Friends of the Library

Group dedicated to promoting library

The Friends of Shoreline Library served coffee and pastries at the library this past Saturday morning. Many people who stopped by did not know the Friends’ group or what we do. It was the intent of the coffee to expand that knowledge, but perhaps there are folks who weren’t at the library who should know too. The Friends of Shoreline Library dedicate all the money raised through book sales, book bag sales and donations to the library for programs. For example, we sent area teens on our Shoreline Teen Advisory Board to the midwinter conference of the American Library Association. The Friends donate and repair the puppets in the children’s section. We provide money for authors’ visits. And no matter what our acronym (FOSL) may indicate, we are a group of young (and yes, young at heart) folks who want to see our library be the best in the King County Library System.

The Friends of Shoreline Library is a group dedicated to helping the Shoreline Library be a reflection of our city’s needs and attitudes. It is your personal library – when you go to the library, you should receive friendly, helpful assistance. You should see programs that you would like to attend. And you should join the Friends’ group to help us do that. Next time you are in the Shoreline Library, (or the Richmond Beach Library, where there is also a Friends’ program), ask one of the staff for information – then join, attend a meeting once in a while, and let us know what you want to see in your public library. You can always leave information or a question for us at the library too. We meet on the third Wednesday of odd numbered months at 7:30. Our next meeting is Feb. 21. Join us!

Mary Jo Heller

President, Friends of the Shoreline Library

School closures

District officials need to be on best behavior

I attended a Shoreline School Board Meeting at North City Elementary on Feb. 12. This was the first “hearing” on the DACPO proposal for school closures.

Brian Schultz (Executive Director, Secondary Education and Student Services) made a comment at the end of the meeting that, considering Schultz is a representative of the Shoreline School District, I was appalled to hear. Schultz commented, “Hit him where it hurts Mike” to Board President Mike Jacobs. This was in response to a North City parent asking Jacobs to define the term “relevant.”

My children were sitting directly behind Schultz, and I was sitting behind in the third row. We heard his aggressive and insensitive comment. I confronted Schultz telling him that was not a nice thing to say. At that point, Executive Director of Curriculum Instruction and Assessment Linda Gohlke’s response to me was, “he was only kidding.”

We all know that emotions run high and they knew what they were in for when they came to one of the schools slotted for closure. They should have been prepared to be professional. As representatives of the school district I find their behavior completely out of line. It’s not a joke and school closures are always a tough decision.

This situation is especially volatile when respect for the district has been lost and we feel cheated, they (the board and district representatives) should represent themselves on their best behavior. I am very disappointed and discouraged with the lack of tact shown by those representing the school district. They should act like the responsible educators they claim to be. After all we as parents pay their wages. A simple question about what he/they defines as a relevant question (since all the questions were regarding the DACPO proposal) does not merit a threat of “hitting (a parent) where it hurts.”

Margaret Loiseau

Shoreline

Let’s keep our perspective

School closures are not a local trend. Shoreline, Seattle, Portland, Whidbey Island, Chicago and Detroit are just a few that are doing this. This is not about school boards gone awry. This is about changing demographics.

This is not the first time the Shoreline School District has closed schools. When I first moved here, 14 years ago, the building that now houses Meridian Park Elementary was closed. It was later remodeled and opened as the school we now know. Paramount Park used to be an elementary school too.

I teach in the Seattle School District. For two years I have worried about layoffs and closures. Due to the school board’s narrow perspective of what’s best for Seattle schools, I have to keep wondering what my professional future holds. My job is in the hands of petty politicians. What’s happening in Shoreline is pretty tame, thankfully.

I applaud the decisive nature of the DACPO Committee. Indecision and pandering to local interest groups is a more painful experience. A choice has to be made, buildings or teachers. I prefer to keep the teachers.

I have been a parent at North City Elementary for nine years, but I believe there will be opportunities for my children at a new school. I also believe there are other things I should be spending my time getting upset about: the Iraq war, global warming and the Sonics demanding $300 million for a new stadium.

Finally I have to ask myself this question, “In 10, 15 or 20 years, will this closure have a radical effect on my child’s life?”

The answer to this is, “Not if I have a say in it.” And I know I do.

Jack Nolan

Shoreline

Parents sending innacurate messages

Storytelling is good marketing. But intentionally inaccurate storytelling borders on unethical.

In early January, the Shoreline School District made the difficult decision to recommend two schools for closure. Closing schools is never fun, and never easy. What I’m concerned about is the questionable strategy and storytelling by those who don’t want their specific school closed.

One of the Shoreline schools slated for closure is Sunset Elementary. Sunset is one of the “richest” schools in the district, meaning the median income of its families is among the highest in Shoreline. A parent group, understandably, is not happy with the prospect that their school may be closed. So they’ve started a campaign using the name “Save Shoreline Schools,” including a Web site and an aggressive PR campaign to keep their school open.

I can certainly empathize with their situation, but they are not telling a clean story about their specific school being closed. Instead, the story being told is that all Shoreline schools and students are in jeopardy. But that’s far from true.

The “Save Shoreline Schools” organization has rallied local business leaders, radio stations, even real estate agents behind their cause. The organization has certainly tugged on heart-strings with their story. The problem is, their story is wrong. Radio stations and business leaders believe that they are fighting to save all Shoreline schools, when in fact the entire effort is focused on ensuring that a single elementary school is taken off of the closure list (and replaced by another).

Saving one elementary school to close another does nothing for Shoreline students overall.

But that’s not the story being told, is it?

Sunset Elementary School parents are doing a great job marketing their cause. They’ve created some very compelling stories. But their stories are not true.

Matt Heinz

Kirkland