Lowell Closure Reaches Seattle Audience

The story of the Bellingham School District's onus on the Lowell Parents becomes its own news at KING 5.

There will also be a segment on KING 5 News at 5pm today.

Playground and Grass Field Project is Postponed at Lowell

Happy Valley and Larrabee Elementary have inspired the Lowell playground planning process. Your success in refurbishing your playgrounds is a model for community involvement.

The Lowell Playground Team has been meeting and planning for the past year to prepare for a similar community project. We are grateful for the incredible outpouring of support shown to us by the Happy Valley, Larrabee and larger Bellingham community. In particular, we are grateful to Ron Cowan, Mike Anderson, and other school district employees who have supported our efforts. We look forward to continuing our work with them.  

Clearly, with the current economic climate, we need to move forward carefully with such a large project. Therefore, the playground project is on hold until the spring of 2010 when students are enrolled and staff contracts are signed for Lowell. At that time, the Lowell playground project can move forward with full district and community support.

 
Any questions can be directed to Rachel Budelsky at 393-3269 or budelsky@comcast.net

Lowell Officially Closed

It's official - Lowell will remain closed for the 2009-2010 school year.

The Bellingham School District has put out a Q&A for the delayed reopening.

South Hill Neighborhood Meeting April 1

Please plan to attend the South Hill Neighborhood Association meeting on Wednesday, April 1. The main speaker will be a representative from the school district speaking on the topic of school district budgets. If you have a few specific questions to be addressed please send them to me by 5pm Tuesday. I will forward them on to Cathy Cameron, SHNA president.

You do not have to be a member of the SHNA to attend the meeting, but if you would like to join, the fee is $10. I would encourage our group to join forces with the SHNA. They have the respect of the City Council and the Mayor, and would like to see Lowell reopen as much as we would.

The SHNA meeting is held in the Fireplace Room at the Fairhaven Public Library at 7:15pm.

See you there!

Call your Legislators for K-12 Funding

This is a real budget shortfall. Let's do this another way. Please CALL or EMAIL your legislators. The state is slicing up the funds from the federal government right now. The education dollars will be split between K-12 and Universities. Between now and this Thursday are the most important days to make the calls or send emails.

You want to tell them where you are from (county and city) and that you would like them to support K-12 education funding. That’s it folks. Very simple message.

Kelli Linville is the head of the Ways & Means Committee and she is totally going to bat for education funding! (She is a third generation Lowell Alumni.) The other Legislators need to hear from you to make Kelli Linville’s job of getting the education dollars easier.

Our legislators are in the 40th and 42nd district. Here’s who to call or email:
40th District
Dave Quall (D) (360)786-7800 quall.dave@leg.wa.gov
Jeff Morris (D) (360)786-7970 Morris.Jeff@leg.wa.gov

42nd District
Kelli Linville (D) (360)786-7854 - Ways & Means Committee Chair linville.kelli@leg.wa.gov
Doug Erickson (R) (360)-786-7980 (no direct email) http://www.houserepublicans.wa.gov/ericksen/

Message from Lowell PTA President

I want to thank you all for giving over so many of your days to planning, and evenings to attend meetings. I know this has been a disruptive few weeks to everyone's family life and our children's school routines. If we get our school back, our kids will really understand the process of community organizing and democracy and the time and energy that takes. If we don't... they can be proud to know we fought long and hard for something we all value dearly. We tried to make an important change.

It has been my pleasure to get to know so many of you better during this process and I'm amazed by the talent and energy within this group. So many speakers tonight spoke so eloquently ( none more so than my own child of course!! ) armed with good information about why reopening Lowell is so essential to our community. I can only hope the school board carefully considers our situation and makes an equitable district wide choice in their attempts to reduce the budget.

In the meantime, I suggest we all have a lovely relaxing weekend, raise a wee glass to ourselves for trying our damnedest.

Thank you for your involvement and support.

Always, Lisa Distler Lowell PTA

School Board Meeting Tonight!

Thursday, 7:30pm, March 12, is the School Board Meeting. Dr. Vedra will present his final recommendation list to the School Board. The board will also hear brief public comment. Lowell remains #45 on the list and in the danger zone according to the projected shortfall.

Our PTA President, Lisa Distler, will be speaking. Please come! You only have to speak with your feet by being there. We need to show the board how important reopening Lowell in Fall 2009 is to us by attending their meeting.

This is the final meeting where our attendance can (and will) make a difference.

The School District office is at 1306 Dupont Street. We look forward to seeing you there!

Call the School Board Members

Please call your school board members and let them know what you are thinking! According to the board members and the Mayor, Dan Pike, they need to hear our concerns directly from us.

Bellingham School Board Director's home numbers:

Ms. Kelly Bashaw 933-1544

Dr. Kenneth Gass (work #) - 738-2200

Ms. Melody Rhode 738-6017

Mr. Stephen Schoenfeld 756-0498

Ms. E. Ann Whitmyer 671-7404

Wow! Unanimous!

Tonight at the city council meeting, council members, as well as Mayor Pike, showed the audience of concerned citizens overwhelming support for neighborhood schools. They changed their agenda and discussed and unanimously passed the resolution presented by Lowell's PTA President, Lisa Distler.

They really KNOW a neighborhood school is really about community. We showed up tonight unified as a community and we were heard as a community. Thank you city council for listening!

In addressing the city council, we were clear our school is important to us, our neighborhood and the city's identity. We also know this a serious time and informed the council and Mayor Pike we are willing to creatively help the school district during this budget crisis to find funds to reopen Lowell Elementary. 

Thanks everyone for coming tonight. Special thanks to Lisa and Andrea for addressing the council on our behalf!

Council Meeting Tonight

Remember to attend the City Council Meeting tonight. 

City Hall, 7pm

210 Lottie Street, Downtown Bellingham

People are important! Your presence is your statement FOR neighborhood schools!

Lowell's PTA President will be speaking. There is no need for everyone to speak. We do not wish to disrupt the City Council's regular business. However, if you would like to speak, you must sign up by 6:30pm on the roster. 

We will bring our signs, but leave them outside the chamber as the space is small.

Thanks for supporting neighborhood schools! See you tonight.

Letters to the Editor

Read these great letters to the editor printed in the Bellingham Herald:

"Lowell must reopen soon"

"Neighborhood schools are great"

"Neighborhood schools important"

"Small schools better for students"

"Fight to reopen Lowell Elementary"

Coming Together

Thanks to everyone for a energetic, productive, idea-driven meeting tonight. You all have so many great resources to draw from. We will pull this information together and make our case logically to keep schools in neighborhoods. Namely: Lowell Elementary this year. We hope that our efforts and research will support neighborhood schools throughout the city for years to come.

Remember:

City Council Meeting, Monday, March 9, 7 pm

City Hall, Council Chambers

Bring your Lowell sign! Pack the house! This really made a difference last time!

Lowell Information

Please come to the Fairhaven Library this Thursday, March 5 at 6:45pm in the Fireplace Room.

Everyone is invited! This is the most important meeting about Lowell.

Come if you care. Tell your friends and neighbors.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Signs to Tears

Tonight at the Shuksan Middle School meeting about the draft budget for 2009-2010 Dr. Vedra updated his expected minimum district budget cuts to $3 million. It's clear that Lowell will not reopen next year.

The state is projecting a two year budget short fall. This indicates there will not be money to reopen Lowell for the 2010-2011 school year either.

This is a sad outcome for kids, parents and neighbors. Dr. Vedra did tip his hand during the meeting: expect a feasibility study sometime next year to determine if Lowell should ever be opened again.

Who do you know? Who can help?

New "Draft" List from Vedra

Dr. Vedra's draft list (here)   has been posted to the district website. While items have been rearranged minimize impact to jobs first, Lowell's postponed opening still remains in the "at-risk zone." Lowell has been demoted to number 45 on the list, putting it at the $2.7 million budget cut level. The district is expecting AT LEAST $2 million cut, but according to Dr. Vedra and anticipated state budget shortfalls, it will likely be more.

Soapbox note:

Why should one segment of the school population carry a majority of the burden for the whole district?

The School Board Members promoted the $67 million bond we are now paying for as a way to save neighborhood schools. It passed by an overwhelming 69 percent.

Be sure to come to the March 2, 6:30pm meeting at Shuksan and remind the School Board and District Superintendent how you voted and what you voted for!

ACTION ITEMS

Your voice needs to be heard.

Letters to the Editor at the Herald

1. Here is the first one in print (here)

2. Submit your letter to the editor (here)

3. Use numbers or bring up school board promises or be passionate, but let the community know that one segment of the school kids taking the majority of the burden for the whole district is wrong.

The Listening Post

1. This is a direct link to the School Board Members (here)

2. They might not see all the comments posted - but they will see yours if you post it there.

Hardcopy Letters

1. Bring your hardcopy letter not submitted to their website to the March 2 meeting. Your mailed in letters WILL NOT be counted or read.

2. Have your kids bring letters/drawings too.

Hot Potatoes

Thanks for showing up today everyone. One hundred signs were put together and gone in 45 minutes!

Remember: The public meeting is Monday, March 2, 6:30pm at Shuksan Middle School. Please come and bring your kids and neighbors.

IF you didn't get a chance to give your input online, you can submit a letter or hardcopy at the meeting. This is the ONLY time they will accept letters or written hardcopy comments. If you mailed your comments in, they will not count - please bring your letter to the meeting.

At the sign rally the kids wrote over thirty letters and they will be submitted on Monday as well.

See you all Monday Lowell fans!

Let's Get Organized for the March 2nd Meeting

Thanks everyone for turning in your comments to the district! We WILL make a difference!

Please come and pick up a "Reopen Lowell" sign between 4-5 pm on Thursday, February 27 at the Firehouse Performing Arts Center on 1314 Harris Ave. in Fairhaven. Bring your kids - there will be a place for them to make a drawing or write a letter to turn in at the public meeting.

Put the sign in your yard, but be sure to bring it to the public meeting on March 2nd at Shuksan Middle School where the district superintendent will announce his proposed budget cuts. His proposal will have a three-day comment period, then be turned over to the school board for a vote.

Let's make sure we are visible at the public meeting and let the district know that keeping Lowell closed another year is NOT what our community, parents and neighbors want. 

Thanks Firehouse for donating the space. Thanks Signs by Tomorrow for the great banner hanging at Lowell. Thanks for printing the yard/meeting signs.

On display now at Lowell Elementary

Lowell school district unites! 

District Comment Postings

Thanks everyone for posting your comments! From what we understand your comments are actually being read and not just counted. If you are waiting to post or need some inspiration, click on the comment link associated with this posting and you can read the list of ideas talked about at the Save Lowell meeting.

Remember:

1. Post your comments by Tuesday, February 24 to: www.bsd501.org/go/survey/420/1258/

2. Also post your comments on the "Listening Post" at: www.bsd501.org/go/survey/420/968/ where every board member can read them too.

SAVE Lowell!!!!!!

Today is the day to make your comments! The district will ONLY accept comments made online at their website: www.bsd501.org/go/survey/420/1258/

They will NOT take comments in the form of calls or hard copy letters. 

We encourage you to send your comments to the Herald.

View the suggested budget cuts at: www.bham.wednet.edu/staff/BudgetUpdate2009.htm

Lowell Parents Organize

The consensus is: re-open Lowell in the fall! 

A room full of parents who care about their children's school experience and who have a deep sense of commitment to this their neighborhood community worked out a plan to canvas the entire Lowell school district with flyers. The flyers encourage friends and neighbors to comment on the delayed re-opening of Lowell. 

The Bellingham School District will be posting a list of suggested budget cuts. There will be a SHORT FIVE-DAY comment period beginning February 19, 2009.

Please take the time to comment.

Rally for Lowell Meeting

Let's get organized tonight at the Jones'! All concerned parents and neighbors are invited to attend. We will talk about the past effort to save Lowell Elementary from closing in 2001 and strategize about how to get the word out to the neighborhood. After all, Lowell's postponed reopening affects our kids and our community. Join us at 1705 Knox, 6:30pm.

Upper Playground Already Removed

Lowell's upper playground has been removed. While our playground project is on hold due to recent and sudden suggestion that Lowell is not reopened next fall, we have raised over $67,000 toward the playground and grass field and still have significant community support for the project.

We are looking forward to keeping Lowell open next year and enjoying the new playground built this May!

Lowell in Jeopardy

Sadly, it has been brought to our attention Lowell Elementary might not reopen this fall due to the district's budget shortfalls. The Budget Advisory Committee has voted (75.6 percent) to delay the opening of Lowell for a year. The BAC's recommendations will go to Dr. Vedra, the district superintendent, after the open comment period, which begins February 19, 2009 and lasts only five days.

Fundraising Yaosa

We are almost halfway there! We have raised over $65,000 for the playground and grass field project. This includes cash and material donations. We have had amazing community support for this project and it's made a real difference! We are so fortunate to live in such a supportive, community-minded place where we have so many people rooting for such an important outlet for our children. 

Thank you everyone!

SAVE THE DATE!

SAVE THE DATE!!! March 8, 2009! If you're a fan of Irish music you've heard of Randal Bays and Daithi Sproule, if not, your first experience will be with the best. These two have recorded and toured with the world's finest Irish musicians. 

Just in time for St. Patrick's Day they bring their virtuosity to Whatcom County in support of the new Lowell Elementary Playground and Grass Field Project. They are personal friends with an avid supporter of Lowell's new playground and are thrilled to be part of supporting this for the kids. ALL PROCEEDS GO TO THE PROJECT! Go to Mount Baker Theater for tickets.

Our Hero's

Today we met with our local Lowe's to give them information about the playground build. They were so enthused about the project! Little did we know that every year each local store identifies a community improvement project that will make a difference where they live. They decided immediately decided to make the new Lowell Playground their "Heroes" project for 2009. From what we understand, every employee will volunteer during the build! What an amazing way to support their community! Thanks Lowe's from every kid, neighbor and parent!

Thanks for Coming!

Today we held a a silent auction as a fundraiser for the Lowell Playground and Grass Field. We are amazed at the supportive parents - both their donations and time - for the auction. Thanks! It's so meaningful to be part of an active, involved community.

We also appreciate the community support the project received the form of donations to the auction. 

Everyone had so much fun - the kids played bingo and bought snacks at the "snack bar" and parents picked up everything from pizza and movie coupons to framed prints by local artist Thomas Wood.

The auction raised a little over $5,000. The Lowell Playground wouldn't happen without your support. Thank you.