The Bellingham School Board of Directors has established a Citizens’ Advisory Committee of community members, parents and staff to review the school district's maintenance and operations and technology needs for the next four years and to make a recommendation to the Board to authorize possible ballot resolutions for replacement levy renewal in March. Both current levies expire in 2008. The current maintenance and operations levy funds about 20 percent of the Bellingham School District's operating budget. The existing technology levy pays for instructional and operational technology hardware and software.
Community members Dr. Mike and Nancy Oswald will co-chair the committee. Dr. Mike Oswald is a dentist and Nancy Oswald is an instructor at the YMCA. Mike attended Columbia Elementary, Shuksan Middle School and Bellingham High. Nancy attended Assumption Elementary and Middle School, and Sehome High School. Both went to the University of Washington and Mike graduated from the U of W Dental School. Nancy has been an active PTA member at every level and has also served on site council and various school district committees over the years. Mike has supported community youth programs. They have one child, Casey, who attended Geneva Elementary, Kulshan Middle School and Bellingham High School. He is currently a junior at Georgetown University.
"We are very enthusiastic about the quality of education in the Bellingham School District and feel honored to lead the citizen effort to support our schools," Mike and Nancy Oswald said.
The Citizens' Advisory Committee is a standing committee that is activated by the Board with members appointed by the Superintendent based on recommendations. The committee will begin meeting this week to develop a proposal to recommend to the School Board in December. Updates on committee work will be posted at http://www.bham.wednet.edu/staff/committee.htm
Members of the Citizens' Advisory Committee are co-chairs Mike and Nancy Oswald; parents Patricia Curtis, Teri McIntyre, Kerri Sloan, Michael Jay, Kerrie Paige and Wendy Albrecht; Bellingham High School principal Steve Clarke, Kulshan Middle School principal Gordon Grissom, Larrabee Elementary School principal Eric Paige, special education director Sue Thomas and Jean Prochaska, assistant director of curriculum; representing the Bellingham Education Association, president Shirley Potter and Northern Heights teacher Lisa Peterson; Teamsters Local 231 mechanic Dave Vanderyacht; SEIU Local 925 representative custodian Allan Botts and SEIU Local 925 representative carpenter Ken Strand; and Bellingham Association of School Employees co-presidents Connie Kelly and Rebecca Pendergraft.
Staff and ex-officio members supporting the committee are School Board members Elaine Lynch and Steve Schoenfeld, superintendent Kenneth Vedra, deputy superintendent Susan Zoller, assistant superintendent of business and operations Ron Cowan; Tanya Rowe, director of School Information and Communications; Brett Greenwood, business and finance manager; Mike Anderson, manager of buildings and grounds; John Getchell, manager of computer and network services; and Ann Reed, director of instructional technology.
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