Northshore School District School Board Meeting, June 8, 2026

001meeting to order. If you are so inclined, please stand for the flag salute. >> I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Okay. On behalf of the board, I welcome all members of the audience to this afternoon's meeting. This is a meeting uh um this meeting is a working session of the board to conduct the business of the district. The agenda for today's meeting has been published and the agenda items to be discussed and or voted on have been studied by the board. I would like to introduce the people participating in this meeting. We have recording secretary Peggy King, Superintendent Dr. Justin Irish, board members Elizabeth Sootk, Han Trand, Carson Anderson,

002and I am Sandia Hayes. I currently serve as the president of the board. Kimberly Kelly is absent this evening due to family issues. An agenda for this meeting is available online at board docs and copies are also located on the table at the back of the boardroom. There will be an opportunity for both virtual and p in-person public comments to be shared, although I think our invertual is struggling so it will just be in person tonight to be shared during the association and public comment portion of the meeting. Cutie members who are interested in viewing the meeting with closed captions are encouraged to follow the link on our website to the district's YouTube channel. The YouTube stream includes closed captioning for both regular board meetings and study sessions. Visit nsd.org or and under our district,

003click schoolboard, then board meeting materials and videos. If you are here to address the board on agenda items, please sign in using the sign-in sheet on the table at the back of the room and take a number which corresponds with the line where you signed in. So, the first order of business is the land acknowledgement and director Tran will be reading that. We take this time to acknowledge that the Northshore School District occupies the unseated coalish lands that have been here since time in memorial. We honor the ways of knowing and ways of being of indigenous peoples and tribal nations who are still here and thriving in our district community. We also acknowledge that this is a working land acknowledgement that will continue to evolve as our partnership with local indigenous peoples and tribal leaders

004expands. >> Thank you. First up is the approval of the agenda. Would the board like to make any changes to the agenda as it has been published? Seeing none, I will uh call for a motion to approve the agenda. >> So moved. Second. >> Okay. Being moved and seconded, I will call for the vote. Okay, that passes. So, the agenda will proceed as it was published. Up next is the superintendent's report. Dr. Irish. >> Thank you, President Hayes. Um had many um opportunities to engage internally and externally since the last time we met. Um recently I had a meeting with the King County uh or actually with the Puget Sound ESD uh to focus on King County government relations. um and just thinking strategically how we're going to be working um in alignment with districts

005um in support of um budget shortfalls and other legislative agenda items. Uh had also the um was invited to the online uh town hall beyond the session for education funding hosted by Belleview PTSA. I was there with director Tren um as well. Um attended the Northshore Schools Foundation meeting. Um I was able to engage with recently with the King County Department of Local Services. This is a new um department within King County, specifically focusing on unincorporated King County in ways to better partner with um our the local governmental agencies within the unincorporated county areas and um and think about ways in which we can continue they can continue to help sponsor and support all of us. And so that was an incredible conversation really talking about enrollment shifts uh and declining enrollment um housing economics

006and so forth. I've had um an opportunity to engage in one of our first strategic planning sessions specifically with our leadership teams um helping um engage with the student ideal student learning experience and two of you were joining us for that session. I've had two site visits since we last met at Arrowhead and Maywood Hills to meet with staff uh formally and informally. I've had three school action plan visits, one at Arrowhead, East Ridge, and Wooden. And then I attended the Shelton View um with the Shelton View community both internally and externally. Met with staff to talk through kind of what the future rebuild will look like, uh things to our voters, as well as met with the community to engage in um hearing from them and gathering input. Um and our capital projects team

007did a fabulous job helping host both those meetings. I attended the PTSA spring recognition event. Um we had our reire event honoring all of our wonderful employees who are um moving on to the next chapter in their lives. Um our food and nutrition services put on an amazing wellness fair at Woodmore. It's new this year. Um and the fair is design uh designed to support our K5 nutrition and wellness power standards. um through short interactive stations focused on nutrition, movement, wellness, hygiene, sustainability, and healthy decision-making. It was just so awesome to see community partners, staff um and um and volunteers engage in them. There was a handwashing station where the kids had to have germs and get their hands washed and they went under the blue light to see really that they didn't get all

008their germs off. It was really kind of cool to see. Um and then um we are in the graduation season as we will experience even more so this week and next week. uh but last week was able to attend the both high school's Latino graduation ceremony um as well as Inglmore's um IB recognition ceremony. And that is my update. >> Thank you, Dr. Irish. Up next, we have programs and special presentations. And Dr. Ava Thomas will be making our quarterly racial and educational justice presentation. Hello board directors. Can you hear me well enough? Okay. Uh this afternoon I am pleased to share a brief update from our 2025 to 2026 quarterly racial and educational justice community panels where students, families, educators, and community members came together to share experiences, hopes, and recommendations for our schools.

009Across all three panels, participants spoke powerfully about the importance of belonging. Students consistently described feeling most supported when they had trusted adults, affirming peer groups, and spaces where they could show up fully as themselves. They highlighted the impact of clubs, affinity groups, athletic teams, extracurriculars, classrooms, and community gatherings that foster connection, understanding, and care. Many participants shared deep pride in their cultures, identities, families, and communities and expressed appreciation for opportunities to celebrate and learn from one another. A second theme centered on the difference between awareness and action. Participants challenged us to think about what true allyship looks like. They described allyship as listening, learning, speaking up when others are not in the room, and using one's influence to create change. Students and staff emphasized that belonging is strengthened when support moves beyond symbolic gestures and

010becomes visible through everyday actions, relationships, and systems. At the same time, panelists identified important opportunities for continued growth. Across the conversations, students described experiences with microaggressions, stereotypes, and assumptions tied to their intersecting identities. Some shared concerns about the normalization of harmful jokes and the burden of self- advocacy. Some spoke about wanting curriculum, materials, and school experiences that more fully reflect the diversity of our students and communities throughout the year, not only during designated heritage months. When asked what would make schools more just and inclusive, participants painted a vision of a system where every student experiences belonging, access, and opportunity. They spoke about the importance of continuing to strengthen peer and adult support systems, expanding opportunities for students to share their stories and perspectives, deepening cultural responsiveness, increasing access to resources and accommodations, and implementing restorative

011practices with care. They also underscored the power in of investing in spaces that nurture dialogue, empathy, and community. Their recommendations reflect both an appreciation for the progress that has been ma made and a belief that together we can continue creating learning environments where every student can thrive. Likely the most powerful takeaway from these panels was a me message of hope. Again and again participants spoke about the strength they find in community. They reminded us that when students feel seen, heard, valued, affirmed, and loved, they are more likely to engage, achieve, and thrive. I'm grateful for the members of the RJ community committee who dedicated their time to organizing these powerful events. Their leadership continues to be a model for co-design collaboration and amplifying the voices of our students. I'm just as grateful for every student,

012family member, staff member, and community participant who shared their experiences and perspectives. Their voices continue to inform and strengthen our work as we strive to create schools where every student experiences belonging, access, and opportunity. Thank you for your time this afternoon. >> Thank you, Dr. Thomas. >> Okay, up next is our association and public comments. The Northshore School District Board of Directors has set aside a period of up to 60 minutes to receive updates and comments from the district from district association leaders and community members. As referenced in multiple policies adopted by the board, we expect all parties addressing the board to present their comments in a way that is civil and respectful. This means that whether we are school directors, district staff, students, members of the community, or some other guest, we must all

013follow the same standard of civility during schoolboard meetings. Please speak directly to the board and address matters related to district operations, policies, procedures, and agenda items under consideration by the board. Washington state law requires that the board limit its business and discussion at the board meeting to only those items that have been captured in the previously published agenda. What that means for us today is that any public comment regarding items that are included in the published agenda will be taken into consideration by the board when the topic is addressed during the agenda. Any topic brought up during public comment that are not included in the published agenda cannot by law be discussed at this meeting and so will not be addressed or receive a response during the meeting. In either case, depending on the nature

014of your topic or questions, a district employee or a board member will follow up on any comments that relate to district business. Please note that the board's silence during public comment is neutral, is neither a signal of agreement nor disagreement with the speaker's remarks. Also, please note that comments should not make reference to any employee or representative of the district by name or by identifiable reference. If you are interested in making comments or complaints regarding an individual, you may use the complaint process available through the office of the super superintendent. Finally, please remember that your words have impact and you, not the school district, are responsible for your words. We caution all speakers that it is possible that your statements could violate the rights of others under various laws, including laws protecting privacy and laws

015prohibiting defamation. If you are unsure of the legal effect of your remarks, you should seek independent legal advice. In any case, we ask you to help us model for our students what a respectful and inclusive community looks and sounds like. So, first up is going to be our associations. And don't all race to the microphone here, folks. Okay. Are you are you all talking? >> This group is all going to go at once. Just we're doing we're each only doing a couple of sentences. >> All right. Thank you so much. >> I just decided to share share the love of the association comment period. >> Excellent. All right. So, uh, Rick is passing out just a copy of the letter, um, that we are going to read, which has been signed by, um, over,200, uh,

016members of the Northshore Education Association. So, uh, Northshore School District School Board directors and Superintendent Irish, over the past three consecutive years of budget cuts, Northshore Education Association members have been asked to do more and more with less and less. Staffing positions and negotiated benefits have been suspended and eliminated. Our class sizes and case loads have ballooned even as changes to the critical intervention supports our students receive have required us to deliver a broader range of individualized instruction in each classroom. Compensation has not kept pace with inflation, leaving hourly employees especially vulnerable to the high cost of living in our region. Meanwhile, our increasingly volatile and uncertain world requires us to navigate new and complex challenges in our daily work with students and families. As the federal government dismantles the Department of Education, our public

017schools and the educators who sustain them are reaching a breaking point. We are grateful to the voters of the Northshore School District for renewing bond and levy funding, which provides a critical lifeline to our schools and students. We know that long-term solutions will require increased federal and state support for public education, including Washington meeting its paramount constitutional duty of amply funding K12 education. As we negotiate new collective bargaining agreements, we the undersigned NSEA members stand in solidarity with the NSA bargaining team and express our collective support for agreements that advance the following interests. Equity. Our contract must establish practices that dismantle institutional and systematic racism as well as other forms of oppression. We have an interest in recruiting and retaining staff who reflect the diversity of our community. We believe instruction and services should deliver

018equitable outcomes for students. Quality instruction and services. We have an interest in fostering a culture of academic excellence and honoring the value of our members that they bring to the community. We have an interest in collective bargaining agreements that support our ability to provide relevant, engaging, quality instruction, curricula, and services for the academic and social emotional development of all students. Working and learning conditions. We have an interest in safe, secure, and healthy working environments that foster our ability to meet student needs, where we are active participants in the decision-making process, and where our professional autonomy is valued. Our working conditions are our students learning conditions. Fiscal responsibility. We have an interest in working within a well-managed system that maximizes opportunities for students and staff while maintaining district fiscal responsibility. We all deserve equitable resource allocation.

019Leadership. We have an interest in courageous leadership that fiercely prioritizes and protects our ability to effectively instruct and serve our students. Professionalism. We have an interest as trusted professionals in shaping the decisions that affect our students classrooms, schools, and community. Our members are experts in their crafts whose judgment and practices are rooted in knowledge and skill and who deeply understand and care for their students. We have an interest in working with stakeholders in an environment of mutual respect. Decision-making. We have an interest in shared decision-making processes. We value datadriven policy decisions with consideration of quantitative and qualitative sources. Manageable workload. We have an interest in manageable workloads that maximize meaningful instruction and professional time. Recognizing that the quality of service and instruction depends on the time provided to support educator practice. We have an interest

020in prioritizing the use of time to meet educators needs. Compensation. We have an interest in compensation that attracts and retains the highest caliber of educators, is competitive with surrounding districts, and acknowledges the cost of living in the Northshore community. >> Representation. We have an interest in strengthening our educator members voice as we shape the future of our professions. Students in the community benefit from a strong union presence in our schools. Clarity. We have an interest in a contract language that facilitates clear, concise interpretation. Sincerely, the 1,289 members of the Northshore Education Association. >> Thank you. Okay, PTA, you get to follow that. >> We have two PTAs. >> Two PTAs. All right. Hello. I'm Diana Christensen. I'm vice president of Northshore Council PTSA. Um, we would like to acknowledge all the wonderful volunteers who have

021supported students and families this year. Um, last week we celebrated the Washington State PTA award winners of our local PTAs at our spring recognition event and we are proud to announce our council's award winners whose impacts are felt districtwide. We had Golden Acorn winner Jennifer Jennings Carr and Carly Chang. Outstanding advocates Anna Jensen and Tracy Jokish. Outstanding educators Cindy Wy from Wellington and Janet Wulette from Shelton View. outstanding student advocate Rishi Ki and then Laura Templeton got our honorary lifetime membership and our council president Jayce Grace Herado got our lifetime service award that can only be presented by a council and that's our update right now. Thank you. >> Thank you. Good evening. Um, I'm Angela Dawson and I am honored to stand before you tonight represent representing the Northshore Special Education Community PTSA. Sorry,

022I'm a little >> I'm Tara Dron. >> Yeah, she's my she is our we are co-presidents. Um, >> moral support. >> Yeah. Uh this is a little bit intimidating. I've never done this before and I had a lot of caffeine today. So uh my tenure as co-president comes to a close at the end of this month. And as I look back on this chapter, I wanted to take a few moments not to make a final request, but simply to express my deepest gratitude. True inclusion in education isn't something that happens by accident. It requires intentional choices, creative problem solving, and a shared belief that every single student in our district deserves a community where they can thrive. Over this past year, we have been incredibly encouraged by the deliberate work our administration has done to

023desilo their efforts. Instead of operating in isolation, we are seeing departments actively break down barriers, share insights, and collaborate in ways that directly benefit our students. This shift out of departmental silos has fundamentally changed the conversation around accessibility in our district and it is a legacy I am incredibly proud to have witnessed. Because of this collective willingness to collaborate across the board, we have been able to achieve some incredible milestones together this school year. Specifically, I am so proud that our partnership allowed us, the only PTA in the state, to become an approved clock hour provider, uh allowing us to support our dedicated educators with professional development that directly impacts inclusive classroom practices. We were also able to launch our RISE events, creating powerful targeted spaces for connection, advocacy, and shared learning. We were also

024able to host a community movie screening bringing families together for an accessible inclusive night of entertainment and connection and as well as host our successful community resource fair at Northshore Middle School. Bringing vital providers, local organizations, and families together under one roof. A shining example of this cross departmental success is our partnership with the special education department. We want to extend a huge thank you to their leadership and staff for their true spirit of collaboration. In a profession where time is the rarest commodity, they have been incredibly generous with theirs. They've consistently shown up, sat down at the table with us, and worked handinand with our PTA to turn these programs and events into reality. When administration actively works to desilo and align, the entire community feels the impact. your advocacy at the leadership and

025I don't have my glasses so I can't even see if they're here but uh yes um their advocacy um at the leadership level directly translates into these moments of success, accessibility, and belonging in the classroom. We know that leading a district comes with incredibly difficult choices and tireless work behind the scenes. As I step down from my role, I do so with immense gratitude, knowing that your collective efforts, your transparency, and your willingness to partner with families do not go unnoticed. Thank you for your partnership, your dedication, and your continued commitment to our exceptional learners. While my role is changing, my commitment to this community isn't. Our PTSA already has a lot of big plans in the works for next year, so I encourage everyone to stay tuned. I look forward to watching this vital

026work continue to flourish under our next leadership team. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Up next is public comment and our practice is to start with students. Um so we um are go we have two students signed up and they know the routine so they're ready to go. Great. Thank you. So, just a reminder, it's three minutes. Um the timer will start when you start speaking. Please introduce yourself. Um Peggy King will announce when there is 30 seconds left in the three minutes and then a final indication when time is up. Amazing. My name is Natalie Banks. I'm a freshman of BA High School. Good evening. Um, I'm standing here tonight to request the resignations of the four board members who've voted to eliminate Bavo High School's resource officer program. Over the past several month, I

027over the past several months, I have attended meetings, reviewed the information presented to this board, and listened to the concerns of students, parents, staff, and community members. What I have witnessed is a decision-making process that appear that appears disconnected from the voices of the people you were elected to represent. Before this vote, numerous students, parents, and community members spoke in support of maintaining the SRO program. I don't understand why you are not. Many shared personal experiences about how Officer Wear contributed to school safety, built positive relationships with students, and provided support during difficult situations. Despite the overwhelming public testimony, four of the board members chose to not move forward with this program. This was not a budgetdriven decision. The district's only remaining SRO program, which has existed for more than 30 years, was ended in

028spite of a significant community opposition and studentled demonstrations calling for its continuation. Leadership requires transparency, accountability, and willingness to listen. When students, families, and staff repeatedly express concerns and feel ignored, trust in leadership begins to divide. Many me many members of this board of this community have no longer have confidence no many members of this community no longer have confidence in these four board members that are representing the interests and the priority of the people that they serve. For this reason, I respectfully calling on the four board members who eliminated who voted to eliminate the SRO program to resign from their positions as well as not attend graduation and allow new leadership to restore the confidence in Northshore School District. Thanks. Hi, my name is Caitlyn Mahachek. I'm a senior at both High School. Um,

029y'all are asking us to accept the decision about removing our SRO with who's in our hallways every day, but you're asking us to accept it without showing us why. You wanted you wanted us to trust your decision. You showed you would show us the data. You showed you'd show us the surveys from students, parents, and staff. You'd show us the discussions about how many people feel uncomfortable with an officer on campus. You'd show us how many students said they feel unsafe, unsupported, and less willing to report problems because they have an officer on campus. You'd show us the exact number of people that have entered the criminal justice system just from interacting with our officer on campus. But that data is hidden and we get the trust us. We don't get the facts. And hiding

030the facts doesn't make us accept it. It makes us fight harder for what we want. Because this isn't about politics to us. This is about walking to class without looking over our shoulder and feeling unsafe. This is about knowing there's someone in our building who knows our names and will sprint toward whatever problem that's happening in our schools. This is about our safety, not a political ideology. We're students who deserve the truth. So, show us the data, all of it. Let us see what you saw before you made this decision. But if the numbers prove that we live every day safer with Officer Wear at our school with us, then you need to listen to our voices now. Hiding the data doesn't make us give up. It makes us fight even harder to keep our

031SRO because we're the ones who have to live with the consequences of your decisions. So, we're the ones who deserve the facts. Stop hiding behind the facts that you believe we you have and show us the truth. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Okay, that uh is the end of the students that are signed up. Um so, we are moving to adults. If you have number one, come on up. And if you have number two, you get to stand on the X. All right. Hi. Hi. So, yeah, whenever you're ready to start and introduce yourself. >> Good evening. My name is Cararissa Murphy and I'm a elementary music teacher at Frank Love Elementary. I'm here tonight because I want to ensure that the board is aware of discussions and proposals that could cut elementary music

032by 50% for students districtwide. What makes this particularly concerning is that these proposals have been connected to ESSB5878, a law intended to preserve and expand arts access for students. I support this goal wholeheartedly. Every student deserves access to highquality arts education. However, we have reached out to OSPI and clarified that Northshore is already in compliance with this law. OSPI has also emphasized that the purpose of this law is to preserve and expand arts opportunities, not to reduce one arts program in favor of another. Yet, we are hearing discussions about proposals about uh reducing music instruction by 50% to replace it with visual arts. That is not preservation. That is not expansion. I'm deeply concerned by reports that this model has been pitched as a waiver pilot before meaningful input from elementary music educators was sought.

033I'm also deeply concerned that a district arts committee met for over a year to discuss elementary arts programming without a single elementary music specialist represented despite developing recommendations that could cut elementary music by 50%. Elementary music teachers should have had a seat at that table to develop creative solutions to expand visual arts opportunities while preserving existing programs. And this brings me to a question many educators will ask tonight. What is my number? My current number is 14 classes twice a week. Under the proposal, it would be 28 classes once a week. My workload, classes, students would double. My number of relationships, accommodations, communications, and instructional needs would double. But most important is not my student my number, it's my students. Students would go from receiving 57 hours of music a year to just 28 and

034a half. This year alone, my students participated in six grade level performances, three choir performances, and numerous assemblies and other community building experiences. Those performances are not extras. They are the result of rigorous instruction, practice, and learning. With 50% less instructional time, something has to give. Personally, my performance number would drop to zero. Not because those experiences are unimportant, but because it is simply not possible to ma maintain a robust standardsbased curriculum and produce high quality performances with 50% less of a program. I urge the board to ensure that elementary music educators are included in all future discussions about arts programming and to pursue solutions that truly expand arts access rather than undermining an already established and robust specialty. If the goal of ESSB5878 is to expand arts access, then let's expand arts access. Bring

035more opportunities to students without taking existing opportunities away. Our students deserve expansion, not replacement. Thank you for your time and consideration. Hello everyone. My name is Kelly Griffin and I'm a music teacher at Morland's Elementary. What's my number? It's 37. This is my 37th year teaching at Morland's. I have taught multiple generations of Morland's families, the children of my former children. For 37 years, I have put on evening grade level concerts, taught two choirs before after school, performed at community and district fundraising events, brought students to state and national conferences, and even taught two demo sessions at schoolboard meetings, kindergarten and sixth grade. That's the visible work. However, the most important impactful work is what goes on in my music classroom 45 minutes twice a week where I teach the foundational music skills of singing,

036moving, playing instruments, reading, writing, composing, connecting to musics of other cultures and responding emotionally to how music makes us feel. My talented colleagues over there are doing the same thing. In music, frequency is crucial. You need to practice skills regularly. You need time to build positive relationships with your students. Elementary music twice a week is the standard in all the surrounding districts. Save one. Recently, somebody thought it was appropriate to suggest to our principles that if your music teacher retires, consider replacing them with a visual arts teacher through the waiver process. We are collectively shocked, angry, and now activated by this grossly improper comment. It made us feel like secondass specialists. It placed a target on our backs, as they say, you can't put toothpaste back in the tube. So, I ask you, is elementary

037music still core in Northshore? Or do we want our students to have a patchwork of opportunities that reduces equity, creates traveling music teachers for schools under 28 classrooms, blows up schools schedules, and the district budget. We are still ra hurting from the last round of cuts where we hired many new band and orchestra teachers, reducing fifth grade general music and dividing the music staff. We then had to riff these new teachers three years later. Let's preserve and expand arts opportunities, not reduce one arts program in favor of another. Art specialists or arttosa can be hired and function outside of teacher planning time. The district needs to slow down and do this right. Thank you. And if speaker number four wants to come up, you're ready. Okay. Hello everyone. My name is Kieran McDaniel and I

038am a general music teacher at Fernwood Elementary and I was previously an itinerant teacher during the fifth grade band and orchestra program that was cut in 2024 uh after only three years since it began. The music department can recognize an ill-planned and unsustainable program when we see one. And this idea to create an elementary visual arts program out of retired music FTE is one of them. When the fifth grade band and orchestra program was announced, the music staff shared concerns of its obvious flaws, predicting it wouldn't last long and would cause cause more harm than good. But they were ignored and the program was pushed through. The program was cut only three years later, and its drawn out and painful ending caused all of its itinerate teachers, including myself, to go through intense anxiety and

039heartbreak that created lasting physical and mental impacts. I myself suffered from stress induced hair loss and spent many therapy sessions working through the challenging emotions that came with the program's end. Many of my fellow Rift colleagues are still battling health issues and struggle to find jobs in today's harsh markets. I was one of the lucky few to be rehired and after another challenging year of an itinerant position, I am now at just one school. Being at one location has resulted has resulted in having my best year by far. I am finally able to build relationships, communicate and collaborate with colleagues and I truly feel part of a community. I now know what you lose when you are itinerant and I never want to be in that position again. However, it was at the cost of

04020% of my income as I put my displaced 0.2 2 FTE on temporary leave which made it more difficult to pay my bills this year and forced me to pause therapy session, personal hobbies, hobbies and wedding planning. My story is just one of many in our struggling music department. Too many of us are forced to be itinerant are stuck with little FTE and income with some not eligible for health insurance. We have been patiently waiting for FTE to become available and our best chances come from our retiring colleagues. Taking away life-changing retiring FTE from music to create another arts program is just plain cruelty. Aside from personal struggles, this idea is not encouraged by OSPI. We encourage district to to build and broaden student access to arts over time rather than reducing established arts programs.

041We are also already in compliance with the law as they also confirmed it requires student access to only one arts discipline at the elementary level, visual arts or performing arts. I want to make it clear that the music department is in strong support of increased visual arts education in elementary schools. But we believe this idea is illplanned and unsustainable. We want to collaborate with visual arts to create something better. For example, we can instead start by creating a visual arts to position and increase funding to train art dosants. We want a seat at the table to help create a win-win solution for our programs and for all students. Thank you for your time. Honored members of the board, Dr. Irish. My name is Donovan Hurst. I am a staff member at Northshore Middle School. I've

042been on staff there for about four years. Before that, I worked in the district for seven years as a substitute uh teacher. And I've worked at pretty much every building and every program in this district except for three that I can name. All right. So, what are my numbers? 155, the number of students I greet uh every other day because we're on a block schedule with a fist bump, high five, or a handshake. 40 plus, the number of hours I've worked in my building just on weekends since January to support my students. 100 plus the estimated number of hours I've worked outside of my contracted hours to support my students this year. 32 the student cap in my classroom when I was first hired in 2022 for safety reasons. I am a shop teacher after

043all. 37. The maximum number of students I've had in one class this year. 27. The number of inches my students have to enter my classroom. Also 27. the amount of space between uh desk and rows my students have to operate. 36 the number of inches as required by the Americans with disabilities act. two and three. The number of individual preparation periods, and I know that my elementary teachers will probably laugh at this one, but that most secondary teacher should have. Currently, I have six. Five. The number of students who have approached me this year that say they were unable to get into one of my courses. Why is this number important? Because these were students who were from traditionally marginalized communities. Zero as in none. The amount of feedback I had as a key stakeholder

044in this district in implementing the arts requirement in my building directly impacted me. Had zero input. All right. So, as I asked uh when my kids tell me something and I say, "Thanks for sharing. What would you like me to do with that information? Here's what I want. I want smaller class sizes, not just in transitionary grades." Okay? I have one sixth grade class. I teach seventh and eighth grade. Okay? It's not going to help me if it's just in sixth grade. Um, two, I want inclusivity, accountability, and transparency when it comes to the arts programs. Three, compensation. I think that's been said. And then lastly, more personal to my program, stop siphoning funds from our CTE programs and giving and paying other bills. It's not acceptable. It's not good for our students. So lastly,

045I just want to leave you. Please do what's right, not for educators, but what's best for our students. Thank you. >> Hi, my name is Kim Leman. I'm a PAR educator at Sorenson Early Childhood Center. What's my number? $40,000. That is the amount that would qualify my partner and I for reduced lunch. And it's also my annual salary at the top of the ESP level one pay scale. I have worked for the Northshore School District for nearly 20 years. My entire career, I've been a special educator in our early childhood program. My pay does not even come close to the value I bring to my position through my experience and training. I know we're not supposed to have favorites, but I started at at Cottage Lake Elementary School um where my sons also attended school

046and I was intrigued by the students who had autism. I just um it was a pleasure taking the time to learn each student's unique set of characteristics, their learning styles, preferences, skills, and learning targets. They taught me to approach every student this way as individuals with unique needs. After seven years, I got the opportunity to transfer to Sorenson and join the extended day team. Our students were all on the autism spectrum or learned in similar ways. We got some amazing training through UDub autism center conventions and trainings we sought out. Our lead teacher took the time at the beginning of each year to share her vast knowledge with us and encouraged us to share our knowledge with each other. My 10 years in the extended day program was where I grew the confidence to call

047myself an educator. Three years ago, I decided to stretch myself again and step into the role of a classroom specialed para so that I could continue to grow in my profession. After a decade of working with a population who was mostly non-verbal, stepping into a class with a chunk of the population being typically developing three to five year olds with verbal skills was a bit of a shock. I got to learn new verbal negotiation skills and asking questions and learning how to redirect some verbose students back to the subject at hand. I love my job. I have loved growing and learning with each new set of students each year for nearly two decades. The part that breaks my heart is with all the knowledge and experience of two decades of working with our earliest learners

048and some of the most challenging. I struggle to pay my bills, to put gas in my car and put food on the table. I dread the rapidly approaching day that I will have to make the choice between the meaningful work I love and getting paid for my value. Hi, I'm Zoe Crowe. I'm the parent of a twoe student at Leotaa Middle School. A couple of weeks ago, I guest taught a lesson about Microsoft and the stock market for two seventh grade classes, one AAP high cap and one GenEd. I knew they would be different, but I didn't actually expect them to be as different as they were. These students had two completely different classes with me. They needed really different things. I could not fathom how it was going to work to combine these groups.

049So, I asked that teacher for her honest perspective on what it would look like for her seventh grade Washington State history classes to be integrated. What ensued was a pragmatic and productive conversation. She had well-informed perspective. It was grounded in research, light on application, but I learned a lot about the reasons to integrate in her view. We talked about the challenges with doing it as well and what it would mean for teachers. I considered coming to you today with a bit of a point counterpoint from that conversation. Thought I might share some thoughts about what investments would be needed to have successful integrated classrooms. I considered that and then I realized those investments are really unrealistic for Northshore and I only have three minutes. And I also realized that the conversation I had with that

050teacher is a conversation that anyone could have had with the highcap community at any time, but you didn't. I've been up here a few times before to reason with this group to share real world experiences about parenting highcap kids to try to put forward perspective about the needs of our students that may not have been considered today. I'm not going to do that. I have a much bigger worry to talk about. You know, something about me. I grew up in Massachusetts and attended public schools there. I didn't have a Washington state history course. I had a Massachusetts state history course in my K12. Early settlers, founding fathers, deeply principled lessons in democracy. I've been in many a forum with Northshore parents debating whether our schools are preparing students for the workforce. And I'm the one

051that pipes up about the actual purpose of public education to maintain an educated populace capable of participating in democracy. I have always been a fierce opponent of diluting the resources of our neighborhood schools through initiatives like charter schools and vouchers. But after sitting in this room for a few weeks, I find myself reflecting on my property tax bill, a sum which would amply cover private school tuition. And I think about my libertarian learning neighbors who all seem to share a belief that the system is corrupt. And I'm thinking, how does a person lose trust in government? This is my big worry today. Because this process and what I have witnessed in the recent weeks come into this room again and again is exactly how school choice initiatives are born. High-cap families have been told we

052need to respect the work of the task force. That respect has to be mutual. Good afternoon. My name is Jen Carr and I'm here to speak to the ongoing changes to the high program here at Northshore. I understand the integration the integration of sixth grade science and history will be considered a pilot for the 2627 school year and the success criteria is being developed concurrently to measure whether or not the integrated model is working for all students because decisions for the 2728 school year um I lost my place must be made as early as February um due to the planning cycle I am concerned about determining success within six months using metrics you're still refining As success criteria is being fi being finalized, we must consider the following items to ensure strategic plan goal three

053is being upheld. First, we need a universal understanding of differentiation. Is it differentiated curriculum, different delivery models or both? We need a consistent framework for identifying which students need differentiation of materials as well as which students need differentiated delivery models. And this process must be equitable and repeatable throughout the district. Metrics must be created around the process of defining the heterogeneity of students and what instructional strategies are like on a day-to-day basis as well as how teachers are able to implement this. This should be more than just pacing, adding group or independent work or choices for self- differentiation. Teachers need a clear mechanism to identify the hows of student differentiation. And this should be so transparent that they can clearly articulate this to parents on curriculum night. Second, we need to agree upon what accommodation

054will look like. Many twice exceptional highcap students will likely mask in integrated classrooms in order to fit in, especially due to being in a new school with new people in sixth grade. Masking, however, drains mental and emotional resources and is exhausting for students, which can eventually lead to burnout. Teachers who are not used to working with the twice exceptional highcap community must understand splinter skills. While a student excels in one academic area, they may struggle in other areas. Teachers cannot assume that highcap designated students will excel in their classroom and not need some level of support. Many twice exceptional highcap kids are not provided any support because they appear to be managing. However, it the appearance of managing is not the same as thriving. If you take nothing else away from my comments today, please

055remember that appearing to manage is not the same as thriving. We need metrics to ensure that all students, especially integrated highcap students, are thriving, which should include castle's framework metrics um framework metrics and not just the standard one year of academic growth. Third, and it's short, parents need to be an active partner in creating, maintaining, and evaluating su success criteria, especially during your six-month evaluation window. Students may withhold information in interviews or focus groups, but parents, as knowledgeable partners of your success criteria, will share whether or not their students are thriving. Thank you. Hello, my name is Lori Ferolo. On May 26, I sent you all, excuse me, online email requesting you to set up a collaborative meeting with the community to provide the information used to vote no on the SRO contract. That did

056not happen. I re I received a timely letter from Sandy saying that the hope is to have a restorative meeting in the next several weeks after school is out is not acceptable. Waiting for this to blow over is not engaging with the community. I am not here to call you names or say you are bad people. I don't think you are. I am here for a couple of reasons. The first is to respectfully ask you to resign. Your actions at the conversation of the board violated so many policies. I have been here a long time and the board has never been so rude and dismissive of the public before. The format was changed from one where open discussion is encouraged to one that is silenced. those who had questions without communication of the format changed

057to the public. The refusal of the four members who voted no to respond to anything was unacceptable. At the meeting, the community lost all respect for the board. In order for this community to heal, you need to resign. Second, the the comp the complaint that students are not being respectful in their communications is a result of the way they were treated at that meeting. Hiding behind Sandy and not allowing enough time for everyone to be heard is cowardly and manipulative. If you truly believe you voted in the best interest of the students, stand up and support your vote. This district has taught them how to have advocate for themselves. They see ugly protests all the time that don't have any consequences. Now that they are advocating for themselves, they feel like they are invisible to

058the board. They are reacting as people their age react. You want them to behave better than adults. If they advocate for what you agree with, they get accolades. If they don't, they get silence. While I don't think you are bad people, I do think that you are using your position for personal gain. Han has been told has told three separate parents that she does not want a police car in front of her child's school. That is putting her political be beliefs and family values ahead before the voices of the students in the community. This is not the policy of the district. Historically, this board has valued students. I went back and looked at the three meetings where student voiced their opinions. The first two were very respectful and provided data that students of color showed

059that there was a racial bias in their decision. The last one was not perfect, but it did show frustration and an anger resulting from the conversations of the board meeting. The board was not respectful. No notes were taking any of the meetings and many of you didn't even look at the students and at times um appeared to be daydreaming. It was apparent that you knew how you were going to vote before any of the community spoke. This does not show respect for the differing opinions, nor was it supportive of student speakers. Please resign. At the very least, please review the meetings, look at your personal biases, and revote. Your position isn't easy, but your actions are making it so much harder on yourselves and this community you represent. Good evening. My name is Aaron Pyestro.

060I have uh two sons in this school district. One is a graduating senior at both High School. I have an incoming freshman at both High School in the fall, assuming we don't leave this district and the state. First and foremost, I'm representing the senior class at both High School, the students, and the parents tonight. Um, and I'm just confirming that the five of you have received their message that you are uninvited to attend this year's graduation ceremony. Considering recent events and the actions of this board that directly impact both High School, I think it's best you sit this one out. Second, I'm standing here tonight requesting resignations from all five board members effective immediately. I have attended several meetings over the last month and a half and have witnessed firsthand the incompetence of this board.

061You have violated numerous RCWs and codes within your own district policies when voting as a whole. You're acting and voting with only your best interests and your personal opinions in mind. On multiple votes, you have provided zero data, zero evidence, and no context to support your votes. This school board and district are not a stepping stone to launch your political careers or a place for you to push your radical ideologies. Northshore School District and this board are now an embarrassment. We are an embarrassment in this community. We are an embarrassment to neighboring school districts. We are an embarrassment on social media, local news, and now we have the attention of national news. All thanks to the five of you. It is our it is time for our community to take back our rights and focus

062on what is truly important and that is the education of our students, not the radical political ideologies that this board is trying to infiltrate into our community. Hello, my name is Jeremy Woo. I'm a parent in the Northshore School District. Um, I'm here to talk about H Highap, but before I do that, I'll just take 30 seconds. Um, we are I Miss Murphy, who spoke earlier, has actually been my family's music teacher for several years. Um, all all I've been to all of those grade level performances. Um, and I have an autistic son that just graduated out of Sorenson. So, the teacher comments hit close for us. And I would I would say that as a parent advocate of highcap I could think I can safely speak for all H highcap parents um that as

063we desire a whole a whole child experience that the music program and the cuts that have recently been made to the music programs including fifth grade orchestra and band over the years have been particularly distressing and any concept of reducing that funding further should be seriously discarded. Um, in terms of highcap, um, I I want to thank you again, Superintendent Irish, for meeting with us, um, and for agreeing to make this next year a pilot. Um, I hope that that message can go out soon. I think a lot of parents are waiting for the official word, and I know you guys are working on that. So, appreciate that coming out before summer starts and nobody starts reading their email anymore for the next few months. Um, I know we want to co-design the metrics um,

064that we'll be using for the pilot. Um, I think that's really important to get started as soon as possible or else I think we're going to run up against the clock again like we did for the pause. So, the school year keeps rolling and all of a sudden it becomes too late to do um to make modifications. I also know that there have been some assessments being worked um for this middle school science and social studies teachers. If that's going to be part of the metrics, I hope that some of the drafts of those assessments could come out um just so we can get an idea of what what how that would contribute to metrics. I also think it's really important that um especially since we don't have I ready data for science and social

065studies that um parent data and especially student feedback uh in the coming year be taken into significant account when determining the success of the pilot. Um and I also think that um there was an idea that we could use the seventh grade as control since this will be rolled out across the district at all six schools across sixth grade but seventh grade will still be self-contained. use uh make sure that those surveys go out to also the seventh graders so that you can kind of compare the self-contained versus the um the sixth graders that are in integrated. Um I think it's also very important if you're going to use metrics to define success before we get there. Um because it's very tempting once we get to the measurement in February to say, well, we're we're

066this isn't what we were looking for, but maybe it's close enough. Let's just keep going with it. And the default should be either a pause or roll back. And also um I think knowing that you know there can be an idea of um restricted access to highcap I think that a fallback position could be going back to self- select. I I know we've heard some students ask for self- select advanced um classes. So if there's a concern about high kept test high testing or restricting access go back to self um self- select let the students select themselves into advanced classes as a fallback if the numbers aren't um signaling that they're success. And again, the burden on the district is to show like my like Jennifer said, not just that it's um that they're surviving,

067but that they're thriving. So, let's prove that out. Thank you. >> Thank you. So, next is number 11. And if number 12 wants to come and stand on the X. >> All right. Um so, I'm here again today to address the SRO issue, uh which has now grown into a schoolboard issue as well. all the incompetence of the board. Um, so first things first here we have uh Seattle Times can read that. Um, we also have uh Everett Herald. Um, I've seen Lynwood Times. I've talked to people in Everett. Um, I've talked to people all over the place about this issue. Um, like I said, Cairo, KO, Fox 13, King Five, even King Five covered it, which is pretty amazing. Um yeah about the issue with the SRO program. Um so first things first I

068think you guys like I said there's been a complete ignorance of the community um and what the community has asked for um which is we have asked that the SRO program remain at Both High School. We've asked that the decision after it was made for there to be a reconsideration vote or for there to be a community meeting before the contract expires on June 17th. those requests have gone unanswered just like the requests for comment from KOMO news, Cairo, King Five, Fox, everybody has ignored requests for comment. Um there's been a complete ignorance of that. Um and so I think because of all of those things and the continued um digging of heels in so to speak on this issue, um I would like to respectfully ask that all of you resign immediately from Northshore

069School District as you do not reflect the values of our community. This is a simple request. Um, and again, there's still time to reconsider the decision, which would be the best outcome for our community. Um, and I'm glad to hear that you guys are not invited to graduation. Um, and I think that's good. We do not want you at graduation. The community does not want you at both graduation. Um, like I said, I know it's difficult being a schoolboard leader, being a politician. Um, it's not an easy job right now. Um, but when decisions are made that are completely ridiculous and based on unfounded claims and predetermined political agendas, as we're well aware of that, um, then this is what happens. You end up with these crazy decisions, and you're going to have a community

070that's upset. You're going to have students that walk out, thousands of students that walk out to show their support for police and common sense and law enforcement. And what you're having here is a community that is telling you what they want and what common sense says, which is to support public safety and keep the SRO program at both. As we've talked about, both is a very wide open campus. Um, when I was there, I love the open door policy where you could walk in. Um, I think with officer, my understanding is that might be disappearing, which is really tragic. Uh, because that was such a nice and welcoming thing, and there aren't a lot of welcoming things anymore. Thank you. Um, so again, I'd like to conclude by saying, um, I'd like to respectfully ask

071you guys to resign immediately from Northshore School Board. The community is asking for this. I am asking for it. Um, and like I said, you guys do not reflect the values of the Northshore School community. Thank you. Come on up. Thank you. And number 13, if you want to come up and be ready to go. Hello, I'm Dr. Lyanna Stein. I've spoken before you twice before and submitted written requests for data supporting the integration of the AAP program in middle schools. As a believer in datadriven decision-making, I've been surprised that the consideration of how integrated models impact academic outcomes has been conspicuously missing from the conversation. Today, I want to address a different core concern uh our trust and confidence in the decision-making process. Where is the Sky View data set? We were told that

072Sky View conducted a pilot to evaluate the integrated model, but the data was never shared. This lack of transparency, despite repeated requests, severely undermines our confidence that the pilot was conducted rigorously or even in good faith. Simil similarly, a video on the HICAP website promises that elementary student progress would be tracked before and after ELA integration. That would be a powerful data set containing years of data. And yet, I can't find it. Instead of transparency, we are told that we cannot ignore the highcap task force's recommendation because of the quote work invested in it. But the public has not seen a single deliverable on the high uh on the NSD website. Other task forces provide accountability through minutes, slides, and member lists. The highcap task force has none of this. Furthermore, the highcap parents council,

073of which I am a member, was excluded from the workflow and voted unanimously against these changes. Trust is extinguished in the dark. The community has a right to review any work intended to drive a major programmatic overhaul. Erosion of trust continued. A May 11th email to families shared that quote, "Refinements to the proposed model are being considered. Yet, at a recent district event, representatives characterize that email as largely performative, admitting community feedback would not influence the proposal. If stakeholder engagement is just a box checking exercise to manufacture consent, how can the community trust what the district says? Our confidence is further strained by practical contradictions. The district claims teachers will be trained to differentiate across a broader range of abilities with no reduction in class sizes. Yet, at that same district event, the teachers asserted

074that the changes would have no impact on their day-to-day. Furthermore, we have learned that students may receive the same instruction but different tests. If students are assessed by different measures, how can we scientifically evaluate success? Without baselines or controls, next year's metrics are condemned to be inconclusive. Here we are in the 11th hour. The school year is over. Yet, the vital plans necessary to support the transition have not been shared. Beyond the data, we need to see one, detailed course syllabi showing where and how differentiation will occur. Two, a detailed list of the additional training requirements. and three standardized thrice yearly assessments in science and social studies which I believe need to be generated denovo at this point as they don't exist to force a major program change this fall without these essentials is reckless

075especially when the alternative is no change please pause the transition until the district can provide realistic a realistic plan that puts academic excellence above convenience Hello again, Amy Marcos, parent of three uh elementary students in Northshore. I'm here with another installment of More Teachers, Less Tech. Today, I want to share a story about a student in Connecticut that graduated with honors and got into college. The extraordinary thing about this student was that they could not read or write. Using speech to text and text to speech, this student was able to complete assignments and get good grades. But the complicated process of recording and transcribing lectures and writing papers with speech to text proved inadequate for this student once they were in the rigors of college. My son was first exposed to speech to text in

076third grade. The hope was he could express his thoughts more effectively with speechtoext rather than traditional writing. We expressed concerns and ultimately deferred and what we observed was a clunky process that contributed to a deficiency in his sentence and paragraph formation. About to enter sixth grade, we are in the unfortunate position of looking at private schools because we have to make decisions based on the reality of what we've experienced. Speech to text is just one example of tech that is not serving most students needs or best interest. Especially in elementary school, meaningful instruction with a qualified professional rather than a device is paramount to student success. I understand the challenge of rolling back tech in elementary schools. We are assessing students with I Ready. We are using I Ready um to try to provide and

077support individualized instruction, but I Ready is made by a private for-profit company that's currently facing a lawsuit. In addition to concerns about privacy, the focus of the lawsuit, parents are also concerned that I Ready is more of a game with some students getting answers wrong on purpose and testing below grade level to get the alien to make a funny noise. The YouTube ban is a good start, but unfortunately it has become the new game students are trying to win. Uh some students have already figured out that you just have to access YouTube through another website by clicking on a YouTube link. Apparently that gets around the ban. Of course, there are plenty of credentials in the district that can also get them around the YouTube ban. Districts across the US are rolling back tech. They

078see the evidence. They're listening to the professors. They've experienced it as parents and educators. Denmark has fully reversed its digital curriculum, returning to pen and paper because they recognize what common sense tells us. Screens aren't enhancing the student learning experience. They're detracting from it. Please reconsider investment in for-profit private offerings and return to pen and paper for our elementary kids. Our public dollars do not need to enrich private equity at the expense of our students anymore. Thank you. And um after this is number 14 just so everybody can keep track of where we're at. The next will be number 15. >> Actually before I start am I able like I have this as a a visual aid. Um obviously you all have like silence with things. Can I have you like pick up a jar

079as part of this? >> Can can we what? >> Like I I would come up to you and like just to hold this like >> you want me to hold a can of coffee. It's I'll get there, but I'm just like obviously you don't have to say anything, but anyway. So, you when I get there, you'll understand. So, >> all right. Um, I am Navar Kerr. I'm the dean of students currently at Hollywood Hill. Last year, I was the dean at Sky View Middle School. The year before that, I was the dean at Northshore Middle School. Uh, and my number is 1,994. That is the number of middle school students that now don't have any form of dean support. Um so two years ago the one from Northshore was cut and then last year Sky

080Views was cut which had at the time 1241 students which is the second largest school in the state. Northstrom Middle before that had every form of special education program our secondary schools had and those are just two of the schools that are lost without a dean. So as a visual because again those numbers of that size can feel more daunting. I represented that where I brought in 1,994 pennies um with the idea that all of this is simply reducing each student to a single penny and remembering that with that like these are all teenagers, these are all human beings and that at the schools like we are the first line of triage for support and when those dean programs aren't It either falls to the teachers who like one some of our other speakers have

081said have 35 plus kids in their class to the counselors who at Sky View had over 350 students per case load to the principles and assistant principles who are expected to also be instructional leaders with new renewed educational framework that they're evaluating teachers with IEP management budgetary things scheduling planning if there is a call for student support every student is my student and there are now 1,994 kids without that first responder. So there's that many. That is all. Each one of those is one of these students. And to feel the collective weight of that jar, >> I'm a wimp. So again, it is daunting. It is something that is a difficult burden to carry. And again, this is simply representing each person as a penny. Think of these as human beings now that do not

082have that support. And that is my number 1,994 little students. That is going to have to be somebody else's workload and still is. >> Navar, I'm just going to remind you, you have to talk to us. So yes um yeah so that is the the workload that everyone else is having to undertake with our absence. So >> thank you. >> Yep. >> Okay. And so next up is number 15 and after her will be number 16. Hello Dr. Irish school board members and admin. My name is Ashley Watts and as the president of the Highcap parents council, I along with others have been giving feedback recently on changes to the service model in middle school science and social studies. I would like to thank NSD for acknowledging our concerns, moving the roll out to pilot

083status, and planning additional research to happen next year to monitor whether this is working for students. We continue to have concerns and are very interested to see what the data bears out for next year. Thank you for being conscientious and transparent in collecting and reporting the data and partnering with the Northshore Parents Council on deciding which data will be collected and tracked and how success will be determined. We expect that parent feedback via a broad survey will be a major part of the data collected. Additionally, I'd like to acknowledge to the schoolboard members that you will have a vote coming up to approve the district's highly capable service model plan. As I think you've seen, families in our community care very much about how these services are delivered. These changes will be important to us

084for us all to watch and consider to ensure that we maintain the excellence that NSD has become known for in recent years. Thank you all for your time on this important issue and I hope you have a restful and relaxing summer. >> Thank you. Number 16. And then after number 16 is number 17. Good evening. My name is Jishnu Meta and I'm an alumni of the AAP program. I'm currently a first year student at Johns Hopkins University and I'm here because AAP was a very meaning part of my growth and belonging in middle school. AAP was the first place that I learned to be truly challenged. I still vividly remember studying for my first test in 7th grade Washington history, not doing well and realizing that studying is a skill that I had to learn.

085That experience pushed me to develop organization, time management, and resiliency skills that I continue to develop today. Through AAP cohorts, I first learned social confidence. I found it easier to participate and raise my hand, knowing that the cohort around me. Knowing the cohort around me and that I wouldn't be judged for my academic excitement and eagerness to participate, it helped me grow as part of the larger middle school and eventually high school community. It didn't isolate me. in my high school community. I then became deeply involved in clubs, sports, and eventually founded a link crew student commission to help more than 500 incoming freshmen feel the same sense of belonging that I had found in school. I still remember one lesson from my eighth grade AAP ELA teacher. The difference between equality and equity. Equality

086means treating every student the same. Equity means recognizing that different students have different needs and providing the support they need to succeed. A cohort-based AAP model is about providing the appropriate pace, depth, and environment. the highcap students need to grow. I'm also concerned because middle school enrichment opportunities at our district have already dropped. The fifth grade music program was removed. The middle school tennis team where I found my favorite sport no longer exists. And I was devastated to learn that science Olympia, the club where I found my first community in middle school, which is a central part of my high school experience, which led me toward my towards my current career medicine and which is enabling me to give back in college as a volunteer at undeserved uh Baltimore schools, is no longer a club

087at Canyon Park. My younger brother will never get to experience all that. NSD has amazing teachers and many have changed my life. But I've seen how stretched they are. Clubs like Science Olympiad no longer run because teachers already have too much on their plates. And now asking them to take on an integrated AAP model to give differentiated instruction to highcap students will only hurt both students and teachers. I ask that the board reconsider the proposal of the new highcap model in the best interest of the NSD community. Thank you. THANK YOU. AND THEN NEXT up after Tara is number 18. Good evening everyone. My name is Tara Dron and next year I'll have a senior at Bathl High School and an eighth grader at Canyon Park Middle School. And honestly I almost didn't sign up

088to speak tonight. Um partly because the Both SRO conversation has been going on for a while now and I wasn't sure there was anything left that hadn't already been said. And partly because the temperature around this issue still feels really high, high enough that even walking to the microphone for me gave me pause. Um, which was surprising because I've been a lot a part of a lot of difficult conversations in Northshore before and spoken on issues that weren't always popular. Walking up to a microphone isn't always something I spend much time thinking about, but in prepping for tonight, I did. Over the last month, I've spent a lot of time listening to students, parents, staff, board members, people who supported the vote and people who opposed it. Public comments, social media conversations, and even parking

089lot conversations after meetings. And the more I listened, the more I realized my concern wasn't really about the vote itself. It was the conversation that it was becoming. Somewhere along the way, it feels like we uh we've become less interested in understanding one another and more interested in defending our positions. And before I go any further, I want to acknowledge something that shouldn't be controversial. I believe the students who stood at this microphone and talked about officer wear. And I believe them when they said he mattered. Most of us can still probably name somebody from our own school years who made us feel safer, more supported, and more understood. Teenagers don't hand out trust easily. So when students stand up and tell us someone mattered to them, I think we should listen and take them

090seriously. But I've also watched people become so focused on the outcome of the vote that they seem willing to damage the community they're trying to protect. I've seen accusations presented as facts, rumors spreading faster than corrections, and conversations about recalls before people stopped to ask whether there was even a legal basis for one. And I've even heard people suggest that the future tragedy, if a future tragedy were to occur, the blood would be on someone's hands. And that is not okay. And none of this brings us closer to answering the questions that actually matter. Because through all of this, students are watching. They're watching how adults behave when they're angry, disappointed, and feel unheard. They're watching whether disagreement leads to hard questions, or simply finding someone to blame. And whether we realize it or not,

091we're teaching them. That's why I keep coming back to the questions that still need answers. What parts of Officer Wear's role mattered most to students? What needs um was he meeting? How will those needs be met moving forward? How will students help evaluate whether those supports are actually working? Because those are the answers that build safety, accountability, and trust. Every hour spent attacking people is another hour not spent working on those answers. The vote happened. What comes next matters, too. After the headlines fade and the comment threads move on, our students are still going to be around living what we build next. And the younger students are watching the older students, and the older students are watching the adults. So, thank you. Good evening. My name is Brad Pyre. I have a senior graduating both

092uh in next uh next week and a younger one coming in here as a freshman uh here next year. Uh first of all, I take this time to thank all you teachers. Um I think enough goes unnoticed, but you know, I'm here today because of my teacher, so thank you for what you do. Um I had a speech prepared this evening. I'm going to go off script a little bit. Um, the last three boarding meetings I've attended, I've noticed a very common denominator, and it's the incompetence of each and every one of you. I I just, it's unfathomable to me that you guys can ignore data and facts and hide behind the cloak of your own personal bias. It's embarrassing and it's not even in the realm that I thought this would be possible having

093this discussion. um the reputation that you guys have, I guess the last year or so, drug it through the mud. This was once one of the best districts in the state. And I can't fathom that that's even true now. The decisions that you guys make, we are more unsafe as a society. Our kids are less safe because of you. If this was a private business, you guys all would be fired. As a business, personal business owner, you make decisions what's best for the company, not what's best for yourself. Even though that decision may be wrong, you don't like it, it's not what's best for me, it's what's best for the company. You guys are all asleep behind the wheel. You're out of touch with reality. I know there have been calls for resignation and I

094concur and I agree with that. You can hold your head up high and do that tonight and go out with respect. It's the right thing to do. If your egos are too big and won't allow it, at least put the retainment of the SRO program, not just at both, but each high school, back on the books. That's the least you can do. Thank you very much. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS MARIE. I'M a parent of two highly capable students, one in elementary school and one in middle school. I'm here today because I have concerns about the proposed changes to the highly capable program model at the middle school level. Over the past few years, I have watched my oldest child thrive after entering middle school, entering a middle school environment that better matched her academic

095needs and connected her with peers who shared the same enthusiasm for challenge and learning. I have also watched my younger child, who is currently in an integrated elementary classroom, look eagerly toward the opportunity to experience that same environment in middle school. The recent learning that the middle school opportunity may no longer exist in the same way has been deeply disappointing for my younger student. I generally approach situ situations with trust and optimism. However, my confidence in this transition to integrated middle school classrooms has been impacted by what I observe have observed at the at the elementary level. The district has committed to provide access to advanced oper advanced learning opportunities with appropriate depth and rigor for younger learners within integrated classrooms. I have seen little or no follow-through on these commitments. As a result, the

096information shared so far about the upcoming changes has not given me confidence that the proposed middle school model will fully meet the needs of highly capable learners. I want to be clear. I am not specifically opposed to integrated classrooms if they can meet the needs of all learners while having reasonable expectations of our teachers and educators. What concerns me is the move to a new model without sufficient data, transparency, and community engagement. This change has potential to affect not only academic experiences, but also peer relationships, student engagement, and future opportunities. As a parent, I want a clear understanding of what students of all abilities may gain, what they may lose, and how those outcomes will be measured. My request is that future decisions regarding this program place a stronger emphasis on meaningful metrics and a

097broad range of data to build community confidence while including input from families and a broader range of NSD staff. While I recognize that no data set can capture every aspect of a student's experience, data combined with student, family, and educator feedback can help ensure that decisions are thoughtful, transparent, and grounded in evidence. Ultimately, I hope the district will take the time necessary to demonstrate how this model will effectively serve all learners, including highly capable students, before making significant changes to a program that has been valuable for so many. Thank you. >> Thank you. HELLO, MY NAME IS Eileen Elward Hammer and I'm a parent of an alumni of Northshore School District and it's been very interesting to listen to comments tonight because our students participated in highcap in music in PTA programs in so many

098of the programs that have been discussed here tonight. I really am grateful for the people who made time to come. And first, as a teacher and special educator in private practice, I want to stand for the educators here and the needs not only for the materials that they are given, but also for the structures and systems and schedules and ongoing job embedded professional development to actually pull the work off the page with our students. We can't get it done only with materials. We need so much more. which goes to the first point. I'd like to um speak to the K5 literacy uh curriculum adoption. Last week, you voted to evolve the HMH into reading curriculum to include the version three with a meaningful change to bring on the structured literacy pathway. As a member of

099the NSD dyslexia committee that ran from 2018 to 2020 and someone who is deeply involved in the long process around this adoption, I appreciate the progress that has been made over the last 10 years, but also call out with urgency about the progress still needed. Students not at standard in literacy at the end of first grade are predictably not at standard at the end of fourth grade. This impacts all learning more for moving forward in all settings. I would appreciate in regards to MTSS hearing more publicly about the adopted district-wide progress monitoring assessments used across MTSS tiers for decision-making. Computer adaptive assessments such as I Ready are not sufficient for this purpose. They were not designed for this purpose and can't be utilized for this purpose. This is relevant given the 2028 changes for qualification

100under special education in the category of specific learning disabilities. the um discrepancy model will no longer need to be be able to be used and data will matter and I ready is not sufficient for that regarding tech and the speaker who spoke about tech in elementary school um the discussion around I ready instruction requires interrogation um its use for special education students and requirements for them to engage in it at home and in other settings um needs to be on the table I'd like to see a committee formed or at least a some kind of information group um and have parents participating Um, regarding learning ally, this was brought into the district in 2021 and continues to be an underutilized resource. We have data um about how its use can um which provides text and

101audio can significantly improve literacy outcomes as measured by Lexile levels and demonstrated by improved grade performance on district assessments. I have talked to six families in the last week who have no idea if Learning Ali is being used in their school. I have asked each of them to to do a little bit of soouththing for me and the answers have been eyeopening. One family who is um was a TOSSA in another district um had to ask four different people in her kids' building before getting the answer and she knows how to answer. Thank you. >> Thank you Eileen. So that concludes public comment for this meeting. We are now going to move to the riveting, exciting adoption and approval of minutes. And we certainly understand if you would like to take this opportunity to go

102back to uh your lives. We call him schoolboard. Okay. Next up, as promised, is the adoption of the consent agenda. Is there a motion to approve? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Any discussion? Okay. Seeing no discussion, I am going to call for the vote and the consent agenda has been adopted. Uh up next is our one action item. It is a donation from the bothligh music boosters for the Ellington Jazz Festival in New York City. Dr. Irish. >> Yeah, this is a um a donation outlining a don uh from for the both High School Music Boosters for $22,577.84 to be used to offset cost for the recent Ellington Jazz Festival in New York City. And we recommend your approval. >> Thank you. Is there a motion to approve? So moved. Second. >> Any discussion.

103>> It's very generous and it supports our students who are doing really hard work and um winning prizes for their hard work which is amazing. I >> having done this. It sounds like a ton of money. It's like a drop in the bucket but we um are so grateful for their support. Okay, seeing no further discussion, I'll call for the vote. Okay. And that um passes. So next we have some information items. The first is the district budget status report for April. Dr. Irish. >> Yeah. Attached for your review and the information is the April 2026 district budget status report. >> Any discussion on that? It's funny over the years the pages that I fixate on now it's all about the total fund balance. That's where I go right first. And boy is that looking

104so much better. >> It really is. Those those lines are different than they were. And it looks like Well, it's so nice to see the lines not dipping as far down and going further up. >> I love some graphs. some graphing these uh it's it makes me sleep better at night knowing that we're not going to be coming down >> below that zero line. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Um then I will move us to the capital projects fund allocation report for April 26. 2026 not the 26 2026. Dr. Irish. >> Yes. This is the capital project funds allocation report for April. >> Any questions or discussion on this report? >> Just want to thank the community back in 2018 and 2022 and our recent bond and levies for approving it. >> Okay. Next up is

105director SOtac's favorite, the capital project status report. >> Yes, this is the report is attached for review reflecting the current status of the 2022 growth projects at Leota Middle School and Inglemore High School. >> I don't know if I've ever been so excited about somebody talking about adding like metal sighting to a building. Uh, and you can see the pictures, you guys. It's such a fun report to look at. >> Yeah. >> Um Leota's looking great. It looks like a big fancy new building. Englemore. There's pieces of wood this time for the picture, which is those are some big glue lamb beams that are going to hold up our buildings. Very exciting. And I can't wait until we start having more more than just two because I I when we had like eight, that was

106so nice. But I I'll be fine with two for a little while. It's It's kind of cool to see the Inglmore High is getting a threestory building. So, and we don't have too many three-story schools. Hopefully, the space will be adequately used. Okay. Um, so next up is new business. Do board member and reports board reports and communication. First under there is new business. Do board members have any new business? Okay, seeing none, that brings us to board member reports. And first up is Director Sotek. >> Oops. I should turn on my mic. Uh, so on the 28th of May, I attended the Northshore retiree event where retirees had like a billion hours of service, which was or a billion years of service. I'm going to round up there because I think that's probably more

107accurate. Um it it's always so fun to see the people who have helped shape the district over many years and um hear about all the things they've done to support our students and um what they're planning to do next. Um on uh May 31st, Director Tran and I attended the East Side Native Oh, and Dr. Thomas and Dr. Irish attended the uh East Side Native American Education graduation ceremony um and saw some of our graduates there and on June 4th I met with Dr. Irish and Director Tran and I think that's it. Thank you Director Sotup. Next is Director Sanderson. Um so sorry on May 27th I attended the North Urban Human Services Alliance meeting. Um got some good information there as always. Um on the 28th I also attended the retiree event. Um on

108June 1st I attended a Northshore Schools Foundation U meeting with Dr. Irish. Um the third I met with a constituent. On the 4th, I uh got to participate in the selection committee for the wall of honor. Um the big thing that came out of that for me was um they are hoping that more of our community is aware that students who have graduated and have been out of high school for 15 years or more are eligible. and they'd love to see more people um nominate former students for the great things that they're doing in addition to getting more help um to have the committee in general. Um on the 5th I part oh I also on that night uh got to attend the strategic plan um just to see the beginning of the process of

109um working on writing um refreshment work for the strategic plan. And it was really great to see how um our staff worked really hard to come up with um two different ideas that had the same idea, same goals at heart, even if said in different words. Um so that's just the beginning of a draft that will go and be revised over time. But it was um really fun to watch that work. Um on the fifth I had a one by one with Dr. Irish. Um, on the sex I had the great joy of uh going with Sky View uh for their music in the parks and seeing both uh Sky View's orchestra and uh qu band receive um one superior ratings and get first place in their uh respective divisions. Um and that is it.

110>> Thank you, Director Sanderson. Up next is Director Tren. Wednesday, May 27th, I attended the online beyond the session hosted by Belleview School District's PTSA. Um, so thank you to them for hosting it and setting up the agenda. Also, thank you Superintendent Irish and Deputy Director Bergie for attending and providing um, you know, Northshore's input on the perspective of public K- through2 funding. Uh, we obviously still have a shortfall. This is preparation. This is the first meeting before the ledge session begins. We have a lot to align on with the hundreds of what is it two over 250 some odd school board members in Washington state. Getting all of us to agree on what our top three priorities are going into the state in the legislative session can be a challenge. So, um, it's a

111challenge that I hope we can overcome and and with a lot of help from a lot of the, uh, organizations that are involved. Uh, Thursday, May 28th, also attended the retiree event. I missed the number. It was quoted during the event. I believe it was maybe a couple hundred years of experience that we were celebrating. It's a billion years. Wait, years or hours? >> 300 years. Yeah. Okay, that sounds better. Um, yeah, so that's that's a ton of experience and I'm sure a lot of mentorship that happened to uh help the incoming folks who are going to be taking the place of some of the retirees. So, it was wonderful to see some of the um the handoff there. Friday, May 25th, I attended the Woodenville High Robotics Women in STEM event. In this room,

112there was a guest panel of very talented women in the industry. Um, not just from STEM, also from art and also from communication. And it was lovely to see the students be able to get that kind of advice from people who are already in the industry. I um really encourage board members to attend these events and also share out with the community because it's it's um it's a wonderful opportunity for students who are going into steam to see an example of what it would be like to be out in industry and have that one-on-one conversation with them. Saturday, May 31st, I also attended the East Side Native American Education Graduation Ceremony. And I got to say they they know how to serve out dish out great food. So, um salmon and and all that. So,

113it's wonderful and wonderful to see the students be able um because I'd been attending some of their sessions, their their Monday night sessions and um it was emotional to see some of them, you know, move on to the next stage of their life. They've been living their life. It's not like life starts after high school, but it's just a different chapter. Um, Thursday, June 4th, I attended a 2 by two with Director Sotac and Superintendent Irish. Thank you, Director Tran. I have a lot of overlap. Um, I have in the last two weeks wrapped up my um attending of PTA meetings at a variety of schools as well as my classroom volunteering. I got to finish up with some reading of with first graders. And tomorrow I will wrap up my work with my junior

114at high school that hopefully will pass his classes. So we'll see. Um I also attended the retiree event and um the 300 years was just the people in the room. There are thousands and thousands of years of experience that are leaving us. We wish them all the best in their next phase of life and thank them for the service for our students in our district. Um, I attended the Latino graduation celebration at Woodenville High School and then we had our inaugural Northshore demographic and enrollment community meeting. Uh, last week it was uh kind of our first opportunity to start talking about the impact of declining birth rates on our community. We had our cities join us um community college, Udub, both uh Evergreen Health and um real estate member, community members. And so it was

115just a great opportunity to start that conversation and what that's going to look like. It was a riot. Evergreen Health was in real time texting, hey, are our birth rates going down? Yep. Oh. So, um it was it was a good starting to the the conversation and what what this will look like. Um attended the PTSA spring recognition ceremony at Innovation Lab High School. We thank the district for their last minute um assistance and finding a space for this. As it turns out, the space they were supposed to have it wasn't actually available. So, um just a lovely event in recognition of uh the folks that support our students in our schools. And then uh as was mentioned by director Sanderson, I also attended the strategic plan writers group session um and just watched the

116process. So with that that concludes our meeting. We are adjourned and start graduation weeks. So, thank you so