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Comments to the School Board

December 9, 2009

The PTSA would like to acknowledge and congratulate our School Board on receiving the 2009 Board of Distinction award from the Washington State School Directors’ Association. We applaud your effort in achieving the new standards that have been put in place.

One of the standards that caught our eye is: “Engaging the local community and representing the values and expectations they hold for their schools.” We acknowledge the work the board has already done as well as their plans for future engagement with the community. In addition, we would like to point out an opportunity to partner with the PTSA on a district-wide venture to collect and present community values and expectations surrounding the upcoming teacher contract negotiations.

Community Values –

There is a dialogue happening within our community about what we value most for our students. The Issaquah PTSA Council has initiated these discussions as a first step in gathering feedback from across the district which will be presented to the bargaining team prior to the start of negotiations this February. We do this in the hopes that the final contract will reflect the values that are most important to our children and families.

The Issaquah PTSA Council is working with our local school PTSAs to gather this input.  And the feedback is coming in through direct conversations at general membership meetings and emails.

Parents and students do not have a seat at the bargaining table and we greatly appreciate the bargaining team’s openness to hearing and using our “community values” paper that will incorporate the feelings of our families.

One question that keeps coming up is, “why aren’t our elected officials at the table?” We look to you, our School Board, as our access point into the process. Our understanding is that you are our representatives to the district safe-guarding our students education. Shouldn’t you be at the table to make sure that the students’ best interests are being incorporated and not bargained away by either side?

We have all used the analogy of the three legged stool with the legs representing the teachers/staff (employees), the district (employer) and the students/parents (consumer of the product being delivered by the first two.) All three are essential for a stable and balanced structure. It is challenging for either side, District or staff, to represent its own interests and those of the students simultaneously as sometimes they are in conflict. There needs to be another voice in bargaining that represents the community at large and that holds both the District and the Staff accountable to the community values.

As you know, this year the Issaquah PTSA Council’s theme is “Where are the Kids?” and we told you that throughout the year as decisions were made we would keep that question at the forefront. And so, in bargaining, we ask: “Where are the kids?”