By CARA LORELLO
Staff Reporter
During its regular meeting on May 26, the Medical Lake School Board approved its 2009-2010 school year calendar with a change to include an extra learning improvement day, or LID, on Nov. 25.
The Washington Administrative Code 392-140-955 defines LIDs as a scheduled workday during the school year for certificated instructional staff funded by the state for the purpose of improving student learning and implementing education reform. School districts can schedule their LIDs for different school buildings or groups of employees on different calendar days during the year. LIDs are compensated as part of employees base contracts, but the state Legislature recently cut funding for one of two LID dates for the district, Superintendent Pam Velti said.
District officials have agreed to use some $50,000 in federal stimulus funds to help pay 136 teacher salaries to keep that extra LID date, a motion the board granted through approval of the amended calendar.
Veltri said district officials learned they could use stimulus dollars to replace their lost LID, as funds are only applicable in certain programs, which include staff development through Title II, part A. Other areas stimulus dollars may be applied to are Title I, special education and special education staff.
The board also decided to table voting on another matter that evening, a proposal by the Medical Lake High School Band Department to adopt a first-ever instrument rental fee of $25 per semester per student to help cover the budget for maintaining instruments rented by students.
“[District band teacher] Gail Phillips did say it takes almost all of the music department's budget just to do that,” Veltri said of the costs to properly maintain instruments. The district in general has always owned most of its instruments. Medical Lake High School has never had to implement a rental fee before, though many area school districts charge rental rates per semester, trimester or year. Phillips researched other neighboring districts and found Cheney schools, for example, charge $20 per trimester to rent school-owned instruments, while West Valley charges $25 per semester, and Ritzville charges $30 in fees per year.
“I think with everything else, given the cuts we've sustained by the Legislature, we're now looking for ways to continue the things we already do, and this is one of those things,” Veltri said.
The board is holding off on making its decision until a later meeting.
Cara Lorello can be reached at [email protected]
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