


School board backs Angel's outreach program


Story by: John Panni


Date Published to Web: 1/30/2002


The Alderwood City Council in the end wanted nothing to do with the community outreach program instigated by Councilwoman Jennie Angel. But at Thursday night's monthly meeting, the Alderwood School Board was all for keeping the program going, even opting to expand the coverage area of the monthly meetings.
At the request of Alderwood School District Superintendent Dr. Aaron Bones, Angel, representing the Lower Alderwood County Rural Enterprise Community (REC) Board of Directors, addressed the board last night about the outreach program.
Angel said the program is designed to bring city services to the community. Angel said the purpose of the program is to bridge the gap that exists in some areas of the community with such entities as the City of Alderwood and the Alderwood School District.
The Alderwood City Council voted a few weeks back to discontinue support of the outreach program, withdrawing the services of city staff at each of the monthly meetings in designated areas of the community.
Prior to the Council opting out of the program, the city, REC, and the Alderwood School District partnered to bring the monthly meetings to the public, which were also designed in part to give the public a place to voice concerns or ask questions.
"Our attendance kind of varied," said Angel.
The up-and-down numbers at each of the meetings had to do with where and when the gatherings were held, Angel told the school board.
Angel said that after each meeting she would talk with Alderwood School District Executive Director of School and Community Resources Ruben Carrera and then Alderwood City Manager Dave Fonfara to evaluate the outreach program and work on areas that needed improvement.
Her long-term goal with the outreach program is to promote neighborhood collaboration. One project Angel is working on right now, she told board members, is getting the Alderwood County Auditor's Office involved with the monthly meetings to promote voting.
Bones asked Angel what the school district can do to be a more active participant in the outreach program. Angel encouraged a school board member to attend the meetings with Carrera.
While the city has backed out with its personnel and any financial support of the program, Police Chief Ted Mana will still be sending staff to the monthly meetings, Angel said. Angel said the meetings go along with some of the outreach efforts the police department is trying to do in the community.
The outreach program is currently being funded through REC funds, but Angel is working on obtaining a grant that would allow staff to be hired to continue the efforts.
Alderwood School Board member Arthur Wells encouraged Angel to set up meetings for all local school district patrons, as opposed to outreach meetings for just those neighborhoods within the Alderwood city limits. Jones said the school district serves residents outside of the Alderwood city limits and he would like to see the program boundaries include the entire Alderwood School District service area.
The school board backed Angel's program and offered the services of the district informational telephone line, school newsletter and monthly newsletters to get the word out about the date of each outreach meeting.
. John Panni can be contacted at (509) 837-4500, or email him at mPanni@hawkpress.com


















Webmaster
Copyright 
Hawk Press Inc.
, 





