Kent School District Board of Directors

Kent School District | January 17, 2020

Dear KSD Community:

When I drive down Kent-Kangley Road toward Kent from Covington on my way in the morning to a meeting I see kids lining sidewalks, waiting for school buses to take them to start their educational day. If I stop close I can see their faces, kids of all sizes and ages. As I get closer to Kent-Meridian HS the kids are bigger and walking. My heart becomes overwhelmed with the huge responsibility I have taken on as a school director. I am their voice. I am their parent or caregiver’s ear. I am the link to this Community. All these kids (students) are my kids. I have one job to keep their faces and their hopes and dreams laser focused in front of me to take on whatever policies, procedures, or management tasks our Board is doing with new enthusiasm, open communication, and drawing from years of experience in the professional and volunteer arenas I have worked in to my utmost ability. With your help, I promise to do that so that Every Child has an opportunity to Succeed. I hope to help our Community have a tremendous New Year, building an atmosphere of open communication and trust. Government institutions do not exist without the constituency to support them. These are your schools, and the staff and administration are here to serve this great community. Many of our students have come from areas where their presence is not welcome in the schools. It is our job to educate our new neighbors that their presence and their thoughts are a welcome part of our district plans. Often times that means meeting them where they are comfortable and can be found to bring them into a new realm of participation. We welcome your presence and your ideas.

We, as a Board are just getting to know each other, building our own infrastructure for the next few years. We have great Educators and Staff supporting them and we need to make sure they have all they need to sustain and maintain their ultimate working conditions. So climb through those ropes and into the Ring and show those hours of conditioning and training as we are building a Championship Team and nothing....I repeat nothing is going to stop us!

May you find good health and happiness in 2020.

Your Faithful servant,

Leslie Kae Hamada

President, Board of Directors

Kent School District

Messages from Board Members Bettinger, Daniels and Vengadasalam

Message from Director Michele Bettinger :

As I begin my board work, I thank all of you who elected me to this position. I’ve made it a priority to listen and learn. Each day presents an opportunity to learn more about District policy, State law, Board Governance best practices and the challenges facing students and staff.

I’m consistently impressed by KSD students; I enjoy seeing them shine! If you missed it, watch the video of the Northwood Choir, directed by Jeffrey Gordon, singing at the January 8 ^th board meeting. I second Vice President Daniels’ suggestion that we start meetings with students showing us their best!

I’m grateful for the dedicated staff; particularly those in the schools every day with our children. The staff’s passion for the job and concerns for the well-being of students stands out in their Thought Exchange comments on the KSD website.

These digital comments regarding equitably addressing the behavior and discipline of students, while ensuring the safety and security of our children and staff, rise to the top and align directly with the concerns I’ve heard from every corner of the Kent School District -and from leaders all over Washington State.

During a Q & A session at the Washington State School Director’s conference, leaders from all over Washington asked State Superintendent Reykdal thoughtfully challenging questions on these topics. I left realizing that there are no easy answers and that there is much work to be done.

Another revelation from WSSDA conference was the data that showed the strongest districts work together with the community to implement solutions that ensure the best outcomes for every student. My goal is to face all challenges transparently as I examine the facts and evidence.

Please keep in touch by emailing, calling and by attending -or livestreaming- board meetings.

Sincerely,

Michele Greenwood Bettinger

Message from Director Denise Daniels :

Welcome to 2020!

As a child, I remember how far away the year 1999 seemed, and yet here we are in 2020! As we move into a new year with a new board, I am excited for the opportunity that lies ahead of us to continue to support our students, staff, and community in the Kent School District. There was no better way to begin our year than walking into the boardroom on January 8 ^th and seeing the beautiful signs and notes from our students, and listening to the wonderful Northwood choir! We also highlighted the importance of the mentoring work that is happening in our district through the efforts of Glover Empowerment Mentoring. Having been a mentor for many years, I am personally aware of the benefits of that relationship, both for the mentee and mentor.

Over the past year I met with several parents, students, and staff members, to learn and share our experiences. Many times our conversation was around how much better of a position our district is in, and how our students are thriving! However, some of the conversations were a reminder that we still have to work to do to ensure that positive experience is true for all students.

As always, I am appreciative of the collective work that each of us do every day for our students, and I look forward to our future together!

Blessings,

Denise Daniels, Vice President

Director District 4

Update from Legislative Representative, Maya Vengadasalam

Dear KSD Community:

Happy New Year to you and to your family. I hope you have had an enjoyable break and are looking forward to the rest of the school year.

As I begin my new role as your legislative representative, I am eagerly looking forward to hearing from you on how we can raise awareness of the needs and priorities of our school district. As mentioned at the last board meeting, I will be attending our school directors’ association’s legislative conference in February where our district leaders and students will meet with legislators and have an equal opportunity to ask questions and share ideas.

As this legislative session will be a short 60-day session, our district will focus on the priorities put forth by several collaborative partners such as the Puget Sound ESD, WSSDA, OSPI, and the State Board of Education. While these organizations have specific priorities, common among them are: 1) full funding of School Employee Benefits and Pensions (SEB), 2) full funding for comprehensive school safety, including mental health, 3) increasing funding for our special education students, and 4) updating the Staff Allocation Formulas to address staff support for the social and emotional needs of students.

Separately, in early November new Graduation Requirements Rules were adopted in our state. Please visit the following link for the graduation requirements for upcoming years and past years.

Sincerely,

Maya

Update from Superintendent Dr. Calvin J. Watts

Every day, students count on public schools to help prepare them for successful futures. They count on adults across this district to ensure they have access to resources to help them learn, keep their buildings safe, and have qualified teachers to guide them. The month of January marks the observance of School Board Recognition Month. This is an opportunity to show our year-round appreciation for our elected leaders who are key to building the future of public education. As a crucial bridge between the local community and school district, school board members are elected to establish the policies that provide the framework for public schools. Their commitment to service and public education affects the present and future lives of our children and our communities. On behalf of our students, staff, families, and community members I want to say thank you the hard-working individuals who collectively serve on our school board. I also want to say thank you to all the students, staff and community members who have participated in honoring our school board this month.

Kind regards,

Dr. Calvin J. Watts

Superintendent

Upcoming School Board Events

January 22: Board Work Session at 5:30 p.m.

January 22: Board Meeting at 7 p.m.

February 12: Board Work Session at 5:30 p.m.

February 12: Board Meeting at 7 p.m.

Board meeting agendas, minutes, and policies are accessible through the BoardDocs Site .

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