WASHINGTON STATE SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Minutes from Board of Trustees Meeting

November 13, 2015

Vancouver, Washington

Board Members Participating: Jim Kemp, Nancy McDaniel, Dennis Mathews, Yang-su Cho, John Glenn, Lorna Walsh, Berl Colley, Cindy Bennett, Michelle Farrell, and Ed Snook.

Ex-Officio Members Participating: JJ Isaacson (Teachers Association), Joleen Ferguson (Washington Council of the Blind), and Michael Freeman (National Federation of the Blind of Washington).

Ex-Officio Members Absent: Scott Hone (Washington Federation of State Employees Local #1225 and Lilly Longshore (Parent Representative).

WSSB Staff Members Participating: Dr. Dean Stenehjem (Superintendent), Kim Curry (School Counselor), and Janet Kurz (recording secretary).

Guests: Denise Colley (Washington Council of the Blind-WCB), Marci Carpenter (National Federation of the Blind-NFB) and Dennis and Marissa Karras from the Karras Consulting Firm.

Executive Session

An executive session was called to order at 9:45am. The executive session ended at 9:55am.

November 13 – 10:00am

Jim called the meeting to order at 10:00am. The group started the meeting by introducing themselves.

Department Updates

Kim Curry (School Counselor)

Kim started her career at WSSB as a contract employee and was later hired as full-time school counselor. Kim worked with a former student to help her with college preparation (ACT, application, scholarships, etc.). Kim has now developed a Career Awareness Program through a computer platform called Yammer where senior students can post comments to one another and Kim can post information regarding ACT information, scholarships, etc. At this time three WSSB students, one student from Everett and one student from Kennewick are enrolled. Kim obtains parental consent before students are allowed to join this online group. She has also contacted Department of Services for the Blind (DSB) counselors to see if they have students who may also want to join group. Discussion was held regarding different scholarships that are available (WCB, NFB, etc.). Michelle asked if Junior-aged students could join; Kim said that at this time she is working out the details and will then start a separate online group for Junior-aged students. Nancy suggested having alumni post information and Cindy stated that she could send her information and offer tips and tricks as she is currently enrolled in college. Kim is also learning more about a program that uses Avatars in a social skills group and would like to explore this option for blind and visually impaired (BVI) students.

Business Meeting:

Old Business:

Approve board meeting minutes of September 18, 2015. Ed moved to approve the minutes as submitted; Lorna seconded the motion. The minutes were approved unanimously.

New Business:

WASA/WSSDA Legislative Conference – January 31-February 1, 2016.

o Dr. Stenehjem will send information to the Board as it becomes available.

Superintendent’s Report

Dr. Stenehjem reviewed the following:

Dr. Stenehjem stated Jennifer Langley (WSSB Music TVI) is working closely with Sean McCormick (WSSB Principal) regarding re-accreditation. The goal is to have all information compiled and submitted by the end of February, 2016 with on-site review occurring in April, 2016. The re-accreditation is being administered by “AdvancEd”. The process entails information primarily be entered online. AdvancED only looks at the on campus program, however WSSB will require all departments to do improvement plans and will have professionals from across the country to come and review them to provide input for WSSB’s Strategic Plan.

There is a lot of training occurring at the WSSB and across the state regarding UEB. A new assessment is being created and the WAC revision discussion with the Professional Educator Standard Board (PESB) will be held in January, 2016 (actual date TBD).

Dr. Stenehjem outlined in his report (below) the things he wants to work on before his retirement (June 2016) with a brief description for each department. Dr. Stenehjem’s goal is to make sure everything is in good condition so a smooth transition can take place and there are good staff in all key positions.

Dennis requested that the Board be aware of what Dr. Stenehjem does and attends. The new Superintendent must be actively engaged. Dr. Stenehjem stated that it is important to stay connected with local districts. Dr. Stenehjem stated that he will introduce the new superintendent to key contacts in Olympia and locally. Jim expressed his concern that the new superintendent understand the funding structure of WSSB, specifically private local funds (19B account).

Dr. Stenehjem stated when he started there was $40,000 in student betterment and there is now $750,000 and he controls those funds very tightly. Dr. Stenehjem worked with staff in Olympia to be able to invest those funds and he would like to recommend that the majority of the betterment funds be given to the Pacific Foundation for Blind Children (PFBC). This would entail changing state law and would mean the PFBC would become the philanthropic branch of the school. Currently, the superintendent is an ex-officio to the PFBC. If funds go to the PFBC from betterment Dr. Stenehjem would suggest a school board member be a board member on the PFBC. Nancy stated that on foundations she is involved in she can designate, via a “legacy society” where she would like her funds to go and asked if the PFBC has something similar. Dr. Stenehjem said they do. Joleen asked what betterment funds are used for; Dr. Stenehjem said it varies from year to year, some years it has been used for Camp Magruder, if state dollars are not there; other items could be clothing, etc. Mike asked how the funds would be differentiated or requested from betterment or PFBC; Dr. Stenehjem said there could be some cross-over. The PFBC has assisted with Summer School programs, Washington DC trip for students (Close-Up), technology, etc. Dr. Stenehjem stated he will work behind the scenes on the PFBC board, but wants to allow the new superintendent to set direction, etc.

Ed asked if there are guidelines for the use of 19B funds. Dr. Stenehjem said they are primarily considered to be emergency funds and expenditures of the funds are discussed in admin. team meetings. Lorna asked if Mary Sarate (WSSB’s Director of Business and Finance) has the depth of understanding of 19B funds. Dr. Stenehjem said that she does and Mary is very like-minded with how the funds are expended (conservative approach).

Dennis asked if McCleary could have any issues with school districts foundations’ funds. Dr. Stenehjem said that is a good question. Ed asked if we have had any push back from the budget folks in Olympia regarding the large balance in private local funds. Dr. Stenehjem said he hasn’t but it is a concern.

Committee Reports

Superintendent Search Committee:

o Dennis said that today WSSB received two completed applications and the consulting firm has received five applications to date.

o Cindy asked what role the other members of the board have in this process. Dennis said from what he knows from his conversations with the search consultant and the Deputy Chief of Staff have informed us is that 1-2 members from the board will be invited to be a part of the interview committee. The consulting firm has asked that the applications being submitted be confidential at this time.

o Ed feels every stakeholder must have the opportunity to be involved in interviews. Dr. Stenehjem said that when he interviewed for the Superintendent’s position in 1990, 1-2 members of the Board were involved in the interviews, as well as members from the Governor’s office. In addition, there was an opportunity for candidates to meet with the teachers, blind consumer groups, staff, etc. Dennis would like to clarify the process with the consulting firm.

o Berl said at the September board meeting, it was his understanding that the consulting firm would be meeting with the Board before sending out the recruitment notice. Berl’s concern is the consumer organizations will only be involved in the process when there are 1-2 candidates. Dr. Stenehjem reported that the recruitment announcement had to be complete before his trip to the Council of Schools/Services for the Blind (COSB) convention in October so that he could assist with the recruiting and that the requirements for the position are established by RCW. Dennis said he could understand the confusion as he was surprised at how quickly the process moved forward. The deadline for applications is December 13 and interviews will take place in February. Ed recommended that Berl speak up at the open forum to express his concerns.

o Ed said that the consulting firm committed to work on the salary issue (increasing the superintendent’s salary to be competitive). Dr. Stenehjem stated it is important to go back to the RCW’s as you are pulling from a very competitive and small market. Ed said he asked Kelly Wicker, Deputy Chief of Staff if private local funds could be used to increase the superintendent’s salary. Ed feels that the consulting firm is not used to working with our type of agency, i.e. blindness specific skills, consumer organizations, etc.

o Lorna feels it is important that the committee has input as to which candidates move forward. Berl expressed his concern that the consumer group organizations aren’t able to provide input, only when the final few candidates are brought forward. Another question is to inquire about interview questions. Denise Colley gave a resolution that was created at the WCB fall convention intended for the Board of Trustees. The resolution includes information regarding the relationship with Dr. Stenehjem, importance of open communication, and expresses concern that the WCB be involved in the process from the beginning (Janet will scan the resolution and email it to the Board).

o Dennis feels responsible in his capacity as Superintendent Search committee chair, that every person has some level of satisfaction that they have input in this process and that is important to him. JJ said she is hearing that the objective be about the client (student); she hears from the consumer groups and the board that the client and customers are the students. JJ feels this agency must be led by someone who understands the expectations and the consumer groups are the biggest advocates who look out for the clients.

o Ed reported that WSSB is $15,000 under the salary cap for the Superintendent’s position and is $80,000 less than other state schools for the blind.

Education Committee:

o Dr. Stenehjem stated that the re-accreditation process will be a focus of the education committee this year. Dr. Stenehjem asked if any Board members had been contacted by Principal, Sean McCormick. Dr. Stenehjem will follow-up with Sean regarding this.

Buildings and Grounds Committee.

o Jim stated the grounds look good.

o Dr. Stenehjem said the pool issue is still moving forward and hopes to begin the repair of the liner and gutter in March, 2016.

o Nancy asked what type of back-up generators WSSB has. Dr. Stenehjem said there are back-up batteries, and also WSSB set-up a system where a generator is on a continuous loop from two different systems. However with this system staff from the Clark PUD have to come to the campus to manually switch the power to the substation north of WSSB. Dr. Stenehjem said WSSB does have two generators that are available.

Management Committee:

o Lorna stated the superintendent search committee has been very active.

Legislative Committee:

o Berl held a conference call in early October. Discussion was held regarding the school’s name change and it was decided to postpone this item. Discussion was also held regarding the funding of the B-3 position (the position was funded but not funds for operation). The committee then discussed the legislative hearings (tied to McCleary) that were being held around the state; Dennis and Dr. Stenehjem attended one of the meetings in Vancouver and there were over 200 people in attendance. Berl said the LIFTT cottage construction was discussed; it was determined this was not the year to request capital project funds. The Superintendent’s salary issue is being handled through the management committee which has been addressing this for several years. Berl would like to schedule another call closer to when the legislature goes into session.

o Dennis and Dr. Stenehjem also attended a meeting at the ESD 112 (state board of education). At that meeting discussion got into TRI funds and the inequitable treatment for teachers across the state. The purpose of the LEAP salary schedule was to ensure equitable salaries; discussion was held to eliminate TRI and to provide equitable salary increases within the LEAP schedule. Dr. Stenehjem will request, in the next biennium budget, 17 additional days to remain competitive with local school districts.

Ex-Officio Reports

Washington Council of the Blind (WCB) (Joleen Ferguson):

o Joleen reported the convention was last week (November 5-7) and they voted in a new President, Steve Fiksdal. Joleen stated that Dr. Stenehjem provided a great presentation about the history of the school at the convention.

National Federation of the Blind (NFB) (Michael Freeman):

o Mike stated the NFB’s state convention was at the end of October. Marci Carpenter is the President of the NFB. At the convention, the NFB presented Dr. Stenehjem an award for his outstanding service. Dr. Stenehjem stated that Mike also got an award. Yang-su reported that the NFB made a resolution regarding transition programs.

Teachers (JJ Isaacson):

o JJ reported that the first quarter just ended and that the teachers and para pros are working hard and being very flexible with students’ needs (schedules, curriculum offered, etc.). There have been a lot of IEP meetings this time of year.

Miscellaneous

Jim reported that he brought three boxes of apples for Board and staff to help themselves.

Dr. Stenehjem said that Jim is getting hip replacement surgery on November 18.

Yang-su attended (in Dr. Stenehjem’s absence) an awards ceremony for the Governor’s Committee on Disability Issues and Employment as WSSB was nominated for an award regarding employers who hire people with disabilities. The Department of Licensing won the award. Dr. Stenehjem stated that he appreciated Yang-su attending in his absence. Dr. Stenehjem stated that 15% of WSSB’s workforce is disabled.

The regular Board meeting adjourned at 11:35am.

November 13 – 12-12:45pm

Lunch with Karras Consulting Firm: Dennis M. introduced Dennis and Marissa Karras from the Karras Consulting Firm.

Dennis K. and Marissa provided a history of their background and an update where the recruitment is at; currently there are five candidates. The soft date for initial application deadline will be extended to February, 2016.

Berl asked about the process; Dennis K. stated they will start interviewing folks as applications come in. After that an extensive background check will be done that will expand past the references that are listed. Berl stated he did not hear mention of stakeholders or consumer group involvement. Dennis K. stated the consumer groups and community will be very involved in meeting with the candidates. Mike stated that both consumer groups would like to be involved and be able to provide input before the final 1-2 candidates are chosen, preferably 5-6 candidates, unless the pool is small.

Mike asked if other attributes will be scrutinized, i.e. the intangibles such as their attitudes towards braille, blindness, do they have political savvy, etc. Dennis K. stated the process hasn’t been laid out yet and they are open to discussions and that they will meet with the selection committee to determine what the panels will be, how many, etc. This can be designed and tailored to meet our needs.

Denise’s concern, on behalf of the WCB, is that currently the WCB has a good relationship and open communication with the current superintendent and wants that to continue and the WCB wants to be included in the entire process. Denise asked who would be developing the interview questions and would they be different from panel to panel, etc. Dennis K. said they are involved in the first third of the process, and that the ultimate decision is made by us. They will be transparent in giving everyone the information, backgrounds, resumes, etc. The next part will be determining how many panels there will be, group meetings, etc. Berl stated he also feels that representation from the alumni group is important.

Ed stated that a large concern of the Board is the salary piece. Ed recalls Kelly Wicker advising the board that she would be pursuing that and that it had to go through a committee that sets salaries; WSSB is below the maximum that is set forth by the salary committee. Dennis K. said they have not been actively engaged in that process and feels the search committee needs to follow up with Kelly. Dennis K. felt that having salary survey data is important. Ed stated that he submitted that information over a year ago.

Marci Carpenter, President of the NFB of Washington and Denise reiterated that they would like to work hand in hand with the selection committee on the Board.

Denise asked if there are no qualified applicants before the closing date occurs, what happens. Dennis K. stated they will keep looking.

November 13 – 1-3pm

Open Forum with Karras Consulting Firm to discuss Superintendent recruitment.

Dennis Mathews introduced Dennis and Marissa Karras. Marissa provided a background history and their experience. Marissa then reviewed the process for recruitment, applications, interviews, panels, etc.

Marci Carpenter, President of the NFB, spoke about the importance of the candidate’s attitude, belief of viability in braille, STEM, independent travel for blind children, etc. Marci feels the consumer organizations need to have a representative early on, aside from what the board committee has established. Marci also strongly encouraged the Karras Consulting team to consult with the NFB and ACB affiliates in candidates’ home town because they may have knowledge regarding the candidate.

Berl felt the intangibles are what appeal to the consumer groups; i.e. superintendents attend state and national conventions, commitment to be available for extra duties, etc.

Mike Bicknell (WSSB Digital Research/Development Coordinator) felt that having someone that has technology knowledge is important and someone who has been involved with digital initiatives.

Doug Trimble (WSSB Orientation & Mobility Specialist) felt that the candidate should have knowledge of technology that blind people use and that someone who will be a strong leader, works with the school building, outreach, residential and can bring people together. Also someone who has worked in the education of blind children, thorough knowledge of expanded core curriculum; academics, state rules, national, ADA, IDEA, etc. as it pertains to the education of blind students.

Denise C. stated that although you have teachers who can teach blind skills, the superintendent sets the tone for the school and if someone doesn’t truly believe that students can be independent that can trickle down to the staff. Denise also feels that consumer groups needs to have input into what they are willing to give up and what to keep, and need to be a part of that discussion should a candidate not have all of the required qualifications. The Karras consultants stated they would prefer to keep searching rather than compromising.

Rob Tracey (WSSB Facilities Manager) feels it would be nice to have a candidate that has some facility and technical background.

Jennifer Langley (WSSB Music TVI) stated that this position reports directly to the Governor, and that having someone who is eloquent with speech and can advocate for needs, and is the direct link for funding, and also being politically savvy is important.

Berl said the candidate has to be willing and believe in coordination of services with other directors of blindness agencies (Department of Services for the Blind, Washington Talking Book and Braille Library, etc.). Berl stated Dr. Stenehjem has done an excellent job or creating positive partnerships.

Cindy Bennett felt it is important to have a candidate who understands the importance of sports and fitness and also have an appreciation for the student’s overall health and belief in participating in extra-curricular activities.

Judy Koch-Smith (WSSB Orientation & Mobility Instructor) asked what the cut-off date is for applications. The Karras firm stated it will be extended past December 13, and the recruitment notices does state that the position is open until filled.

Doug asked if panels will have opportunity to interact with finalists. The Karras Consulting firm said yes.

There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 1:30pm. The next Board meeting will be held via conference call on January 13, 2016 at 7:30pm.

James Kemp, Chair Dean O. Stenehjem, Ed.D.

Superintendent

Board Reports – November 2015

Outreach

During the first two months of the school year, the Outreach staff has been busy promoting independence for all of their students. Our teachers are currently working with 216 students in about 33 school districts. On top of their daily work, they’ve also spent time outside of the school day promoting independence for kids and gaining new skills in the following ways:

· On September 24, Karen Mowry coordinated a recreational activity with the NW Association of Blind Athletes in Woodland, WA. Multiple families gathered to participate in tandem biking and beep baseball. It was a great opportunity for socializing and networking.

· During the first week of October, Pam Parker and I attended the American Printing House for the Blind (APH) Annual Meeting. Pam had been selected as an APH Scholar, which gave her the opportunity to learn about new APH products and network with educators from around the country. She served as a great representative from WSSB.

· On October 23, our Outreach staff met in Olympia, WA for our fall meeting. We were joined by other professionals, which increased our attendance to thirty educators. Kevin Hughes from Humanware showed us a new product, and many in attendance presented new ideas and provided great discussion.

· Based on the positive response to the September event, Colleen Johnson coordinated another fall event that took place on October 29. Over a dozen children and their parents showed up (many in costume) to hear stories, carve pumpkins, and simply have fun with their peers

I’ve been spending time with each teacher in our department within their own regions. I’m astounded by the quality of work being done by our staff and their dedication towards advocating for students and their independence. I look forward to seeing more work being done in Washington and working with others to find new ways for our Outreach department to grow professionally while continuing to provide quality services to students.

Digital/Distance Learning

A technology plan is in the final stages of being complete. The final plan will be shared with the Board for their review in the next 30-60 days.

On Campus

Enrollment

Our current total school program enrollment is 60. This includes 48 on campus students, 8 distance education students, and 4 Learning Independence for Today and Tomorrow (LIFTT) students. It is anticipated that the on campus program may have 2 more students returning to WSSB within the near future.

The First Quarter

The on campus education programs have experienced a display of great growth, struggle, and opportunity. Students are the major focus of the continued instructional improvement we’re striving for with on campus programs. This year’s focus is to build on our partnerships between staff, students, staff and students, parents, and the community. These partnerships can be illustrated through the dedication of our students attending Hudson’s Bay, Clark College, Clark County Skills Center programs, community based work placements, and the students attending digital classes from outside our region. While the external partnerships are critical to expanding the opportunities, the on campus programs continually adjusts to better meet the needs of the students. In our high school TRAILS program, we are focusing on integrating the expanded core curriculum in the areas of transition, social and communication skills, community involvement, career awareness, recreation, applied academics, and independent living skills. Led by Kim Johnson and Brooke Richardson, the TRAILS programs utilizes a strong focus on project and themed based learning for their assessment of learning, with an emphasis on community experiences.

While the grades have not all been posted for the term, students have clearly demonstrated a commitment to their schooling. In the classroom, teachers are continually looking to engage students in the learning process, ask questions, and develop meaning as a part of their learning process. Students continue to embrace our school’s positive behavior intervention and supports program, PRIDE. PRIDE allows students given a “paw” to turn into the office to earn points for their team in the monthly competition and a chance to win in the weekly PRIDE drawing at the Friday assembly. Prizes have been donated by parents to continue to support WSSB PRIDE.

Updates:

Accreditation- Student and parent surveys have been conducted and returned with enough responses to meet the response rate criteria. The staff survey will be conducted during November and conclude before December 1. Accreditation teams will meet in their respective areas of: purpose and direction; governance and leadership; teaching and assessing learning standards; using results for continuous improvement; resources and support systems.

Open House – October 22 was WSSB’s annual Open House. Parents, volunteers, resident life staff, and students were welcomed to this evening to take a look at student work and have a chance to connect with various teaching staff. The evening included a couple of classrooms with an open invite to families to attend via Skype, resource tables, robotics demo, a poetry wall, open doors to the cottages, and even an impromptu student musical performance by the Irwin building entrance.

Goalball – students on the Lion’s Goalball team have participated in several competitions this fall in Vancouver, Tacoma, and Florida. The girls’ team has demonstrated their skills to be competitive nationally, while the boys have some impressive rising stars.

Summer Programs

It’s only November, but we are already planning for summer programs. WSSB is partnering with the Department of Services for the Blind (DSB) to host their SKILS camp for children ages 5 to 9 years old for a day camp program. This will be in addition to the Youth Employment Solutions (YES) 1 camp, summer school/camp for school age youth that are blind or visually impaired (BVI).

For adults, Portland State University (PSU) plans to host up to half their instruction at WSSB during their summer session for Teacher of the Visually Impaired (TVI) candidates. This will be a great opportunity to have teachers in training see our campus, get exposure to working with students attending the camps, and continue this university partnership. Separate training sessions on campus will include the EPIQ training for teachers working with students that are BVI and teaching those students computer programming skills. Later in the summer, we will have Dr. Christine Roman return to provide a training workshop on cortical visual impairments (CVI).

Upcoming Events:

December 17 Winter Holiday Program - soup & salad dinner at 5pm, concert at 6pm.

Residential

LIFTT

We have four students in LIFTT this year, and at this time they are fully engaged in their learning programs. One is at Clark College, one is at a vocational training school, and two are engaged in work activity, currently involved in several volunteer programs. They are hardworking students excited to learn skills of independence.

Health Center

We currently have 5 students on the self-directed medication plan, 2 of which are independently performing their own daily shots. Another student arrived at the school not being able to do her own eye drops and now she is doing them almost completely independently! 2 more students will be starting the self-directed medication plan soon.

We currently have five on call nurses who all have other full time work, so we recently hired Feliks Polyakov, who was a student nurse with us last year. We have two student nurses this quarter and expect to get 2-3 each quarter/semester. They come from Clark College or University of Portland.

At our Flu Shot Clinic in October the Seattle Visiting Nurses Association vaccinated about 20 students and staff.

The Puget Sound Blood Mobile will come in January for our first blood drive of the school year, and it will return a time or two more before the school year is over.

Most of the staff who received Fitbits or Misfits are using them to track their activity. The Health Center has sponsored two contests that have had great staff participation. It’s wonderful to see people so excited and motivated to be physically active and they are wonderful role models for our students.

Residential

The Residential Dept. has been busy getting to know our new students and participating in assessments, goal setting and developing daily routines. Libby Pitts, Residential Dean, is doing a masterful job of managing this busy department.

We have spent the month of October working on our focused Daily Living Skills (DLS) theme of “hygiene”. We have done interactive learning sessions on hair, nails, personal cleanliness, shaving and bra fitting at an off campus location. We will end the monthly theme with a visit from a dental hygienist working with students on proper dental hygiene.

We have an after school social group for girls to learn some of these all–important skills. Hall Cottage girls cheered on one of the girls and her Hudson’s Bay HS teammates at one of her swim meets this month. The older students are working on getting the coffee shop up and running in the evening hours, and staff and students have been working to find the best time and setting for an evening study hall to support success.

Weekend Transportation

Tess Scholl, Residential Dean, has learned the ins and outs of student travel. She has learned the process, and is managing the scheduling for the students who fly weekly as well as the Charter bus trips. She works with the staff that is involved in transporting and travelling with the students, and is on call on travel days for all the inevitable things that come up. She deserves commendation for mastering the processes in such a short amount of time.

Business Office

2015-17 Operating Budget

We closed the month of September with a -2% variance. Managers will be looking at their budgets to determine whether allocations need to be re-allotted.

In fund 19B we ended with a 2% variance.

2015-17 Capital Budget

In capital, we ended with a balance of $705,038. Variances are not as critical in capital as we are not required to close the books on a biennium basis as opposed to annually. Also, with capital there are many variables affecting our ability to stay within allotted timelines such as weather, contractors, when school is in session, etc. The critical piece, of course, is staying within budget.

Washington State Budget Process

For the benefit of our new members on the board and as a refresher for the rest of us, I’m going to provide a quick summary of how the state’s biennial budget cycle works. Budgets are enacted on a two-year cycle, beginning on July 1 of each odd-numbered year. The budget approved for the 2015-17 biennium remains in effect from July 1, 2015–June 30, 2017. By law, the Governor must propose a biennial budget in December, the month before the Legislature convenes in regular session. The biennial budget enacted by the Legislature can be modified in any legislative session through changes to the original appropriations. Since the inception of annual legislative sessions in 1979, it has become common for the Legislature to enact annual revisions to the state’s biennial budget. These revisions are referred to as supplemental budgets. The Governor submits his supplemental budget to the Legislature the first week in December, 2015.

2016 Supplemental Budget

We submitted a supplemental decision package for funding the 2^nd half of our Birth-3 program. During the 2015-17 budget cycle, we received only half of our request which funds the position but not implementation.

Performance Measures

We reported on the following measures (the measures below are done on a quarterly basis):

#1584 Cumulative Digital Learning courses: 5

#1585 Percent of WSSB high school students enrolled in online classes: 49%

#1586 Braille distributed on time: 100%

#1590 Braille Transcription: 101,796 pages

#1591 Training of teachers/Paraprofessionals: 9,170 (note: this includes online use of resources)

#1593 Number of students on campus: 60

#1594 Off-Campus Services: 608

We submitted the following new measures and are waiting for approval:

#2763 Ogden Resource Center (ORC) Satisfaction Survey

#2764 LIFTT Students education/employment

#2765 LIFTT Satisfaction Survey

#2767 Number of Birth to Three Children

#2768 Birth to Three Children Receiving Services

We are emphasizing to staff the importance of reporting data as it plays an important role in telling our story to legislators and their staff when it comes to funding and advocating for our programs. Also, this data is key in making smart future programmatic decisions.

Human Resources

New Hires:

· Substitute Teacher – Suzanne Day and Marc McAlexander

· On-Call Teacher’s Assistant – Marc McAlexander, and Sayra McCarthy

· On-Call RLC – Sayra McCarthy

· On-Call Nurse – Felik Polyakov

Open Recruitments:

· Superintendent

· On-Call Cook

· On-Call Custodian

· On-Call RLC

· On-Call Teacher’s Assistant

Trainings/Functions Attended:

· 2016 PEBB Benefits Presentation – facilitated by Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA)

· HR Managers Meeting – facilitated by Franklin Plaistowe and Marcos Rodriguez

· Quarterly Risk Manager’s Meeting – Office of Risk Management

· Expanding Telework and Flexible Work Hours (will be determined if appropriate for the individual’s job where it enhances service delivery while allowing for flexibility)

In addition, I am working with managers to set my work schedule to allow for more time with staff on various shifts to meet with employees and take care of H.R. related needs. This is part of increasing the “H” in Human Resources, which is tied to continually improving customer service.

Ogden Resource Center (ORC)

Fall is off to a busy and productive start at the ORC.

September/October at ORC:

Braille Production: Braille production continued to thrive and with turn-over at the Women’s Correctional Center (WCCW), our two new transcribers are a welcome addition to the team.

While attending the annual APH meeting in Louisville, KY, I heard great things about our prison program. APH staff publicly shared that Washington has the best program (California is also highly regarded) and that we are the only program that is transcribing university level work.

APH has also selected one of our offender transcribers as a finalist for the Braille Transcription Apprentice Program in Louisville, KY. The program is highly competitive and aims to help former offenders re-enter society and the workforce as professional braille transcribers. Beyond the technical transcription skills and equipment needed to begin a career as a braille transcriber, offenders are helped with basic life skills such as finances and interpersonal skills.

September Braille Statistics:

Braille re-production: 139 books, 1 to 30 volumes each

Original braille transcription: September: 10,880 braille pages; 1,528 tactiles

Large Print Production: 33 large print books were produced and shipped in September.

October Braille Statistics:

Braille re-production: 128 books, 1 to 39 volumes each

Original braille transcription: September: 10,127 braille pages; 2,229 tactiles

Large Print Production: 14 large print books were produced and shipped in September.

Current happenings:

· ORC-Online is up and running. Despite a bumpy start, it appears to be working well for most people at this time.

· Braille Class for Beginners: Zach Lattin is teaching a beginning braille class. This is the first ORC beginning braille class teaching UEB. 18 students are taking the class with more than half attending via Skype from the Spokane area.

Buildings and Grounds

Capital

· Rework of the pool is still on the list of projects we are pursuing. We have been unsuccessful in getting a second company to submit a bid and have tried to arrange for on-site meetings with two additional firms. One of these firms only does residential and the other failed to return emails and calls. Based on this, we are back in touch with the original contractor.

· After walking the campus with the energy service contractor and the Department of Enterprise Services (DES) energy representative, it was determined that we do not have any projects with enough potential energy savings that we can afford with the current budget. We have therefore cancelled the energy audit. We will however, be making some changes to the gym heating system by upgrading the computer controls, doing a service and reevaluation on the three north side heating units and reworking the heating return system in the recreation room. This will be done both in house and with the help of a local controls contractor.

Campus

· We replaced the campus lawnmower with a 39 horsepower Kubota. Feedback from those who have used it is very favorable both for its’ ability to mow through tall damp grass, maneuverability and ease of maintenance.

· The boiler serving hot 140 degree sanitizing water to the kitchen dishwasher and all custodial sinks in Old Main developed pinhole leaks in the copper feed lines. We called for a plumber to rework the 1.5” line and when they arrived discovered that the boiler itself has failed also. In discussing options, it was decided to replace the unit with a high efficiency water heater instead of trying to salvage the 20-year old boiler and tank combination. This was done on an emergency purchase as the Department of Health (DOH) requires a high rise for the dishwasher. It also corrected four different mistakes that the original installation had.

· We have been reworking damaged areas around campus where the intense heat of last summer caused plants and grass areas to die. The north side of the gym parking lot has been cleared off and prepared for adding a different groundcover that is better able to resist the heat that area receives. The bell tower courtyard also will require several new arborvitaes.

· This year we were required to add our utility use for electricity and natural gas to a statewide energy star program. All buildings with meters had to be entered along with square footage, primary use and how often it was used. This information, along with gas purchased for vehicles and miles traveled is then used to track our greenhouse gas emissions. We have been doing this same type of energy tracking in house for the past 13 years.

· We performed our first computer based emergency notification test last month. We were able to send out 102 test messages and track how many answered their phone, went to voice mail or computer. We have now extended the number of people receiving the alerts to include DSB employees on campus as well as Daycare management.

Birth-3

Many ongoing projects are progressing in the Birth to 3 Program here at WSSB. The primary project is the development of the Practice Guide for Birth to 3 Services for Children with BVI.  This Practice Guide was requested by the state’s Part C program Early Support for Infants and Toddlers (ESIT) and will be used for technical support to all local lead agencies in each county across the state. The Practice Guide includes 5 components including 1) Pathways to Services, 2) Guidance with APH Federal Quota, 3) Early Intervention Agency Self-Evaluation Tool, 4) Areas to Address with All Families, and 5) BVI Registry.  The practice guide is in a completed draft format, however ESIT recently requested that the BVI be combined with Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Since these two practice guides are aligned in the components, this should be an easy task. The training modules being created with also be combined and held in February. Both the practice guide and training materials is a part of DeEtte’s partnership with Kris Ching from Center for Deafness and Hearing Loss (CDHL).

The most critical component of the Practice Guide is the BVI Registry. This has been introduced to the state’s Local Lead Agencies, though is not fully implemented yet. However with the 3 largest counties (King, Snohomish, and Pierce) having designated Birth to 3 TVIs, known as Early Intervention Visual Impairment Specialists (EIVIS), our current number is at 136. While EIVIS are not the targeted completer of this registry as FRC (Family Resource Coordinators) are, they are highly assistive in the agencies implementing the process into their procedures.

DeEtte continues to travel around the state assisting programs with identifying visual impairments and technical assistance in the form of home visit consultations. Counties visited in August, September and October include Pierce, Snohomish, Clark, Kitsap, Columbia, Walla Walla, Benton, Franklin, Asotin, Grays Harbor, Pacific, Clark, Whitman, and Yakima. She is spending a lot of time in the eastern part of the state. She also attended both east and west side local lead agency meetings in August and she will continue to attend on quarterly basis. This has proved to be a great way to develop partnerships around the state.

Current projects:

· Mentoring new EIVI Specialist in Snohomish

· Meeting on monthly basis with EIVIS Work Group on state and county systems. There are 8 participants who are designated EIVI Specialists in western counties. Goal is to also include the east side in group.

· Developing Tele-Intervention model of practice

· Planning Family Connections Workshop (Topic: Transition to Preschool) to be held this summer/early fall

· Planning B-3 Summer Institute for TVIs

· Babies Count, a national BVI registry Washington will participate

· EIVI Specialist certificate program at PSU

Superintendent

Accreditation/Program Improvement Plans:

WSSB is in the working on the self-study component of re-accreditation with completion of the study this February, 2016 with onsite to occur in April, 2016.

· Jennifer Langley is working with Sean McCormick as the lead in this process. Since the accreditation process is designed for public school day programs, we have always expanded the process to get feedback on all programs. As part of this I have asked all departments to also include program improvement plans that we can also send to the reviewers. We know that AdvancEd will only concentrate on the on-campus (typical school aspects, but we believe it is important to gain feedback on all aspects of our program/services). Therefore, we usually bring in an expanded team with expertise in residential schools and ask for their review of programs outside of the AdvancEd process. AdvancEd accreditation area: Irwin – Education Program (kind of the building/school accreditation)

o Other Areas: Residential, LIFTT, Ogden Resource Center – (Instructional Resource Center/Braille Production), Birth to Three Services, Outreach Services, and Online Learning (technology plan update).

The feedback we receive as part of this process is used to guide future strategic planning and program improvement, which drives our budget request.

Budget:

· Capital Budget: [currently we have $705,038 available to assist with campus preservation projects which need to be completed by June 30, 2017]

o Pool repair/renovation: Refinishing inside of the pool after removal of a defective liner, work on the pools gutter system and some mechanical/electrical work (est. $350,000)

o Energy/HVAC related work (est. $ 30,000)

o Technology Infra-structure (est. $ 50,000)

o Roofing repair/rejuvenation (est. $275,038) (less if able to recoat roof membrane)

Total: $705,038

· Operating Budget (overall running just about even as the end of September):

o State General Funds: ($136,306) -2% variance

o Private local -19-B: $118,922 2% variance

· Safety Net Funding Request:

o WSSB will be applying for funding for three high needs students. Application materials are due February, 2016 and WSSB will find out in June whether we were successful. The request will be in the range of $200,000 and is necessary for the school to meet payroll and provide for the needs of these students. WSSB requested Safety Net funds at the urging of the Office of Financial Management (OFM) rather than submitting a supplemental budget this fall. Safety Net only covers a portion of the cost for the positions tied to the high needs students.

· Unified English Braille (UEB): A group of teachers, a university professor, braille proofreaders, blind consumers from the IRC, and administrators have been working on needed changes to the Washington Administrative Code (WACs), as part of the adoption process to UEB and the need to establish a new exam. On November 5 a meeting to review the WAC change and gather feedback is being conducted by the Professional Educators Standards Board (PESB). Note: as of November 4 the PESB changed the hearing on WAC revision to sometime in January–TBA.

· Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA):

President Barack Obama signed the WIOA into law on July 22, 2014. WIOA is designed to help job seekers access employment, education, training, and support services to succeed in the labor market and to match employers with skilled workers they need to compete in the global economy. Congress passed the Act by a wide bipartisan majority; it is the first legislative reform in 15 years of the public workforce system. WIOA supersedes the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 and amends the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act, the Wagner-Peyser Act, and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. In general, the Act takes effect on July 1, 2015, the first full program year after enactment, unless otherwise noted. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) will issue further guidance on the timeframes for implementation of these changes and proposed regulations reflecting the changes in WIOA soon after enactment.

o Requires 15% of Vocational Rehabilitation Federal funds be spent on transition related services.

o DSB is working with WSSB in exploring a number of pilot programs and additional partnerships that could be formed to enhance transition services. Some of the pilots could lead to expansion throughout the state; however, everyone is still waiting on the regulations at this time.

o WSSB and DSB are exploring the option of hiring a job placement specialist to work with students at WSSB and with the local DSB office. This person would become a WSSB employee, develop excellent skills about blindness and also have great skills in working with the business community. Much work still needs to be done to bring this to fruition.

o The changes brought forward under WIOA should help provide additional opportunities for those students during transition from High School to work and/or college.

· Fall Meetings/Conventions:

Fall is always a busy time with national meetings/conventions and WA State Blind Consumer Conventions:

o October: Council of Schools/Services for the Blind (COSB) and APH Annual meeting in Louisville, KY.

§ Very good meetings and also gave me a chance to circulate information on the Superintendent’s position at WSSB beginning June of 2016.

§ Since this time information has been sent out to all COSB Schools/agencies through the COSB listserv and also through the Principals Association of COSB (POSB). In addition, information has gone out to the blind consumer organizations, university TVI/O&M/Admin. programs, American Foundation for the Blind and Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind (AER).

o National Federation of the Blind Annual Fall Conference (SeaTac):

§ October 31-November 2: The conference was well attended and gave me an opportunity to thank the NFB of WA for the tremendous interest and support they have given WSSB/BVI students throughout Washington. I was also surprised and overwhelmed with the nice recognition I received and the presentation of a plaque at their evening banquet.

§ Many good presentations from members, national representatives, state agency personnel, families and students.

o Washington Council of the Blind Annual Fall Conference (SeaTac):

§ November 5-7: This report was submitted to the board before the conference, so I will fill the board in at the meeting on November 13.

Transition Planning – Superintendent’s Notes to the Board:

Transition Timelines which will probably be tweaked during the next months, but I wanted to provide the board with a good idea of how I am trying to prepare for a smooth transition.

I. Establish key timelines for transition

· Letter of planned retirement to Governor’s office May, 2015

· Board of Trustees establishes transition/search committee: Dennis Mathews, Chair, Ed Snook, Yang-su Cho, John Glenn, WSSB H.R. staff Anne Baker, and Executive Assistant to the Board, Janet Kurz.

· Board meeting with Governor’s office – Sept, 2015 to move process forward

· Karras Consulting Firm is contracted by Governor’s office to handle search

· First cut of documents available on October 5

· Dr. Stenehjem distributed announcement at COSB Leadership Institute and APH Annual Meeting – Louisville, KY – October 6-10, 2015

· Job Announcement sent out to all Schools/Agencies for the Blind – which are part of Council of Schools/Services for the Blind (COSB) – October 8 and 12

· Targeted announcement sent out week of October 12 and/or 19

· Application deadline: December 13, 2015

· Interviews: February, 2016

· Reference checks

· Selection: March, 2016 [process needs yet to be established by the board/governor’s office]; recommendations presented to the Governor for his selection

· New Superintendent begins third or fourth week in June, 2016 allowing for transition time between new and departing Superintendent

· Departure time for current superintendent: June 30, 2016

· New Superintendent takes over July, 1, 2016

II. Re-accreditation Process Conducted 2015-2016

· Accreditation of on-campus program

o Self-study – completed by February, 2016

o On-site review/validation completed April, 2016

· Along with accreditation, all departments will have updated program improvement plans completed by February, 2016

o Technology Plan – Mike Bicknell

o ORC – Jennifer Fenton

o Residential (including Health Center and LIFTT Program) – Lori Pulliam

o Birth to Three – DeEtte Snyder

o Outreach Program – Emily Coleman

o On-campus/Education – this will be covered by the accreditation process – Sean McCormick

III. Strategic Plan was updated in 2015 and will be ready for an update based upon information ascertained from the accreditation and program improvement plans. This should be good information for the board and the new superintendent. [An update of the strategic plan should take place in spring of 2016, prior to building the next biennium budget – 2017-2019].

· Campus structure is in good shape. As part of the strategic plan and budgeting process, a 10 year plan was updated in 2015 for capital needs. This plan should be updated every two years and becomes the basis for preservation projects and major capital expenditures which would need to be requested from the legislature and should be program driven.

· Program direction will continue to change with the time and this should be incorporated into the strategic plan; and programs/services that are no longer viable should go through a sunset process.

IV. Current assessment of department:

· On-campus (education – primarily Irwin)

Goal: 2015-2016 – Irwin on-campus – Sean directly over this area

o TPEP fully implemented (using Danielson Model)

o Support structure in place for employees/students. This will be tweaked during the school year.

o Psychologist – January/February – hopefully have this position secured for the next school year through a direct hire or contract with ESD 112.

o 2016-2017 – Director of On-Campus over Education/Residential with supportive oversight in all programs [sub-structure yet to be determined, but will be in place before transition is completed].

o Data collection – both quantitative and qualitative will continue to be important process that needs to be followed in all program areas to assist in making wise decisions.

o Lori Pulliam will step down as Director of Residential and move back into a teaching/ coordinating position with LIFTT the end of the 2015-2016 school year.

§ Residential Department Supervision to be determined – target January/February 2016

o Currently reviewing best possible solution for supervision and direction which could include more shared leadership concepts with teaching staff.

· Director of Outreach/State Vision Consultant:

o As outreach continues to expand, Emily may need additional support with a part-time administrator to adequately supervise and provide direction to this program. If this is done:

§ I would recommend that the ORC [IRC/BAC] move under the supervision of outreach. This is where it was located, but I moved it directly under the Superintendent to take some pressure off outreach. The Outreach Director/State Vision Consultant is an Ex-Officio Trustee who is responsible for the largest number of students in the state so there is a close tie to this program [recommendation for this move would be up to the new Superintendent – but I would recommend July 1, 2017 if this were to occur].

o Data collection – both quantitative and qualitative will continue to be an important process that needs to be followed in all program areas to assist in making wise decisions.

· Ogden Resource Center [IRC/BAC]: Jennifer is new to this program, which was under the leadership of Colleen Lines since the formation of the BAC and the transfer or the IRC to WSSB, and then consolidation of the two programs.

o Some revamping of operations may need to be done to examine ways of gaining additional efficiencies without sacrificing quality. With the loss of high-stakes assessment transcription over a year ago, the program lost its ability to be totally self-supporting at this time. We believe the demand for braille is out there, but a marketing plan will need to be put in place as part of a business plan. I believe the ORC will once again be self-sufficient. This is not something that has occurred on Jennifer’s watch, but occurred before she arrived. NOTE: This service has not always been self-supporting, but this is the goal]. I’m confident that we can once again move back to a self-supported model.

§ GOAL: To have a system in place by the end of this school year (2015-2016). However, it may take an additional year to be where we would like to financially be with the program.

o Staff will be involved in helping to determine ways to gain efficiency and continually improve on customer service.

· Birth to Three Department: Awareness, awareness, awareness and training, training, training has created a situation where the demand for appropriate services is growing at a tremendous rate. DeEtte Snyder was hired in August, 2015 to head up this new position as state coordinator of B-3 BVI and things are changing. WSSB was able to secure funding for half of our budget request for the B-3 program during this last legislative session which funded the position, but not operations. We continue to support this through soft dollars, but this needs to become a priority.

o Goal I: Secure funding for the operations part of the decision package during the 2016 session.

o Continue to provide statewide training.

o Identify 300 B-3 BVI children by the end of 2015-2016 and I.D. another 100 - 2016-2017.

o Continue to work on adding classes at PSU in the BVI program for B-3.

o Work with the HCA, Dept. of Health, OSPI, etc. in gaining approval for Early Intervention BVI Services under Medicaid along with approval for O&M. O&M goes beyond B-3.

o Continue to recruit and try and help private sector and public sector providers locate TVI’s to assist in meeting the needs of BVI students/families.

NOTE: B-3 works very closely with Outreach Services–coordination between these two areas is vital. Emily and DeEtte share an office space and have a strong working relationship.

NOTE: If sizeable billing begins to occur through Medicaid (3^rd party billing) either a part-time staff person may need to be added or service contracted with the ESD #112. This is all contingent on changes within the Dept. of Health and HCA at the state level.

· School Wide Technology/Digital Learning: NOTE: This should be one of the fastest growing departments/services based upon needs throughout our state and the country, but we have to guarantee we have solid leadership and plans to help bring teachers who ultimately will be the provider of quality services along with this system change. BVI children are spread throughout each state and are a low incidence population with unique needs that need the best services in a timely manner. Digital/online learning can be an important part of the solution, however, WSSB cannot do this alone and others with expertise throughout the country need to be engaged if we are truly to be successful. Leadership is going to key in making this happen.

o Currently Mike Bicknell supervises technology staff including online learning with two support tech staff and contracted hours through ESD #112.

o Should the department be restructured?

· Online learning–separate department or part of on-campus? Recently we moved Mike into the office next to Sean to assist with better coordination between online and on-campus.

· Tech/Network: Should this be under another department?

o Technology plan is being updated and needs to also address a solid plan for online learning which is strategic in moving this issue forward in partnership with others which will be a leading document for budgetary requests to Olympia and to private foundations.

o WSSB’s website needs to be updated and be more interactive to become more user friendly while retaining 100% accessibility and usability standards. Danya Borowski has excellent skills in programming and understanding accessibility. The question is whether we build this ourselves and/or work with an outside company. Our experience in the past is that even through many web-designers say they understand accessibility/usability – most lack in this area. When WSSB moves forward with a new website the new site will not be released until it is tested by users to guarantee that we do not run into problems with access.

· Facilities/Grounds/Food Service: The campus overall is in good shape thanks to Rob Tracey, Facility Manager. Rob has good ideas of what needs to be done and is always looking for efficiencies and grant opportunities, while not being afraid to get in the trenches with his small crew and solve problems and make necessary repairs. Rob also has oversight of the kitchen and custodial staff.

o Complete capital projects for the 2015-2017 biennium. Currently we have delayed a few projects while waiting to determine the overall costs on pool renovations due to a defective and poorly installed pool liner and problems with the gutters. One bid has been secured, but it has been difficult to get additional bidders. Rob is working with DES’ architectural/engineering services in Olympia on this. Once we have this in process a small handful of other minor work preservation projects will move forward.

o 2017-2019: Rob will work with current superintendent and new superintendent in the submittal of future preservation projects based upon 10-year plan, which may also include the building of a new LIFTT Cottage.

· Business: Mary Sarate has done a good job in putting systems back in place that eroded when Olympia felt that business and some H.R. could be done from the state level, which did not work. It has taken almost two years to straighten everything out, but we are now back on track thanks to Mary’s diligence and eye for detail.

o Supervises three employees in the business office; may need to add an employee if third party billing expands and some business office duties that are now being done by Jackie (front office personnel who supports Outreach) expand. I see this happening within one year. Jackie should probably be assigned full time to Outreach (Outreach ages 3-12 and Birth-3). This may mean that someone else will need to be at the front desk and/or Jackie continues to be located at the front desk with primary duties being Outreach and business functions going back to the business office. If this is to occur we may need to see if additional funds collected can help support Jackie’s position along with some state funding from B-3. Maybe Jackie could handle the third party processing if this is primarily tied to outreach.

· Human Resources (H.R.): Anne Baker has done a good job in pulling together a solid H.R. shop for the school with good connections with Olympia.

o Solid work on policy/procedures tied to H.R. have been done and are currently being updated as needed. Goal is to have all policies and procedures current and in great shape before I retire.

o Solid understanding of our bargaining units and collective bargaining agreements are in place.

o Anne has also done a good job in getting a solid handle on Labor & Industries (L&I) claims in not only tracking these, but working with L&I with potential resolutions.

The H.R. and Business side of the school need to work very closely together, it might be worth exploring placing H.R. under the Business and Finance Director; I think this may make for a smoother and more cohesive department.

· Evaluations/files, etc.:

o All evaluations that I conduct will be completed and up to date.

o All files will be current, organized and labeled.

o Electronic files will be reviewed. Information will be purged where necessary to assist in easier access to information. Janet and I both work off similar files. However, all superintendent files are also in the Vault (computer based record management system and are retained/archived in perpetuity by state law).

V. Develop Leadership Notebook:

· All computer files will be in good shape to assist with the transition.

· Janet and I work very closely together so I keep her well informed and we try and work off the same files. Janet will be key in the transition process and a great resource.

· Policy/Procedures are being reviewed and updated as needed.

· Set up training time for new Superintendent so I can introduce this person to key people and processes in Olympia and in the local area.

· Budget development will be well underway by the time the new Superintendent takes office. However, if the person is announced by March/April of 2016 I will work with the person to help keep them informed during the early phases of development. After the accreditation when WSSB tweaks its strategic plan I want to make sure that the new superintendent is involved as much as possible.

· Note: I will continue to add to this plan over the next months to guarantee that items of importance are not missed that would assist in a smooth transition.

VI. Pacific Foundation for Blind Children (PFBC) and School of Piano Technology for the Blind Boards:

· I will be stepping off these Boards so the new Superintendent doesn’t have to be in the shadow of the current superintendent. I will work behind the scene as needed to help both organizations, but do want the new Superintendent to provide the voice for BVI.

If the Board or the Governor’s office thinks of additional items that should be added to the transition document, please let me know.