Rina Geoghagan goes to Decatur

Dear Cascadia and Decatur community:

I am writing to let you know that Principal Rina Geoghagan has been selected to become the principal of Decatur Elementary School. Due to capacity concerns at Cascadia Elementary School, the district recommended and the school board approved the decision to open Decatur for our Highly Capable Cohort (HCC). 

Ms. Geoghagan brings experience and extensive knowledge of the HCC program and the Cascadia community. She was instrumental in the original move of the APP/HCC program from Lowell Elementary to Lincoln High School, has served as the design principal for the new Cascadia site, and has demonstrated strong leadership during the conversations and decisions regarding Cascadia and Decatur.  We are excited that she will be able to bring this expertise and passion to serving the Decatur community.

Ms. Geoghagan earned her Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and Latin American Studies and Master of Teaching degrees at the Evergreen State College. Ms. Geoghagan taught for eight years in the Shoreline School District. Her teaching experience includes teaching the Highly Capable Cohort and serving as an instructional coach in Shoreline. She also taught middle school in Seattle schools before becoming a principal.

The process for finding a permanent replacement for Ms. Geoghagan will begin shortly, and will follow a similar process as used for Decatur.  We are looking at finding an interim principal to support Cascadia during the final months of the current school year.  Executive Director of Schools, Jon Halfaker will be meeting with the Cascadia Building Leadership Team prior to Mid-Winter Break to share updates and next steps.

We look forward to coordinating opportunities for the Decatur community, staff, and students to welcome Ms. Geoghagan in her new role before the school year ends.

Please join me in welcoming Principal Geoghagan to the Decatur community.

Sincerely,

Larry Nyland, Superintendent

Cascadia/Decatur Split FAQ

	New Cascadia (at Wilson Pacific site)	Decatur
Enrollment Capacity	660	340+
Assigned Elementaries	All elementaries in the Hamilton, Jane Addams, McClure, Robert Eagle Staff, and Whitman attendance areas. Greenlake will be assigned to Cascadia.	These schools from the Eckstein attendance area: Bryant, Laurelhurst, Sand Point, View Ridge, and Wedgwood
Classrooms	27 total classrooms – once enrollment numbers and homeroom needs are known, decisions will need to be made about how any additional spaces are utilized	15 total classrooms – once enrollment numbers and homeroom needs are known, decisions will need to be made about how any additional spaces are utilized
Administration and Office Staff Allocation	Each school will be allocated only a Principal and Admin. Secretary
Teacher Placement	Executive Director for the NW Region Jon Halfaker and Principal Rina Geoghagan will meet with staff to ask for volunteers who are interested in moving to Decatur. If there are not enough people interested, sonority will also be part of the decision. The goal will be to create balanced teaching staff between both schools including teacher leaders and experience.
PCP – PE, Art, and/or General Music	PCP hours/FTE allocations are based on the number of classroom teachers and enrollment at a school. With the district’s budget crisis, it is likely PCP allocations will be reduced. PE is a requirement; other offerings (e.g. art and music) and how they’re scheduled, are site-based decisions.
Specialists – Math and Writing	Positions were based on WSS and the number of students enrolled at Cascadia– including for interventions – will be unlikely with the current budget crisis.
Resource Rooms and Staffing	Each school will need to allocate a space for a Resource room. The staffing is dependent on the number and needs of students at each school on Individual Education Plans (IEPs).
Library and staffing	Cascadia’s library books will be transferred to the new school. Due to budget constraints, Librarian FTE will be based on WSS	Decatur will receive a new library collection. Librarian FTE will be based on WSS
Other staff – Nurse, Counselor, Psychologist, etc.	Due to the budget crisis, nursing hours will be significantly reduced across the District. Psychologists and Therapists will still support students when required by IEPs.
Schedule/Bell Times	At the 1/18 School Board meeting, Bell Schedules were tentatively approved based on a 3-tier bussing system and including the extension of the school day by 20 minutes for all –10 minutes were added to the end and beginning of each schedule. However, District Staff are still working to try and get funding for a two-tier bus system for next year and so proposed a bell schedule reflecting only two tiers as well. If funding has not been acquired by May 1st, then the 3-tier system will be implemented. Current proposed Bell Times: Under 3 tier: Cascadia = 9:25-3:55, and Decatur = 9:25-3:55 Under 2 tier: both Cascadia and Decatur = 8:00-2:30
Playground	A new play structure is included in the construction of the new school.	District Staff are working very hard at plans to remove the “Annex” structure and install a playground there by fall. In the event this is not possible, Decatur would need to share play space with Thornton Creek (brand new, large playground) until other arrangements could be made.

Childcare	There is a space planned for childcare however, if enrollment numbers are too big, that space will likely need to be used as a classroom.	Decision to offer childcare is at the discretion of the new administration and is dependent on space available.
Instrumental Music	There is no dedicated space for instrumental music at Cascadia. It is possible the program will need to change to accommodate scheduling of space. Some ideas include offering it only to 5th graders, offering it only by lottery, and/or reducing choice of instruments. These decisions will need to be made by Cascadia’s administration, in coordination with the BLT and PTA.	Decisions about instrumental music will need to be made by the new school’s administration in coordination with their BLT and PTA.