The Pit In My Stomach

I have a huge pit in my stomach.

And it's called "The lay-offs and proposed items to be cut because of the economy and the district's debt are making me sick."

Items proposed are:

• Project Hope (the alternate program for Junior High aged students): ELIMINATED
• Camp Casey: ELIMINATED
• Junior High Sports: ELIMINATED
• Interventions For Struggling Learners: ELIMINATED
• Employee Assistance Program: ELIMINATED
• Teachers: LAYOFFS for non-continuing contracts and RIF'S based on district seniority
• Dual Language Program: REDUCE
• Limit secondary schools to 6 periods a day
• Increase class size
• Elementary Staff - LASERS (our reading specialists): ELIMINATE some, others will be REASSIGNED (our building LASER will be gone)
• So many more items ...

You can read the complete list and see the proposed budget cuts by going to the Northshore School District website HERE and clicking on 2009-2010 BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS. There is an Adobe version and a Power Point version.

It will make you sick.

If you live in Washington State, there IS something you can do to help.

If you go onto Washington Education Association's website, you can download 10 postcards and mail them to our legislator.

It's super easy.

Select the style of postcard you want.

Enter your name and email.

A form letter is already written for you.

There is a section for you to add your own words if you want.

Print the post cards.

Sign your name.

Fold in half.

Slap a stamp on.

Mail it off.

Our goal is to have our Legislators receive 10,000 post cards in the next 10 days.

So far, 3,429 post cards have been sent!

Thanks!