School board updates included Braves logo contest

The La Conner School Board reviewed the top two submissions in a school district contest to adopt a new Braves logo and were updated on the progress of the district’s auto tech course taught by the transportation department’s Randy Swift during their monthly hybrid public meeting on campus Dec. 13.

They agreed to the high school’s students voting on which of the two proposed logos to send to the Swinomish Tribal Senate for possible approval.

They also gave two thumbs-up to the hands-on automotive technology curriculum.

Development of a new logo is in response to state legislation passed earlier this year regarding use of Native American imagery by school sports programs. That law, sponsored by State Rep. Debra Lekanoff, D-Bow, allows districts which include tribal communities to retain Native American mascots and logos if approved by local tribal officials.

Swinomish leaders have given the okay to continued use of the Braves moniker but have asked that related imagery be reflective of Coast Salish culture.

“The senate said to keep the ‘Braves,’” confirmed board member J.J. Wilbur, who also serves on the Swinomish governing panel, “but we’re looking for a Coast Salish depiction, not the featherhead as a representation. The senate is requesting Swinomish or Coast Salish as a more accurate representation.”

Wilbur and his fellow board members praised the two logo entries that received the most support during earlier community-wide voting.

“You can’t go wrong with either one,” said Wilbur, who abstained when the board voted to forward the logos.

Board president Susie Gardner Deyo proposed that students vote, choosing the logo. “I’m concerned about student voice,” she explained. “These top two are excellent. The question is when we send something over to the senate, I’m not fully comfortable if we haven’t heard from the students enough.

“I would like for our students to say: ‘We got to decide,’” said Deyo.

Her board colleagues agreed.

“I think it’s great to give it to the students,” board member John Agen said.

La Conner students can now learn about auto maintenance and repairs as part of the school district’s expanding career and technology education program.

“What we do is mainly hands-on,” said Swift, “We talk a lot about safety and professionalism, but doing hands-on is how most of us learn.”

“I’m from the older generation,” Swift said. “When we did driver’s ed – when most schools still had driver’s ed – they had us change tires and check under the hood. Now we just teach students how to pass the driver’s test.”

Peter Voorhees asked the board to remodel the school’s home economics room to create a format geared to train students for culinary arts careers. A history teacher, he offers an international foods course in that space.

“We’re trying to prepare kids for industry,” said Voorhees. “So, we need a more industry-type kitchen. The present one is designed for apartment life.”

Voorhees teaches world history in that room and noted, “It’s easier to teach history in a kitchen than to teach cooking in a history room”

Deyo asked Voorhees to develop a formal proposal for reconfiguring the room.

In other school board news and notes:

*Deyo was re-elected as board president. Board member Lynette Cram, the legislative liaison, will again serve as vice-president.

*Middle and High School Principal Christine Tripp shared with the board funding guidelines and curriculum frameworks related to career and technology education programs. She noted that La Conner is well-suited to offer CTE courses related to local employment sources such as the hospitality and maritime industries.

*Board members accepted donations totaling $584 from the Washington School Retirees Association.

*The board accepted the policy and procedure phase of the application process for 2021-2022 Federal Impact Aid funding.

*District Transportation Supervisor Kim Pedroza anticipates delivery of a new bus in January.