Note from Laurie Rogers.
In my ongoing effort to be careful, accurate and thorough as I report on Spokane Public Schools, I have found it necessary several times since 2007 to ask for public records from the school district. Many people have asked me to share these records. I think you might like to see them. You have a right to see them.
Stay tuned. More to follow.
Mark Anderson: Associate Superintendent, Spokane Public Schools
Nancy Stowell: formerly Superintendent, Spokane Public Schools
Terren Roloff: formerly Director of Community Relations, Spokane Public Schools
Kevin Morrison: formerly in Facility and Planning Services, now Director of Community Relations, Spokane Public Schools
Citizens for Spokane Schools (CFSS): a bond and levy advocacy group in Spokane. Its members have included Mike Livingston, Sue Livingston, Barb Chamberlain, Deana Brower, Staci Clary, Susan Legel, Scott Jones and others.
Nov. 20, 2008, Mark Anderson and Kevin Morrison communicate with Citizens for Spokane Schools on a marketing plan for the school district's levy and bond campaign, and regarding a "levy/bond leadership meeting" with CFSS. Using his district email address, Kevin Morrison agrees to update his contact information with CFSS.
Jan. 28, 2009, Chuck Demarest, principal, uses his district address to urge employees to get involved in campaign activities for the bond and levy. He writes: "Ladd will have information out today re: postcards. If you have not signed up for an activity make sure to do so soon. . . . We heard this stat last night at our meeting. 300 staff positions would possible be lost with a failed Bond/Levy. WOW...that will take us several years to recover from and will change the way things looks around our school."
Jan. 28, 2009, Deb Johnson, principal, uses her district address to distribute sign-up sheets and mail post cards to promote the levy. She writes: "Do you want to schedule an after-school post card party for everyone to meet and work on post cards together, or do you want to just distribute the postcards to your "people", collect them back and give them to me for mailing?"
Jan. 30, 2009, Mike Campbell, teacher & department lead, emails another employee to talk about "getting" staff members to campaign for the levy: "Paula and I were talking at the last bond/levy meeting and I know you were having a difficult time getting your staff members to engage in doing the campaign tasks, so I offered to help."
Mike Campbell's solution was "a short meeting before school": with "Mike sharing the value of passing the bond/levy . . . endorsement sheets, Letters to the Editor of the Spokesman Review, postcard writing, sign waving, phone calling pro-education voters from SEA offices, Staff signing postcards, endorsement sheets and filling in the task sheet for phone calling, sign waving, letter writing, etc."
Jan. 30, 2009, Mike Campbell uses his district address to tell another employee about his plan to get teachers to campaign for the levy. He said he had "coverage" for his first period class and wondered if he could get the cooks to "make up some extra cinnamon rolls or something like that which could be covered another way?"
Jan. 30, 2009, Brian Melody, principal, uses his district address to forward an email with an attachment of a pro-levy Letter to the Editor.
There are many other examples in the records of these types of forwards. Terren Roloff and Mark Anderson, for example, forwarded pro-levy and pro-elective emails and letters.
Feb. 2, 2009, Michael Syron, athletic coordinator, uses his district email address to ask a teacher to send students to him so he can talk with them - on school time - about a campaign event for the Bond/Levy. He writes: "Would you please send 2-4 students down to my office during 5th period so I can visit with them about the upcoming event in March?"
Feb. 3, 2009, Mark Anderson used his district address to write to five administrators that he couldn't attend "the Citizens Levy Committee" meeting that evening. "I would hope we could divide up and ensure some of us are at the Citizens Levy Committee meeting next Monday."
Feb. 4, 2009, Deb Johnson, principal, used her district address to ask about the school PTG's donation of $1,000 to the levy campaign. She wrote: "Principals just received a list of donations made as of February 3rd, and the Odyssey donation was NOT on the list. Since I have made such a big deal of the PTG's donation and challenged other schools to match it . . . I was a little worried."
Feb. 5, 2009, Principal Paul Gannon used his district address to forward a pro-levy letter sent to the local newspaper. Paul Gannon writes: "Last week I asked a few of our parents if they would write a letter to the editor regarding the bond and levy. Of course they agreed to help because they love our school and the work you all do with the kids in this community." The letter to the editor concludes with this: "Now that you've got the inside scoop, I hope you'll join me in voting yes for kids on March 10th!"
Feb. 12, 2009, Mark Anderson uses his district address to pass a contact name on to members of Citizens for Spokane Schools. A district employee had forwarded information about the new owner of a local business. The employee says: "I think it might be an opportunity with the new ownership to gather some support for passing our levy. . . .I don't think that the new company is aware of the boycott efforts, and they might be interested in making a statement of support if we considered dropping the boycott."
When Mark Anderson forwards the email string, he writes: "See below - probably better for a CFSS rep. to make this contact, versus me, if desired."
Feb. 12, 2009, Steve Fisk, assistant principal, uses his district address to coordinate the distribution of leaflets to promote the bond and levy. He writes: "Hey, I forget to tell you where we were meeting. Public office conference room at 3:00 ish."
Feb. 12, 2009, Kevin Morrison uses his district address to forward a long email that promotes campaigning for the bond and levy. He writes, in part: "It can't be said too many times to your friends, relatives, acquaintances and people you do business with . . . Let's make the last few weeks of this critical campaign go 'over the top'. . . . This week: Letters to the Editor . . . Leafletting . . . Sign Waving . . . Phone Calling . . . The few hours a week you can give to the campaign in some capacity or activity over the next 3 weeks could very well be the time spent that makes our campaign successful."
Feb. 17, 2009, Mary Templeton, principal assistant, uses her district address to ask about setting up a lunch meeting with students to discuss the levy. She writes: "SORRY!!!! I forgot to ask if I can have a meeting for the Bond and Levy student volunteer group in room 131 tomorrow at lunch. . . . I am hopeful that I can be in 133 or 135 if 131 is booked."
Feb. 20, 2009, Chuck Demarest, principal, uses his district address to urge employees to get involved in campaign activities for the bond and levy. He writes: "We could use additional support with phone calling. . . . Please lend a hand . . . what I would like to do is have all folks and others do sign waving for one of the listed days . . . This is the time for our big push. Reminder a failed bond/levy will effect us all (not just new folks) Over 300 positions would be lost and several programs that we have found helpful in our work would be eliminated. LET'S MAKE SURE TO SHOW OUR SUPPORT .... ALL OF US NOT JUST SOME."
Feb. 22, 2009, Paul Gannon, principal, uses his district email to urge employees to get involved with campaign activities for the bond and levy. He writes: "Thank you to those who made Bond/Levy phone calls this weekend. We still have a few more lists of 20 voters that still need to be called. If you have time to do this type of thing, please let me know and I'll get you one of the lists."
Feb. 23, 2009, Chuck Demarest, principal, uses his district address to urge employees to get involved in campaign activities for the bond and levy. He writes: "Time to make the last big push. If you can help make phone calls that would be great. Phone packets are by the look book. Sign waving Wednesday and Friday 8:00-8:30....come one come all and we will have a great time."
Feb. 23, 2009, Steve Fisk, assistant principal, uses his district address to communicate information about a Booster Club donation to the bond and levy. He writes: "A list was being circulated about all of the Booster Clubs who have or have not donated items to the Bond Levy Campaign. Our North Central Booster Club sponsored $150.00 to our leaflet activity on Saturday."
Feb. 24, 2009, Kevin Peterson, principal, uses his district address to explain his distribution (via the school's internal delivery system) of call lists to promote the levy. He writes: "Staff: The phone lists are the ones that we gave out for the bond/levy.... I couldn't remember who I gave them to so sent it to everyone."
Feb. 25, 2009, Mark Anderson uses his district address to communicate with four administrators, including the superintendent: "Nancy, Given we're headed down the critical home stretch on the bond and levy, I will plan to attend Monday evening's CFSS meeting at Shriners while you and Karin cover CAC."
Feb. 25, 2009, Mark Anderson uses his district address to tell staff to vote: "Please remind your departmental staff to vote on the School District's bond and levy renewal measures by turning in their election ballots prior to March 10 . . . Remember, we have to get nearly 41,000 registered voters to turn in their ballots just to make the bond election valid and then 60 percent of those have to vote yes for this critical bond measure to be approved."
March 3, 2009, Mark Anderson uses his district email address to pass on election results and to press employees to vote and to ask others to vote. "Also, please remind your friends, relatives, and acquaintances who live in Spokane Public Schools to vote . . ."
March 3, 2009, Mark Anderson uses his district email address to pass on an invitation from Citizens for Spokane Schools to "join them for an event on election night, March 10, to watch the results."
March 6, 2009, Mark Anderson uses his district email address to pass on election results and to encourage election activity: "I say we need to continue the full court information press to the end."
March 6, 2009, Michael McGinnis, principal, uses his district email address to ask staff to sign wave to promote the bond and levy. His bulletin also mentions the sign waving. He writes: "Just a reminder that we have sign waving for the Bond/Levy on Monday morning. This is the last day to remind people to vote. We are still short by 6000 voters for validating the bond regardless of the yes votes turned in, it would not pass unless we have more ballots mailed."
March 8, 2009, Paul Gannon, principal, uses his district address to request staff involvement in sign waving to promote the bond and levy. He writes: "Notice that a group of us will be out waving Bond and Levy signs before and after school on Monday. Even if you aren't signed up to join us, we would still love to have you come. Only two more days until all the votes will be counted and it's not too late to influence people's decision . . ."
Sept. 10, 2009, Mark Anderson gives a presentation titled "Lessons Learned." The last four pages of the presentation show the connection between the school district and Citizens for Spokane Schools, including the district's determination to improve: "organized phone calling"; the "involvement of staff and parents in citizens committee activities"; and the "continuous grooming of new citizen leadership."
Sept. 29, 2010, Mark Anderson uses his district address to communicate with Deana Brower regarding setting up a meeting with CFSS: "Deana: Per your request and in looking at Nancy and my calendar, we have the following evenings available . . . to meet with the Citizens for Spokane Schools leadership group."
September and October 2011, Terren Roloff acknowledges that Spokane Public Schools twice allowed the distribution in elementary schools of campaign advertisements from union president Jenny Rose. These advertisements were published in the KIDS newspaper, which is regularly distributed to the children to take home in their backpack.
Each edition of the KIDS newspaper carried endorsements of three political candidates, including board candidate Deana Brower. Besides handing them out to the children to take home in their backpack, the district made them available downtown and in the school offices. The advertisements were not noted in the newspaper as advertisements, nor was it noted who had sponsored them.
Oct. 6, 2010, Mark Anderson uses his district email address to communicate with Deana Brower regarding a meeting with "the CFSS leadership team." Deana offers suggestions for whom to invite ("Mark, Nancy, Deana, Mike, Stacy, Terren, Barb") and Mark Anderson writes: "I agree with those you have identified - Nancy and I look forward to meeting with the team."
Oct. 6, 2010, Mark Anderson uses his district email address to confirm with Deana Brower, CFSS, the addition of "Kevin" to the invited at the meeting with CFSS: "Oh yes - good idea!"
Oct. 7, 2010, Nancy Stowell uses her district email address to confirm the date of a meeting with the "Citizens for Spokane Schools Leadership." Nancy Stowell writes: "Good Morning Deana, Yes, I can may Nov. 15 work..thanks so much for organizing us!"
Nov. 2, 2010, Mark Anderson uses his district email address to communicate with Deana Brower regarding a "CFSS meeting": "Hi Deana: It might be a good idea to send out a reminder/confirming email about our Nov. 15 CFSS leader meeting at your house - it is on Monday, Nov. 15, correct?"
Nov. 4, 2010, Mark Anderson uses his district email address to communicate with Deana Brower regarding a "CFSS meeting": "Just email (Terren Roloff) at: TerrenR@spokaneschools.org." This email address would essentially have CFSS communicating with Terren Roloff at her district address.
Nov. 4, 2010, Nancy Stowell uses her district email address to communicate with Deana Brower regarding a CFSS meeting on the "next levy campaign." Nancy Stowell writes: "I'm looking forward to this as well - time to start strategicing."
Jan. 21, 2011, Mark Anderson uses his district address to invite Citizens for Spokane Schools members Deana Brower and Mike Livingston to a budget forecast meeting for all district administrators, so they could "say a few words about the Citizens for Spokane Schools efforts to support the district." The meeting was to start at 3:30 p.m. at Rogers High School.
The attached district payroll deduction sheet that sets up employee donations for Citizens for Spokane Schools includes the name of Staci Clary, a district employee, as co-chair of CFSS.
March 9, 2011, Tammy Campbell, Instructional Programs, used district email to communicate with Nancy Stowell about her plans to meet and discuss the levy with Deana Brower, Citizens for Spokane Schools, and another citizen. She writes: "I just want to loop you in on this meeting that I am helping facilitate with Deana Brower to see if Latisha would be willing to get involved in the work of supporting the levy."
June 6, 2011, Mike Miller, a teacher, uses his district address to invite staff to talk with board candidate Deana Brower at Shadle Park High School. He writes to staff: "School Board Candidate Deana Brower will be at Shadle Wednesday morning, 6/15/11 in our staff room, to get your insights of what you'd like from the school board. . . . I've invited her for an "SEA 10-minute meeting" at 7:15 that Wednesday to talk to you."
June 6, 2011, Mike Miller uses his district address to tout the candidacy of Deana Brower for the school board. He writes: "I've spent the last 3 days at WEA getting ready for school-board elections. We've vetted an INCREDIBLE candidate who's a former social studies teacher. Deana Brower will be a great addition to the board, with her classroom perspectives.
June 6, 2011, Mike Miller uses his district address to communicate with Mike Campbell about Deana Brower's candidacy. He forwards the email he wrote to Shadle staff and writes: "Mike, I sent this to the Shadle staff. If you think, invite her to meet w/LC staff. I know she wants to get into the buildings to "meet and greet". I also sent a copy to Jenny, if she'd like to come. Let the campaign begin."
June 6, 2011, Mike Miller uses his district address to communicate with the union president Jenny Rose about Deana Brower's candidacy for school board. He forwards the email he wrote to Shadle staff and adds: "Below is an email I sent to our staff regarding the next 10-minute meeting. I'd like you to know about it and certainly you're welcome to come. This weekend's training was KILLER!! Wow! All three of us got some insights and charged batteries to support Deana all the way to the school board. Thanks for sending us. It was EXACTLY what we needed."
June 6, 2011, Mike Campbell emails teacher Mike Miller regarding "Doughnuts with Deana," a campaign event for board candidate Deana Brower that Mike Miller has planned for Shadle Park High School. Mike Campbell writes: "Nice job. Sounds good to me. Be looking for a more complete response from my personal email to yours. Since we are talking about pol stuff I feel better about doing it on our personal emails. Suffice to say here that I think this idea is a great one because it accomplishes several things at the same time."
June 6, 2011, Mike Miller uses his district address to communicate with union president Jenny Rose about Deana Brower's candidacy for school board. He writes: "You bet you can send (my email) on to other buildings. . . .I'll hype her visit every other day (in true campaign style) until Wednesday. If your sending my 'press release' will help get Deana to meet the staff, share on!"
June 6, 2011, Mike Miller uses his district address to tell an employee about board candidate Deana Brower: "She's been on the district levy committees. . . . She will be a breath of fresh air who doesn't mind shaking things up. Enough of the speech from a campagner."
June 7, 2011, Mike Miller uses his district address to tout "Doughnuts with Deana" at Shadle Park High School: "Dear Staff, Our 7:15 "Doughnuts with Deana" will be NEXT Wednesday on June 15th, when you will have a chance to share your thoughts and perspectives with School Board Candidate Deana Brower."
June 12, 2011, Shawn Jordan, principal, uses his district to email Deana Brower, candidate for the school board, replying to her at her candidate email address. He provides her with a flyer for the event at which she'll be "chatting" as a board candidate. He writes: "Deana, Here's is the brochure for our Principal's Association end of the year social with all of the details."
June 14, 2011, Mike Miller uses his district address to tout "Doughnuts with Deana" at Shadle Park High School: "Last call! Last reminder! We'll be meeting at 7:15 SHARP for a surprise presentation, doughnuts, and School Board Candidate Deana Brower in the staff room."
Aug. 3, 2011, Cindy McMahon, principal, uses her district email address to campaign for Deana Brower for the school board. She writes: "I am SO glad you asked. We all want Deana Brower. Please tell anyone you know to vote for her."
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