Michelle Blue

Are you paying attention to the media coverage of the Northshore School District budget shortfall?This shortfall will have an impact on every child in the Northshore school district (go to http://www.nsd.org/and scroll down for the details). Unfortunately for a large group of families, it will be a very personal impact if one of the Woodinville elementary schools are closed - impacting both the children from the closed school and the children caught up in the disruption caused by boundary line adjustment moves for the remaining schools.

Let your voice be heard! I want to applaud Nancy Hill of Woodinville for taking the time to write a letter to the NSD Board and Editor of the Woodinville Weekly last week to share her thoughts on this serious situation. While I did not agree with everything she proposed - she is engaged and actively trying to propose solutions. I especially liked her suggestion that we should shift to a "pay or play" system for school sports, assuming that we can make a major budget reduction as a result.

However, I am concerned that many parents appear to be more focused on retaining sports then providing a truly exceptional academic experience for our children. (I say this based upon the number of emails that have been sent to date to the NSD school board that have voiced that concern). If we have to make a choice - then in my opinion, I believe we must choose academics over sports and other extra curricular activities. We need to continue to provide high quality teachers and a variety of educational options so we can reach children who learn differently - whether it is a special needs program, PACE program, EAP program, honors program or a career and technical education program.

Our children need to be prepared so that they will have both the choice and opportunity to go to college, go to a vocational school, or go directly into the workforce and succeed. They cannot be expected to do that if we continue to cut the very environment, teachers and supplies required for their education.

So here is my challenge to you, because Individuals do make a difference!

• Get involved locally - at a minimum send an email to Budget@nsd.org and let the School Board know how you feel and what is a priority for your family. They especially need to hear from families that value academics and value a variety of learning environment because one size does not fit all for children.
  
• Get involved regionally - send emails or letters to your state representatives - tell them that the Education Funding System is Broken! We shouldn't have to make choices between academics, sports, music, and other extra curricular activities. If you don't know who to contact then go to http://www.leg.wa.gov/ and click on Find Your Legislator.
  
• Get educated and be an advocate. Attend the PTSA meetings when you are able, read the articles in the media, go to the district website and the national PTSA website. Talk to your friends. Washington state needs to step up and make sure our children are able to compete locally, nationally and internationally and to do that - we need an public education system that works!

Online Resources
Washington State PTA (legislative page)
Northshore PTSA Council

by Michelle Blue
Your Guide to Woodinville Community, Neighborhoods & Real Estate!

Cottage Lake Beach Club is located just off Avondale next to Cottage Lake. The community shares beach rights at the private park on the lake. This serene lake allows no combustion engines and is a popular spot for picnics and trout fishing in the spring.

The neighborhood consists of approximately 100 homes nestled within a series of winding streets. Most of the homes were built in the mid 1960s and vary from tri-level, split-level and a few ramblers.

Summary Price Information, Home sales January 2007-January 2008

For more information on Woodinville Neighborhoods, including photo tours, please go to www.WoodinvilleGuide.com.

by Michelle Blue
Your Guide to Woodinville Community, Neighborhoods and Real Estate.

The Passport to Woodinville Weekend event will be held on April 12th & 13ththis year. This fun event provides the opportunity for you to discover the many high quality wineries that we have right in Western Washington. The best part is that many of the wineries have limited wine tasting opportunities throughout the year and this weekend they are all open. Don't forget to arrange for a designated driver or splurge and share a towncar or limo.

Participating wineries (30) include:Adams Bench, Arlington Road Cellars, Austin Robaire, Baer Winery, Brian Carter Cellars, Chateau Ste. Michelle, Columbia Winery, Covington Cellars, Cuillin Hills, Des Voigne Cellars, Di Stefano Winery, Edmonds Winery, Efeste' Wine Cellars, Hollywood Hill Vineyards, Januik Winery, JM Cellars, Mark Ryan, Matthews Cellars, Northwest Totem Cellars, Novelty Hill, Page Cellars, Pomum Cellars, Red Sky Winery, Ross Andrew Winery, Sparkman Cellars, Silver Lake, Stevens Winery, William Church Winery, Woodinville Wine Cellars and Woodhouse Family Cellars.

The tickets just went on sale (February 1st) and they often sell out within 2 weeks - so if you think you want to go, don't delay.

• Full weekend Passport $65 each.
• Sunday Only Passport $45 each.

For more information and to purchase tickets go to the Woodinville Wine Country website events page.

Even if you believe that you aren't impacted by the major budget shortfall ($3.4M) - if you live within the Northshore School District - you are!

You are affected if:

1. You have a child in one of the Woodinville Elementary Schools. Your child's school could be closed, your child's school could have an influx of new students from a closed school, or no school is closed and programs are cut in your child's school. For example... the librarian, the nurse, assistants, music, sports, etc...
   
2. You have a child in one of the Northshore Elementary, Junior or Senior High Schools. In addition to considering a school closure program cuts are also in consideration - again... don't your children deserve a library/librarian, nurse, assistants, music, art, sports, foreign languages.....
   
3. You LIVE in the Northshore School District.Even if your kids have grown or you don't have or want to have kids at all - the value of your real estate is impacted. Northshore school district is award winning which attracts people looking to buy real estate - it can't stay that way if it isn't funded.

Please take the time to care and get involved!

The Northshore School District Meetings are open to the public - if you want to have your voice hear you need to attend or support those who are attending. Here are the next few meetings (note agendas and minutes are posted on the website when it is close to the meeting date/soon after the meeting date). www.nsd.org

• Tuesday, January 22^nd 7pm NSD Board Meeting The agenda for this meeting is posted on the NSD Website. http://www.nsd.org/education/sctemp/bc3e0aedabf5f4d936d044cea9c40d6f/1200692221/BD._AGENDA_1-22-08.pdf
• Friday, January 25^th Key Communicators Lunch (information presented at this meeting should be on the website by the afternoon)
• Tuesday, February 12^th 4pm NSD Board Meeting; Closure Criteria Presented to board
• Tuesday, February 26^th 7pm NSD Board Meeting
• Tuesday, March 11^th 4pm NSD Board Meeting
• Tuesday, March 25^th 7pm NSD Board Meeting
• Tuesday, April 22^nd 7pm NSD Board Meeting

Talk to your legislators! This isn't just a problem at the Northshore School District - Education is underfunded in Washington and schools across the state are having to make up the shortfall or make hard decisions.

Specifically, for those of you who are considering purchasing a home, refinancing, or opening a Home Equity Line of Credit - the rate change might not have the impact that you think.

New & Refi-Mortgages. The act of the Fed moving the short term rates has no direct effect on the mortgage rates as they are quoted. WHY? Because mortgage rates are based upon the trading of mortgage backed securities. The indirect effect of these rate changes actually happens days or weeks before the actual change when all of the "talking" is taking place in the media - when the change actually takes place you might see an oposite affect and rates go up.

The Fed raises rates to fight inflation and lowers rates to spark the economy. Right now - there is a need for both. The fear of inflation forces bond pricing (and the pricing of mortgage backed securities) to go down and rates to go up. The reason for this is because with inflation, bonds lose value over time and therefore aren't worth as much. In addition to bond pricing, there are many other factors that effect the pricing of mortgage backed securities - therefore you won't see a direct correlation between a Fed Cut and the rates available for your next loan.

Home Equity Lines. However, when the Fed adjusts the short term rate, it does effect the Prime Rate and most Home Equity Lines of Credit (HELOC) are tied to the Prime Rate. (Prime Rate is equal to the Fed Funds Short Term Rate plus 3%.)

So when is it the best time to take out a new loan or lock in rates? I highly recommend working with a lender who regularly tracks this information and can explain it to you. If you need a referral to a lender who does this -please consider talking to one of my favorite lenders, Bryan Gorder. (Most of the explanation above, came straight out of an email that Bryan sent to me.)

By Michelle Blue
Your Guide to Woodinville Community, Neighborhoods & Real Estate.