001publicly in the event that a student, parent, staff, or community member would like to know what was discussed. If you do not wish to be recorded, please let us know at this time. Thank you. Thank you, Bonnie. Uh, so tonight's a little bit different. We begin the evening with our public hearing, and I will call it to order tonight at 6:00 p.m. Please rise if you're able for the Pledge of Allegiance. 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. All right. So tonight we have a presentation from director Bannon. No, it says presented by director Brandon. Is it prepared by? >> Perfect. >> Well, um nothing changed from the July meeting at
002all. Um I've had no public comments. I've had no emails, questions. Um I can definitely present it again, but it'll be identical to the July presentation. in every way, number, shape, and form. >> Yeah, I don't think that that is necessary. So, I appreciate you being willing. >> Uh, but I think we're good. >> Okay. So, we've presented the budget. It's available for the community to review. Uh even though uh it's looking like it will be approved later in the meeting, there's still opportunity to ask questions and provide comment on it as we move forward. >> Cool. All right. I will open the floor to community comments and I don't believe any have been submitted in advance. >> That is correct. >> Thank you. Thank you, Director Bannon. Board, I will open it to you.
003Any comments? >> Just thank you for you know presenting it and >> yeah and always being so thorough and confident. Thank you. >> Yes. >> Okay. No further comment. Item number seven. I will adjourn the public hearing for the budget again this year at 6:03 p.m. Excellent. Someday. Someday we're going to get questions. >> Someday. >> All right. We are moving forward with our regular board meeting for the evening. And tonight I will call that meeting to order at 6:04 p.m. And as usual, we like to kick off our meetings with uh board recognition uh to elevate some of the cool things happening in our district uh with the community. So board, I will start off with you. Um, I would like to uh we treated our facilities and maintenance and technology teams to pizza
004party as a small thank you for their hard work this summer preparing our schools for the new school year. We appreciate their dedication to making sure the campuses are safe, clean, and ready for students and staff. Our OHS cheer team recently attended cheer camp where they earned superior ribbons in cheer and chant with a perfect score of 10 and took home the top team cheer award. Congratulations to Shanley Salazar and Kyla Garrison, whom I've known since she was in preschool, for earning all American honors and to Abby Meyers for receiving the Pin It Forward Award. Way to go, Abby. a former student of mine. Way to go Cardinals. >> Um, also Oring Middle School rolled out a new logo and brand design this summer. Um, I got to see it and that was >> that
005was pretty cool looking. Yeah, I loved it. Um, the fresh look reflects the school spirit and pride and we're excited to see it in use throughout the year. >> Yeah, very cool. Uh, I would like to extend a very special thank you to the businesses and the community members who support our high school sports and clubs. We appreciate everyone who came out to support the Cardinal Volleyball booster car wash in July. Uh, those contributions provide funding for trainings, team bonding, and more. So, just a huge I think our clubs and our uh athletic teams are fortunate to have such long-standing relationships in the community with local businesses and community members. So, >> and the girls did a really nice job. >> Yes. Yes. Very good. So, cool. >> I think the band also or marching
006band I think did one also. So, >> Oh, yes. That's right. >> And I'll take the last one. Uh later this month, we welcome back staff already. It's time. We welcome back our staff to our annual kickoff event. And thank you. Shout out to everyone who's been involved in the planning and organizing for the celebration and to all the staff who's bringing their energy and their commitment and heart uh to our students this year. And I know we always have students front and center at kickoff. So I've seen some practicing band members and stuff out in the field. I'm excited to see all that come together. >> Yes. >> Cool. Anything else hanging out there? I I would just like to again recognize facilities and maintenance. There's been a few days where I've gone past
007the school and I'm like, what? I must have missed a memo. What's happening? And it's the facilities and maintenance teams >> getting a lot of important work done. So, really grateful for their their energy during the summer. And just a shout out to the portables and getting them ready to go out there. I mean, that's all part of it, but they look like we're ready to >> We did get occupancy. So, we have no issues in that regard. Awesome. >> Good. Very good. >> And I did want to say thank you to all the teachers I've seen both at the high school and the elementary school busily setting up their classroom >> before they're even due back. So, >> yeah. Did we have many? I know last year we did a lot of shifting of
008classrooms. This year I haven't with >> occur boarding elementary relocation. Uh there was some shifting at that campus as well as sections change because we have some grade levels that have 20 30 40 kids more than others. So there was definitely transition happening at primarily most uh both elementary schools. Not so much at the the middle school. High school had a little bit with staff turnover and transition. Uh not to least of which is the eight class uh teachers and classes that trans moved out of uh the West Wing >> into the new portables. >> So there's definitely a chunk. Uh I'll talk about how many portables we have in just a little bit. >> Oh, that's going to be a small number. >> Okay, thank you. Good celebrations even for summertime. Uh so now
009just confirming with Bobby Bobby Bonnie that there are no uh community comments for the board meeting session. That is correct. Thank you. >> And superintendent. >> There are a lot of things we could discuss uh tonight. I want to focus my presentation really about the upcoming bond. We are at tminus 75 days before the final vote will be struck. We'd like to remind our community that this process always has been communitydriven. We started looking with a about a 80% citizens facility advisory committee in 2021 to really shape that future long-term planning. Uh they were really concerned at the time about the overcrowding in our schools about uh not having current safety, health, security standards and measures. uh they really wanted students that leave here to be ready for local jobs and careers, living wage jobs,
010understanding that most of our graduates work and compete locally. Uh after we didn't pass in 2023, we did two different community surveys, had over 300 respondents, uh we saw a theme about the same concerns, but wanting to support each of our schools uh but stay fiscally responsible in terms of taxes. Uh we remployed our community again and 13 answered the call. We had a task force this year uh and they didn't disagree with anything else that previous citizens or surveys had said, but they said run a laser focused bond. So tonight I'm going to talk about what that is based on their feedback and your decision. Uh I would like to remind you all in our community that bonds are different from levies. They require a 60% super majority and that is very difficult to
011get to. But also what I'd remind our community is a majority of voters and taxpayers have always supported bonds and levies uh in our school district and we're very thankful for that. Uh we've been in the 50s every time we've run this bond. Uh most recently we ran $119.2 million bond. Uh it was projected to cost $137 and a majority approved a strong majority 59% but we were 100 votes short. So, listening to that community feedback, uh, to run that priority bond and that focus, uh, it would cost $137.2 million to accomplish those priorities. For a lesser tax rate, which is welcome news to probably many. So, we're not in the $150s or even when we started the bond, it was $2.81. This bond would cost $1.27. Why? There is much growth that has happened
012and will be happening. And when you borrow that amount and divide it by more people, each of us pays less. So thinking about where does that price point come from, there's a new wording elementary that's projected to cost 110 million and a 200 student high school edition focused solely on career technical education at 38.3. If we're successful, voters approve, the state will match, air quotes, uh that amount with 11.1 million, leaving that total amount at 137.2. But if it's approved this year in 75 days, no taxes come online until 2027. >> Uh where do we sit tax rate? I thought you'd like to see this and I thought our community would like to know. Right now amongst our neighbors, we still have the lowest tax rate. Uh where would we be if this would be
013approved in 2027? We'd be sandwiched between Eatenville and Carbonito. So we wouldn't have anywhere close to the highest tax rate in the county. We would still be down in that kind of lower quadrant cortile right where Eatenville and Carbonado R. >> Uh how much does that cost? A $127 for a $500,000 home about 50 bucks a month. >> Uh if you have 600, go up by another 10 bucks or 400 down by 10 bucks. Uh but our messaging and communication materials will make sure people know, well, what does this cost and what's the estimate so they can make the best decision for them. Uh where's the urgency coming from? I'm going to share a few slides that you might gasp a little bit. Uh, as you know, every year we meet with all of our
014major developers and we still have over 4,000 homes projected to be built within the next decade. 542 multifamily homes. Uh, when you add that up in terms of student generation, we believe we're going to see over 2,000 more students joining our fold within that decade. Uh, here's a breakdown of when the homes are coming. You can see on the left uh last year, this year, there is not substantive growth. Look, two years down the road, three years down the road, four years down the road, that is what is coming. Those are permitted. They're approved. And if you were to drive through to Holly, drive through Uplands, drive through Daybreak. As far as you can see, it's new homes or land being cleared to make way for new homes. Uh why is that a issue for
015us? Well, and the good news on the taxes, that's creating more people to help pay for this. The bad news is that enrollment, our schools are only built for 2,000 children. That represents the green. So every year as more homes come online, more people move, we anticipate more children. Uh you can see by uh in the 2030s we're staring at over 5,000 children and trying to feed, house, safely educate in facilities that weren't built uh for nearly that amount. Uh and in fact, as we're thinking about kind of some of the constraints, uh Ording Elementary gracefully received free meals uh for every student. >> Last year in one year alone, we served in just that school over 36,000 more meals. >> We are more meals, not total, more than the previous year in a facility
016that was barely built to serve 200. So we actually had to move to feeding them in classrooms. So they don't have that adequate time. So what would this bond do? We'll move over 300 students out of portables. When you're in a portable, you often feel isolated and disconnected from the main building. You're not close to restrooms. You're not close to library. You're not close to PE, lunchroom, any of those other services, and you're out in the open in the inclement weather. Uh so some of that would definitely change with a new uh facility. One of the pieces uh that we get feedback a lot is about parking and traffic. Well, that traffic backs up onto the freeway every day because it was never built to support 160 cars with the students we have today, let
017alone what happens when we grow. So, that's a site map of what the new facility would do. It adds much more pickup and drop off space, much more parking. From a safety perspective, it actually separate our transportation, our yellow fleet, from our pedestrian walkers from our cars. And right now, all of that intersects in the same space today. So, we believe we would eliminate that backup off Highway 162 that comes twice a day. Uh, other benefits from a new facility, efficient heating and cooling. Our classrooms regularly get over 85 degrees. Uh, and that's just untenable for learning. We would have room for intervention support for that lunchroom that's already crowded. Uh when we do have lunch, we'll serve over 200 students meals. We have one boys restroom and one boys or one girls restroom with
018one stall in each. So uh you'll see line 30 40 kids to use the restroom because the kids in the portables we have over 200 sharing one restroom facility. So it will give us adequate playground, cafeteria, intervention space that are appropriate for the size of school that we have. Uh looking at the high school, we have not added space uh physical plant space since the 80s. Uh we have four labs for over 900 students and they inadequately prepare students for those career pathways. There's no facilities for the trades. We know those students are going to live and work and compete locally for jobs. They don't adequately prepare students for post-secary ed because our students don't have the same kinds of access to facilities and learn how to do labs that others would. And this school
019year, look at that statistic. 22 uh portables at the high school. Twothirds of our students will spend their full day in portables. So, what would this do? Well, that 200 student addition would support every career pathway that we have. It would support culinary arts. It would support biology and chemistry STEM majors with two labs. Physics, physical science, which are required classes. It'll give us a double lab space. Health science for those thinking about occupational therapy, physical therapy, medical careers, nursing, which is a huge growing field. Uh, and then engineering robotics lab. Uh what that does that helps students not only prepare for post-secary education but if they want to go down the trades or the apprenticeship route they'll actually be competitive uh for living wage jobs. Uh we're going to remodel two spaces in the
020current curved building. Uh for those that are pursuing down the a mechanics a science we would remodel two facilities. The current STEM lab would become a mechanics space and the current culinary lab would be more of an a science space. So, they'd be able to share and partner uh right next to one another. Uh some other benefits with the high school taking over, they're going to dramatically expand their parking, which is a huge need. And the portables that we saw show up in the main parking lot that are opening in a couple weeks, we will be able to remove those once the elementary uh moves to its separate site. So, it does create safer pickup and drop off for the high school as well. I thought you'd be interested in tax rate, and here it
021is. And this is what growth has done. If you just go back less than a decade, the ordering average taxpayer was paying $7 to $8 per thousand of assessed valuation. And we have seen so much growth that right now I did the math about uh 21% of our current assessed valuation is just from growth over the last four years. That's why that tax rate from our bond ask has dropped so rapidly because we're dividing that by more people. And so some people say, well, let's just let that growth go to Puallup or Sar Bonnie Lake. Uh over the next decade, that growth will add over $5 billion of assessed valuation, which keeps those tax rates low and allows the district to ultimately borrow against that assessed valuation and take care of more facilities. What we
022learned in our task force, if we shun all that growth, we will never see a new high school that's desperately needed. That's going to cost millions and millions and millions. So, uh, voters do approve amounts, not rates. Uh, but those rates are definitely coming down making it tenable because we're dividing it by more people. Uh, we will have lots of reachout opportunities. Uh, we are going to work on a tour. We might adjust that date to make sure we can meet that in person. Uh, virtual town hall. We're going to create an option where director Fe, myself, uh, Britney will let people come and tour with us during the day. We want them to see the context of how full our facilities are. So, we're working on all those outreach uh opportunities. Now, that will
023be a part of the mailer that goes to every residents in October. Uh and then we'll be definitely telling the story a lot and we encourage people to take a look at the video that post in the next week about the bond task force. Those are people that largely weren't aware of our facilities and they looked at the data. They toured our facilities and you hear their voices about what they saw. We'll follow that up with a video from the district about here's what's on the package. Uh and then every week there will be more videos, letters, information from you, from myself making sure the community is educated so they can make uh whatever decision is right for them come early November. So happy to answer any questions you may have, but that's my report
024all about the bond because we're about to ramp that communication up here in the coming week. Um I just wanted to share a reminder because there's so much information there that you can revisit this information by going to board docs and all those reports are public information. So because >> along with the data and information that was reviewed by the task force, >> right? >> So yes, all of this it's part of our commitment to transparent communication. All of this information is available. Plus, it's great for when you two days later go, "Oh, I should have I wondered about that." Then you can go back and check. >> And we have updated a fact and question uh section on our website. We have a onepage graphic. >> I didn't know that. >> Uh many of
025you will be out at open houses and communicating. So, there is information galore. And as always, uh I put my email on there. If you have a question and want to know more about, please reach out. We're here to answer those questions. >> Yeah. And just one point that I know we've talked about in the past are these projections for enrollment are major developments surrounding or within our district footprint. Um and it's not inclusive of all of the smaller developments that are occurring here on the valley floor. We've got homes coming in on Kalisoga. Like all of these other pockets of homes that are being built, these numbers do not include that at this time. And so it actually gets uh even diceier. It will be next year. >> And actually, um, in my walks,
026I've noticed that a lot of like empty lots that have been empty for years and years are now up for sale. That some of them are being built on that some of the homes that have been >> no one's lived in for years. A lot of those are being redone and people So, we have increased and out at the farm, they started that >> development. Oh, we have kids popping up everywhere. >> Yeah, >> they'll continue to pop. Even if we didn't build, they're coming. They're already here. >> Here and more are coming. >> If you build, they will come. And uh you know, just to again draw attention uh to the fact that there is lots of information already available, more information coming to our community through the mail. Please attend the virtual session.
027Please come do the tours, see for your own eyes how uh how our staff is making this work for kids today and what that outlook looks like moving forward. So, it's an open invitation to come see it for yourself and watch for more details. >> Thank you. Very good. All right. Next up is our June 2025 financial report. I saw no concerns or questions come through for that. Everything looks to be right on track. >> Our IT team is out of budget. I just want to make a note of that. I saw that. [Music] >> Need a new year, >> right? Yes. And then Dr. Westover prepared the restraint and isolation report and I didn't it's always a concern even when there's just one student it's always a concern um >> but coming out of
028co after a period of time where we saw escalated numbers to see those numbers coming down >> I was relieved to see that so I know this is prepared by I don't know board if you had more questions anything. Okay. Thank you for the information. Appreciate it. And consent agenda board. I will take a motion for the consent agenda. I make a motion. I move to approve items one through five on the consent agenda. >> And seconded. >> Thank you. All in favor? >> I. >> Motion passes. >> Thanks. Just after you. >> I can see what you were doing over there. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> All right. We've got a few actions. Uh so we had the opportunity to review the capital facilities plan. This is prepared by executive director Cliff Fes. And if
029there's no discussion, I will take a motion. I move to approve resolution number three. 2024 2025 for the capital facil facilities plan. >> I second. >> Thank you. All in favor? >> I motion passes. May may may I briefly say a comment on that if you don't mind? >> Uh, one of the pieces you'll know from last month's conversation is that when we look at how much it costs to make a seat of space for a student, it's about $50,000. Our current funding from an impact fee perspective is $4,595. So, there's a dramatic imbalance between those two. So, we've continued that advocacy with Pierce County uh council and executive to make sure they have your interest represented to know that that ultimately creates a disproportionate impact on existing taxpayers. So, we're continuing that conversation after
030your approval today to seek a higher rate of impact fee. So, that burden is more appropriately shared by growth rather than the existing taxpayer. So, just please know those conversations will continue and they are currently studying that impact fee. So, we'll continue to press forward with your um >> your blessing and approval in that regard. >> Oh, please do. >> Yes. Thank you. >> And next up is our budget resolution. I will take a motion. I move to approve resolution number 2025 for approval of the 202526 budget >> and a second. >> I second it. >> Thank you all in favor. >> I >> motion passes. So, as I was uh reviewing the budget again and I noticed the budget increase in transitional bilingual programming and then in reading Dr. Lee's report on a 45%
031increase, that's substantial in one year. >> Um, and supporting those students, there's a cost to that. So that made the I had my question and then I'm like, "Oh, that makes that makes sense." So, thank you. Thank you for that. Uh, this memo is prepared by Director Lee and I will take a motion if there's no discussion. >> Um, I just wanted to point out, maybe you remember the number, I don't. A few years ago, we had a small amount of different languages in our community and now what's the number that we are up to? >> 41, I believe. >> Wow. >> Yeah. >> Wow. >> So, we we have to remember that our community as well as our schools have become more diverse with the different people that that live here. and therefore the
032numbers go up for the for educating those students. So >> yeah. Yeah, you're right. It's just the transition in in my time from being on the board, it it's just multiplied. So it's wonderful. >> Mhm. Yeah, that's a good thing. >> All right, I will take a motion for our transitional bilingual program. I move to approve the transitional bilingual program um for 202526 school year. >> Thank you. >> I I want to point out something that I remind people all the time is that we are obligated to educate every student that walks through the door >> whatever language they speak. And I think people forget sometimes that that's that that we are legally responsible for educating >> those students. >> So I'm looking for a second. >> Oh, I'm sorry. I second it. I'm sorry.
033Thank you. >> I was so >> in your thought. >> Gotcha. Uh all in favor? I >> I motion passes. >> Sorry. Good. Very good. And my favorite report always, although I do, this one kind of left me hanging. I was looking for staplers. >> The most I got I don't even remember what it was. A camera, I think. >> Camera. Yeah. >> All right. >> Put truck. >> Oh, yeah. Yeah. >> Couple cars. >> Uh, I will take a motion for our surplus request. I I move to approve the surplus request as presented. >> I second. >> Thank you. All in favor? >> I motion passes. >> That act it is. I I laugh each time, but it is incredibly important because >> excess stuff, surplus things take up space and we need every
034closet in this district >> for every every student service that we offer. So every little grateful that the the team is on top of this. >> Yeah. >> Part of uh executive director Freeze's new role is to figure out what does live under what closet and then work with the appropriate entities to get that to be vacated off the premise and he's already found at least two hidey-holes that he's like what is this and how long has it been here? So he is working on the cleanup efforts uh actively. >> Oh I can't wait for more surplus requests. >> Mhm. That's fantastic. Nice. >> All right. Well, miraculously we have worked at a quick pace today and we are already at board comments. Um I just want to share what we've shared frequently is that
035all these all these things that we have gone through quickly tonight we go will go through quickly because beforehand we read discuss ask our questions. So, it's not that um the business is really that fast. It's that we do our homework. >> Yeah. I was going to say we're at home doing homework for >> reviewing um sending questions if there's questions, concerns, and our staff is is awesome. And the supporting school district, they reply quickly. >> Yeah. >> Yes. There's a lot more to this than just >> There is a lot more. Yeah. Yeah. It looks that way, but it's so much more. >> All right. Uh well, we missed Melissa and Joanne um tonight, but if there's no further comments, I will adjourn tonight's meeting at 6:31 A.M.