STOP – in the name of safety

We hope you’ve already noticed. Because of all the “close calls” in the intersection in the south back parking lot, you’ll see some new stop signs and bright yellow pedestrian caution signs in that area. Thanks to Will Legg and the team for installing signs – and thanks to staff for STOPPING to obey the law and keeping this from becoming a collision course.

Last Week’s Board Meeting Highlights:

  • The Communications Staff presented its program to the Board and shared the list of services on a new website: leagueofschoolcommunicators.org. NEW to the site is the team’s portfolio – a sampling of materials created for internal ESD programs and districts. Take a peek!
  • We celebrate YOUR work at each board meeting! Lots of ESDers were featured during the Employee Recognition that is done each week at the board meeting. Click here for the PowerPoint!
  • Our longtime legislative liaison Marcia Fromhold is retiring. Melissa Gombowski will replace her, representing the state’s ESDs, and Evergreen and Vancouver districts. This service is invaluable as we not only have someone in Olympia to provide regular updates and legislative news, but someone to champion our ESD programs and services.
  • Our ESA applied for Safety Net funding for special education services. Great news – we got more than what was budgeted! $1,121,833 million to be exact.
  • Tim reported that he’s completed visits in the last two months to at least HALF of our districts. Just this month he visited Wishram, Lyle, Longview, Kalama, Castle Rock, Ocean Beach, Wahkiakum, La Center, Kelso and Naselle-Grays River Valley to find out how we are doing. “Everything I heard about the ESD has been positive. Our superintendents appreciate all the support they get from staff and the excellent programs and services,” he reported. That’s something all of us can celebrate!
  • And… just a couple of fun facts:
    • Seven board members make up the ESD board. They come from all regions in our six-county service region. The board member with the furthest drive is Rainer Houser, the newest member of the board, who comes from the beach.
    • Our current Board Chair is Richard Graham who has been on the board since 1997.
    • Our longest serving board member is Marilyn Koenninger, with 29 years of service on the ESD board.

2017-18 District Contracts: From Snail Mail to Email

District contracts make the ESD go’round and the carousel has been VERY slow in past years getting contracts ready and into the hands of the districts. But this year, for the first time ever, districts received the contracts electronically. The ESD Business and Financial Services department reports that 400 contracts were emailed on June 2 – at least two weeks earlier than previous years when contracts were prepared and sent in stacks via courier.

As of today, 128 are already fully executed and returned to the Districts for their records/files.
Many managers and support staff have praised the new system! This took a significant effort from Tyler Wright, Christy Stalcup, Kathy Koren and Patty Pepin in developing and managing the new processes. As in typical ESD-style, this was a great effort and took lots of teamwork to pull this off.

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