from classrooms for behavior concerns.

1. I think the elementary age is early to provide guidance counselors for the students since they are still in the exploratory stage trying different things. 2. The costs for both Instructional Technology Programs is high, maybe there are some other options besides full-time onsite Staff. Perhaps, a few instructors can give instructional seminars to "classes" of teachers throughout the year with relevant training and information. In-between these classes, they can be available for teacher support. Perhaps because I grew up with technology(and many of the young teachers have too), I'm wondering what sort of technology would require so much of the money and resources available? Technology is supposed to decrease/maintain costs not increase them by millions!

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1--5th gr. band/strings 4.5 $670,000 2--MS tech coaches 6.0 554,930 3--Part-time Elem. librarian/tech 13.3 1,220,000 (1 per 2 schools) PT assistant 13.3 280,000 4--reduce "pay to play" N/A 150,000 5--MS base/softball & tech 12HC/12AC/1FT 226,540 6--HS AVID program 2.6 315,440 7--Elem. counselors (6.5--case by case, as needed) 583,090 8--walking & carpooling works 0 ________ $4,000,000

Add chorus instead of band....less materials and special equipment needed like music stands etc.

After School Buses should not be limited by the 1 mile school radius for after school extended learning programs. If they're to transport students home, they should transport all students home.

All students who have the desire to go to college should be given the opportunity to do so. Putting more means to this program would really help those students in need, that's why we should support the AVID program.

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Although my heart -- and my boys' hearts -- are with baseball, and my boys are past the elementary school level, after listening to the discussion at the community meeting last week, I can't honestly argue that baseball should outrank some of the other needs on the list. However, I would like to mention one perspective that I didn't hear discussed that night. When baseball was removed from the middle school level, one argument made was that there are other places to play baseball than the school system -- club teams, Kent Little League, etc. While that is true, that is much more true of Kentridge, Kentlake, and Kentwood than it is of Kent-Meridian and the areas that feed into KM. There is very little overlap between KM's boundaries and Kent Little League's boundaries, and few families within KM's boundaries have the means to pay for club teams for their children. (In fact, many of our players need help to afford their pay-to-play fees and even their hat.) The lack of a middle school option these last five years has resulted in a lower level of skill among the players trying out for KM's team, and thus has exacerbated KM's already uphill battle to win any games at all in the very competitive SPSL North. Last year at Senior Night, when asked about their most memorable moment in KM baseball, at least half of the Seniors being honored mentioned the single league game that the Varsity team had won during their four years at KM. Previous classes had graduated from KM with not even a single victory in a league game as a memory to take with them from their four years of playing baseball for KM. While Dr. Barringer is quick to say that we measure athletic success at KM in different ways, and I agree that winning should not be the main goal of high school sports, it is hard to play a sport you love for your school without even an occasional victory to show for your efforts. Please help level the playing field by returning middle school baseball to the KSD.

Another way to free up more funds for schools would be to eliminate unnecessary laptop distribution for kids who don't have a financial or technological need if it doesn't also coincide with a decrease in text books and increase in utilization of virtual learning to contribute to zero waste initiatives.

Anything that will help children prepare for their future in the working world will take precedence over sports in my eyes. If you want your child to participate in sports there are many private organizations who offer such things. I am assuming there are sliding scales of some sort for people who maybe cant afford to pay full price. I feel that if we have to cut certain things from our budget it should NOT be anything educational.

As a parent of a child in special education, I believe there needs to be additional funding to support special education training, purchase of supportive technology for SC students and a higher para to teacher support ratio!! The Kent School district will lose quality special education teachers if the district is not willing to support and invest in the teachers and the children they are required to teach.

At the middle school age group the kids know more about technology than most parents. What they need is physical activities to participate in that keep them active.

Bang for the buck. The elementary items on this list are too expensive.

Baseball and such are fully supported by the city leagues and Little League. I do not feel that these are important elements in our school system.

budget constraints will never be solved until we rid the district of dead weight in the positions at the district office. Let the school run the school therefor bringing back the dollars to the schools.

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Cedar Valley elementary school does not have any counselors or psychologists, which is a shame. I think this should be a top priority, someone is much needed.

Change gradutaion requirements back to 2 lab science classes to graduate! There no reason for a stuent to take 3 lab science classes if they're not going to pursue a career in science. My older daughter took 2 lab science classes and got into 8 major college. It's not a college requirement! Let the kids take a class that interest them. Get rid of the Culminating Project it takes up too much time and the students learn nothing. But, keep the volunteer hours - I think each student should volunteer in their community.

Councilors are a must at every school; especially Elementary. Also, librarians and tech instructors are needed with the new CCSS that rely heavily on students being able to use resources and technology. Also, this would re-instate the Battle of the Books program that our kids are missing out on. This is an important program that fosters teamwork, community and a love of reading! Also, I would love to see 5th grade band re-instated but not if so many kids are forced to drop it in middle school due to low performance in reading and math. Band/music may be the one thing those kids excel at and it will keep them in school. How many students are now droping out of school because they have lost those important electives? Also, music is PROVEN to improve cognitive function and overall grades for students. Finally, as a high school parent, I would like to see pay to play eliminated - I've heard that the money is going to district coffers not the athletic programs at the schools which is VERY frustrating since both of my kids have played high school sports and paid the fees!

Dealing with KSD is often like dealing with a poorly managed medium sized business. Many employees are not responsive and/or smarmy. Sometimes, Emails are not returned.

Elementary schoolers don't have emotional problems, they don't need counselors back. Middle schools should consider soccer instead of fast pitch and baseball to bring back.

Expansion of HiCap/Accelerated learning at all elementary schools based on teacher input. Some schools are unfairly weighted/supported for HiCap (Ridgewood a self-feeder is statistically an anomaly) and others underserved.

For the pay to play - a reduction in the fee would be great for families and the school would still get some revenue. Low income could be free.

Get the most programs restored as possible with the money. BAND is #1!!!!

Have you considered treating the librarian/tech persons for elementary like the councilor suggestion with regard to FTE. Student population of 480 receives full time < receives half time which would allow for more of these programs to be implemented and the elementary schools to have additional support they are currently not receiving.

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Having a child in orchestra who started in 5th grade and seeing the difference of the musicians coming behind her who started in 6th grade and missed that additional year have a harder challenge once in middle school and especially in high school (as those are 9th graders now) catching up and performing at the level expected. Music has been proven over and over again to be stimulant to young developing minds and the earlier it is started, the longer students feel committed to staying with it all the way through high school.

Hi- cap children should be given the same consideration as special education students. They have special education needs. Often they get bored and begin acting out when not challenged. Adding "home" study does not give them what they need in the classroom

I am a parent of a 10 and 13 year old, and both have been in KSD schools since Kindergarten. I have volunteered in KSD schools for the past 8 years. For 3 years, including this year, I have worked as a Family Advocate at Covington Elementary. I think that Elementary Guidance Counselors should be the #1 consideration when determining how to allocate these tax funds. The foundation for our youngest students could help so many students and families throughout the district. If they could be taught some of the basic behavioral expectations, life skills, modeled positive behavior through counseling led lessons and be encouraged in positive and acceptable manners instruction (like 2nd Step or Kelso's Choices), this would help them to be more ready to learn academically. I believe it would help teachers have more time to teach as well. With a district that is so incredibly diverse in things like languages spoken, ethnicities, religions, beliefs and financial influence, these students come to our schools less and less prepared to hit the ground running academically. I have watched families from our local community transfer to other elementaries or private schools, based on what they hear and believe about their local KSD elementary. I hear parents and staff talk daily about the need for an experienced, caring and enthusiastic Counselor on staff. My children attend KMVA currently and their is a Counselor there. I and so many other parents have found that to be a wonderful resource to the students, families and staff! Please bring back Elementary Guidance Counselors. #2 Elementary Librarian/Instructional Technology Specialists- I am curious of the $2.4 million dollars to restore these full time positions, is any portion of that salary already being paid out of our current budget or is the $2.4 million in addition to what is already funding those part time positions? #3 BUT really #1 is class size being smaller is the #1 to allow behaviors and academics to be succesfully taugh

I am not sure if this is relevant to this survey or not but KSD should introduce more extra curriculum activities at middle school level that would be qualified as high school requirements. This is for the students who are beyond their grade standard. Also, KSD should find ways to engage more parents then today to have a better achieving school system. This should be a partnership between schools and parents for our kids future.

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I am very concerned about the lack of control/supervision over "behaviorally-challenged' students in the primary grades at my children's school. My second-grade daughter is directly affected by this issue. Classes are regularly evacuated to another classroom due to a child in the class acting out. Not only does this affect the evacuated class and the class that has to take in the evacuated class, it also affects all other classes in that wing of the school because the child with the "issue" is screaming, throwing things, running around, etc. I have personally witnessed these student "meltdowns" as I regularly volunteer at the school. KSD, PLEASE make this issue a top priority. PLEASE make available to our staff the resources needed to properly and productively give ALL our students the safe and healthy learning environment they're entitled to, which will, in turn, give our teachers the safe and healthy work environment they're entitled to. Thank you.

I believe it is extremely important that 5th grade band be restored immediately for next year!

I believe Kent school district elementary schools should phase in uniforms. I know Meadowridge already does because I am a sub. for the school district. I think this would cut down on the bullying. Also, this would allow for possible better behavior of students and then maybe each elementary would not need a full time guidance counselor. Rather a part-time counselor instead. Japanese schools require them, "why not us," As Russell Wilson would say. We Must stay up with the Japanese schools.

I believe that only the first three items warrant the attention of the newly available funds. The schools are for education.

I cannot emphasize enough how important 5th grade band is! I am a fifth grade teacher, and I started band in the 5th grade. For students to be able to march in middle school, they need more than 1 year of band experience. Band improves academics, is inclusive, and promotes team building. It can give many kids without a direction something to work for. Honestly I can live without all of the other options. But as a teacher and a parent, you can't replace the experience of band and strings. PLEASE bring it back!

I do not believe that this is a "restoration" project, but providing before / after school care at elementary school would be well received. When the school has a "late start" day, starting at 11:30am is absolutely a waste of everyone's time. Parents who work full-time either have to find alternate ways for their child to get to school or tell their boss, I'll be in at noon. It is much more sensible to have early dismissal as to not disrupt morning routines and be dismissed earlier.

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I do not understand the Librarian/Instructional Technology specialist- is that the same person in dual role, or two different roles? I would support a dedicated Instructional Technologist, but not Librarian. Split that category. For the AVID Program- I would hope this program also focuses on technical schools and apprenticeships. College is increasingly not for everyone. I do not rate this program high because I don't know enough about it. The schools should focus on other paths besides college. Rather than "Pay to Participate" keep the fee, but make it so that the teams get the gear, equipment and uniforms they need without having to do fundraisers. Let them focus on school and their sports, not sales. Never had Baseball/Softball when I was in jr. high, was always taken care of by club teams (football, too).

I don't know how much all the testing costs to do on the kids, but maybe more time in class and less advancement testing?

I don't think the school district should only help low income families for their kids expenses at school such reduced lunch program. Other middle class families are also suffering everyday due to bad economy and high unemployment rate, they need financial help as well. I see many kids in the free/reduce lunch program waste a lot of their "free lunch" as their parents do not need to pay for it. Their lunches are paid by the tax payers, while other hardworking parents to save money to fund kids lunch account. I believe all kids should be treated equally regardless their parents income level. Either the school should provide free lunch to all students or every student pay for their own lunch.

I have a high school student and elementary student this year. Next year I will have a middle school student. I sub for many elementary sch. I see a lot of emotional situations that a counselor could assist with and possible remedy before middle school. High School services (AVID)are super important. Many students need more one on one help sometimes. Class size (32) and pace of curriculum does not allow teachers to sufficiently help students who need help. After school help services are greatly appreciated. Athletics are an important tool to keep students out of trouble. Eliminate pay to participate is good, but of course will require more fund raising. A District wide fundraising event for the entire Kent community could summon up the support to "keep our kids on the team" and off the streets. Middle school Tech coach, not sure what this covers and how. most kids are tech savvy. is this an after school service? or a class they take? or an appt. they make? Without an (Elem. Tech. Spec.) teachers must be more tech savvy, which is important.

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I have had children participate in the school sports with pay to play and without. For us, it was okay to have to pay to play. As long as it is not keeping some students from being able to participate, I do not have a problem paying to play. I know some low income families either pay a smaller amount, or play for free, which works fine for me.

I have heard rumors that the School Board is considering back tracking on some of the promises that they talked about during the election campaign and not following through with the commitment that they promised parents. I really hope that this is simply a rumor and not factual. As a parent, PTA Board member and tax payer, I surely hope that the Board makes every effort to reinstate all the programs that were taken away from our children and look at the best interest of the children first.

I have included two additional categories. I would welcome discussion should anyone want to contact me for further discussion.

I only voted yes for the levy because it was publicized that 5th grade band would be restored. I will have a very difficult time in the future vote yes on future levies and bonds if this does not happen.

I personally think that in the Elementary schools they should have athletic coaches for the children that are low income and cannot afford to put their children in sports due to low income and or no source of transportation .The children would be able to join a Tee ball,softball,vollyball,tennis,flag football teams by the children that live by the school and the parents can have their children involved in something more positive and to where they would not wan to be hanging out picking up bad habits .

I placed the need for Special Education Teachers at Fairwood at the top of the list because this is a severe, everyday, issue that directly affects all of the students, teachers, and parents at our school in a negative way. The challenged children need special help instead of being sent to the office where the Principal or other office staff have to 'hold down' the challenged child while other kids are looking on and wondering why that child is 'getting hurt' in the office. I quote that because my own son was in the office one day when a challenged child was being 'subdued' in the Principal's office and he heard the child say 'Ow, you're hurting my arm!' Now, I know the child was probably not being hurt but when I asked my son about that, he truly wondered and thought that the boy must have done something really, really bad for Mrs. Hoyle to be 'hurting him'. He literally thought the child was being hurt. This is just one instance but I know, since I volunteer there at least once per week, that this happens mostly on a daily basis. Please tell me exactly how this child is even getting an education when he's never in the classroom and how the rest of the kids are not constantly interrupted. The teachers need some serious support that they are not currently getting. Fairwood, and other elementary schools, need at least 2 to 3 specialists whose main goal is to not only help challenged children adjust quickly into the school year (including those that are simply immature and just need some guidance on behavior), but also to make sure said children are actually getting an education, as opposed to just being 'subdued' so they stop hitting, kicking, or throwing things for hours in the school day.

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I reluctantly voted for the increase (and it was not just a replacement) in funding in the last school levy vote. The board must realize the amount of taxes on homeowners is becoming overwhelming. I believe in strong schools, but not absolute disregard for improvement as our legislature has shown.Seeing a guidance counselor for elementary schools placed on the list above is an absolute wrong direction we need to spend our money. I would rather see another teacher added instead of all of these. Please direct money where it is needed, not create positions which seemingly have merit, but have a very minor return in value. Thank you for continued excellence in administration. Mark Rebro

I strongly oppose eliminating the fee for 'Pay to Participate'. I feel that the athletes should definitely have to pay a fee due to the enormous cost of maintaining the fields and facilities within the district.

I strongly urge you to consider alternative manning methods for Elementary Librarian /Specialist, which may enable you to keep all listed services. I am confused how we have 26.7 FTE librarians with 28 elementary schools listed on the KSD website, but so be it. At $91k per person and due to a decline in need for traditional library services (given digital media), it would be financially wiser to restore 15 positions for librarian/tech specialist. Assign each specialist two schools that are near each other and man each one 3.5 hours per day. This leaves 1 hour for lunch and relocation to the nearby school. The 15 positions should be 10 FT (covering two schools) and 5 positions on 4 day shifts (also cover two schools but only 4 days per week, with one day "on call"). This leaves one extra person available each school day to handle illness or emergency/high demand for services. This eliminates 11.7 FTE positions; at $91k per head, my math shows this savings is $1,067,882 per year, and brings the cost of restoring all programs down to $2,501,287, well under the $3 million mark. At some point you may want to consider going with a traditional part time librarian and use contractors for high tech services, but that depends on the need and specialization required.

I think that we spend to much money on technology and should spend more on the basics like bringing our class sizes down and providing a textbook to each student in all subjects. It looks great that that we are on the cutting edge of technology but is that really going to help our student be more successful in life? Probably not, technology is everywhere and this generation get it from all sides.

I think there should still be a fee to participate but it should be waived or lowered if a student asks for it.

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I voted for the tech levy THINKING IT WOULD NATURELY HAVE THE SUPPORT STAFF. If you want this district to be tech savvy they to go hand in hand. Counselors have to be in every elementary school. You have beefed up security at schools well this is the other MORE IMPORTANT element. My children have graduated from KSD. I now have 5 grandchildren entering the school district . Please restore these programs for all children.

I voted yes in support of music programs in our schools. Our high school music programs will lose momentum and status if we don't have more kids in those seats. Without 5th grade music we will see a decline in musicians all the way up to middle and high schools. If we want our Kent High School students to have every opportunity at the better college music programs and music careers, then we must provide quality programs, committed instructors and support. The Kent School District needs to make more music choices available and attractive to our students so that we gain participation rates and can attract and keep our music students engaged. We don't want just a change and sheet music, we must have exciting programs, theory classes, business in music, etc. We need more ways for our students to see themselves in a music career and see a music degree as a goal. We are finding that there are many more music/arts scholarship funds available compared to sports scholarships. My daughter is deciding now on pursuing a law degree with a minor in music. Colleges are already pursuing her because of her music experience and academics. She's standing out in the academic competitions w/ her music experience. Let's take this opportunity to launch Kent Schools into a leadership role providing top-notch music programs for all our kids!

I would also like to add that at our elementary school (Ridgewood) we do not have enough laptops to support an entire class. The computer lab is in big demand as students prepare for the SBAC. In addition to hiring librarians, technology, and information professionals, please consider adequate hardware and software upgrades at the elementary level to support each student.

I would also like to see some financial assistance for students wanting to participate in music but not having the money to purchase/rent an instrument. It's possible this already exists and I am unaware of it.

I would like to see better use of Para-Teacher time. It seems that Para's are being paid to let the computers do the teacher for ELL. Although the computers may good with assisting, there is still something to be said about one on one teaching and learning, not mention, as the budget is being evaluated, isn't it a waist of money to pay someone to just sit and monitor (more like working on more personal business then school business) something that the computer is teaching the student?

I would like to see classes become oriented to what the learning styles of each student. Over time- test the students to see what their learning style/s are. This could help many more students become more excited about learning and become more successful in their classes.

I would love to see a Hi-CAP program for K-2nd grade.

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I would really like to see the day mapped out differently for the elementary grades. Recess and transitions disrupt learning at alarming rates. In the elementary schools this would be my ideal schedule for the overall improvement plan for student success. 8:50am to 9am. Reports read by students and principal. 9am-10am. Math groups. 10am to 10:15am recess; 10:15-11:15 am Literacy development. 11:15 to 12pm lunch and recess. 12pm to 1pm Writing/computer technology development. 1pm to 2pm science development. 2pm-3pm Rotate: Music/PE extend day until 4pm. 3pm-4pm Rotate Art/Cultural studies including teaching different languages.

I wouldn't mind keeping the pay to participate if that money go to the sport that they are playing.

If the goal of education is to prepare students for the future, then it is of vital importance that students are literate and able to navigate in our technology rich society. Librarian/Technology positions at each elementary school are the most effective way to accomplish these goals. Research shows that students who are behind grade level at 3rd grade have a much lower likelihood of ever catching back up to grade level. Let's spend the money on the earlier grade to be proactive in creating well educated and prepared students for the future.

If the management know how to handle the budget so all the taxpayers don't have to pay much on tax anyway over with it now please please please everyone need to do what they suppose to do

If this is like the calendar for next year where you ask everyone's input, but the only one you are going to use are the union representatives, then please do not waste our time. Please find objective ways to measure program outcomes and this process would be much easier.

If you fall behind in Elementary Education, you might as well just babysit them the rest of the way, because you blew it.

If you insist on having kids go to school 10 miles away from home, you need to have an after school activities bus. Northwood students that live in Kent are not able to participate in after school activities if their parents work.

imagine a classroom size small enough where teachers could assign custom homework per child so that the homework would focus on student deficiencies rather than blindly assigning busy work. Students that are working above the class level could be pushed a little harder. Smaller class size would allow teachers to focus on individual needs better.

It is difficult to stack rank these options because they all seem very important. I do think, however, that you should not remove the "Pay to Participate" fee. The fee is minimal and also ensures that those kids truly want to be there. It would be great if the "spirit" programs (dance and cheer) which run all year round could EACH have a paid assistant coach. It is my understanding that each high school only gets ONE assistant coach so either it goes to cheer or dance, but not both. Since both of these activities are extremely demanding for the students and the coaches, in that they don't really have any time off, I would rather see budget for this than removing the "Pay to Participate" program.

It is quite the statement to see that 5 out of 9 in the list above affect our youngest children and elementary schools. This is where the need is the greatest, and each dollar spent has the potential to positively impact more students, creating more long term lasting effects through both middle and high schools.

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Kent School District at the Elementary level seems so much farther behind than other K12 Districts within both the WA and across the nation.

Kids these days are very tech savvy even the little ones in elementary school. I don't think having a tech integration is necessary. More emphasis needs to be on middle and highschool students education and emphasize on math, science and college level classes to help further our kids and prep them for college.

Make the board members and superintendent more accountable! Stop this nonsense of cutting programs that affect our young children, our education and children are suffering! Cuts should be made to superintendent salary. Enough is enough of this bull!

Most commented on 5th grade music. Music isn't eliminated and still offers all the same benefits for the next 7 years of public school. Unfortunately, my eldest child did not have the same positive experience (due to teacher). I was not lucky enough to attend a school that offered music and/or sports (especially for girls) and feel my lack of learning this in 5th grade did not hinder my experience of public school. I was impressed by a young man named Paul Choi. He brought up a subject I never heard about. I can only remember it relates to real life math (ie: checkbook, budgeting, saving, etc...). My child/ren will achieve much higher math than what is necessary to graduate with, but I found his topic to be especially beneficial for the mass student population of our area.

Music and Art is important to all children in the district. The music program suffered with the cuts made. Kindly bring back funding for this program to 5th and above through high school.

Music is a Core Standard. We must include, enhance and promote the music programs in our District.

Music is an essential part of learning!! Starting band in 5th and 6th grade is the best introduction to band and the different instruments. I think this introduction is really important to have before getting into Middle school.

Music is one of the most important programs to continue to provide for students. Especially since we do not offer them Visual Arts instruction in the elementary or middle school level. If we cannot offer Art Ed., bringing back 5th grade band/orchestra is our one last thread of artistic expression for these kids. Also, with one more year of music instruction, they are able to acheive a higher level of proficiency by the time that they graduate in high school.

My 1 - 6 are all very important programs. Elementary librarians are very important but very costly per this chart. Baseball, softball is available elsewhere, and our family participated in these outside school.

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Students /families should pay to participate in extracurricular activities.

My 12 year old children and their classmates, who will be in middle school next year, completed their elementary school careers with no counselor. The impact is apparent in many ways. Without an EA or any assistance whatsoever, the principal has been required to wear many hats, and it is an impossible job. These kids have not had a resource for conflict resolution, personal crises, class meetings, or bullying and sexual harassment awareness and training. This is a loss that cannot be remedied for my kids and their friends, but I don't want to see it happen for any more classes of kids. Counselors are too important and the needs are too varied and numerous to continue this lack of services.

My child is very unhappy with her music teacher. She is stuck with this same ineffective music teacher for her entire elementary school experience. I am extremely hopeful that she can take orchestra next year, and not have to deal with this teacher.

My children go to meridian elementary and there has been more than one incident where a counsler has been needed.

My Daughter has Behavior issues. It has been brought to my attention that most if not all General Education Schools are not equipped to handle children that have the same or similar issues. There are also not enough schools that are geared for children with those issues. The closest school for my child to potentially go to is in Renton which is quit the drive of 45minutes to an hour at that hour of the morning and then get her afterward.

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My oldest child was very lucky that he was in the last year of the program for 5th grade band and strings. He plays the trombone. I go to all of his concerts. When he was in 8th grade, it was very disconcerting to listen to the 7th grade band. 7th grade band/strings was only into their 2nd year of the program while my son, who was in 8th grade, was into his 4th year. I feel that this is a very important program to our children. It brings out the best of the best students. These students have a bright future ahead and even a brighter future with the 5th grade band and strings restored. Some parents cannot afford to pay for private music lessons or even for their instruments. My son was loaned a trombone in school 5th grade for $20. The children who do get the private lessons learn to play, but solo. Most of the children feel resentment because they are forced to play. The children who sign up for band/orchestra do so because they want to. The parents who let them are on board to back them up. I also feel this is so much better because they learn to play in a concert setting with their peers.I have 3 more younger children, the next of which is currently in 3rd grade. I am in eager anticipation of the restoration of this program.

My son was severely bullied beginning in elementary school. Music quickly became a safe haven for him. In fact, if it wasn’t for the music program we would have pulled him out of Kent schools. Thank goodness he was able to begin playing trumpet in 5th grade band! He is now poised to possibly graduate early. I also work for KSD as an elementary Special Education paraeducator. Music greatly helps keep struggling students positive about school and learning.

n/a

Note that the flyers and the news coverage in the kent reporter Jan 2 and February 12 both had the re-implementing bands and arts programs.

Obviously it's extremely difficult to get kids interested in staying later after school or be interested in topics they're not. I'm real concerned about reaching out to kids before they slip through the cracks and figuring how to reach out and get a response. I'm real concerned about getting teachers in there that are passionate and truly interested in making a difference with kids, not just biding time before retirement/a pension.

Our district needs to look at the Whole Child and spend $ on early intervention regarding mental health needs at all elementary schools.

Please consider bus transportation to students to and from school before adding bus transportation for after school activities. I am greatly concerned about the safety of my daughter next year when she walks to Meridan Middle School. We live close to Sunrise. I am concerned because there are not sidewalks for most of the way to Meridan. It is also a very wooded area. It is not safe to expect a 12 year old girl to walk by herself. Thank you for acting on this.

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Please find ways to excite and challenge elementary students at their own schools. My daughter qualifies for HiCap but doesn't want to transfer schools. There are a lot of bright elementary students that need more challenging ciriculum. I feel KSD is so focused on the ESL and high risk students that students in middle are being under served. Can we use this extra money to balance this out and add some new classea to benefit all learners extra money to balance

Please restore 5th grade band and orchestra. Also, please let all students including band and orchestra students have general music. Please provide an art teacher for elementary schools or provide time and materials for art program.

Provide every school with a resolution (or refocus) room for students that need to be removed from classrooms for behavior concerns.

Quit pushing so hard that ALL kids have to go to college. When I was in Kent Schools in middle/High school in the 80's, trade schools were pushed also. Not everyone wants to go to a 4 year school. Please don't loose Auto shop, metal/wood shop etc. Please also let kids know about trade schools for auto, electriction, construction, hvac, nursing, etc. They still get an education but also can get a good paying hard working job which the USA needs.

Reading opens minds and the world to our students. I saw a difference in my two children. Just two grades apart but impacted by big levy changes. My daughter had a tech coach in Elementary... my Son never did. He is entering Middle school next year and his computer skills and comfort level are well below his sisters and he was slower to taking to the love of reading as he never had a "librarian" to connect him to books appropriate to his skill and interest level...Luckily in 6th grade at Lake Youngs, Mrs. Reed has a personal library that inspires and challenged him to read and now he loves it! My daughter started orchestra in 6th grade and with hard work, her class is on par, if not beyond the classes that had the 5th grade start. After school Bus would help children participate in activities regardless of the socio economic status of their parents by providing safe and reliable transportation home, but that said, I still believe in a small fee for participation in sports to offset this cost. When I was in middle school there were a few buses that drove us all home. The clubs and afterschool sports all had the same scheduled end time as there was only one pick up time. This minimized costs. It made track, yearbook, glee club, and drama available to all. Not just to those who had a parent that could drive them home or lived within walking distance. Many of our students in Kent: Elem, Middle and HS live on roads that do not have sidewalks and are unsafe for foot travel. The buses would safe lives and increase fitness and participation. Supporting the goal of college for those willing to work is essential. Children are often not responsible for the grades they deliver. They are called upon to be breadwinners, babysitters and more for their families and family comes before homework. These children deserve a chance if they are willing to work and are able. Thank you for the opportunity to share our opinions.

regarding item 9, in order to cut the cost of labor ask parents of that school for help. Evaluate what is needed, provide the materials and hold work sessions. if parents want their kids to play sports at Northwood then can help to bring the fields up to playable condition.

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Restore the 180 days, 6 hours a day, 1080 hours of instruction per year as indicated by the WA State Law. Abandon partial days entirely, restore 8 hour teacher workdays and have collaborations and meetings during the 2 hours daily that are available, or write the contracts so there are 40 hour workweeks, with 4 7 1/2 days and one 10 hour day for meetings, workshops and the like. And I'm not sure the lunch "hour" qualifies as instructional time for students or work time for teachers. Finally, find a way to reduce elementary class sizes to the most efficient considering the teaching demands on each classroom teacher, give leeway to the principals as to how to achieve this, and make the principals responsible for building achievement!

Restore things like music (research proves its value to overall academic acheivement), guidance counselors, and libraians. Sports programs like middle school baseball are unnecessary. Pay to play is fine...you have ways for children with real needs to get around it anyway. Help kids who want to learn have a chance at college or technical school...

Restoring the 5th grade instrumental band and strings program was a key promise of the levy campaign, and should be the #1 priority for these funds. Music is basic education, just like math and reading; my kids are thriving in many ways in large part due to their involvement in band at the elementary level. While our kids are now in middle and high school, my husband and I voted yes on this levy specifically to see music instruction restored at the elementary level for the benefit of our community. Thank you.

Some schools need Behavioral Specialists more so than counselors. Also, there needs to be more SPED programs out there for students with disruptive behavioral problems (i.e. an all day self contained S.A. program).

Thank you for allowing the opportunity for the community to speak. While the voice for 5th grade band was loud and clear you must remember that you are currently offering students 7 years of music and they are still participating in general music when band and orchestra option are not offered. I would encourage you to look at a pay to play system for elementary band.

Thank you for allowing us to have input.

Thank you for considering our input.

Thank you!

Thanks for the opportunity to participate in this survey. I really appreciate being involved in decision-making and seeing the projected costs of projects.

Thanks for the opportunity to vote!

The AVID program would benefit many students. However, I question whether students, with lower grade averages, would be better served by targeting them for "trade schools". There is and will continue to be a need for the trades, such as, electricians, plumbers, brick layers, etc. These careers make more than a decent living and prepping all students for college is not only unwise, disrespectful to the trades, but also sets many students up for failure.

The behavior in Kent School District is out of control and needs to be taken seriously before tragedies start happening.

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The focus on classes with core and honor students remains on getting the core students up to an acceptable level while honor students are basically left unchallenged to grow and excel to the next level of AP classes by the 11 and 12th grade. The district has been unable to provide any data that indicates this practice is beneficial. The current practice contributes to an environment where honor students carry the core students. My honor studen complains frequently that core students ask the honor students for homework, don't participate in group projects and disrupt the class. We are penalizing the honor student to increase the scores of the school. This is not acceptable.

The main reason why I voted for the levy was because the district stated that 5th grade band and orchestra would be reinstated with it passing.

The most important thing to our family now is the 5th grade band teacher. We have 2 kids at Kentlake HS who had 5th grade band (at Grass Lake Elem 5 and 6 years ago...they are now in 1oth and 11th grades). Both are STILL in band and jazz band and go on the band trips and fieldtrips. Band has been one of the best things for them. Mr. Kexel came to Grass Lake to teach the 5th graders band. Both of my highschoolers said the kids that took band in 5th grade made their band sooo much better than the kids that started in 6th grade. Please put back this important (to us) program. Thank you!!

The pay to play fee should be reduced. It makes more sense to reduce it and have some money for other things than totally eliminate it. It's amazing that withy the taxes we pay in this state that it comes down to making decisions like this. All schools should have tech specialists, librarians, counselors, music, and baseball. Having done both private and public school, I have to say it's a shame that some of the way private schools are run can't filter down to the public schools. Our money was well spent and accounted for.

The proposed levy did not state that only $3 million would be available for restoring programs. I am not happy that I voted for the measure given that information. I don't feel the District is spending my money in line with my priorities. For example, I feel the money currently being spent on technology is not improving outcomes in the classroom. From what I've seen over the years, the laptops, for instance, have been a huge waste of time and money. I would like to see the District putting its resources into basic education--including music and PE and solid science classes--before expanding into other areas such as early childhood education, anti-bullying, etc. I don't feel the levy was given an honest presentation, and if fifth grade music is not restored as promised, this is the last levy I will vote yes on.

This was very difficult to choose which are more important. There is a need for all of these things and even though I understand that balancing a budget is difficult, I would want to see all of these things offered.

vocational classes in high school - auto body; metal trades etc

We support any programs that can support technology, use of equipment (i.e. keyboarding, computer and peripherals), library instruction (Dewey decimal, copyright laws, bibliography & writing support) beginning in elementary and carried through to middle and high school.

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When the district restores the 5th grade band and orchestra program, 5th graders should be placed in a separate class from 6th graders even though they are all still beginners. 5th and 6th graders are developmentally different and by providing separate classes the students will receive more individualized attention and retention will be higher as students continue into the next grade level. The youngest grade level of instrumental music programs are the the core foundation of the 5th through 12th grade level and in order for the high school programs later in their education to be successful there must be a supported and large elementary program. Please also keep in mind that new instruments must be purchased at all grade levels. Currently for the past several years since the cut of the 5th grade instrumental music program, Mill Creek middle school that serves some of our students who are in the most need of financial support has consistently needed 20+ instruments from the district elementary supply. Across the district new instruments are needed as many of the instruments that have been purchased in larger quantities either when funding was available or with new school purchase funds are now in need of replacement or repair. Instruments are not like computers or technology. Quality instruments that were purchased decades ago increase in value and some district instruments are worth thousands of dollars (string instruments are possibly $3000+ each) These instruments may only need a repair that costs $100 to $400 each which would make more quality instruments available to students and a much lower cost than purchasing new quality string instruments and will last much longer than "new" string instruments purchased for $500 or less.

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While the info below was provided by our music instructor at our middle school, I could not agree more. I have two children and they both participate in the music programs. This the way they stay connected to their respective schools and feel part of the community. Athletics will also allow for that but Kent has a large program of athletics and where there are holes the community has stepped up to fill. There are not other options for our musically talented kids. You had my support of the levy with the assumption that 5th grade music would be coming back- do not disappoint. Over 60% of the 5th grades in the district chose band and orchestra as a music option when we had it last. In some schools, participation in band and orchestra was over 90%. Reinstatement of this program will affect a large number of kids immediately! It is developmentally appropriate to start kids on instruments in the 5th grade. They are physically and developmentally ready for the challenge of playing a musical instrument, and the earlier they start, the more beneficial it is to their cognitive development.Every surrounding district (Auburn, Enumclaw, Renton, Maple Valley, Federal Way and Tukwila) gives 180 days of instrumental music instruction to students before 7th grade (most start in the 6th grade, but have band and orchestra every day). We give less instrumental music instruction to our students that EVERY OTHER SURROUNDING DISTRICT. Either they are doing it wrong or we are.The levy campaign used reinstatement of 5th grade instrumental music on every flyer, poster, press release and public statement to help increase the chance of it passing. They should now honor their promise that they so publicly advertised.

Why are changes to Hi-Cap program not included in survey? I believe every teacher should provide differentiated instruction in every classroom. Hi-Cap students still need self-contained classrooms. Why is counselor dependent on enrollment but librarian is not? Both or neither should be. Have elementary schools expressed a greater need for librarian or counselor? Does $ amount to restore 5th grade band and strings reflect decrease in general music teachers needed?

Would like to see the district invest in a turf baseball field at Kentwood High School. One of the few 4A districts without a turf baseball field. The quality of fields in KSD is appalling considering the level of talent in this sport. A turf field with lights could serve multiple schools and be rented out of select ball programs and tournaments and allow play in wet conditions that would otherwise be rained out. Please consider partnering with the Baseball Booster Club to make this happen.

You cancelled AVID over $315,000? That is absurd. The number of kids that a program like AVID could impact is worth way more.

You need to focus on the foundation of education FIRST - elementary education programs, then middle school, then high school. Non-core programs should come next (music related) and the last thing to consider are sports related programs, hence my moving them below the blank lines provided.

Principal/AP

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Have the elementary library/tech serve half time at two elementary schools, building the library collection, providing planning time for 4th-6th grade teachers, providing technology support for the school, and utilizing the exiting funds most efficiently.

We should not be looking at what to "restore". We should be analyzing needs and making decisions aligned with our needs. It sends the wrong message to the public to approach this work in this manner.

School PTA/PTO Member

I would love to see a high cap program at the elementary level. There are many kids who would benefit from this program, and are currently not receiving any type of individual programs. At the elementary level there is too much emphasis placed on students who are underachieving, rather than overachievers. I would love to see the "pods" reinstated at the high school level. This is a great way to students to receive individualized instruction and have a team of teachers that follow the students progress and make the connections with the students. Teachers work very hard to keep up to date on testing, etc. it would be very refreshing for them to receive materials from the district, rather than having to spend their own time researching and gathering information, when they are already teaching and expected to take on additional responsibilities. It is crucial that the district support our teachers financially.

Kudos to KSD staff for the outstanding public input session on 16 April. It was very well organized. First class operation. Thanks for seeking public input when making decisions.

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The Kent School District can not afford to fall short on something as important as arts education. It is proven: Arts instruction engages students and increases learning From the State of WA OSPI: ..."We know that arts education allows students to learn and practice skills and behaviors that foster out-of-the-box thinking and creative problem solving. Those skills will be crucial to innovation in the 21st century. If we are dedicated to preparing all students, we must be sure that all schools have access to a well-rounded arts program. We want every student engaged, not just most. As superintendent of public instruction, I urge all school districts to ensure that all students have access to the highest quality opportunities in arts education. Randy I. Dorn State Superintendent of Public Instruction March 2009 Vision Statement The Arts, which include dance, music, theatre, and visual arts, will be effectively integrated into student educational experiences in all Washington state schools. Our belief is that quality instruction in The Arts shall be provided by Arts specialists and classroom teachers and supported by partnerships with professional organizations and community programs in the Arts. This partnered instruction will enhance both student literacy, and meaningful, purposeful, and enjoyable educational learning opportunities. It will also support student preparation for life as a contributing 21st century citizen. We further believe that the arts integrate with all other subject areas to create learning opportunities for all learners that communicate achievement, respect, freedom, and fun. Continuous Goal Our continuous goal for the arts is to offer and support a comprehensive and sequential, standards based K-12 arts program, in dance, music, theatre and the visual arts, available to all learners in all 295 school districts in Washington state. See Also: http://www.aep-arts.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Preparing-Students-for-the-Next-A

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There are baseball/softball leagues in the area so it's a pointless expense for the school district. However, eliminating the play to pay rule would be most beneficial. Students who are involved in extra-curricular activities, be it band, sports, etc, should be rewarded and not punished. They are supporting their schools. The music programs in the elementary and middle school levels are in serious need of financing. They should begin earlier and have two core groups of classes in middle school. You have students with one year of experience playing with two year students and they 2nd year students are not advancing at the level they should be. This causes problems for the high school teachers and puts them behind when it comes to school district competitions. Music and sports are important outlets for children. You are also behind when it comes to teaching technology. There are many students who would love to learn computer language and build an app but they are so far behind that only students with nerd-like parents will ever advance in that area. And yes, I'm a nerd-like parent so I'm not disrespecting my own. Give the students more opportunities and less responsibilities on families who may not have the resources to do everything they wish they could for their student(s).

You need to make sure youth will go to college/trade school and to work on drop out rates for students. Leveling the playing field for student of colors and low income students is the most important issue at present. Caring, compassionate counselors who will intervene when a child is in need of support are also needed. We do not need suspensions for silly issues when it takes a community of caring adults to help our future leaders and community members. Also, Kent SD is behind when it comes to the music program- students should be starting earlier. The task of playing catch up and retaining talent in high school becomes harder for our high school teachers when all major districts start in the 5th grade, some in the 4th grades. Is a proven fact that many in the music programs help develop stronger academic results.

School Site Council

KSD is considered one of the best in technology. However, the support for teachers is strongly lacking. With the speed that technology changes, there is no way that a "non-tech" teacher can keep up with it. If the district wants teachers to use and integrate all the wonderful I.T. things we have available, then the district needs to bring back I.T. specialists.

This survey is representative of the collaborative decision reached by the Millennium Elementary School Improvement Team. Our team is represented by parents in our community, teachers and para-educators.

Student

$300,000 to help get every student to college? Why is that a question. I play softball but would rather see you eliminate the pay to play rule and give us buses to get home. When I came to Cedar Heights orchestra from Northshore SD, I fell behind and was not motivated. It was terrible and they way the program was run by the district, it was obvious that there was little interest from you guys to support a strong music program. My orchestra teacher now seems overworked, trying to get everyone on the same level.

HI

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I am a student at KentLake high school and am a clarinet player in the school's Wind Ensemble, which is the school's elite band. I started playing the clarinet back when I was in 5th grade, and it has taught me things that ordinary subjects such as math, reading, or science can't teach. I believe it's important for young kids to get involved with music as soon as they can. It gives many children a skill to develop throughout many years and learn the true value of effort and progress. I can't help but smile when I think back to when I first started, and how holding my clarinet felt like so strange. And now when I hold it, it feels like a part of me. A part of me that no matter how much time I've spent away from, I can come pick it back up and instantly feel familiar and comfortable with it. I am very grateful to the Kent School District for having had the opportunity to get involved in music at such a young age and I would be at peace knowing that the generations to come have the same opportunity.

I have been in music ever since 5th grade (I am currently a sophomore) and I think having 5th grade music available to students is crucial because music helps students focus and do better in school as well as giving them something more to excel in and gives them a way to express themselves in ways they never thought possible and give satisfaction of learning a new skill and boost their confidence and performance in school

I hope that our level of food quality improves soon!

I personally think the AVID program is the most important out of all the choices because not only does it build self esteem, it boosts the determination of students in the academic middle with a willingness to work hard and a desire to go to college. This program is the start to a successful life and carreer.

I really believe that music in general creates more opportunities than most. as an example the Alpin Hong concert, he is a world class pianist and chose our school (Kent-Meridian) out of every other school in the country, i believe without that one extra year starting from the 5th grade he would have left and went to a different school. in all music makes more opportunities possible.

i really wish that i had that extra year of orchestra it would have helped alot

i think that 5th graders should get to have band and strings because then they will have the same amount of music experience as some of the high school people and they can put the experience on their college resume!

I would like to ENSURE that the school district enriches and enhances all current music programs. That is my main focus.

I would strongly suggest the 5th grade band and orchestra come back into elementary schools around the Kent School District, especially since longer involvement with a program like this will make students better at a lower grade level and make them more interested in music overall, possibly setting themselves up for a future career. Like a lot of people my age, I was let down when the 5th grade band was dropped right when I got into 5th grade, I was looking forward throughout all of elementary to be able to play an instrument such as the flute or trombone. Now other kids my age are lacking in musical interest, although cutting this down may have been good for a budget, I feel that many people like myself have been largely let down by this being cut in the first place, please let future generations be able to practice this in school, if they can afford this or not outside of school, future musicians may exist from this change and will improve on this skill.

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If we could get soccer in middle school alot of boys would join because we all have friends who go to different middle schools and then they meet up and say middle school soccer is really fun. but then there is our district who doesnt have soocer. i think soccer would be a great motive for people who love soccer to keep their grades up. cause i know i would. so please try to put soccer in our district.

In my year of middle school so far I have gotten all A's. So the AVID program would not apply to me

Music is SO essential to the development of youth their academic performance has been shown to greatly improve when participating in music courses. Please consider this when creating the budget!

NEED MORE SPORTS

Of all these things, music for 5th grade students is one of the most beneficial. The perks and acomplishments from going into the music field are great for a student beginning to figure out who they are.

Please let the little fifth graders be able to learn an instrument. Studies show that if a child is educated in music, (has a music class at least once every other day) that they will excel in their studies. Is this not what we want for the student body? Finland has some of the top math scores in the world. But did you know that it is illegal for students to get over 30 minutes of homework, wear school uniforms, or start school before the age of seven? In Finland, instead of using the "cram" method, (hours of homework) they use the "grasp a deeper understanding" method. Unlike their American counter parts. My point is that if he cancel music to extend math or language arts, in the end, it will overwork the student and not let them learn. Most students find music to be calming, and relaxing. If they have a music class, (particularly band and strings because not all students like singing cheesy songs) the student might be in a better, more positive mood. I know that after my first period band class, I'm up for anything. It's like being happy after seeing someone you love. My bass clarinet is practically my baby okay. "You got a super low test score lol good luck." "Hah I'm in too much of a good mood to be sad so I'm going to study tonight lol." "oh."

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^^^ Basically what my second period is like after my first period band class. (This also applied to sixth grade.) Please let them play music. MUSIC MUSIC WE WANT MUSIC! NOT MORE MATH! (?°?°)?? ??? *table flip*

School need better rice

There should be a bigger variety of sports in middle school. Also, elementary school kids should be able to learn how to play a musical instrument in 5th grade. Also, eliminating "Pay to Participate" will help more people join the school sports teams and more people have have more school spirit and the behavior of students might change as well as their self-esteem and perspective towards the school.

WE SHOULD GET A SOCCER TEAM OR CLUB IN HIGH SCHOOL. CANT WAIT FOR HIGH SCHOOL

Grand Total

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school board community budget consideration survey 2014...middle school world language instruction...

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