001[music and bell] [music] [bell] [music] >> Good evening. Welcome to the May 20th meeting of the Yakima School Board. Before we begin, there are a couple business items to take care of. First of all, we do offer interpretation services. We have Spanish interpretation services from Jorge with Language Connection. If you need assistance in person, please check with Jorge for a device. And Jorge, please translate that information. >> [clears throat] >> Gracias for tu ayuda. If you wish to make a public comment this evening, there are two options available for you. The first option is for commenting on agenda items only, and the second option, which comes later in the meeting, is for all other topics. In order to speak tonight, you will need to sign two forms, the sign-in form and a guidelines form. We
002do provide live streaming for this meeting. The link can be found on our webpage under Board of Directors. If you are interested in watching past meetings, you can find them on our web pages YSD YouTube channel. Barb, would you take the roll, please? Director Shelton. Here. Director Rice. Here. Vice President Beckett. Here. President Walker. Here. And Director Navarro Jr. is unexcused. Thank you. Would you all please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance? Ready to begin. I pledge allegiance 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. The May word of the month is encouraging, respectful, and polite behavior that contributes to the well-being of the community. When in Español, cívico. And now for the land acknowledgement.
003Today, the schools of the Yakima School District rest on ancestral lands of the 14 Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation. The people of the Yakama Nation inhabited more than 12 million acres. Across Adams, Benton, Chelan, Douglas, Franklin, Grant, Kittitas, Klickitat, and Yakima counties. Today, we honor those native peoples who are tied to the land through history, legends, and culture. We acknowledge their descendants who live in the world today. We thank the caretakers of this land who have lived here and continue to live here since time immemorial. An acknowledgement is a simple, powerful way to show respect. And a step toward correcting the stories and practices that erase indigenous peoples' history and culture. It also honors the truth. As a school district, we will continue to build upon our relations with the Yakama Nation.
004In the past couple of weeks, we've lost four members of our um Yakama School District community. Their obituaries are listed in the board documents. They're also available in the Yakama Herald obituary listings. Doug Fadness was a long-time teacher at Wilson Middle School. Dorthella Powell was a teacher at Franklin Middle School and then a teacher at the Advanced Learning Center. Don Breitenfeldt was a long-time administrator in the district. And Sonya Dodge was a long-time leader in the PTSA and served on the school board for 10 years. So, would you you me in a moment of silence in honor of those four people, please. Thank you. We have some a little fun tonight. We have a number of recognitions we're going to do. First of all, um Director Beckett is going to introduce some students who have
005won awards in the career and technical field. And if when your name is read, uh if you will come up and kind of circle around the U-shape here, we'd like to shake your hand. Thank you, President Walker. Yes, our career and technical student organization uh we have recognitions for SkillsUSA, their national career and technical student leadership organization that gives students the opportunity to grow as professionals, leaders, and skilled members of the future workforce. The Akima School District is proud to recognize and celebrate the hard work, discipline, and commitment these students have shown. Congratulations to our 2026 SkillsUSA state championship placers. We're proud of proud of your accomplishments and excited to see where your skills, leadership, and determination take you next. Our placers are Viana Gonzalez, second place, Washington State SkillsUSA culinary arts. Congratulations. Manuel Fraile
006Acosta, third place in computer internet working. Congratulations. Aaron Amundson, fourth place in entrepreneurship. Giovanni Guatemala Ayala, fourth place in entrepreneurship. Jesus Lopez Ochoa, fourth place in entrepreneurship. David Venancio, fourth place entrepreneurship and fourth place in pin design. Jacob Adkins, fourth place in digital cinema production. Nice work. Marisol Canter, fourth place in digital cinema production. Emily Thomas, with sixth place in Washington State Skills USA Culinary Arts. And Aiden Wilson, seventh place with prepared speech. That's what I was saying. Congratulations. There's your opportunity. Congratulations to all of our students with SkillsUSA. Thank you so much. Thank you. Next. We'll do the next one. Raymond's. You want to do Raymond's next? Yeah. Okay. Our next set would be our high school SkillsUSA state placers. We're incredibly proud to celebrate the outstanding high school students who placed at the
007recent SkillsUSA State Leadership and Skills Conference, competing against the top talent from across the region. These dedicated individuals demonstrated exceptional technical skills, professional leadership, and passion for their crafts. We congratulate all of our state places for representing us so brilliantly. From YV Tech, we have Rocky Romero Garcia Ramirez with first place in collision repair technology. Viana Gonzalez, second place baking and pastry arts. Juan M. Ceballos, second place in collision repair. Dalia Alcala Godinez, third place automotive refinishing technology. Kimberly Alcala, third place collision repair technology. Manuel Fraile Acosta, third place internet working. And from Eisenhower High School, we have Shawn Novobielski, third place in photography. Congratulations one and all. Next up, we're going to honor our Excellence in Education Award winners. We had a separate ceremony a few days ago for the Shining Star recipients and
008the Crystal Apple Award recipients and nominees. This evening, we'll recognize just the winners and if they all come up and shake our hands, we also have a certificate for them. Director Shell will be reading those awards. Thank you, President Walker. For our Shining Star Award recognizes the outstanding achievements of the Yakima School District classified employees honoring those who consistently demonstrate exceptional work performance, exemplary leadership, collaboration, and unwavering dedication to the district and its mission every day. Shining Star Award recipients are Hilda Bueno Garcia from our child nutrition office manager at Central Services. Sergio Renteria Robledo, groundskeeper, Central Services. Alonzo Rodriguez, paraeducator and academic intervention at Hoover Elementary. Great job. The Crystal Apple Award. Complementing this, the Crystal Apple Award honors the professional educator community by celebrating certificated individuals who positively impact the lives and futures
009of their students. The core goals of the Crystal Apple Awards are to reward excellence in education within the Yakima Public Schools, encourage creative and quality instruction, foster a positive learning environment, inspire excellent educators to remain in the teaching profession, provide a meaningful incentive for individual initiative, and contribute substantially to the continuous improvement of education throughout the Yakama School District. Our Crystal Apple Award recipients are Robin Cavenah, speech language pathologist at Discovery Early Learning Center. Thank you. Nancy Pietras, speech language pathologist at our Discovery Early Learning Center. Thank you. And Emma Shursky, our physical education teacher at McClure Elementary. Next up, Director Rice has a special award to present. The school nurses of the The school nurse of the year for the state of Washington is a prestigious honor awarded to awarded annually by the School
010Nurse Association of Washington or Snow and the National Association of School Nurses or NASN. It It is designed to publicly recognize a registered professional nurse who demonstrates absolute excellence in clinical practice, exceptional leadership in school health, and a deep commitment to student success. This year we are pleased to to congratulate Ashley LeCompte on being named the 2026 School Nurse of the Year for the state of Washington. Ashley truly deserves this since this incredible honor. Thank you, Ashley, for your unwavering dedication, your hard work in making Eisenhower High School a better place every single day, and for always putting our students first. We are so proud to have you on the team. Thank you, Director Rice. Now we have arrived at the next section. We're going to honor our certified and classified retirees for this year.
011If I read your name, please come forward. And if you're here this evening, come through and we'll shake your hand and present a sir I believe the cutting boards go to We have a cutting board for you. Um Yes, uh created by students in our tech program. And if you're not here, I'll just read your name. But if you're here, I'm going to read the bio that you provided us. So, first up, Jean Abrahamsen. Robert Bob Adams. Bob began working for the Yakima School District on January 12th, 2001 as the information services supervisor, playing a foundational role in developing the district's modern technology infrastructure. When he started, the district operated with one single server and limited unified services. But under his steady leadership, information services expanded significantly to support four data centers that now provide
012email, Microsoft, Google, and other critical technology services for instruction, operations, and communication district-wide. As one of the early leaders shaping these technology systems, Bob helped lay a secure, dependable digital foundation that our schools and staff rely on every day. The Yakima School District thanks Bob for his 25 years of dedicated service and lasting impact and wishes him the absolute best in his retirement. Bob was with the Yakima School District for 25 years from January of 2001 through August of 2026. Todd Berghoff. 16 years. Kelly Blakney. Kelly's remarkable career in the Yakima School District exemplifies dedication to students success through multiple pathways. Beginning as a science teacher, she expanded her impact by serving as a counselor at YV-Tech, where she guided countless students through critical career decisions. Her transition to CTE curriculum TOSA allowed her to
013shape the very foundation of our district's career and technical education programs, ensuring that the curriculum remained relevant, rigorous, and responsive to industry needs. Through each role, Kelly has been a steadfast advocate for students' post-secondary success, building bridges between classroom learning and real-world opportunities. Her collaborative spirit and deep understanding of both academic and career pathways have left a lasting mark on our department. As she embarks on retirement, Kelly looks forward to traveling with Miles and enjoying those well-deserved drink packages, a fitting reward for years of tireless service to our students and community. She has been with the Yakima School District for 36 years, from September of through August of 2026. Miles Blakeley. Miles has been an instrumental force in preparing Yakima students for the technology-driven careers of tomorrow. As a computer science teacher at YV-Tech, he
014introduced students to the fundamentals of coding and computational thinking, opening doors to high-demand career fields. His work as a robotics teacher at Davis High School brought hands-on engineering experiences to life, fostering problem-solving skills and teamwork that extended far beyond the classroom. In his current role as worksite coordinator, Miles has connected students directly with employers, creating meaningful work-based learning experiences to transform classroom theory into practical career skills. His ability to build relationships with both students and community partners has created a lasting pathways to employment and post-secondary success. Miles' legacy is evident in the countless students who discovered their passion for technology and innovation under his guidance. As he transitions to retirement, he's excited to travel with Kelly and share those drink packages, a well-earned celebration of a career dedicated to our empowering the next generation of
015skilled professionals. He has been with the Yakima district for 5 years, from August of 2021 through August of 2026. Oh, fifth That's a typo. It's 15 years. Okay, yes. Okay. Well, maybe it was five and it felt like 15. Is that Deborah Blodgett Goins. Deborah was with the Yakima School District for 22 years. Alberto Cardenas. He was with the Yakima School District for 31 years, his entire career at Eisenhower. Robin Cavana. Robin's career is a remarkable testament to dedication, compassion, and unwavering service to children and families in Yakima. A proud graduate of Moses Lake, Robin followed her passion for helping others into the field of speech language pathology, earning both her bachelor's and master's degrees in communication disorders from Eastern Washington University. Since joining Yakima public schools in 1988, she has devoted nearly four decades
016to supporting our youngest learners, particularly those with complex communication needs, helping give voice to students who are often unheard. As a leader, mentor, and lifelong learner, Robin has not only strengthened her profession, but also empowered families and educators with the tools to better understand and support each child's unique way of communicating. Her work reminds us that communication is more than words. It is connection, dignity, and opportunity. And her legacy will continue to impact generations to come. Robin has been with the Yakima School District for 37 years, from September of 1988 through August of 2026. Miyuki Demand. Miyuki started her teaching career as a teacher assistant in a preschool program at the Montessori School of Yakima before transitioning to Davis High School as her Japanese teacher. She has shared her culture and language with students and
017staff and has been a great influence and help with our visitors from the Yamate program in Japan. Her retirement plan is to buy a one-way ticket back to Japan. >> [laughter] >> Miyuki has been with the Yakima School District for 15 years, from July of 2011 through August of 2026. Okay. Timothy Tim DePree. Tim has been with the Yakima School District for 22 years. Dolores Lori Eby. Is she here tonight? No, she's been with the district for 27 years. Kelly Enquist. Kelly was with the district for 9 years. Michael Mikey Fitzpatrick. Mikey has been with the district for 20 years. David Gonzales. David started his teaching career at Jefferson Elementary in 1985. He then taught fifth grade at MLK, then McClure, until he had to take a couple years off due to his bone marrow
018transplant. He couldn't wait to get back to work and ended up back at MLK in fifth grade. He followed Kimberly back to McClure in 2013, where he will finish his 39-year educational career in fifth grade. He has been nominated twice for the Crystal Apple Award. He was so excited when Lynn Green retired so he could finally be number one on the seniority list. He can't go anywhere without running into a past student or parent and still has past students visiting often sharing memories of his class and expressing the difference he made in their lives. David and Kimberly look forward to traveling in the off season. He has been with the Yakima School District for 14 years from from 2011 to 2026. Well, 39 but I were some of those years somewhere else? In a different
019district? No. Oh, well, then that's a typo. All 39 in Yakima. Wow. I'm just reading what's in front of me. That's all I can do. Adela Gutierrez Pena Adela was with the district for 10 years. Judith Hein Judith was with the district for 10 years. Carol Halls Carol began her teaching career in 1977 as an Idaho high school art teacher before moving to to the Yakima Valley where she ran an art business and eventually returned to education at Lewis and Clark and as Ahtosa. During her tenure at Davis, she started the Davis art show to showcase and celebrate student artists and their achievements. Under her dedicated guidance, her students consistently achieved high honors including regional ESD 105 awards each year for the past decade, Washington Apple Education Foundation year of the Apple Art Contest Awards,
020OSPI Superintendent's High School Art Show state awards, and congressional art awards, aligning perfectly with her lifelong goal of helping students discover their hidden talents while learning the value of effort and perseverance. Carol has been with the Yakima School District for 25 years, from December of 2000 to August of 2026. Fara Jimenez Fara was with the Yakima School Yakima School District for 21 years. Isai Macias Mr. Macias is retiring from Franklin Middle School after a dedicated career in educational service, including a total of 18 years of service to the Yakima School District community. Before his career in Yakima, Isai served 1 year at an alternative high school and 4 years in Toppenish. In Yakima, he has served 4 years at Barge Lincoln Elementary, 4 years at McClure Elementary, and 10 years at Franklin Middle School. In
021addition, he has taught Spanish at Yakima Valley College since 2010. Isai is married to his beautiful wife, Molly, and they have four children and five grandchildren. Beyond education, Mr. Macias serves as pastor at House of Grace Missionary Church here in Yakima. He was born and raised in Mexico and previously lived in San Diego before settling in Yakima. His career reflects a long-standing commitment to students, families, education, and community service throughout the Yakima area. He has been with the Yakima School District for 20 years from August of through August of 2026. Dale Mapes Dale has been with the Yakima School District for 17 years. Suzanne Marinace Marinace, okay. I wasn't sure. Thanks for correcting me. Suzanne joined Garfield 9 years ago and brought with her an infectious spirit. Her joyful laugh, beautiful singing voice, and genuine
022love of teaching lit up our school. Suzanne is that teacher who truly loves her craft and makes learning exciting and creative. Beyond her classroom, she's been a caring supportive figure for both staff and families, always checking in and offering help to those in need. Garfield greats seek her out because they feel seen and loved. Former students routine routinely return to Garfield hoping to reconnect with that favorite teacher they once had. Suzanne's legacy of warmth, creativity, and lifelong learning will endure at Garfield and her impact will be felt for years to come. Mrs. Marinace, we wish you all the joy allowed on the next adventures. She has been with the Yakima School District for 10 years, from August of 2016 through August 2026. Anthony Mitzel. Anthony was with the Yakima School District for 10 years. Flavio
023Ovieta. She was with the Yakima School District for 19 years. Pedro Pacheco Aleman. After 23 years of dedicated teaching at Garfield Elementary, Pedro Pacheco's retirement leaves a lasting legacy. As a former newcomer student himself, Pedro has had a unique gift for connecting with our multilingual learners, helping them feel seen and understood. He came to teaching later in life, bringing hard work, humor, and a father's heart. He made us laugh when we needed it most, and his friendships with staff were deep and genuine. Students, past and present, will always remember his impact. Mr. Pacheco, you've been the heart of Garfield. We'll miss you dearly and wish you all the best in this next chapter. Um Mr. Aleman has been with the um Yakima School District for 23 years, from August of 2003 through August 2026. Leslie
024Padilla. >> Leslie has been with the Yakima School District for 23 years, from August 2003 to August of 2026. And I do have to add one little bit. She took over for me as counselor at Whitney after I left Whitney and has been there for many, many, many years. And Nancy Pietras. Nancy has dedicated more than four decades to the field of speech language pathology. She started when she was 10. Leaving an extraordinary and lasting impact on the Yakima community and beyond. Since joining the Yakima School District in 1992, Nancy has been a driving force in shaping early learning services, helping to establish foundational programs, and eventually contributing to the dec- creation of the Discovery Early Learning Center as a unified hub for young learners and families. Her work has spanned birth to three services,
025preschool, and school-age programs, always grounded in deep commitment to meeting the full range of communication needs through collaboration, innovation, and compassion. Nancy has not only supported countless students in finding their voice, but has also empowered families, trained other educators, and built systems that will continue to serve children for years to come. Known for her leadership, her advocacy, and her belief in the potential of every child, Nancy's greatest joy has been witnessing those breakthrough moments when learning connects. And because of her, those moments have happened for generations of students. Nancy has been with the Yakima School District for 34 years, from April of 1992 through August of 2026. Boy, how are we going to replace all these people? Zachary Row. Zach was has been with the Yakima School District for 37 years. Most of those, I
026believe, at Davis High School. Julie Salatino. Julie has dedicated her career to education, including 2 years at the American School of Quito in Ecuador, 1 year to the Migrant Alternative School Program in the Yakima School District, 3 years as a paraprofessional pro tech in the Yakima School District, and 31 years as an ESL Spanish teacher at Davis High School. Her passion during all these years has been to encourage students to respect and appreciate other cultures, and to travel or live and work in a Spanish-speaking country. Her retirement plan is to do things that nurture the soul, travel, work in her garden, spend time with friends and family, do volunteer work, and get a new dog. See me after. I know of one you might want. She has been with the Yakima School District for 42
027years, from June 1984 to August 2026. Kristen Schoonhoven. After 34 years in teaching, including 30 years of dedicated service specifically to Gilbert Elementary, Kristen is retiring from a truly illustrious career as a cornerstone of the school community. She devoted many years to shaping young minds as an invaluable kindergarten teacher before transitioning to teaching first grade, where she continued to inspire students during their critical early learning years. Highly respected and sought after by parents, Mrs. Schoonhoven built an an excellent reputation rooted in trust, respect, and a commitment to being a lifelong learner who continuously grew her professional practice to meet every student where they were. Her reflective teaching philosophy embraced the whole child by nurturing both foundational academics and essential social-emotional skills, helping students navigate the school environment with confidence and kindness. As she embarks on
028her well-deserved retirement, she leaves behind an enduring legacy of excellence, compassion, and innovation that has deeply touched countless students, families, and colleagues. Kristen has been with the Yakima School District for 33 years, from September of 1992 through August of 2026. Irene Smith. Irene began her remarkable 42-year career in education in 1984, after graduating from Utah State University, spending her first four years substituting throughout Utah before relocating to Washington State in 1989. Over the next 11 years, she substituted and taught across the West Valley, Toppenish, and Yakima school districts, including a special year teaching East Valley's gifted program, the creative thinking class. In 1996, Irene served on the founda- foundational committee that designed and launched the discover- excuse me, Discovery Lab school in Yakima, where she proudly dedicated approximately 22 years to its close-knit community. Following
029its its closure, she taught at the K-8 online school for 2 years before joining Davis High School, where she beautifully capped off her career with two final years in the history department. Throughout her 28 years with the Yakima School District, Irene's deep passion for learning left a lasting mark on countless students and colleagues, earning her the prestigious YSD Crystal Apple Award and national board certification. In her well-deserved retirement, Irene Irene looks forward to embarking on new adventures packed with traveling and hiking. She has been with the Yakima School District for 28 years, from September 1997 through August 2026. Elizabeth Stevens. Elizabeth has been a great teammate here at Eisenhower High School for the last couple years. She is positive and solution-oriented. Elizabeth is one of the most dedicate dedicated people I have ever worked with
030in my educational career. We wish Elizabeth the best and she will always have a home here at Ike. She has been with the Yakima School District for 14 years, from August 2011 through August 2026. Tried Taylor. Tried has been with the Yakima School District for 12 years. Bruce Thompson. Bruce has been with the Yakima School District for 37 years. Mary Velikanje. After 9 years of dedicated teaching at Stanton, Mary Kay Velikanje is retiring, leaving behind a lasting impact on students, staff, and the entire Stanton community. Throughout her career, all of which was spent at Stanton, she became known for her unwavering commitment to building meaningful relationships, teaching with integrity and empathy, and creating a supportive environment where every student felt valued and capable of success. Her leadership, humor, patience, and compassion helped shape the culture
031of Stanton. Mrs. Velikanje's influence extends far beyond the classroom, and her legacy will continue to be felt for years to come. Stanton is grateful for her years of service and wishes her the very best in her well-earned retirement. She has been with the Yakima School District for 15 years from August 2011 through August 2026. Deborah Williams. Deborah was with the district for 16 years from 2009 through August 2026. Dennis Williams Dennis was with the district for 24 years. Shirley Woolam And Shirley was with the district for 22 years. So, Martha likes to contribute to a little bit of the celebration by totaling up the total years of service in education. And these contributors, between their work here in Yakima and in other districts, have contributed a total of years to public education. Thank you. If
032you didn't get an opportunity and you want to take a picture or a group picture or a family picture in front of the uh board here, the backdrop, we're going to take about a 10-minute break. You can do that, and then we will restart our meeting. You're welcome to stay for the business meeting, those of you that haven't had enough meetings in your life. Thanks. That was a lot, yeah. >> Mhm. >> Thank you. We'd like to resume our agenda. First up is updates from members of the board. Next up, Dr. Green, superintendent's updates. I thank you, President Walker. Just a few items on the agenda for this evening and sharing with the Board of Directors. First, Rose George. She works with our Native American students at the district level. Has been accepted, nominated, and
033accepted as a board member for WSIEA, which is the Washington State Indian Education Association. So, it's wonderful to have representation not only of our Native American students and for Native American students, but in the leadership for Washington state in the educational realm. Second, you will notice in your handouts or attached to the document is a harassment, intimidation, and bullying report from Omar Santoy. Just keeping the board in the loop, so you can review that at your leisure. If you do have any questions about that, we would be happy to entertain them either now or into the future. I'm not sure how much you had much time you had to review that or if you have any questions, but we will continue to update you on the HIB report every month. Third item, we had we
034have currently going on right now the art show at Davis. So, you should all have a a poster, paper-size poster. This is the larger version. I had the opportunity to go there today and to look at all of the wonderful art pieces and they're combined that now with photography and ceramics, pottery. So, it's quite impressive. If you have that opportunity to go, I would certainly encourage you. It runs from the 18th to the 28th of May and it's from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. On the 20th of May it's the What's today? Today is the 19th? 20th. It's the 20th. Never mind. It's going on right now. So, the one event that you could attend in the evening is currently right now. So, if you want to make if you'd like to make a visit
035or pay a visit at the Kiva at Davis High School, it would have to be between 8:00 and 3:00 between now and the 28th of of May. Uh last one other item you have should have a handout. It's about two or three pages and it has the amendments for the Washington Interscholastic Athletic Association. I mentioned in a previous meeting. I believe it might have been the last meeting or the one before that that I had attended a session up in Chelan superintendents reviewing the new amendments and I believe there are over 20 of them and I just wanted you to have access to those. If you have any questions of these at a later date, certainly I would be willing to talk about what I could share over that component. Do you have a question?
036I have a question. Have these been adopted yet? Yes. Okay. Thank you. All right and then we have a Yes, we have it should be on your calendar. We do have native education program native education celebration which is June 2nd. That is going to be at YB Tech at 6:30 p.m. So, 1120 South 18th Street. Once again, YB Tech our native student celebration and there will be dinner there as well and we have quite a program. If you've been to that previously, it would be great to have you there. Do we have an update? I believe we have a PRR update. Bob, is that true? It is. So, you'll see in your packet, it's a basically our monthly report showing how many year-to-date that we've received in terms of a records request, and then the
037bar graph below showing how the timelines by which we're completing those or processing those uh processing those. The uh you'll see that we're still doing pretty well about keeping things within the the 60-day window, and that's basically our objective is to try to get everything done within 60 days, and most of this stuff is done within the first 10 days. So, thank you. Thank you, Bob. And then, if you look at the total public records requests received, we are down significantly from last year. Um so, it looks like we were around the 200 request level last year, and currently to date, we're at about 100, uh maybe a little bit over, but it's right to that's on one of those graphs as well. Um if there are no other questions, then I'll go ahead and
038conclude for this evening the superintendent's update. If there are no questions. Yeah, thank you. Uh next step, we have Mr. Cooper um updates on the bond. Good evening, everybody. It's a pleasure to be up here talking about the successful bond measure. Um so, um once a bond passes, the work begins. All right? Um lots of promises made that need to be kept, and that's what we're going to do as we move forward. So, uh I believe Superintendent and I have talked about doing uh a bond uh construction/construction updated at every meeting. And so, those will uh commence now. So, um right before the bond went out um for vote, um district went out for RFQ for architects. It was a request for qualifications. I'm sorry, Martha, I know that you love the acronyms. Um request
039for qualifications. Um, we then uh had we had nine um firms uh submit RFQs to the district. And then um I set about and I did initial screening myself for completion of the applications uh per the specs. And then we brought together a selection committee. So, and then after that, when we narrowed it down, I began checking references all around the region. And so um pleasure to inform you tonight that we've uh uh selected Design West to design our uh two large projects at Hoover and Garfield. They might sound familiar because they've done work all around the region. Their office and uh the principal we're working with is out of Kennewick. And um so for example, they just finished the elementaries at West Valley not too long ago. So, um they've also done projects uh
040in Kennewick of course and then all around the region. Their uh documents were impressive and then of course, most importantly, I had some good one-on-one conversations with the lead architect. And so, we're very excited to bring them on board. And then the second piece of that puzzle is project management. And so in that regard, uh we are going to utilize a firm called Turner and Townsend Hery. And a gentleman by the name of Mr. David Bodine, who comes highly recommended. Uh I've known him in the past life just tangentially. But um he also was the same that's the same team basically that built West Valley. It's David Bodine out of that firm. And um I checked references all over the place. Just fortunately, I do know a lot of folks in the industry and he
041comes highly regarded. Selection and process of course, um one thing that we wanted to make sure was sound project and budget manager for the most part. So, both the architecture firm and the uh um contracted PM understand um how to manage projects both on time and on budget. So, we're very excited to announce that publicly. In fact, tomorrow uh my team and I have a kickoff meeting with um the architect and the project um manager to set about our next cadence as we move forward to get uh construction started as soon as possible. Additionally, since we never let grass grow under our feet, um we um we will be um we have selected also uh bond counsel, which we can discuss uh at a different time, and our banking is uh set up as well.
042Tentatively, I have a bond schedule uh to sell bonds the first day of September and with a closing and cash in the bank on September 15th. So, all's all's going well. So, the goal is to sell bonds relatively as soon as possible. That does take a while to gather things up and um with the view of all the legal perspectives uh and other items such as that, and then of course go out to the market and negotiate the sale. So, you should see a bond uh resolution start to come to you uh for delegation of authority to sell bonds, and then of course the actual sale on 9 1. Uh obviously, we'll watch market conditions. I know the 10-year Treasury's been all over the place, separate issue. Um and then proceeds in the bank 9
04315. So, we're moving forward rapidly as we need to to get the um school, especially Hoover, open by fall of '28. And so, we'll also provide you some additional details on how we're going to procure the building. You heard a gentleman a couple meetings ago talk about um design build. Um currently, uh we're leaning toward to providing the opportunity for GCCM. I don't know all those in there. That's general contracting construction management, I believe are those acronyms. And that's kind of a hybrid of hard bid uh and then design build, so you're able to bring a contractor on board based on uh a rubric and set of requirements, and then you negotiate the max max price on different elements of the project, and um it's a very exciting time. So, I'll be happy to entertain
044any questions on the bond. Just so you know that you heard me say time is money and money is time. So, there's there's no waste. Um $200 million um even though uh it's a lot of money, inflation can eat away at that pretty quickly. So, we are going to be underway as rapidly as possible. So, it'll be a busy summer, but by the 1st week of September, we'll have money in the bank, a PM on board, and design will be underway uh in the next few months. Questions? Comments? Concerns? Will the PM be located here? Uh they do have an office in Eastern Washington. Um so, he will be He won't be on site um all the time. Um and so, we are working out those details of how many days on site versus remote
045work. Uh but David is a very experienced individual that's managed projects all over the place. I called my colleague in Cheney. She goes, "I wish I could say something bad about him cuz he's a project manager, but I can't." Um and so, he comes highly regarded um top to bottom. So, part of his qualifications and then um reference checks. The other part is as I told superintendent uh you know, offline was our our goal is to bring the best team together to deliver the projects on time and on budget. And I I think we're well down the road in that regard. Do we know um what kind of time conflicts he might have? Like who else is he project managing for? Um most of those uh folks in that field have multiple projects at one
046time. Uh he will dedicate a portion of his time, of course, to us on a weekly and daily basis. And then, obviously, there are busier times in a project. So, full full bone full blown construction is a different. He'll be on site way more often than when we're working on design and the cadence of the of the project. And so, um he's been doing it I think he's been doing it for 35 or 40 years. So, it's probably long enough. Yes. Um he told me he's never had a late project. I said, "Good to know." So, we're looking forward to it, but um time is of the essence. Thank you, Jake. You bet. Any other questions for Jake? Okay, and Jake will remain at the podium and give us our monthly financial report. Thank you,
047Paula. Appreciate that. Looking at the budget uh this is the April budget status and summary report. So, uh I'd be remiss again when we write the kind of April items of interest. Of course, that um the finance department and all of us would like to extend our sincere congratulations to everybody involved with the successful passage of the bond measure. Um on a more negative note, you'll see later in the presentation that we still are having midyear enrollment declines at a higher rate than historical averages. Um back on the positive side, cash remains above projection, so it's still four or five million dollars above my projection currently. Um we are seeing a lot of springtime purchases come through the business office, though. So, as I said, that cash flow will moderate closer to projection as the
048year goes on. You can see on the um enrollment side, let me do the graph instead. Um so, there's our historical enrollment over the last five-year period. And you'll notice the anomalies we've had uh the orange or marigold line at the bottom is the current year 2025-26. You can see our normal enrollment patterns historically how there's dips and dives, but it pretty much levels off after the new year in January. Um but we have continued to see slight declines and a little bit of leveling here in April, which is a good sign. As you we talked about earlier, those mid-year enrollment declines are fairly anomalous. Um and something that we've attributed to uh some of the macro uh political issues and um we'll see and as we said, we'll continue to watch enrollment as it
049drops. Uh next fiscal year, I have us projected down about 475 FTE uh to account for the decrease and then what we are seeing in smaller birth rate are less birth rates in smaller kindergarten classes as the bigger classes roll off the top. Um there's the budget versus actuals. As you can see, obviously it's going to be less. There are some bright spots though, of course. The RALE is significantly above projection and then open doors and ready to start are very close. But that gap, of course, grows um when we have mid-year enrollment loss. And again, as I tell every board, every meeting, cash is king. Um and um I do um when some districts ask me for their assistance, one thing I'm generally shocked about is a lot of a lot of CFOs don't
050present cash flow graphs or demonstrate the simple picture what their cash flow position is. Sometimes you just get the budget status report. And so that's where you run into trouble. You know, your cash is the first sign of uh trouble and that is something I always want you to pay attention to is where that cash is at. You can see our cash peaks this month. It was tax collection, um which is a good uh good month. We have solid collections in April. And of course, it will moderate down as the fiscal year goes on. Uh there's the revenue. The teal bar is the current year revenue. Um so you can see in some months it's a little bit lower as it were right on pace um after the January apportionment. You say our revenue is
051a bit less, yes. But as our total expenditures. So um when you look at the expenditure side, you see the teal bars, if you look uh over the uh duration of the fiscal year, we're about $11 million less than current expenditure on the run out and about uh Sorry, yeah, and at $5 million less than our revenue. That's just why we're at cash position about $5 million above where it currently needs to be or it was projected to be at. So all good signs. Um as I told you before though, cash will start to drop closer to projection because we have some grants that are already fully expended and will continue to have expenditures going forwards. So well, for example, IDEA is one that we actually have over budgeted, um which sometimes I will do
052on the federal side to make sure we expend the funds, but at the same time in the last few months of the fiscal year, there are no additional resources and that comes right out of the local levy. M&S, materials, supplies, and operating costs, those are more volatile um by their very nature. And sometimes they swing based on the timing of when we start paying them or the purchase of the curriculum as an example. But the teal bar, as you can see, um is below the black bar in the prior year. So we are as we have tightened up our non-employee costs, which we've been reducing. That's a good sign and they're fairly stable and we should uh see those come in line throughout the remainder of the fiscal period. Okay. Questions and comments? I have
053a question. Thank you. Thank you. Next up, just a just a reminder within your board documents are the um highlights for community engagement. There's still a few activities going on. I don't think we'll go through those. You can you can access those in your board documents. And we've arrived at our first opportunity for comments from the public on agenda items. We have no one has signed up for that portion. Moving on. Next up we have the consent agenda. On tonight's consent agenda we have approval of minutes of the previous meeting, notification of approval approval of warrants for April, approval of personnel actions, and the budget status report for April. Um is there anyone that would like to remove an item for further discussion or I move that the board approve the consent agenda as submitted.
054Second. It's been moved and seconded to approve the consent agenda as submitted. Any further discussion or question? All in favor say I. I. All opposed? Motion carries unanimously. Next up is two approvals for travel, one for Superintendent Green, and one for me. And they're separate because you may want to only approve one, I don't know. Um but this is both of these are to the um National Dual Language Conference in New Mexico in November. So, do you want to speak to them? Absolutely, thank you. Um members of the board, uh I have before you a requested action to approve, as was stated, attendance to La Cosecha, which is the National Dual Language Conference in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Uh there's a uh request uh for me, one for uh President Walker in speaking about the
055need for me to go. Uh just want to make it clear that we are typically not a traveling uh or I'm not a a high travel superintendent. So, I really look at opportunities to uh as how they're going to bring back what we need as a district. And uh as you know, we're in several years into our dual language program and we've had uh numerous uh administrators and other personnel attend La Cosecha to really help develop that that vision for dual language and um thus far I have not attended. So, uh it's getting to the point with the growth of our program and being in as many buildings as it is that it's uh it's uh uh there's a need for me to be able to wrap my leadership around uh exactly what this will
056look like moving forward and up into the great uh the higher grade levels. So, the request is for up to 3,500. Um I do not believe it would be that much, but we also want to leave a little bit of a buffer with the cost of things that uh as far as fuel going up uh to attend uh the conference. It's a uh multiple-day conference uh as I stated in New Mexico. And uh attendance at La Cosecha will provide me with first-hand exposure to current research, effective instructional models, support systems, family engagement techniques, and implementation practices for leading uh dual language districts uh by experts across the country. Uh so, it will continue to strengthen my ability to lead as we uh grow this program out. Um it was important for me to make sure
057that we had our superintendent of teaching and learning and executive directors attend first because they are closest to the principals who are obviously closest to our teachers. And we've already had multiple I think all all of our principals attended the dual language. Almost almost every one of our principles have attended multiple teachers have attended. So in addition to my request so that is separate. So that's the first request but while I have your attention I'll go ahead and present on the attendance of the board president. So I do believe that stronger it would support stronger governance around this high profile move that we've initiated as part of our strategic plan and help inform the decision-making process of the district to understand dual language at least from a first-person perspective and that being the president of
058the board. So the exposure to the dual language systems will continue to expand the understanding of how this will move forward and I believe it will inform the board as we grow the program as to what to expect and pitfalls that are potentially out there. So the request two separate requests one is for me to attend. It is I didn't state the dates but it's listed for you. It looks like it's November 10th through the 14th of for a fiscal impact not to exceed 3,500 and the second request is for the attendance of President Walker November 10th through the 14th again not to exceed 3,500. And I would just [clears throat] like to add that for my interest I've been interested in this topic since the original um strategic plan and also I'd like to
059add I've you know all my terms on the board I've only done one national conference ever. So I've just I feel like I need to get out there and take this one on a little bit and and be a little more knowledgeable in what's going on with this program. So that's my case to go. Do you want one or two motions? I I let's do them separately. You may decide you don't want to spend that much. So, let's we'll do them separately and and uh if you decide to not send one of us, I won't take it personally. Okay? I move >> the first one I move that the Board of Directors approve travel for Superintendent Green to attend the La Cosecha National Dual Language Conference in Santa Fe, New Mexico from November 10th to
06014th, 2026 for a fiscal impact not to exceed $3,500. Second. It's been moved and seconded to approve travel for Superintendent Green. Any other questions or discussion? All in favor say I. I. All opposed? Okay, motion carries. The second one, um do I hear a motion for the second one? I move that the Board of Directors approve travel for President Walker to attend the La La Cosecha National Dual Language Conference in Santa Fe, New Mexico from November 10th to 14th, 2026 for a fiscal impact not to exceed $3,500. I hear a second. Second. It's been moved and seconded. Any other further discussion or question? I only only question I support uh you attending the conference, um President Walker. My only question would be the as I recall had a board budget line item in the past.
061Would norms travel come from that particular line item? Yes. Okay, thank you. Yeah. And we've not utilized hardly any. Correct. We've used hardly any of that over the last 2 years. Okay, all in favor say hi. Hi. >> I abstain. Okay, so two, three, four, three votes pro, one abstention. >> Point Point of order, Mr. President, you have to call for the nays as well. Okay. What? You have to call for the nays as well. Oh, and any nays? Okay. No nays. Thank you. Don't do it, Jake. Okay. Next step, we do have a second opportunity for comment from the public. I do believe we have some students here this evening that would like to present. Okay, first step, we have I Samuel who I met before the meeting. Good afternoon. Good afternoon, Dr. Green
062and members of the school board. My name is Samuel Cardona, and I attend at Lewis and Clark Middle School. I'm here today to speak about the music programs that are being offered at Lewis and Clark next year and why having more than one beginning band class is so important. Beginning band is just a just then another class. It gives students the chance to learn something new, build confidence, and succeed in something they may never have tried before. With 100 students confirmed for beginning band next year, one class is simply too large. Providing two beginning band classes would help Mrs. Bean teach more effectively and help students receive the attention and instructions they deserve. As my little brother gets ready for middle school, I want him and other students to have the same positive experience in
063beginning band that I had. Also, the sign in Mrs. Beams room states that the capacity is 85 students for fire fire code regulations. It isn't fair for students if students are told that they aren't allowed to stay in band. We are also worried if Mrs. Beam is giving two beginning band classes the intermediate band will be eliminated, which is not the answer. Students who are who aren't ready for the advanced level of music who need middle level level class so they can continue continue to grow and improve their music music musical talent. Also, I want to speak about percussion. Percussion students deserve the chance to be to be their own ensemble instead all of always being the backup section in a in concert band. Lewis and Clark and Washington Middle School are also feeder programs
064into the into the percussion ensemble at Eisenhower and Davis High. Davis High School. Through percussion ensemble, Mr. Beam is able to focus on rudiments, rhythm, style, and expressions helping helping students perform at high high school level. You cannot have a great concert or marching band without a strong percussion section. Percussion has been a major reason Lewis and Clark band has received a superior rating at contest for the past 17 years, including this year. So, I ask you today to please provide beginning band classes at Lewis and Clark and continue supporting and offering intermediate band and percussion ensemble opportunities for students. I also would like to invite all of you to our spring concert at Lewis and at the Lewis and Clark main gym on Tuesday, June 2nd at 6:30. Thank you for your time. Thanks.
065Thank you. Next up, we have Joanna Vargas. Good afternoon, Dr. Green and members of the school board. My name My name is Joanna. I'm a student from LC. I play in advanced band along with our percussionist. I'm here today today to talk about the elimination of a band teacher and classes such as intermediate band, percussion ensemble, and our percussion band teacher, Mr. Bean. Mr. Bean is a hard-working teacher. I noticed a huge positive change in our percussionist since the arrival at LC. He pushes his kids to be the best and reach their full potential. There should be no reason for him to be taken away along with the percussion ensemble. They're a huge part of the reason LC band has res- has received a superior rating at contest for the last 17 years, which made
066our district shine. Taking Mr. Bean out of his job would affect the percussion ensemble if they don't receive the education that they deserve. And there would be no reason for any intermediate band to be taken away as well. Intermediate band is a class for kids who are higher than beginning band, but not quite yet at advanced band level. This class being taken away would make an overflow of kids who need to be placed in intermediate band, but won't be because it was taken away. Having 120 kids would also cause a fire hazard if one were to ever break out due to the band room capacity being 85 people. Teaching them all separately to be the best they can at their instrument would be hard for a teacher alone in one class. It would stress out
067students, which would cause them to quit and not being able to help them reach their full potential in what they do for band. So, all we ask is to keep our teachers' positions and to keep our classes. Thank you. Thank Thank you. Next up, we have Riley Palmer. >> Good evening, Dr. Green and the school board. My name is Riley Palmer and I'm here to talk about the advanced percussion ensemble at Lucy C. R. And Lucy Middle School. My three years of experience with Mr. Bean has changed my life and my vision of music. He has not only made me strong as a person, but especially also made me a better and more skilled musician. Percussion is not only a class, it is a group for young musicians who become a family. The class itself
068builds confidence for people, encouraging them to keep going, and just overall makes them happy and excited with music. I'm happy and excited every day to go to percussion, to play music, and have fun. And it is one of my main reasons I go to school. Mr. Bean teaches percussion at a high school level to ensure that his students get the right teaching they need to be successful. Without Mr. Bean, percussion wouldn't be the same. No one teaches it as good as him, and moving him from his position would affect the students that enjoy percussion. Who are excited every day to play and thrive in the percussion music. Percussion needs to have its own class and not to be mixed in with the band students during concert. Percussion is a heartbeat to every band because they
069keep the rhythm going. Removing percussion from Lucy C. R. And Lucy Middle School would affect the vertical alignment for music throughout our district. It wouldn't be fair for the fifth graders who signed up for the percussion to not have the opportunity when they come to middle school. If students do not have a good education in percussion in middle school, they won't have the skills, they will not be able to keep up with the other people in the percussion classes. Thank you for your time. Thank you. Destin Osney. O'Shea. Thanks for correcting me. Good evening, Dr. Green and members of the school board. My name is Destin O'Shea. I attend advanced Lucy C. R. And Lucy Middle School. And I'm in advanced band and advanced percussion ensemble. I'm here tonight to speak about the removal of
070Mr. Beam and his classes including advanced percussion ensemble. I believe these changes would have a negative effect on our music program because as you all know, we learn the basics of percussion in elementary school and both Davis and Ike high schools have percussion classes. So, by removing advanced percussion ensemble in our middle school that would affect our vertical alignment. Also, percussion has done a lot for me. When I was at my lowest of lows one of the my only escapes from everything was percussion and practicing. Some days it was the only thing that brought me happiness and it was the only reason I went to school some days, too. Another thing I want to speak about is the removal of intermediate band. I believe this will also have a negative effect because students in beginning
071band would have to go straight to advanced band when they're ready to get promoted instead of being in intermediate band and that would and they would not be able to play as good as the other students. That would be like putting a sixth grader in eighth grade math or a freshman in a class of senior math. Thank you for your time. Thank you. Axton Valero >> [clears throat] >> Good morning, Dr. Green and school board members. I am Axton Valero from Luther Burbank Middle School. I am here to talk about the music program. Mr. Beam is a very important member to our music program because he has taught us a lot about music. He has gave me and other students something to look forward to. I stay after school every day just to be with
072Mr. and Mrs. Beam. Without Mr. Beam, me and many other students wouldn't be as encouraged to come to school. Without Mr. Beam, Mrs. Beam would have to teach over 100 kids in one class, which is impossible knowing only 85 people can be in a classroom at once. Music is art and you can't live a fulfilling life without it. Thank you for your time. Thank you. Galilea Montes. Hello Dr. Hello Dr. Gray and others. I'm Galilea Montes. I'm attending Lewis and Clark. I'm currently in beginning band. Next year I'm going to be in intermediate band. I had talked at the last meeting. I talked how Mrs. Beam going to focus on every kid. Also, they're trying to give her 100 kids in one period and the room capacity is 85 kids. And then she's given to
073have 22 to 26 kids in another band class for next year. I've heard they will also be cutting intermediate band next year. I'll Also, I've heard that they're adding more classes to Mrs. Beam's schedule. If they take away Mr. Beam's position, we won't have our percussion and our beginning orchestra. That will affect all the kids that come next year and also will Mrs. Beam have enough of chairs and stands for those 100 kids in that class, one beginning band class. Also, the kids who are in percussion and band and orchestra would be happy they don't take Mr. Beam's position. Thank you. Thank you. Last but not least, Deborah Murphy. Thank you for seeing me today. My name is Deborah Murphy. I teach elementary music at Ridgeview. We are one of the main feeders for Lewis
074and Clark. I appreciate what the children have had to say. They're growing into amazing people. Um I would like to start by telling you how much I love teaching music and I miss seeing the high school, what they do, but I'm grateful to know that several of my students have gone to the high school, both Davis and Ike. By removing music education from our district as proposed, it is an appalling idea in light of the attempt >> [clears throat] >> the abundance of research that shows student performances excel in reading, math, history, and social skills when arts and music are included in the curriculum. In fact, one article showed that the highest academic achieving schools incorporate 20 to 30% art and music with an emphasis on music. Another published article showed that students who were
075excuse [clears throat] me, exposed to music-based lessons scored a full 100% higher on fractions during math tests. The National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 found that high school music students have been shown to hold higher grade point averages than non-music students. The University of Sarasota study showed that middle school and high school students who participate in instrumental music performances scored significantly higher than their non-band peers in standardized testing. The next study deserves our full attention as it relates directly to our situation here tonight. The Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement published that the world's top academic countries place a high value on music education. For several decades requiring music training at the elementary and middle school levels, again I say required. Both in instrumental and vocal music. Another publication, Nature, reported that students lagging
076behind on academic performance caught up with their peers in reading and surpassed their peers by 22% in math because of involvement in music education. The Arts Education Partnership published a Columbia University study revealed that students in the arts are found to be more cooperative with teachers and peers, more self-confident and better able to express their ideas. These benefits exist across all socioeconomic levels. As you can see from the small amount of research I have demonstrated for you here tonight, moving music education out of the district curriculum will prove detrimental to students' participation and compliance in the classroom. This will lead to degraded educational outcomes up to 100% as demonstrated by the study I mentioned from neurological research. I urge you all to reconsider the proposed removal of music education classes from the district. Be aware
077of all the published research that demonstrates the lack of music education and that it creates a negative impact on student learning. Thank Thank you. We will have a We don't respond at the meeting, but we will have a response to you within the next couple of weeks. Uh thanks again to our students for having the courage to come and stand before the board. We really appreciate what you have to say and we certainly understand that you have a a strong commitment to that program and that's wonderful. Um it's okay if you want to add? Yes, I'd love to add something. I also want to thank the students for being here. Having you come and address the board is a big deal. Uh we truly value your voices. So, please consider I know that you're in
078middle school and headed to high school, but we do have a superintendent student advisory council. Uh so, we meet at least four times a year. It's an extracurricular activity. It It sometimes we do get you out of school. Uh but you have a big influence in what we do as a district. Currently, we have about 30 members representing our secondary schools. That's the middle schools and the high schools. Uh we take all comers. So, we'd love to have you be a part of that. And during those meetings, we also go into in deep deep in a deep way talk about um uh policies. We also go through what's happening uh in the state around politics and reductions and things like that that is a reality for what student what for what districts do face. Uh
079but then we're also able to get some clarity on exactly what is happening and why it does happen. So, I look forward to hopefully all of you who spoke this evening uh to consider uh when that does come out that invitation to join our superintendent student advisory council to become a part of that and make sure that you're representing not only your perspective in your school and your classrooms, but district-wide. So, thank you for being here this evening. Thank you. Next step, we have one policy governance item. We do have um um Mr. Noe to summarize policy 1000.2.0, global executive constraint. And then we will receive a SurveyMonkey to respond as a board. Thank you, President Walker. Um tonight for your consideration is a monitoring report on global executive constraint. What that is is uh
080basically a report that addresses the following policy. The superintendent will not cause or allow any practice, activity, decision, or organizational circumstance which is either unlawful, imprudent, or in violation of commonly accepted business and professional ethics and practices. Further, the superintendent will abide by all negotiated agreements or rectify any violations as expeditiously as possible. Imprudent means that means without thought of the consequences and lacking in judgment or caution. We're we're asking that the board consider this report and find that the superintendent is in compliance. Uh the evidence establishing compliance is set forth in the document which you've had an opportunity to review. If you have any questions about any of those areas of evidence provided, let me know, but otherwise the statistics are laid out in the in the report itself. Thank you. Any questions or
081comments for Mr. Noah at this time? Okay. We will accept We will expect a SurveyMonkey within the next couple days. Okay. Um that concludes the business portion of our meeting. We do have a need for executive session to address a personnel uh regarding the performance of district personnel. So, that will be about an hour. Do we have an hour? Yes, and so we will need a motion to I move that the board adjourn to executive session for an hour um for the purpose of review of performance of a public employee. Yes. And where will we be in the in the professional library? Okay. Here's the sign. >> Second rule. It's been moved and seconded to adjourn to executive session. Any further question or discussion? All in favor, say I. I. I. All opposed? Motion carries.
082Good evening. Does anyone need a 5-minute break or you rather just go? The time is 9:46. We are extending executive session for 10 minutes. Meeting adjourned.