WASHINGTON STATE SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Minutes from Board of Trustees Meeting
June 19, 2020
Conference Call
Board
Members Participating: Greg Szabo, Brent
Stark, Keri Clark, Reg George, Nancy McDaniel, Dennis Mathews, and Lily Clifton.
Board Members Absent: Berl Colley
Ex-Officio
Members Participating: Jim Eccles (Washington
Federation of State Employees Local #1225), Joleen Ferguson (Washington Council
of the Blind), Marci Carpenter (National Federation of the Blind of
Washington), and Krista Bulger (Parent Representative).
Ex-Officio Members
Absent: Stephanie Face (Teacher Representative).
WSSB
Staff Members Participating: Mr. Scott
McCallum (Superintendent) and Janet Kurz (recording secretary).
June 19, 2020 – 12-1:15pm
Nancy
called the meeting to order at 12pm. Nancy started the meeting by congratulating
the class of 2020 and the great performance for commencement.
Business
Meeting:
Old
Business:
Approve
board meeting minutes of May 7, 2020. Keri moved to approve the minutes as
submitted; Reg seconded the motion. The
minutes were approved unanimously.
New Business:
Superintendent’s Report
Scott reported that
all staff pivoted very well to the COVID-19 stay-home/stay healthy initiative.
The food service department has been preparing and sending out food to students
who are on the free and reduced lunch program. Due to the hard work from staff,
students did not miss one day of instruction and ended up receiving additional
days of instruction due to the extension of the regular school year through
June 18.
The agency is
continuing its work on updating the Strategic Plan. A second round of stakeholder feedback was
just requested for internal and external stakeholders.
In April, Scott
completed his superintendent’s program through Washington State University
(WSU). Scott felt this was a wonderful
learning opportunity and the connections that were made with fellow classmates
across the state were very strong. The
WSSB will be a learning site in the future for WSU which will provide the
opportunity for 50+ program participants, around the state, to learn more about
the WSSB programs and services.
The WSSB was mandated
to do a ‘budget exercise’ whereby we had to identify a 15%, or $1.391
million-dollar reduction plan. The WSSB is extremely fortunate to have a
healthy reserve account, along with tuition paying students from the state of
Oregon. Due to those factors, we can lean on those funds heavily. However, with the large amount
of cuts, this does impact staff. After
the communication was shared with the impacted staff, we learned that this was
an ‘exercise’. The Office of Financial
Management (OFM) sent out instructions that the 15% reduction should be
considered our ‘baseline’ for reductions in the next biennium. In addition, we
learned that all state employees will be placed on furlough for 9 days starting
in July.
The WSSB graduation
ceremony was held virtually today. The
ceremony was pre-recorded, and Scott commended our Director of Education, Sean
McCormick, for doing a wonderful job.
Through the state’s
capital budget, the Learning Independence for Today and Tomorrow (LIFTT)
building is in the design and demolition phase.
There is a little over one million dollars available for this phase of
the project. Scott and Dave Zilavy,
Facilities Manager, are working with the Department of Enterprise Services
(DES) to identify and interview qualified architects for the building. At a recent meeting, there were 58 architects
who expressed an interest in bidding the project.
In June of each year,
we are required (by policy) to present the Betterment Account investments to
the board. Due to the recent downturn in
the economy, the funds have taken a hit. We are considering the recent
volatility in the accounts and will align our funds according to the policy.
Scott thanked Nancy
for her two-years as Chair of the Board.
Scott thoroughly enjoyed working with her and her style of
leadership. Nancy has been a huge
supporter of our school. Nancy commented
that it has been her distinct pleasure serving on the board.
Keri stated how much
she appreciated the communication that the WSSB provides and Scott’s commitment
to educating future leaders in the superintendent program regarding the
services that the WSSB provides. Keri
feels that what Scott is doing is relevant and will have a positive impact for
future students. Scott said it is an
honor to do what he does.
Jim remarked that on
March 13, when the decision was made to send students home, our IT and
assistive technology folks did an outstanding job making sure that every
student had a device and it was equipped with proper technology and Zoom
capabilities so that distance and continuing learning did not miss a beat. Jim felt it was a confusing time but, on
another level, it was done methodically.
Scott remarked that there were challenges with some families not having
hot spots for connections and that the Vancouver Public Schools assisted us in
acquiring several that we were unable to purchase. Scott commented that every staff member
pitched in and that the Social Emotional Learning component for students was a
priority to ensure that our students’ needs were being met.
Jim commented on
WSSB’s Outreach Orientation & Mobility (O&M) instructor, Tracy Spohn’s
Podcasts entitled “Homebound for Adventure”.
These are designed for students who are receiving instruction at
home. This series has been picked up and
complimented from people nationwide.
Keri expressed her
frustration regarding her daughter’s school district and lack of
communication. Keri feels that the work
that the WSSB does is so important. Keri
stated they received a two-minute video, and no technology. Marci said she is sorry to hear that and
unfortunately has heard that same sentiment from many families. Marci feels
that it is extra special that WSSB students got technology and was able to
maintain connections.
Reg said it was good
to hear that the WSSB provided the technology to students and that the
Department of Services for the Blind (DSB) is working through similar issues as
they are moving their programs to a virtual platform this summer. The DSB has twenty-four (24) students
enrolled. Scott commented that WSSB
students are allowed to keep the technology over the
summer.
Scott reported that
it is our goal to bring the students back to campus this fall, however there
are a number of risks that will need to be
mitigated. Currently, our biggest risk
to consider is transportation. Our goal
is to not share transportation with the Washington Center for Deaf and Hard of
Hearing Youth (CDHY) to lessen the risk of exposure to COVID-19. This proposal will cost more money and will
require re-negotiating our charter bus transportation contract with DES. We are
also considering using our own transportation to get students back to the East
side of the state instead of using airlines.
Another option being looked at is having the students stay on campus for
longer periods of time. Scott is
requiring that all staff and students must wear masks while on campus and
maintain six-feet distance and if staff must physically assist a student they
may have to wear gloves, etc. In addition, to minimize exposure, we are
considering not allowing volunteers on campus next school year.
Scott strongly
believes in the programs we provide on campus and some are difficult to provide
remotely. Scott will share our plans for
reopening this fall with the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction
(OSPI) and the Board of Trustees, however the Governor’s office has the
ultimate say-so. Scott is open to
suggestions and feedback.
Marci appreciates
everything Scott and the staff are doing and due to the nature of having
medically fragile students, is thankful that we have the online learning option
and hearing how successful it has been. Marci asked if we are considering using
scent-free sanitizing and cleaning equipment for people who may be sensitive to
scents. Scott stated that we will and will follow the Center for Disease
Control (CDC) and Department of Health (DOH) requirements. The WSSB is
currently procuring foggers, disinfectants, etc. Scott said he anticipates some staff and
families may be uncomfortable with returning this fall and our plan is to address
each situation individually.
Election of Officers
Nancy nominated Greg as
chair; Brent seconded the motion; the motion passed unanimously. Greg said he would be honored to be the Board
chair.
Greg nominated Brent as
vice-chair; Lily seconded the motion; the motion passed unanimously.
Committee Assignments
Education Committee: Chair-Brent;
members Keri, Dennis, and Jim
Buildings and Grounds Committee:
Chair-Nancy; members Greg, and Joleen
Management Committee: Chair-Greg;
members Brent and Nancy
Legislative Committee: Chair-Marci;
members Reg, Lily, and Dennis
Miscellaneous:
Nancy
stated that on-campus board meetings may not be possible due to COVID-19 risks
and budget restrictions. Janet asked if
Zoom meetings were possible instead of conference calls. Discussion was held regarding how to perform
the buildings and grounds walk-throughs.
Janet offered to assist in setting-up audio and video tours for the
committee. Marci said she is in the
high-risk category and will be participating virtually until there is a
vaccine. Reg asked if our by-laws allowed for electronic voting. Scott said he was comfortable with electronic
voting due to the fact that the board is advisory.
Lily
asked Scott if we have the ability to renegotiate the
union contracts if the school year was altered (i.e. keeping students on campus
longer). Scott said we will have to work through that and that there are two
unions that we work with. OSPI has asked us to remain flexible in how we do things,
but we must provide 180 days of school and average of 1027 hours and for high
school 1080 hours.
Scott
thanked the board for their commitment to the board and agency.
There
being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 1:15pm. The next Board meeting will be held virtually
on September 25 at 11am.
Nancy McDaniel, Chair Scott
McCallum, Superintendent
Outreach
·
WSSB
Outreach Teacher of the Visually Impaired (TVIs) and Orientation & Mobility
(O&Ms) contracts went out a little later this year as the state’s Attorney
General helped us add language to recoup contract amounts. This will help us
cover our Outreach expenses.
·
Joe
Dlugo, TVI/COMS/Stephen F. Austin University (SFA) mentor, helped shape the new
and final Stephen F. Austin cohort. There are 7 people in the cohort from Kent,
Renton, Seattle PS, Issaquah, Spokane, Bellevue, and White Salmon.
·
Outreach
used the school closures as a way to become even more
cohesive. We met on Zoom at least monthly for Outreach updates and we met for
social hours throughout the remainder of the school year. We have also created
several channels to connect using Teams and Slack.
·
Outreach
continues to produce amazing work though the COVID-19 school closure. Tracy
(Outreach O&M instructor) is finishing up with her ‘Home Bound for
Adventure’ podcast. It is being recognized nationally. Bruce (WSSB Assistive
Technology Specialist) has made numerous training videos that have been posted
on the WSSB website. He is also updating technology manuals. Several of the
teachers have presented or will be presenting virtually on webinars and at
conferences.
·
Two
of the Outreach staff are working toward their Certified Assistive Technology
Instructional Specialist for People with Visual Impairments (CATIS) through
University of Massachusetts- Krista Bulger and Joe Dlugo.
·
We
have been working with Dr. Kathryn Botsford to create a Functional Vision
Learning Media Assessment form that will be used across WSSB staff Outreach and
On Campus. This will allow our evaluations to be consistent. The group plans to
create tutorials on how to use the document and present a virtual
training.
·
We
are planning for next school year and determining caseloads. We plan to begin
next year with the same number of people in Outreach, 9 TVI, 7 TVI/O&M, 1
O&M, Bruce TVI/O&M/Technology Specialist and 2 Para/Braillists.
·
Our
final Outreach meeting was held virtually on June 5. It was wonderful to
connect with everyone, but not the same. We are such a cohesive group and we
thrive on connecting and support from within our team.
·
2020
Summer Institute (SI) has been cancelled. At this time there is not a virtual
SI training planned. This is because of the nature of the event (hand-on), the
paid staff, and planning.
On Campus
Enrollment
·
On-Campus
Total (grades 6-12): 61
o
56
Comprehensive students 6- 12 grade
o
5
Registered distance learning
·
Short
Course Students (Year to Date): 24
Remote
Emergency Teaching
School
campus closure on March 13 threw the school’s programs in a tailspin that
required significant pivoting. The
health crisis required our school to implement remote emergency teaching
practices. The Office of the
Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) calls this Continuous Learning via
distance learning, yet if this were true distance learning, our schools and
programs would have had much more time to plan and implement these
programs. The following information is
included in WSSB’s Continue Learning plan submitted to the OSPI. Educational priorities considered the
holistic needs of students, using Maslow’s Hierarchy to assist students in a
developmentally and emotionally appropriate transition from in-person
instruction to an emergency, remote instructional model.
Priorities
for students began with considering provisions to meet students' basic needs,
including food delivery to homes, and an emphasis on relationship and belonging
with peers. The social emotional
well-being of students, families, and staff impacted each decision made in this
continuous learning plan. The next step
for engaging students included gathering a baseline understanding of student
access, technology skills, and feasibility of remote instructional tools and
communication.
As
students and systems engaged the routine for increasing effectiveness of remote
instruction, more rigorous instruction was designed based on our school
improvement plan goals in reading, writing, and math literacy skills. With those areas prioritized, student
schedules were built to address their comprehensive needs in a remote delivery
format.
Instructional Timeline
·
Week of March 16, 2020 (1 week) Students used technology at
home to log into Zoom for social emotional learning, connection, and video
conference technology instruction
·
Week of March 23, 2020 (3 weeks) Students began daily
educational activities through school-wide, interdisciplinary, project-based
learning (PBL) unit. Daily schedule
included social time, morning assembly, PBL group collaboration/coaching time,
mid-day social time, tutoring in reading and braille, music/art projects, daily
fitness instruction, and independent living skills lessons. Each week ended with school-wide presentation
of projects from groups via Zoom.
·
Week of April 16, 2020 (through June 19) Comprehensive
remote learning schedule implemented for students. Students schedules may include:
o
Zoom
Synchronous Classes:
§ English Language
Arts/Social Studies
§ Math
§ High school science
§ Fitness
o
Electives
via Google Classroom and office hours
§ Music
§ Art
§ Horticulture
§ Woodshop
§ Social Emotional
Learning
§ Fitness
o
Tiered
supports for
§ Reading
§ Math lab
§ English Learners
o
Specialized
Services
§ Individualized
learning plans were developed for students in specific areas where instruction
and service delivery vary significantly from the students Individualized
Educational Program (IEP)
Transition
Services
Youth Service Specialist (YSS)-Marcie Ebarb
·
YSS
assisted in the planning of several events scheduled to take place in March
2020 - including WSSB’s Career Fair, the “So You Want a Job” youth conference
and a Pacific Northwest Association for the Education and Rehabilitation of the
Blind and Visually Impaired (PNWAER) Conference presentation. Unfortunately, the events had to be cancelled
due to COVID-19 restrictions.
·
YSS’
regular face-to-face program coordination with WorkForce South West
Washington’s Partners in Careers
(PIC) was put on hold while virtual programs were put in place. Student
internships (with established payroll services funded by the Department of
Services for the Blind (DSB)), job shadows, business tours and soft skills
classes had to be cancelled. PIC staff provided virtual after school workshops
that included a financial literacy series, a workshop on resume development and
informational interview sessions with community businesses before the school
year ended.
·
YSS
continued to work with contractor Melissa Small in the provision of generalized
career exploration for youth with additional disabilities-funded by DSB. Services were put on hold until arrangements
were made for Ms. Small to begin working remotely with several WSSB students
before the school year ended.
·
YSS
completed the “Putting Your Best Foot Forward Trainer Workshop” sponsored by
Mississippi State University National Research and Training Center on Blindness
and Low Vision. Completing this training
provides access to a curriculum they created to assist in preparing youth with
visual impairments for the world of work.
·
YSS
continues to participate in the quarterly meetings of the Blind Youth
Consortium, the DSB South Region and DSB Youth Services staff. YSS has also begun participating in the
Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living (APRIL) Transition
Coordinators’ monthly meetings. Participants
in this meeting are transition coordinators working in Centers for Independent
Living around the country. YSS attended
Individualized Education Plan (IEP) meetings to promote DSB youth and adult
services for students who have not yet applied for Vocational Rehabilitation
(VR) services and made a presentation about these services at the February
Parents Group Meeting at WSSB.
·
In
March, YSS participated in the Youth Employment Solutions (YES) program review
to determine eligibility for summer programs. Due to COVID–19 restrictions,
face-to-face summer programs had to be cancelled. YSS has been working with DSB YSS staff since
this decision was made, to develop a 6-track virtual pre-employment summer
program that will be available to youth between the ages of 14-21. The program
will be 5 weeks long–beginning July 6 and ending August 7, 2020. Each track will meet on Zoom 1 day per
week for approximately 2 hours that will include some short assignments for
youth to complete prior to the next meeting.
The YSS conducted a survey (via survey monkey) to poll youth known to
DSB in that age range for their areas of interest. The track development was
based on the survey results. Topics will include self-advocacy through
song and podcast, financial literacy, career exploration (2 tracks with the
second geared toward youth with additional disabilities with a
guardian/caregiver component), a professional panel and a moderated social
hour. Contractors (including PIC staff and Melissa Small), non-profit agencies
and successfully employed adults with visual impairments will provide some of
the content for the program. The YSS team is hopeful that creating meaningful
virtual summer pre-employment experiences will translate into programming that
can be used in the future to reach youth in more remote areas.
Health Center-Robin
Williams
Wow, what a difference a few
months make!
·
The health center had to cancel the Pacific University Dental
Mobile visit due to COVID-19.
·
Nurses worked with residential staff to distribute remaining
student medications in health center.
·
Nurse Robin and Justine have completely organized and labeled the
entire health center.
·
Nurse Justine has done a fabulous job updating all first aid kits,
disaster bags and updated med cabinets in the cottages.
·
Nurse Justine is working on updating old health center policies
and creating new policies/ procedures.
·
Nurse Robin dug into the years of old student files in the records
room and has separated out what we need to keep and what can be shredded.
Awaiting confirmation from Janet regarding the record retention timeline before
shredding commences.
Learning Independence
for Today and Tomorrow (LIFTT)-Lori Pulliam
·
LIFTT
participants were sailing toward the ending of the winter term when most everything
had to come to a halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic. LIFTT was able to stay open
until the winter quarter ended. Everyone went home for spring break not knowing
at the time that they would not be back for the rest of the program year.
Participants and staff have been learning new ways of working and taking
classes remotely.
·
Participants
and staff have kept in touch through virtual meetings and phone calls, but the
hands-on work of learning and practicing skills of adult independence have been
minimal. It is hoped that the group can return late summer or in the fall to
complete learning that was postponed. One participant was working with a
Community Resource Provider (CRP) on job exploration and job search skills.
This had to be postponed due to the health situation. Three of the participants
and the Resident Advisor all took their college classes in the online
environment. There was a learning curve with accessibility, communication and
adjustment to a new reality, but they have all settled in and are making the
best of it.
·
We
are very excited that the state approved our request for the design phase of
the new building to house the LIFTT program as well as the regional office for
DSB. We still have our fingers crossed that it doesn’t get caught in the upcoming
budget cuts.
Business Office
1.
2019-21
Operating Budget: We are on track to
closing the year with a balanced budget.
In Fund 19B, spending is slightly above revenue.
2.
2020
Capital Budget Supplemental: Our
supplemental request for the design phase of the Independent Living Center
($1,192,000) and Campus Preservation ($655,000) was funded.
3.
2020
Operating Supplemental: Our request for
$172,000 to hire an IT Customer Support professional to support the agency
during relocation of the State Data Center/Cloud co-location was funded.
4.
2021
Operating Budget: In response to the
state economy and financial outlook, the Governor directed state agencies under
his authority to implement a freeze on signing new and amended personal
services contracts and making nonessential equipment purchases. In addition, a freeze on hiring employees was
also implemented. WSSB was specifically
exempt from the hiring freeze.
In addition, we were also asked to
complete an exercise and identify a specified savings of $1,391,000. Scott will speak more specifically about our
proposed reduction plan.
5.
Safety
Net: We submitted a safety net grant
application this year for over $400K.
They will be making decisions on funding the week of June 13, 2020 and
will know soon if we were successful in receiving funding.
6.
Fiscal
Year-End: As normal for this time of the
year, we will be working on the usual close-out activities to close the year:
-Continue to closely monitor and track
current year expenditures
-Year-end processing on various levels
(Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, Disclosure forms, Capital Asset
Management report)
-Close out various grants and submit
final reimbursements
-Prepare client service, facility use
and tuition contracts
-Records storage and set-up vendor files
for new biennium
Human
Resources
New
Hires:
·
Deborah
Supplitt – Substitute TVI - Outreach
·
Justin
Hedges - On-call Cook and Custodian
Recruitments:
·
Special
ED Teacher – Irwin
·
Museum
Intern
·
Substitute
TVI
·
On-call
Teaching Assistant
·
On-call
Residential Life Counselor
Trainings/Functions
Attended:
·
HR
Managers Meeting – Facilitated by Franklin Plaistowe and Marcos Rodriguez
·
Labor
Relations Roundtable – Facilitated by the Office of Financial Management (OFM)
COVID-19 has impacted
the ORC in several ways. Most staff are working remotely although Kandi
Lukowski is working full-time in the office to continue braille production and
answer the warehouse door for deliveries. Ian Goodrich is working on campus for
Facilities 4 days a week with Fridays at the ORC for deliveries, warehouse
duties and inventory.
We are fortunate that
our prison program has remained open. The prison has implemented social distancing,
so we have ½ a crew each day. The women rotate so that they are all still
working although their individual hours are reduced by 50% which impacts the
amount of braille transcription that we can handle. So far, we have managed to
keep up with most projects.
We recently purchased
the new Mantis Q40™ for the Instructional Resource Center. Here’s the
description of the new device from the American Printing House for the Blind
(APH):
Keep
braille at your fingertips anytime, anywhere with the Mantis Q40, a Bluetooth®
keyboard and 40-cell refreshable braille display. With the Mantis Q40, users no
longer need to choose between a keyboard or a braille device – at the same time
a student or professional is typing on the Mantis, the refreshable braille
below the keyboard is providing a multimodal braille complement to the screen
reader, making it easier to participate in, and succeed at, school or work. The
Mantis can be used as a host or stand-alone device. Connect to other devices
via USB or Bluetooth, or use the Mantis by itself to read books, edit and
manage files, check the date and time, and make basic mathematical
calculations.
Schools are busy
requesting textbooks for next year despite not knowing exactly how school will
be structured in the fall.
Demand for APH
materials has also risen with school moving online. APH is
able to ship directly to homes of students and/or teachers. Since April,
731 items have been shipped to 238 students around the state.
The APH Annual Census
is complete and our numbers in Washington are the best ever.
We had a grand total of 1,565 students for our census.
1. Our
HVAC Control host, Barness Controls, (Dave Bartley) is in the middle of a
system upgrade. We’ve installed new software on the main server, replaced
controls in the ORC, and will soon replace boiler controls in the Boiler House,
the Stenehjem Building, and Irwin. We will also be adding intelligent real-time
meters to Old Main, the gym, and Irwin School that help alert us to and
troubleshoot problems. Project total is about $30,000. We can expect energy
savings due to several upgraded monitoring features.
2. The
Cottage Renovation capital project is now in contract. We expect the work to be
completed by August 23, 2020, if not before, as with Summer programs closed, we
may be able to move construction schedule forward. Job scope includes new
floors in kitchens/entries, new ranges, wall ovens, dishwashers, kitchen
sinks/faucets, bathroom faucets, LED lights in kitchens, and some new storage
casework replacing the old and unused computer desks.
3. Old
Main will be getting 16 more interior doors retrofitted with card swipe access.
This will greatly simplify rental access by eliminating key security
vulnerabilities.
4. During
these COVID times staff members who’ve run out of meaningful work (mostly
online training) from home have safely been working on campus catching up on
deferred maintenance relating to grounds, cleaning building exteriors, pressure
washing hardscapes, painting, and cleaning and organizing spaces. Most people
are working outside of their typical duties, out of doors, and have been
enjoying the change.
5. With
campus unoccupied, we are seeing a decrease in utilities of about 50%.
Utilities normally run about $10,000 per month, so the savings since shut down
are in the neighborhood of $5,000 per month. These are
rough calculations, and the savings are increasing as the weather warms.
6. The
COVID situation delayed delivery of the Peace Pole. We are expecting it and the
associated commemorative plaque by mid-June.
7. You
may have noticed some plantings and rock work on the south side of Irwin School
breezeway. This is John Fleming’s (WSSB’s landscaper/plant mechanic) creation.
He will continue with some plantings that will have tactile or fragrant
interest for our BVI community.
8. During
his Stay Home-Stay Safe time, Brian Kindblade (WSSB’s plant mechanic)
fabricated a planter box and topiary armature that will spell out WSSB in
greenery. In the coming month we will be installing this between Irwin School
and Stenehjem Building to hide the green electrical junction box. The work is
moveable for electrical access.
9. Regarding
COVID measures: we have purchased and will begin installing higher grade air
filters to help with indoor air quality; when staff and students return we will
be following recommendations for increased outside air and air flow duration in
HVAC systems; we are in line to purchase a fogging disinfection backpack and
handheld device to ease labor burden and increase disinfection effectiveness
across campus. These devices are expected in mid-August; we have ordered
Plexiglas sheets for fabricating shields wherever staff has high interaction
with the public, including along the cafeteria serving line; we are in the midst of following multiple agency guidelines to
develop a hazard assessment and cleaning plan, and to develop educational
materials for when staff returns, to include signage.
Birth-3
Update
on supporting infants and toddlers including their families through COVID:
The
WSSB Birth to 3 Program has accepted the challenge of supporting families
virtually head on and have learned some very critical lessons that make us
better early intervention (EI) providers. We started doing exclusive virtual
home visits on March 16. A week later,
the Early Support for Infants and Toddlers (ESIT), our Part C State Lead
Agency, suspended all in person home visits until June 30. However, this date is expected to be extended
into the fall. Currently we are serving all of our families through Zoom visits or other video
conference tools determined by individual EI agencies, but a handful (about 5)
families have turned down virtual visits.
We are maintaining our contact with them through phone calls and texts
on a regular basis. Overall, we have
received positive feedback from families about this service change.
In
addition to upgrading our technology skills, we have also upgraded our coaching
skills. Since (EI) is a family centered
and routine based approach, a coaching focus with parents rather than direct
instruction to children can be directly translated to virtual home visits. Our team has committed to honing our coaching
skills and this has made us better!
Also, as we learn to do effective virtual home visits, it will allow us
to diversify our services to families, even after the COVID crisis is over. Our team is feeling very positive about these
outcomes.
Superintendent
Each month I will provide, in bulleted format, a list of the more
significant activities of the Superintendent’s office. For each month, I will describe a highlight
or two in more detail. If at any point you would like more information or have
questions, please do not hesitate to call, email, or schedule a time to meet in
person. I want to make sure that you
have the information that you need to advise and guide what we do to meet the
needs of students who are blind or visually impaired throughout Washington
State.
March
March 9: WSSB
COVID-19 Response Committee meeting
March 11: Meeting
with Superintendent of the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
(TSBVI) re COVID-19
March 11: Meeting
with Governor Inslee, OSPI and King, Snohomish and Pierce superintendents
March 12: COVID-19
meeting with administrators at the Center for Deafness and Hard of Hearing
Youth (CDHY)
March 12: Labor/Management
communication meeting (WSSB and Washington Public Education Association)
March 12: WSSB
COVID-19 Response Committee meeting
March 12: Washington
Sensory Disability Services (WSDS) meeting
March 13: Students
sent home for the school year due to COVID 19
March 16: WSSB
COVID-19 Response Committee meeting
March 17: Agency-wide
Zoom meeting with staff
March 18: Meeting
with Superintendent of the Ohio State School for the Deaf and Blind
March 18: Emergency
protocol committee meeting
March 20: Council
of Schools and Services for the Blind (COSB)-COVID-19 meeting
March 24: COOP
(Continuity of Operations Plan) meeting
March 24: Staff
reassigned to their home offices
March 25: Zoom
check-in with WSSB students
Highlight
As
you all know, March is marred with the beginning of the end of on-campus
programs for the 2019-20 school year due to the spread of COVID 19 across the
state and nation. We were quick to establish a COVID response team that
included leadership from Irwin, LIFTT, residential programs, health center,
facilities and maintenance, and human resources. Initially, before the closure, we met daily
to discuss what actions were necessary to keep all students and staff safe with
the limited information we had at that time. We also remained in close contact
with our friends at the school for the deaf and Governor’s office. Rick Hauan,
Executive Director of CDHY, and I were provided an opportunity to advise the
Governor’s office before the decision was made to send all students and staff
home and pivot to remote (aka continuous) learning.
Such
a decision was not made lightly, and we prioritized the safety and well-being
of students and staff in our decision-making process. Fortunately, we had one
day advanced notice of the closure and had some time to prepare and make sure
students knew how to log on and access Zoom.
Zoom was our initial platform that we used to maintain engagement with
most children and families. All students
were sent home with their devices (computers, laptops, braille displays,
etc.). Teachers planned project-based learning
opportunities which were initially implemented by support staff and leadership.
I encouraged school leadership to prioritize social emotional learning
opportunities for all students over academic rigor as we adjusted to our new
normal. Once certified instruction staff returned from an extended break due to
contract restrictions and the state’s requirement to add two weeks to our
school calendar, some of our attention was able to be more focused on the
curricular needs of our students. I am
extremely proud of all WSSB staff during this unprecedented time. Everyone demonstrated flexibility,
creativity, and an unyielding commitment to providing the best education
possible during very challenging and unique times.
Throughout
the closure, we have continued to send food boxes to students whose families
qualify for free and reduced lunch. Our
staff sent boxes and boxes of instructional materials and have spent countless
hours honing their craft in a different way. A skeleton crew have maintained
the facilities, while most people worked from home. It has not been easy for anyone, but WSSB
staff and students have risen to the challenge.
April
April 1: Meeting with department
managers (education-based) re memo from OSPI (Supporting Inclusionary Practices
during School Facility Closure)
April 6: Strategic Plan planning
session
April
10-11: Final Washington State University
superintendent cohort
April 14: Statewide COVID updates and
collaboration (OSPI and Washington state superintendents)
April 15: Extension of the school year
discussion with Rick Hauan, CDHY Director
April 16: Strategic Plan planning
session
April 20: Portland State University
(PSU) consortium partner meeting
April 21: Statewide COVID updates and
collaboration (OSPI and Washington state superintendents)
April 22: Meeting with Facilities
Manager and Executive Assistant re status of outside facility renter groups
April 23: Strategic Plan planning
session
April 24: American Printing House for
the Blind (APH) quota funds/spending plan meeting with Director of the Ogden
Resource Center and Director of Outreach/Statewide Vision Consultant
April 27: Learning Independence for
Today and Tomorrow (LIFTT) capital project meeting
April 27: Meeting with Oregon Commission
for the Blind, Department of Services for the Blind (DSB) to discuss virtual
training
April 27: Strategic Plan feedback
session-board member
April 28: Strategic Plan feedback
session-IT department
April 28: Strategic Plan feedback
session-Food Service department
April 28: Statewide
COVID updates and collaboration (OSPI and Washington state superintendents)
April 29: Strategic
Plan feedback session-Buildings and Grounds department
April 29: Strategic
Plan feedback session-Ogden Resource Center
April 29: Strategic
Plan feedback session-Business Office/Human Resources department
April 30: Strategic
Plan planning session
April 30: LIFTT
capital project meeting
Highlight
We
have also been deeply involved in strategic planning before and during the
closure. We have a core team that
includes all members of the leadership team, with some additions, who roles
specifically focus on providing education services to students who are blind or
visually impaired. We have also greatly appreciated the help, support, and
wisdom of Dennis Mathews as a core team member to represent the board.
Throughout the strategic planning process, I have requested that we engage a
variety of stakeholders to advise our work.
As you know, each of you were provided an opportunity to provide input
and feedback at various points in the process. Again, this work has not been
easy. I appreciate the honest and
deliberate conversations we have had as a core team and with stakeholders. Initially, we were meeting in person
(pre-COVID), and continued to meet via Zoom.
Throughout the process, our work has been facilitated by Jim Clark of
Mass Ingenuity who was selected during the state-required bid process. Our process
is slow and steady, with a goal of a new strategic plan for the agency by
mid-August. I anticipate sharing the
updated plan with all staff at the all-staff, welcome back in-service in the
fall of 2020.
One
minor highlight worth mentioning is that April marked the conclusion of the
Superintendents program portion of my pursuit of a Doctor of Education
Leadership from Washington State University.
The Superintendent program was a two-year program with most credits
applying towards my doctorate. The program was an incredible opportunity to
learn from seasoned Superintendents about the ins and outs of the
superintendency. Not only was the
learning beneficial and worthwhile, I made incredible connections with current
and future superintendents throughout the state. WSSB will continue to host this program for
future cohorts and I will have the opportunity to share with them about WSSB
and the amazing resources we provide across the state. I will continue to work towards
the doctorate and expect about one more year of classes before moving into the
dissertation phase of the program.
May
May 1: Strategic
Plan feedback session-board member
May 4: Strategic
Plan feedback session-Deafblind project
May 5: Strategic
Plan planning session
May 5: Statewide
COVID updates and collaboration (OSPI and Washington state superintendents)
May 5: Strategic
Plan feedback session-board member
May 7: COSB
Board meeting
May 7: Access
for All – RPP meeting
May 7: Board
of Trustees conference call
May 11: Meeting
with Director of Business and Finance re budget cut mandate from OFM
May 11: Pacific
Northwest Association for the Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and
Visually Impaired (PNWAER) board meeting
May 12: Strategic
Plan planning session
May 14: Meeting
with Superintendent of the TSBVI re COVID-19
May 15: COVID-19
meeting with administrators at the CDHY
May 15: Meeting
with CDHY administrator and Department of Health re residential programming and
health concerns
May 18: Strategic
Plan planning meeting
May 18: Budget
reduction meeting with Director of Business and Finance
May 18: Conference
call with Board of Trustees chair re June meeting agenda
May 19: Labor/Management
communication meeting (WSSB and Washington Public Education Association)
May 19: Statewide
COVID updates and collaboration (OSPI and Washington state superintendents)
May 21: Meeting
with Director of On-Campus programs re graduation ceremony
May 26: Statewide
COVID updates and collaboration (OSPI and Washington state superintendents)
May 27: Microsoft
Virtual Ability Summit
May 27: WSSB
COVID-19 Response Committee meeting
May 28: Microsoft
Virtual Ability Summit
May 29: Strategic
Plan planning session
Highlight
Not
represented above is the increased regularity in which superintendents from
this region and statewide came together to support each other in our response
to COVID 19. Every week I have been meeting with superintendents on the local,
regional, state, and national level to inform our efforts and future direction.
Throughout this time, I mostly worked from home with daily or weekly trips to
campus to sign papers, deliver mail, check facilities, and make sure our campus
remained safe and secure. Honestly, this
has been one of the most challenging situations of my life and I am thankful
for the excellent and ongoing support of so many staff. As always, I am especially grateful for the
amazing support that I receive every day from Janet Kurz.
While
certainly not a highlight, late May was also when we were directed to outline
the impacts of a proposed 15% cut to our general fund. As you are aware, this exercise was extremely
frustrating and anxiety provoking for everyone involved. To make matters even more challenging, I
misinterpreted the direction we received.
My communication to all staff regarding this matter was shared with you
at the same time it was shared with staff. We continue to explore alternative
options related to the negative impact that the pandemic has had on
Washington’s economy. While I do expect
that we will be directed to make cuts to our agency budget, it remains unclear
how deep those cuts may be. We have submitted
our required 15% reduction plan to the Office of Financial Management (OFM),
which, along with the cut plans of all other state agencies, are available to
the public on the OFM website.
June
June 2: Strategic Plan planning
session
June 2: Statewide COVID updates
and collaboration (OSPI and Washington state superintendents)
June 3: WSDS budget update meeting
June 8-12: APH Educational Products Advisory
Committee (EPAC) meeting
June 15: Strategic Plan planning
session
June 16: Statewide COVID updates and
collaboration (OSPI and Washington state superintendents)
June 17: Eighth Grade promotion
ceremony
June 18: Awards ceremony-students
June 19: Commencement ceremony
June 19: Board of Trustees-conference call
Highlight
As
I write this update, graduation looms ahead.
That, I am sure, will be the highlight of the month. However, a highlight as of this writing is
that our proposed construction of the new LIFTT transition center remains on
schedule. Over the last several years we have received support from the
Governor’s office and legislature to keep this project moving forward. You may recall that we have completed a
feasibility study and pre-design process for this new building. We are moving into the design phase which
will involve the demolition of the old Ahlsten building to make way for, what I
like to call, Independence Hall. We had
58 participants from architectural firms at our pre-bid meeting for the
project. Independence Hall is the proposed new home for the LIFTT program as
well as our friends from the Department of Services for the Blind (DSB) who
currently rent space on the second floor of Old Main. If this project comes to
fruition, the previous space utilized by LIFTT will become temporary housing
for parents of students in the 6-12 programs and/or itinerant staff visiting
WSSB for a meeting or training. The space currently utilized by DSB is being
considered for the new home of the Donaldson Museum currently housed in the
basement of Old Main.
In accordance with our Investment Policy for
Betterment funds, I must report the status of our investment(s) compared to the
targets set in the policy. Like last year, we are a few percentages out of
our minimum and maximum asset targets. Given the current market
volatility we have not rebalanced from fixed income assets to equity assets.
Finally,
our goal for next year is to do whatever we can to bring students back to
campus. We have a long road ahead of us
with many unknowns. We continue to plan
for the safe return for staff and students in the fall. One of our biggest challenges, as of this
writing, is how we will safely provide transportation for students from all
regions of the state with all of the necessary
precautions in place to reduce the risk and maintain safety for students and
staff. We have our work cut out for us, but I am optimistic for a return to
campus in the fall.
I
will conclude this very lengthy report with a sincere Thank You to Nancy McDaniel for serving as the board chair for the
last two years. Nancy, your calm and
collected demeanor, sense of humor, and caring ways are greatly
appreciated. Thank you for your
wonderful support and guidance. Because
of people like you, WSSB continues to be a very special agency that positively
impacts the lives of everyone who engages with our agency. Thank you.
Ongoing
Meetings
with department managers and administration team
PFBC
board meetings
Executive
Cabinet meetings
Goal
Council meetings
Clark
County and Regional Superintendent meetings
NWABA
Board meetings
UEB
committee meetings
Oregon
Commission for the Blind Board meetings
Washington
Sensory Disability Services meetings
Washington
DeafBlind Advisory Council meetings