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Direct Link To Friday Harbor High School Athletics Information On:
www.highschoolsports.net
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THE FHHS DRAMA GROUP PROUDLY ANNOUNCES IT'S 2009 PLAY
...THE HIT BROADWAY MUSICAL ...
"GREASE"
AUDITIONS ARE SEPT. 15-18 AND ARE OPEN TO ANY STUDENT ON
SAN JUAN ISLAND OF HIGH SCHOOL AGE.
A student information sheet is available at the San Juan Island School
District office until August 29 and in the Friday Harbor High School office
after September 2nd. A very important information and orientation meeting
will be held September 4th, at 3:00 p.m. in the FHHS Drama room. all
questions will be answered! Looking forward to seeing you,
Fred Yockers - Drama Director
What’s
up with School lunch?
For
starters, there will be a new menu, local foods, and a fresh approach to food
service. Please come to our Community Forum to learn more about lunch offerings
in the upcoming school year and to answer questions about the new grant
supported pilot program for San Juan Island School District.
Thursday
August 28
4:30 -
7:00 pm.
High
School Commons
Come meet
Chef Tom French, our food service consultant from Whidbey Island. Drop in
between 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. and plan to stay for a short presentation at 6:30 p.m.
2008-09 Budget Challenge Update
(scroll down for earlier press
releases)
Press Release - August 1, 2008
Save Our Schools Campaign is Within $93,462 of
Reaching $300,000 Matching Gift Goal
Superintendent Michael Soltman
reported today that the Save Our Schools (SOS) Campaign has raised $206,538
toward a matching gift goal of $300,000. Soltman reported that the combined
“challenge” and “matching” gifts have reached $413,076 toward addressing the
$600,000 program shortfall. These funds have restored all teaching positions
and have sustained class sizes and instructional programs. Funds have also
restored the athletic program, PIP program, special education assessment
services, and some secretarial, custodial, and paraprofessional services.
Soltman said, “The remaining
$93,462 must still be raised to obtain the matching funds to fully restore
essential services such as playground supervision, paraprofessional support for
struggling learners, secretarial services, custodial services, and food service
for students.” Paul Lebaron, President of the San Juan Public Schools
Foundation, expressed confidence that the remaining funds will be raised in
August to fully restore all programs and services. Lebaron said, “The Schools
Foundation Board will be on site at the County Fair to continue to raise funds
for these essential services. We appreciate the generosity our community has
shown and we invite everyone to be a part of closing this remaining funding
gap.”
Community members wishing to make a
contribution may call the Community Foundation at 378-1001, or the Schools
Foundation “SOS Hotline” at 370-7925, or to use the “donate now” secure link on
the Foundation website,
www.sjpsf.org.
In May, Charlie Anderson, President
of the San Juan Community Foundation, announced that local donors had
coordinated together to award a $300,000 “Challenge Gift” to the School District
to mitigate anticipated program reductions due to a $600,000 operating fund
shortfall projected for 2008-09. The donors included an anonymous donor through
the “Fairway Fund”, and gifts from David McCauley and Cloud Oakes, Scott Boden,
Charlie and Pamela Anderson, and Roger Salquist.
A Save Our Schools Campaign involving
over 465 individual donors, and generous donations from Valmark Inc., Carolyn
Haugen, Rich and Joan Komen, Purple and Gold Booster Club, and Roche Harbor
Resort have generated a total of $206,538 in matching gifts.
Soltman also reported that the long
range financial planning task force will be underway in August with information
to the community by mid-October. Community members will be invited to assess
priorities and share ideas for long term planning and funding of our public
schools.
A summary of challenge and matching
gift donations is listed below:
Funding Goal to Preserve Academic,
Co-curricular Programs, and Essential Services
$600,000
Fundraising Update as of August 1,
2008
Challenge Gifts:
|
Fairway Fund |
$200,000
|
|
David McCauley/Cloud Oakes |
$25,000
|
|
Charles Anderson/Pamela Gross |
$25,000
|
|
Scott Boden |
$25,000
|
|
Roger Salquist |
$25,000
|
|
Total |
$300,000 |
Save Our Schools Matching Gifts:
|
Valmark Inc. |
$50,000
|
|
Roche Harbor |
$10,000
|
|
Richard/Joan Komen |
$10,000
|
|
Carolyn Haugen (K-12 UW Marine Program) |
$10,500
|
|
Save Our Schools Phonathon (465 donors!) |
$103,038
|
|
Purple and Gold Booster Club (Athletics) |
$23,000 |
|
Total |
$206,538 |
Additional
Matching Funds Needed = $93,462
Total
funds raised to date, including matched funds, is $413,076. Funds have restored
all teaching positions and sustained class sizes and instructional programs.
Funds have also restored the athletic program, PIP program, special education
assessment services, and some secretarial, custodial, and paraprofessional
services. The remaining $93,462 must still be raised to obtain matching
funds to fully restore essential services such as playground supervision,
paraprofessional support for struggling learners, secretarial services,
custodial services, and food service for students.
Press Release –
June 21, 2008
$5400 Needed
by Wednesday to Fully Restore Athletic Programs – Total Matching Funds Near
$200,000
Superintendent
Michael Soltman reported today that $17,600 has been raised toward a goal of
$23,000 needed to fully restore the athletic program for next year. Sandy
Guard, Purple and Gold Board Member, said “$5400 is needed by Wednesday’s school
board meeting in order to fully restore the athletic program without raising
athletic participation fees.” Purple and Gold is coordinating fundraising to
restore funding for the Boys Tennis, Volleyball, Wrestling, Golf , Boys Soccer,
and Track programs next year. Donations to Purple and Gold can be made through
board member Kim Blake at Whidbey Island Bank, or mailed to P.O. Box 3124.
Charles Anderson, President of the Community Foundation,
and Paul LeBaron, President of the Schools Foundation continue to be committed
to raising the final $100,000 in matching funds necessary to fully restore
funding for all programs and services for next year. Donations can be made
directly to the foundations and all donations are eligible for matching funds.
To date nearly $200,000 has been raised toward meeting the “Challenge Gift” of
$300,000. Community members wishing to make a contribution may call the
Community Foundation at 378-1001, or the Schools Foundation “SOS Hotline” at
370-7925, or to use the “donate now” secure link on the Foundation website,
www.sjpsf.org. Further, the long range
planning task force has had its initial meeting to consider legislative advocacy
for full funding of basic education. The task force will work through the
summer and fall to develop a long term funding strategy for the next 3-5 years.
Press Release –
June 12, 2008
Donations of
$13,000 Restore More Sports Programs - $10,000 More Needed to Fully Fund Program
– School Administration Forgoes Cost of Living Raise to Increase Matching Fund
Donations by $32,000
Superintendent
Michael Soltman called a meeting of the athletic teams, coaches and parents
Wednesday evening to facilitate additional fundraising to fully fund the
athletic program for next year. An additional $23,000 is required in order to
restore the Boys Tennis, Volleyball, Wrestling, Golf, Boys Soccer, and Track
programs. Sandy Guard, Purple and Gold Board Member, pledged $10,000 on behalf
of the booster club board. Other donors in the audience provided an additional
$3,100 to total more than 50% of the funds needed.
Soltman pointed
to the challenge to raise the remaining $10,000 required within the next week so
that the program can be secured for next year. Sandy Guard said that, "Donations
to Purple and Gold can be made through board member Kim Blake at Whidbey Island
Bank, or mailed to P.O. Box 3124. Planning conversations were also started to
form a longer term funding solution for future years. Soltman said, "These
athletic programs are important to the growth and development of our kids. We
must develop a longer range plan to sustain these opportunities into the
future". Donations should be given to Purple and Gold. All donations will be
matched by the "Challenge Gift".
Soltman also
announced that the administrative team and district office employees have chosen
to forgo the 4.4% cost of living raise and apply the savings to the matching
gift. The superintendent, principals, special education director, and district
office employees issued a statement declaring their "commitment to help to
secure essential programs and services next year and to offer the legislatively
approved raise as further cost savings in the amount of $32,000 and a match for
the challenge gift." Soltman expressed his gratitude to the team for their
personal sacrifice and leadership during this challenging time.
Charles
Anderson, President of the Community Foundation, and Paul LeBaron, President of
the Schools Foundation continue to be committed to raising the final $100,000 in
matching funds necessary to fully fund programs and services for next year.
Donations can be made directly to the foundations and all donations are eligible
for matching funds. Further, the long range planning task force has had its
initial meeting to consider legislative advocacy for full funding of basic
education. The task force will work through the summer to develop a long term
funding strategy.
Press Release – May 29, 2008
Roche Harbor Pledges $10,000 - Rich and Joan Komen Pledge $10,000 - Matching Funds Raised Total $175,000 – Additional
$125,000 Needed to Fully Restore Athletics and Essential Staffing – Long Range
Planning Task Force Forming
Recent gifts through the
“Save Our Schools” Campaign have pushed the matching funds total to $175,000
toward matching a $300,000 “Challenge Gift” to mitigate anticipated program
reductions. Recent pledges of $10,000 each by Roche Harbor Resort, and Rich
and Joan Komen helped the campaign go over the half-way mark toward matching the
challenge gift.
Superintendent Michael
Soltman said, “With matching funds, $350,000 has been raised to restore program
cuts related to a $600,000 budget shortfall. We are now able to restore
classroom teaching positions, the Primary Intervention Program, part of the
athletic program, and some essential secretarial, custodial and student support
services. However another $125,000 must be raised to fully restore our programs
and services for the 2008-09 school year.”
At a school board meeting Wednesday night about
half of the athletic program was restored. However, still unfunded are Boys
Tennis, Volleyball, Wrestling, Golf, Boys Soccer, and Track. The board also
identified staffing cuts in secretarial, custodial, and learning support
positions in the amount of $95,000. Soltman said, “$125,000 will restore these
remaining cuts, $23,000 of which would fully restore the athletic program.”
Paul LeBaron, President of the Schools
Foundation, noted that every dollar raised now is matched by the “Challenge
Gift.” He urges community members wishing to make a contribution to call the
Schools Foundation “SOS Hotline” at 370-7925, or to use the “donate now” secure
link on the Foundation website, www.sjpsf.org.
The school district is
collaborating with members of the Public Schools Foundation and the Community
Foundation to develop a community task force to determine funding needs over the
next 4-5 years, and to begin to identify a long term school funding solution. A
special board meeting is scheduled for June 6th, 10:30 a.m., to hear
presentations from legislative liaisons on current initiatives in the
legislature regarding basic education funding. Representatives from the
Washington Association of School Administrators and the Washington State School
Directors Association will be presenting.
May 7, 2008
District Faces $600,000 Budget Shortfall for 2008-09
Local Donors Support School District with “Challenge Gift” to
Mitigate Anticipated Reduction – Designated Gift Preserves K-12 UW Marine
Program
The Washington State Legislature has progressively, and
chronically, underfunded basic education in our state since “basic education”
was redefined in 1978. Six recent studies estimate that it will now take
another $2.4 billion dollars annually in order to adequately fund our schools.
In 1993 our Washington State was ranked 11th in the nation in
education spending, currently we rank 44th in the nation, behind Mississippi. A recent article in the Bellingham Herald summarizes the challenges to
districts throughout our region -http://www.bellinghamherald.com/255/story/399806.html
Legislation passed this year has resulted in another $100
million dollar shortfall for basic education statewide. Underfunded cost of
living increases and other program reductions are causing school districts
across the state to consider severe program and service reductions. Our
situation is compounded by a trend of declining enrollment over the past
several years due to changing Island demographics. The San Juan Island School District portion of this shortfall is $600,000 for 2008-09.
Without increased local support, this shortfall will cause
class sizes to increase dramatically, and significant cuts or program
reductions in math, science and elective options, arts and vocational programs,
sports and co-curricular programs. Transportation, food services, custodial,
and secretarial support services will be substantially reduced or eliminated.
A summary of possible program reductions and cuts has been created for board
discussion if sufficient funds cannot be identified by May 15th.
At a public meeting on May 1st, community members
took a stand to preserve these programs by raising local funds. Local donors
have coordinated together to make a $275,000 “Challenge Gift” to the School District to mitigate anticipated program reductions. Charles Anderson, Chair of
the San Juan Island Community Foundation Board, said, "These donors are
committed to ensuring that our schools will continue to provide an outstanding
education on San Juan Island." He is optimistic that other donors will
also step forward to preserve our school programs and recognize the importance
of education to a healthy community.
Donations include an anonymous gift through the “Fairway
Fund”, as well as donations from David McCauley, Cloud Oakes, Scott Boden, and
Charles Anderson & Pamela Gross. This collective “challenge gift”
anticipates other successful fundraising efforts planned by the community
including the “Save Our Schools” phone appeal through the San Juan Public Schools
Foundation scheduled for this Thursday evening, 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. Donations can
be made through the Community Foundation or the Public Schools Foundation
website – www.sjpsf.org.
We are also deeply grateful for the generous gift of $10,500
from Carolyn Haugen to preserve the UW Marine Laboratory K-12 Outreach
Program. Carolyn helped launch this program while principal at the elementary
school. Carol’s desire is to preserve what she believes to be an essential
part of our science program, and she urges others to step forward as they are
able to ensure the continued excellence of district programs and services.
It is extremely unlikely that the legislature will take
action in time to preserve the integrity of our schools and our programs,
therefore, we as a community must take action to develop the local resources
necessary to preserve the quality of our schools. The Community Foundation and
the Public Schools Foundation are committed to addressing the immediate
challenge of raising $600,000, and to creating a longer term local funding
solution as well as lobbying the legislature to address the statewide education
funding issue.
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Please
check the SJISD Activities Web Calendar below for
more detailed scheduling of activities.
------------------------------------------
SJISD Activities Web
Calendar
SJISD Community
Building Use Calendar
Direct Link To Friday Harbor High School Athletics Information On:
www.highschoolsports.net
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Athletics Forms online at FHHS
Athletics page
FHES
Supply List for 2008-2009
FHMS_Supply_List_2008-2009
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