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SHORELINE – The Shoreline Public Schools board of directors in their Dec. 12 meeting approved a proposal for a $78.7 million replacement, maintenance and operations levy and another proposal for the sale of $149.5 million of general obligation bonds. The levy, which replaces the four-year levy passed by voters in 2002, will provide the district with about 20 percent of its maintenance and operations needs. The bond will provide for technology, safety and renovation of school facilities. The current combined levy and bond rate for Shoreline is $4.07 per $1,000 assessed valuation. If both proposals pass, the estimated new combined levy and bond rate would be $4.82 – about 75 cents more than the current rate. For the owner of a $300,000 home, this would amount to $225 in additional property taxes per year. The levy and bond propositions will be placed on separate ballots in a Feb. 7, 2006, special election. Proposition 2 – Bonds for Technology, Safety and Renovation of School Facilities Over the past several months, the Bond Advisory Committee, district staff, board members, and other community members reviewed the need for a Capital Bond measure. Last month, the committee recommended that the board place a bond request on the ballot. The board approved the following bond sales: Upon passage, the district would be authorized to sell up to $149.5 million in bonds. In order to keep tax rates stable, no bond sales are planned for 2007. The district would make annual payments on the principal and interest to bond purchasers through proceeds from annual property taxes. To validate this levy and bond proposals, 40 percent of those voting in November must vote. Then, in order for the levy and bond proposals to pass, those voters must approve the proposals by 60 percent. Prop. 2 Bond Issue proposal includes adding science labs at all elementary schools Why elementary science labs are important to you: National experts say:
Local experts say: "Experiences at the elementary school equip students with the vocabulary, lab skills and experience to tackle sophisticated high school labs such as the one pictured here." Kathy Ellingson, Shorecrest High School science department chair * They are all equipped with encyclopedias, atlases, dictionaries, thesauri, graphic organizers, and calendars to name a few. The fact that all students have access all of the time to these tools expands the range of learning and provides educational equity. * Laptops extend the school day because students are able to take all of these tools home with them. * An essential skill of the 21st century is the ability to access and utilize information. Through the laptops, students tap into the vast amount of information available on their computers and on the web, synthesize it and use it to complete daily tasks and classroom projects. What do they replace? * Students no longer need binders or planners because this information is now on the laptop. In addition, students use dictionaries, encyclopedias, atlases, thesauri and calculator installed on the laptops. What do they reduce our reliance on? * Schools use less paper. * In time, textbooks will be available in a digital format so they can be accessed via the laptop. What is the educational benefit? * Many schools have reported gains in achievement test scores, along with significant declines in absenteeism, dropout rates and discipline problems. * Many students learn visually and the laptops give them access to activities and tools that bring learning alive. * Reading and math programs on the laptops can be easily adjusted to meet the academic levels of all students. * They prepare students for the 21st Century, the Information Age * The laptops are extremely engaging and highly motivating for students.
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Citizens for Shoreline Schools | YES! YES! Vote February 7th! | Yes - Shoreline Schools Levy! | Yes - Shoreline Schools Bond!
