NEWS | Granny’s gives one of its
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largest grants ever. Page 3 OPINION | The questionable practice of paying commissioners. Page 6 ARTS | VAA’s third annual lecture series takes off. Page 10+
BEACHCOMBER VASHON-MAURY ISLAND
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2011
Vol. 56, No. 40
www.vashonbeachcomber.com
Changing demographics take toll on preschools Across Vashon, numbers are down at even the most established centers
In fighting substance use, place matters By NATALIE JOHNSON Staff Writer
the 3/4 class is just seven students, less than half of full capacity, according to Tessa Francis, the school’s board member in charge of registration. “We are very concerned,” she said. While the low numbers have affected the school’s bottom
A makeover of the sitting area next to the Vashon Pharmacy comes as one of several projects that will take shape around the Island over the course of several months in a wide effort to curb public drinking and drug use. A motion-sensor light will be installed under the shelter at the Village Green, where drinking and drug use often happens at night. The alley behind the PlaySpace, where drug deals are sometimes made, will be gated off. And blackberry bushes will eventually be mowed down by the entrance to KVI beach to create a clear line of sight to the sandy stretch where teenagers sometimes gather to drink. The small projects, which will be completed in at least eight locations on Vashon, are part of an effort by the Vashon Alliance to Reduce Substance Abuse (VARSA) to curb substance abuse at popular spots and perhaps send a message that the community does not tolerate underage substance abuse. The project is funded by the 10-year Drug Free Communities
SEE PRESCHOOLS, 4
SEE VARSA, 12
By SUSAN RIEMER Staff Writer
When Island kids returned to school this fall, several classrooms were emptier than usual, especially at Vashon preschools, where many have fewer students enrolled than ever before. The reason for the dip in numbers appears to be twofold, early childhood advocates say. A decline in young children on the Island, which the 2010 census documented, is likely a leading factor, and the poor economy, leaving some families with a jobless parent and many with limited incomes for child care, also contributes. It has meant many programs have had to cut back and find creative solutions to this new reality, a sharp contrast to just a few years ago. “It used to be five years ago we had a long waiting list and no worries at all,” said Dan Cullinan, who has owned Starbreak Adventure School with his wife Kathy Zbryk for the past 14 years. In the school’s heyday, it served about 16 to 18 families, and almost all the children attended full time. Now, Cullinan said, to create full classes, they have had to offer
75¢
Susan Riemer/Staff Photo
Rafael Escovedo’s class for 2- to 3-year-olds at the Vashon-Maury Cooperative Preschool is not as full as last year’s. more scholarships and part-time options. The school carries no waiting list and has space for a couple more children, which was unheard of not long ago. Acknowledging there are fewer young kids on the Island than their used to be, he believes the interest in part-time programs is fueled by the economy. “They want the quality of the
program, but they cannot afford the five days,” he said. Several of the other preschools tell similar stories about declining enrollment, including those that have been on the Island the longest. At the Vashon-Maury Cooperative Preschool, which has served the Island for 40 years, there is no toddler class this year because of lack of enrollment, and
Fire board candidates debate the issues By NATALIE JOHNSON Staff Writer
Leslie Brown/Staff Photo
Deborah Brown makes a point, while the other candidates, from left, Ron Turner, Candy McCullough and Joe Ulatoski, listen.
Taxes and on-Island volunteerism were both hot topics at Wednesday night’s Fire Commissioner Candidates’ Debate, where four candidates for two seats on Vashon Island Fire & Rescue’s board of commissioners faced off before a crowd of about 75. The mood at the event, sponsored by Voice of Vashon and The Beachcomber, was light as Susan McCabe provided playful moderation and the candidates remained civil and even-tempered. All questions at the 90-minute debate, which was also filmed by Voice of Vashon, were posed by audience members who stood at microphones
in a packed classroom at Some Vashon the Penny Farcy Training retailers worry Center across from the fire about Initiative station on Bank Road. 1183, which And while the candidates would privatize liquor sales. See for the two six-year terms story, page 5. often agreed in principal, they strove to set themselves apart, particularly in their opening comments to the crowd. Joe Ulatoski, who is challenging incumbent Candy McCullough in a very public campaign for Position 4, for instance, painted himself as someone who would bring a wider perspective to the board, SEE DEBATE, 22