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FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012
New superintendent already hard at work Smooth transition for grade reconfiguration top priority for newly named schools leader Samantha Pak spak@redmond-reporter.com
Dr. Traci Pierce was named the new Lake Washington School District superintendent by the board of directors at Monday’s meeting and already she is working to ensure a smooth transition. Bill Christianson, Redmond Reporter
It has only been a few days since she was officially chosen as the Lake Washington School District’s (LWSD) new superintendent, but Dr. Traci Pierce is already hard at work preparing to take over the district’s top job. Since the district’s board of directors unanimously voted at Monday’s meeting to hire Pierce, she has been meeting with district staff and administrators to introduce herself to those who don’t know her and reintroduce herself to those who do. Pierce, who is the current deputy superintendent of instructional services for LWSD, has also received a number of invitations to visit different buildings throughout the district. On Thursday she read at Margaret Mead Elementary School in Sammamish and she attended an evening event at Redmond’s John James Audubon Elementary School. Both events were for Read Across America, an annual event that celebrates reading on March 2, the birthday of children’s author Dr. Seuss. Pierce began her career in education in 1994 as a teacher at Inglewood
Junior High School in Sammamish. She spent the first six years as a teacher before moving to the administrative side. She said she misses being in the classroom so she especially enjoys any opportunity to return. “It’s always fun,” she said. In addition to meeting more people throughout the district, Pierce said one of the first items she will tackle upon becoming superintendent on July 1 is the district’s grade reconfiguration to a K-5, 6-8, 9-12 system, which has been in the works for a couple of years and will go into effect in fall 2012. Pierce said with this shift, there will be some staff changes in terms of what grade levels and subjects people will teach as some people may need to move schools. There will also be adjustments among the schools’ student bodies as well: Two-thirds of middle school students will be entering a new school and the same goes for half of high school students. In previous reports, Pierce said she has been very involved in the grade reconfiguration and is very familiar with the topic. [ more PIERCE page 8 ]
Redmond woman offers A Step Up, not a handout New organization helps low-income families get back on track AARON GORDON For the Reporter
While the state government offers aid to low-income families, it can be challenging for those who want to transition off it. Redmond resident Katie Walsh, president of A Step Up, wants to change that. The Kirkland-based nonprofit organization is designed to help low-income families achieve self-sufficiency. “We want to help those who want to help themselves. This is not a handout, but a step up,” says Walsh. Walsh is a single mother who used to depend on government-subsidized child
care services. After taking a pay raise at work, she was no longer eligible for such assistance. However, her pay raise wasn’t enough to make up for the lost child care money. She went from having to pay $200 a month on childcare to $800 a month. “After talking to friends in similar situations, I realized that many people were purposefully not taking pay raises because they needed state benefits to stay afloat,” says Walsh. A Step Up is designed to help parents who earn too much to be eligible for staterun child care subsidy programs, yet are still struggling to make enough money to support their family.
Walsh’s organization aims to help the “working poor” through offering child care assistance and income budget counseling. It will also offer enrollment in Financial Peace Katie Walsh University, a 13-week class on how to become and remain debt-free. While A Step Up has a clear direction and set of values, it lacks one vital component: money. Since the organization has yet to get off the ground, it has no track record. Without any history of success, it is difficult to persuade grant donors to offer money. Wayne Ottum, president of Ottum Enterprises and Walsh’s business mentor,
believes that she can overcome this hurdle by creating a board of directors with strong community connections. “She needs to find people who already have credibility within the community who can go out and raise funds,” says Ottum. “Without history, you need quality people in your corner.” Miki Hillyer, vice president of A Step Up, plans to use the connections she’s gained through previous advocacy positions to fund raise. She believes her military background gives her the persistence and organizational skills to jumpstart the organization. Walsh and Hillyer met at a single mothers’ support group. [ more A STEP UP page 2 ]