Schools welcome 300 new families

Superintendent Dr. Gary Plano welcomed 300 new families entering the Mercer Island School District this year. While the number may seem large at first glance, Plano assured it was nothing out of the ordinary.

“We projected more students than we have. We’re up over last year’s student enrollment, but not up as many as we thought,” he said. “Overall, it’s a slow, steady increase.”

Plano discovered the number when he requested the address list for new families to send letters welcoming them to the district.

Last September, MISD welcomed 282 new families, and 261 in September of 2013.

Board approves levy measures

The Mercer Island School Board approved both the capital projects and technology levy and the transportation levy measures at the board’s regular meeting Thursday, Sept. 24. The capital projects and technology levy, which is a replacement levy, will provide a total of $38,431,348 over six years for facilities improvements and technology expenses at a tax rate of $2.72 per $1000.

The transportation levy, a one-year levy for $750,000, will go toward replacing school buses as they depreciate, as well as funding the district’s first propane-fueled bus.

Board members also approved two interlocal agreements with the city of Mercer Island. One allowed the city to collect impact fees for new residential development on behalf of the district. The other allowed for staffing of counseling services at the five schools in the district, which includes three full-time elementary mental health school counselors, one middle school mental health counselor, one high school mental health counselor, one high school drug and alcohol specialist and one part-time middle school drug and alcohol specialist.

Board supports action on McCleary

Receiving a request by the Network for Excellence in Washington Schools (N.E.W.S.) to join its effort and enforce the mandates of the McCleary decision, the School Board moved to support a resolution requesting that state officials promptly and fully comply with the Supreme Court’s orders in the McCleary case.

“I think we’ve had many discussions at this table about the need for the state to step up and fund education in Washington, and I think we’re unanimous that McCleary is at least going to help with that process,” board member Pat Braman commented.