WVSD #208 School Board Meeting 05-26-2026

001I'll call this meeting to order on May 26, 2026 at 700 p.m. I'd like to make a motion to excuse Steve Wolfcott and Haley Larson. All those in favor say I. >> I. All those opposed, same sign. The motion carries 30. Let's begin with the pledge of allegiance. Ready, begin. >> 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. >> Any changes to the agenda? >> No changes. >> Looks like we have several communications tonight. >> Yeah, we'll start with response to public comment. So at the schoolboard meeting on May 12th, a community member requested that the district assist with the funding of the fireworks display to celebrate the graduating seniors like the

002district has done in the past. Response is that the district funded the fireworks display during co as a way to celebrate the graduating seniors in lie of a graduation ceremony at the sundome. The district will assist with funding the fireworks display this year since the parent group was not provided a full school year to do fundraising. High school principal Big McMurray will communicate with parents of the class of 2027 that the district will not provide funds in the future for the fireworks display. This will give parents a full year for their fundraising efforts if they would like to have a fireworks display in the future. The cost for graduation at the Sundome has increased greatly. The district will continue to fund the cost of graduation at the Sundome and the district appreciates the efforts of

003this year's parent group and their ability to assist with the funding of the fireworks display this year. And so at the last uh meeting we had Michael Moore was here. Michael's this here this evening and uh he had brought this up and I had very strongly said that the district had not supported the fireworks in the past. That was my understanding at the time. I uh >> financially >> yeah financially had had done some next morning went to work on that just to double check and to see what the situation was and I learned that the district has funded it. So I uh made worked with our finance department. we made the decision to move forward as it said there and also I called Michael and personally apologize for my strong statement there at the

004board meeting and uh I just strongly now apologize and I thank Michael for bringing that to our attention and um appreciate again the the cost sharing of this uh with this year's parent group and uh just appreciate Michael again bringing that forward and his uh very gracious accepting my apologies on the phone. So thank you Michael. >> That's good. Looks like a high school ASB report. >> All right, we have our senior representative, Katie Champy. This is her last board meeting. And our junior representative, Georgia Bond, who will be coming a senior next year. And uh they're going to do the high school ASB report. And then I think they'll move directly into Katie doing her review. We do have policy 1250, which is students on governing boards. And for the last board meeting, we

005always have our senior student representative to the board do a review of the year and give her insight. So, take it away. >> Okay. Hi, guys. Um, it's been busy around the high school these past couple months. Uh, prom was put on by our junior class on May 2nd. The funds raised from prom go to next year's homecoming and next year's class activities like all the senior breakfastes and stuff. Um, speaking of senior breakfast, it took place on May 6th and allowed seniors to come celebrate and reflect their accomplishments. Um, and this is something that senior parents put on. Our choir program recently had a spring concert on the 13th, showcasing all the hard work and the talent of our student musicians. Our ELA testing was completed on May 12th and 13th. Math and science

006took place on May 20th. Students worked hard through our testing and staff did a great job supporting a smooth testing environment. Seniors received their graduation tickets on May 19th as an excitement continues to build for graduation and end of year senior activities. Um upcoming looking ahead, the band concert will take place on May 26th and will highlight the dedication and growth of our student musicians throughout the year. One big lunch is scheduled for May 27th tomorrow. Our school gets to come together as a community and we all get to celebrate the end of the school year with food trucks. We also get to all be together instead of split between two lunches to hang out and have one last memory of the seniors. Seniors will begin their final week of school on Monday, June 1st.

007It will be a busy and exciting week. The senior's graduation assembly will take place on June 3rd, giving students and staff an opportunity to celebrate the class of 2026 together as a school community. This is all this is also when the seniors will choose who they will sit and walk with. Balorate will be held on June 4th at 7 p.m. as students and families gather to celebrate the gradu graduating class. Earlier in the school day on June 4th, seniors will visit their former elementary schools wearing their caps and gowns to reconnect with teachers and visit elementary students. Graduation will be held on June 5th as the class of 2026 officially celebrates the completion of high school. Um, some final reflections for me. I've really enjoyed learning so much more about West Valley. There are so

008many groups of people working behind the scenes at West Valley that I wasn't aware of. And through learning about them, I got to see how important they are and what a difference they make. I am very proud to have been a part of West Valley. I appreciated the opportunity to show what the high school students are working on and what my ASP classmates do to keep the high school a place for students to learn. We try to celebrate as many students and activities as we can. Something that makes the high school so special is the projects, programs, and events we enjoy as a high school. It is disappointing when they are taken away because of the actions of few students who misbehave and to keep our clubs and activities going to support our students. I

009think as a high school, stronger consequences for students are needed, especially when it is the same group of kids repeating the same actions at various places and events. That's my one little piece of advice I have. Um, I have really valued getting to know all of our school board members and I know it's not an easy job. Takes a lot of patience and kindness to care so much about our community and our West Valley schools. >> Thank you so much for this opportunity and giving me a chance to be part of this group. >> All right. Thank you, KATIE. >> UH, I wanted to ask you what do you have plans? What's your what's your next step after grad? Um, I'm going to YBC and I'm going to get my prerequisites there and then I'm

010going to transfer my credits to WSU and I hope to finish in vet school and go into ecoin vet medicine. >> Very cool. >> Yeah. >> Well, congratulations and >> thank you. >> We're thankful for your last two years. >> Thank you. >> Looks like we have a special presentation for our strategic plan. >> Yes. We're going to have our administrative staff give an update on the strategic plan. And so I'll introduce them all right now and they're going to go in order of the plan. So goal one, our culture of safety and belonging. That'll be assistant superintendent Stacy Drake. And goal two is our strong foundations. That'll be principal of autanum elementary uh Nick Hartman Hartman. And then uh our mastery mastery of standards is goal three. And that will be principal of the

011middle school Nick Clark. And then career pathways is gold four and that will be our executive director of innovation Jed Waters and high school principal Ben McMurray. And then our district foundations to support all the success across the district. That is going to be our assistant superintendent Ryan McDaniel. So go ahead Stacy, take it away. >> Good evening board. Uh we're here tonight to give you a quick overview of our progress on the strategic plan for this school year and give you a um an introduction to what we're working on next year. So just to remind you, we have four goals in our strategic plan. And the first one is a culture of safety and belonging. Um the practices that we use to accomplish this really important goal in all of our schools is um

012that teachers will actively promote and model an environment that respects all students backgrounds and experiences by using routines that deepen relationships. So that could be um greeting at the door at the beginning of every period or after recess. Um some teachers like to do some kind of um welcome back after a weekend or some kind of activity just to ensure that not only do the teachers have relationships with their students but the students have relationships with one another. And then um the second goal it practice is really around safety and that is that staff will explicitly teach, retach and reinforce school and classroom expectations throughout the school year. And that's to ensure that school rules are being followed and that um students and staff are safe. The way we measure goal one is we are

013looking for an increase in the percentage of students feeling a sense of safety and belonging. And um you know, we know that when students feel safe and they feel like they belong and they have um peers that accept them and um an adult that they can go to in the building that they're going to come to school more often, which of course will lead to academic achievement. So we do a formative assessment every two months and that's just a survey um just on two three uh quick questions to see how we're doing. And then of course we have the CE survey which is our annual assessment and that's where we have a longer survey that we um ask questions of students, staff and families. And then we also measure um attendance data every other month

014and um we look at the annual progress at the state level. So um this is our data for so far for this um school year. You can see going back from November of 2022, we have quite an increase in both students um saying that they feel safe at school and our annual assessment and that they are students are respectful of others that this school is increasing. Um and then parents are reporting the same. We've gone from 80% in November of 2022 to 91% in LA just last November in student parents feeling like their students are safe at school. And then that sense of belonging we measure through parents feeling that the adults in the school value and respect their racial cultural identity and that's gone from 91% to 94%. And then um you know the

015state lags behind a bit in how they present attendance data. So we only have last year's data um which overall has stayed about the same. 72% of students compared to 73% of students are attending 90% or more of school days. So, I'd also like to mention that our school improvement framework, that's that um colorful chart that's measured in the desiles that we go over at the data summit. It shows um growth in attendance rates for nearly every school. Um something that we are doing right now in the spring to um ensure that um we have buildings that are safe is we are doing something called the tiered fidelity inventory through PBIS which is positive behavior interventions and supports. I always have to say that slow. Um and so that program PBIS has a lot of

016evidence base to it. A lot of research has been done, but we find that schools commonly um veer from the research a little bit and kind of forget about some of those practices. So we're bringing back in that inventory in each one of our schools this spring. So, we'll have a baseline um for next fall that schools can work off of to get back towards the research to improve their PBIS foundational practices to make sure that um those positive supports are there in schools to encourage kids to follow the rules and ensure that everyone is safe and that the learning environment um can take place that classrooms are safe for learning. Um so action plans will be developed at every building based on that baseline data and so schools will choose which things on the

017um tiered fidelity inventory they want to improve on in their teams and um then they'll work on that throughout the year. Something else we did this school year is we added behavior specialists or board certified behavior analysts um support for every school. We're planning to continue that next year. We have some registered behavior technicians which is a lower level of support um at some schools because there is a a great need in our community for that board certified behavior analyst. So it's a hard position to fill. We found that that has been really successful this year in supporting big behaviors and um working towards that you know 100% learning environment protected in every classroom. And now Nick Bartman. >> Um I just want to echo what Stacy said about putting the behavior supports in every

018building has been um huge for all of the elementary schools, especially coming from the situation that we did with behavior program being out of TAM. Um I I just want to tell you we're so grateful that the that the resources have been allocated throughout all the buildings so that they can be supported throughout. It's made a huge difference. So, um, I'm obviously the principal right now on the TANM, but I'm happy to speak about all of the six elementary schools in, uh, West Valley. Um, and I know that the other five principles would tell you the same thing. I think we're all, uh, equally proud of what other schools when we look to our right and left are doing like West Valley's just got amazing schools. Um, in particular, to build the strong foundations and

019kids, what we focused on as educators and educational leaders, um, are some of the following things. in particular. Um, this has not been like a just this year thing, but the teacher clarity. Um, I mean, to be honest with you, I remember when I started here almost 20 years ago, like we were talking about learning targets in every classroom and what we know now, we looked back and we're like that was like a little micro feed compared to, you know, the tree that we've planted now. the um and then I would even say going back two three years I would say it's a massive growth and so to have the collective uh educational experience and knowledge that we have in our district and to be able to say that we are looking and saying like

020wow we've just barely touched the surface um we've had some really high level professional development is what I'm getting at in large part because of the consultant we've been working it with Tammy Campbell who's been amazing and uh um sometimes in education We sit through trainings that we sit through and we just our eyes roll back. When Tammy Campbell's there, we're just all on the edge of our seat with our pen and paper. So, she's been incredible. She's been great for us. I'll talk a little bit about the direction that we're going next. Um, this year in particular, I think we've moved past do we see learning targets and success criteria in every classroom. And this year in particular, we're looking at do we see the activities, the assessments, the questions, do everything align to

021that? how much what's the percentage of time during a lesson that we're actually seeing an alignment to what those learning targets are. Um and also the alignment ultimately back to the common core state standards which by the way we're going to see some changes in the state standards over the next couple few years. So um it's going to be catching up to a target that's moving but we're ready for that because we understand the process a little better. Now we're now in our second year of the adoption of the HMH curriculum. Um, one thing that I heard recently that really made me excited is one of my teachers, um, when, uh, she was talking about why she felt she had so much success in her classroom, she might have just been saying this to make

022me feel good, but number one, she said, um, because she has such a great understanding of teaching clarity, and she said, but number two, I feel like this curriculum is finally like it's filling in all the spots where I had a hard time teaching before. And so, I'll tell you 100% like teachers would not tell you. We love everything about it. We're definitely not there yet. There's still the growing pains and the aches of the new curriculum and there's things that they don't like about it and that's okay. That's always going to be the case. The curriculum wasn't built for West Valley. It's built for the whole country and so we have to make it fit what we're doing. Um I think teachers are understand the process is that we teach standards. The curriculum is

023the tool that helps us teach standards. Well, we teach kids and we teach them the standard. So, um in the second year of the adoption, we're seeing I think a lot more alignment even districtwide in terms of pacing. So, uh, we don't ever hope or plan to get there. Uh, we don't we don't think that that's probably a goal that we want to chase in that if you go to any West Valley school, you're going to see the same lesson, um, at any school any day. We don't ever plan or want to do that. But in terms of what's taught, roughly what times of the year, um, we are aligning to that and that allows us also to take back some of our work at times at as a district level look at, um, what

024kind of results are we getting. This year we focus primarily on writing samples at the elementary level and looking at uh what kind of writing production we're putting out, how we're grading it, all that kind of stuff. So in year two, much much more positive feelings I think than year one. Um and that will continue to to go. I hope next year we'll now look uh we're going to look at a math adoption. And so next year we'll be looking at some different math curriculums with the idea the following year to implement um a new math curriculum. So, um I think um I think that we're past that age where you used to be able to say a curriculum is a curriculum and it will be forever. Um we have to use the right curriculum

025because we have to get to the right standards and right ways to teach it. So, I know that this process will go just like the last time um that a lot of thought will be put into what's the right curriculum for our district. Um and then that also helps out the buyin. And finally, um, we continue to focus on Project Lab, which is the guide language acquisition design. Um, this, I think, to some people is, uh, it's a tool that's used to teach students that are EL, English language learners, but the truth is it's to help any student that has language deficiencies, which can be a student that comes from several demographics, poverty, um, non-olucated homes. There's a lot of places that you find have less language that kids develop in those early years. Glad

026strategies help kids overcome some of the barriers of not being exposed to those words from the time that they're little. So, uh, it's been that's been huge and we are pretty close. I don't know the exact number, but we're pretty close to 100% of teachers are glad certified. Do you know that number off the top of your head, Peter? >> Yeah, we're very close to having elementary level 100%. >> Yeah, we um and and when we're off a little bit, Jerba is all over us about we need to give those teachers. >> Uh, this is a look at the data. I don't know really that we can like draw big trends here. We're two years in, but the point is that we're tracking the longitudinal data of what these strong foundations look like in terms

027of percent at grade level in both reading and math K through five. Um, as you'll see kind of in both categories, we went up in two grades. We stayed about the same in two grades, and went down in two grades. This is kind of like when you get your blood work at the doctor's office, like you're not you're going to see ups and downs and all that. So, we're looking at trends over time. And so, we'll continue to track this. You guys will continue to see these numbers. Um and hopefully we're seeing that things are going in the right direction. Uh okay. And then finally to talk about what's coming this next year. Um where we're focused at right now, which this makes me thrilled to think that we're at this level of complexity and

028understanding teacher clarity um and student clarity is understanding what is the rigor and what is the um access to the grade level standards. And so um one thing we've been looking in particular lately when we look at a learning target I think pre previously on the surface yeah it looks like uh the target but when you really get get into the wheats of things do the verbs match do the u action items look the same and that really helps you understand are we actually teaching the standard the way that we're supposed to you can look at one standard at the elementary level between three grade levels and it looks very very very similar and uh if you weren't an educator you probably wouldn't be able to uh ascertain what's the difference between each one. Uh

029that's what we're having to do to really understand in third grade. That's what it means when we're teaching this part of figurative language versus fourth grade. So, as we understand our grade level standards better, we can then increase the rigor at the level we're teaching kids that kinders don't just need to learn um what a letter is, but how is it used? Um, we also, I think, are moving moving transitioning from teacher clarity into uh seeing more students talk when we walk into classrooms and less teacher talks. Teachers have all the knowledge, but if the kids aren't doing the heavy lifting, um, they're not learning. The teachers talking and sometimes the kids are thinking about probably what some of you are thinking about while I'm talking. So, um, so that's going to be a big

030a big focus for us this upcoming year. And then we'll continue to work with the batch book and our proficiency scales. Um, which is that's a multi-year. We've been at this for a long time, but it's really complex, complicated work. So, continue to chip away at it. All right. Okay. Hey, Clark from the middle school. I got goal three. And so, uh, I want to shoot back to goal one just like you did two. a little, you know, just kind of shout out to the staff and to our tier one team is that we just surpassed 150,000 PBIS points for the year. So, we have staff buyin and we're getting those points and if you don't know, students have a chance to go into our online store, use their points and it's kind of like

031the Amazon shows up on Friday afternoons, they get their uh prizes that they use their points on. So, 150,000 points was pretty we we really like that. So, so goal three uh practices again right out of the strategic plan um we're really working on whether we're sustaining them or developing or initiating them. And so we just want to let you know that teachers will provide targeted instruction strategies and multiple opportunities using the evidence from informed teaching with ongoing feedback. Okay. So we just want to make sure that we're also teachers are using their common assessments and the power standards and their proficiency scales just like at the middle at the elementary school. So very much in line with that. All right. Our outcomes we're looking for is increase the percentage of students meeting grade level

032standards in all classes. Um preliminary we we are in the middle of of SPA testing right now. We're about 70 75% done with that. So you're not going to see the table from me yet for this. Um but our preliminary I data from our ELA is complete. We have gotten that one and that data look pretty good. So we're hoping that carries into our SBA testing. we hope to see what we're what we already been seeing from our I Ready ELA. So, that's something that's something we're looking for. Also, formative assessments, common classroom basis assessments for our PLC's, I Ready reading, math standards. Uh we do those every four to six weeks. So, we stay on top of those. And our summit of like I said is our SBAs for math and ELA I read

033I Ready um in the fall, winter, and spring and percentage of students meeting our grade level standards. So, we're seeing we're seeing some good stuff. We'd we want to see that data in a couple weeks. We're about a week away from starting to see it really rolling in. So, um, what we've continued to do for this school year and kind of really focused in, leaned in on is that we're utilizing our standardsbased grading and our Skyward. We have found that that Skyward is has its pros and cons um, with our standardsbased grading. U, we have found uh, we have played around with turning classes into full-time. We've moved to the elementary model in in in Skyward instead of the secondary to see if that helps. We've turned classrooms into semester classes into long or year-long

034classes so that we can continue to reach back and put grades in as the kids show growth throughout the spiraling of the curriculums throughout the year. We reach back and be able to put grades in and put uh scores in um throughout the year. So, we played around with that a little bit and found little hiccups here and there depending on what we're looking at. Um and so we fine-tune our proficiency scales. Um this is an ongoing just like we said with the badgebook it's ongoing. It's uh we have found that the deeper we get um with this SBA and the masonry based learning. Um the more we realize we're just getting started much like you said with the targets and success criteria over the last 20 years. We thought we knew something a couple

035years ago when we dove into this and we're just finding out more and deeper and how it is and how to do it more efficiently. So um we want to implement our HMH. We are in our first year of implementation for that. So, we're going to be moving into our second year. Um, we also have a supplemental contract that we were able to kind of follow up with Writable, which is another great little supplement that works with HMH. Um, the teachers are getting on board. They've done a great job with the PD and really diving into it. Um, really proud of how they've taken it on and and obviously with any implementation, there's hiccups and there's, you know, little uh tricks in the road, but I tell you what, they've worked really hard, the staff

036has, and it's going to show. I can I can see it already. I feel good about it. Um, and then the common assessments align with our standards. You'll see this teacher clarity and and alignment through the standards all the way through the assessments. Uh, we're going to continue to focus on our our teacher clarity that's kind of across the board. Um, we're finding that those practices and focuses really help kind of get everybody in line and kind of gets us on the right track so we're really efficient and we know where we're at and where to spend our time. Um, again, uh, we want to pilot, we're going to start piloting our algebra materials very similar to the high schools. We want to see if that alignment. We want to make sure that we're in

037line with them and preparing our students who take algebra at the mid-level campus um as an accelerated course to get into the high school and be ready for that course in the high school and be able to move into that track. Um we found that that sometimes isn't the truth and so now we're really working hard to build that vertical alignment with the high school. And then we want to structure more release time with our multilingual coach. um we were able to do that this year um and get all teachers in front of her and she's amazing and we had great reviews with that and we've been able to apply those practices in the classroom and then pushing forward for next year um we want to make sure that we want uh that Skyward does

038stand line up with our new standards and that we line up with our new standards. We're getting ELA standards very soon and math is right around the corner and all the science and history. So, we uh want to make sure that we're on the learning curve for that and we're adjusting for that with our proficiency scales and so we want to make sure we're prepared. Um MAC will start their uh curriculum adoption process like Nick said. So, we'll be working through that process as well. We got a team that's starting to get in place for that and Jerine does a great job of help lead that and take us in the right direction. So, we're doing it we're we're vetting them well, right? What's best for us. um teacher clarity, add practices, um schedule vertical

039teaming with the high school. It's something that we've done the last couple weeks is uh get with Ben at the high school and start setting up some vertical teaming and then also reaching down with our sixth grade into the fifth grade trying to find time that we can add some continuity between the fifth grade and sixth grade as well as the seventh and eighth grade into the high school. So that's something that we're going to look into. And then we want to also utilize our coaches. We have awesome coaches, instructional coaches at the Duke Middle level campus. So much so that they get stolen from time to time and so I see tries to grab them from us. We're pulling them back hard. So they are amazing uh couple of coaches and so we want

040to make sure we're we're really utilizing them the best we can. So Jed has no reason to take them. So all right, pass it on to the guys. All right. So, as far as career pathways go, we have a lot of stuff that happens at the high school level. Um, we have a lot of groups coming in constantly, usually is during lunchtime. Uh, we also do Ramstrong presentations. Uh, a lot of those are are just small snippets. So, Heritage Central, YBC, Perry, JobCore, those are just some that come in. Military comes in all the time. uh they do lots of presentations and they they they are immersed in our student culture especially for our juniors and seniors just to make sure that they understand what their pathways are after high school. So that's something that

041we're really focusing on. Um there's program and course promotions as well uh which we've done consistently with YBT and running start all the other options that students have especially when they become juniors and seniors at the high school level. lots of classroom discussions as far as what pathways they're going to go with and we have a high school and beyond plan that we always have to work through uh in our Ramstrong classes continuously. So that's something that we're always discussing with students. So obviously as freshman it's a little bit more rudimentary. These are options. Uh we do some uh career interest surveys just to see where they're at, what they want to do or what interests they have. And then eventually we kind of narrow it down to two or three things that they might

042want to do after high school so that they kind of understand what those options are. And then there's all those speakers and all those presenters that we have as options for them to check out to see what they want to do after high school. Uh, one thing kind of jump back for next year, we're looking at I don't know if since we're hitting some senses, uh, we're looking at school links is our high school beyond platform and that. Then we're been digging into this year the high school's done a great job a lot of the innovation center and now the mid-level campus digging into that as far as helping students plan. We've got a few advisors in every building that really helped lead the way with the whole school and bringing that. So that's kind

043of been a neat addition and looking forward to next year is starting to look at course planning. A lot stuff right now. We have scholarships. A lot of this information is out there in different spots. So really bringing it all into using the school links which is a universal or statewide high school beyond platform where students can investigate careers. They can tour different post-secary options. They can start putting their credential certifications kind of build an online resume that way. So looking forward to really next year being able to dig in so students aren't trying to go to five different sources spreadsheets. That's where we really house a lot of information. So, ninth grade on track um looking at again our most buildings staff will transition meetings to develop that success at the high school. We

044have a high school 101 class which really then gets students that may be behind a little bit coming in assisting them with some of that transition to 9th grade and helping them find a purpose in the year. hing out connecting with a club, a sport, an activity, something to their peers, guiding some of that. Cuz that's one of the things if you feel like you belong, you're part of a group as we saw with goal one, then you're going to be more apt to, hey, I want to do well in school because I see my future. If I don't see myself in my learning, don't see myself in my school, then it gets hard to be in that. So that's where the high school 101 class comes in. All buildings are holding family engagement conferences.

045great time at the beginning of the year at key checkpoints in months of the year to really build those connections back to the family high schools a lot with peer tutoring. So again, we see some high school students here that are peer tutors benefited from that in the past. And then at the innovation center, we have a community schools advocate like some of our elementary schools and that helps you helps with some of our students as well to build those connections and get them back on track for graduation. and next year looking at kind of again more of the same thing. It's just kind of monitoring that really reinforcing some of those practices. >> Lots of dual credit opportunities for our high school students. We have lots of um correlations with colleges just to make

046sure that we have CHS courses, college and high school classes that are available for students. Um, those are in my opinion, I mean, I had a a senior last year and it was uh awesome for her to be able to do the rigorous course of study and understand what it was like at the next level before she got there. And and now that she's there, it's it's really easy. It's it's it's not something that she has to worry about as much. She had she's already gotten that. She already understands that. She's already moving on with that uh that pathway. So, it's really nice to have that many options. So, we have lots of different colleges that we that we deal with and that we co cohort with depending on which classes we're teaching. Um, some

047of them are a little bit easier to work with than others. So, it just depends on who says yes to us utilizing that college class and which one does not. So, we try to make sure that we're we're helping that cohort out and collaborating with them all the way through the line so that they understand that what we are teaching is really what they're teaching at the college level as well. teachers have uh trainings that they do in the summer as well for dual credit courses. So, they have to keep up on their professional development to make sure that they understand what the colleges require and then also implement that in the classes that we provide here at the high school level. We pay for those classes as well as a district which I think

048is a huge benefit for our students. Uh they take AP courses and CHS courses. uh the AP courses uh to take the test will obviously be a a price for the students, but we do pay for the college credit for any of our CHS courses that we provide. Um students also document that in school links. So that kind of shows where they're at and what they can do in the future. So school links will kind of apply that to whatever college they're looking at and see which ones will correlate and which ones will not depending on which CHS class was taught and which ones they they went through. You guys can see the data at the bottom. Last school year we had 1188 students enrolled in CHS classes. Uh 767 of them took the class

049for college credit. So they have the option to take it for college credit and then they also have the option just to take the class to have a more rigorous class and then feel better about when they leave high school. So that's kind of where our dual credit opportunities are. >> Next year still looking at um increasing that number. We just had a teacher today for our careers in education. Um Rebecca started doing it this year the course and not next year. It'll be offered for college credit through central. So we're also in students meeting learning standards earning credit and graduate. Again our looking at our teachers they're really back to some of our other goals is communicate the learning targets. Really I think in the career pathways part really fits it up. Why are

050we learning this? So if you're in algebra why are we learning algebra? How do we build a connection? If I'm working on an essay why do I need to write essay? Where are we going to see those skills in the future of jobs? I think as we can, you know, I don't know too many mid middle school level teachers like, hey, yep, my teacher told me what to do, so that's what I'm going to do. Now it's turning to high school. It's what's the connection? How's this going to help me out? What's my ROI for doing this? So, that's a lot part of this is the teachers then really connecting it back into this is how you're going to use in the future. And then helping students set goals. Um, especially there's so many Ben

051talked about there's so many different options for students. It's really kind of helping chart that goal. That's where the high school beyond plan comes in. Starting in 8th grade, how do we start planning for the next four years of your career? And then what's your end goal? Even though it might change a little bit, it's always nice to be looking forward to the future versus I'm just seeing what I have to do today and then tomorrow's another day. We can get them thinking kind of mid to long term, but knowing there's flexibility as they grow and mature. That helps out quite a bit there. >> I had a question for you, Ben, on the the numbers there. um the 421 students um of the 1188 that don't get the college >> credit, what what's the

052determining factor for that? >> What is it a test they have to take before they take the class? >> No, the class is the exact same all the way through. So sometimes it's a GPA situation like they might not be getting the grade that they really want to put on a college transcript. >> Okay. Um, so if they're getting a C or B, they want the rigorous content, but they don't necessarily want to put that on a transcript that's going to then follow them on to college. >> So, a lot of our students will just say, "No, I don't really want the CHS credit. I just want to take the class to get the experience to understand what the rigor is so that I can get to that level." And maybe maybe they're a year

053away, maybe they're two years away. It just depends on the student. >> Okay, that's a great question. Thank you. >> So, that makes sense. >> Yeah. Yeah. Thank you. >> Um, it really all comes down to the why. I should have started with that. At in at high school level, it's harder and harder every year to engage and motivate students. And you guys can understand why. They have to understand what the purpose is. That's what they care about the most. They want to know why they are taking this class and what that's going to do to lead them to what they want to do. And so, um, really it comes down to that. And when we're talking about, um, clarity, that's big across the board. That's a very broad goal as far as the high

054school goes, but it's also a very small goal as far as every class period goes in our high school. So, they really need to break down the standards and tell the kids exactly why they're taking that class, why they're learning what they're learning because there's so many times that you leave high school and you're like, well, why why did I take calculus? I'm not going to do that ever again. But there has to be a specific reason, which is what we come down to when we're talking about learning the why. If we can get the kid to understand the why, they will do anything for it. they will be motivated, they will be engaged. Um, and that is 98% of the battle is trying to motivate them and engage them, especially at the high school

055level because when they're sitting in class and they're not really caring about why this pertains to them or why they're taking this class, once they understand exactly what the purpose is and the teacher can explain that and have clarity in that whole situation, then I think the student comes along really easily. I think we're all in the same boat as far as adults go, but the students are really learning that as they go. and when they get to high school level, that's the biggest thing for us is to try to understand exactly why that kid wants to take that class or wants to learn that material. Uh strengthens connections between classes and again it's a big focus on teacher clarity. So that's one thing that we really have to focus on at the high school

056level is breaking down creating learning intentions that are very purposeful and then applying that to exact success criteria that the students can can then figure out if I do these things then I will understand the why and I will be able to use that when I leave high school. >> Anyway, just some data as you look at um some of our stuff on having some of our goals there. We're having students on track and earning all their high school credit. So you can just see some data from the high school, the innovation center over the past year on where students are and give it three and a half more weeks and we'll have semester 2 data out there. So not much longer. We have just uh under just about a week from now is the

057IC graduation. Then just a week and two days from now is the high school graduation. We'll have some of those numbers for you as well. So you can see that um all both buildings making growth there in the number of students that are on track um for their graduation or passing all their classes. We got Brian for the last part. Good evening. Uh obviously the last 10 minutes you've been hearing a lot about the strong instructional programs we have here at West Valley and the tier one focus um and the incredible buildings that we have. I'm here to talk about how the operational side of things support our student learning which is really important and I think over the years um it's really started to um overlap and that the operations of a building are

058just as critical as um our teachers in front of the kids as well. there's a big opportunity for for for solid connections. Uh in partnership with instructional programs, the district's operational department play an essential role in supporting students, advancing district policies, and maintaining fiscal responsibility through effective uh efficient student centered services. The connection between student learning and and district operations uh play a more direct and supportive role in enhancing the overall student experience. District departments play a vital role in strengthening relationships with students, families, and the broader community. And again, I I believe that in this district, these departments over the years have taken more of that responsibility and shouldered that uh to go above and beyond to see what they can do to support our students, families, and staff as well. Uh specifically, our

059transportation uh department uh staff uh are often the first and last district employee students interact with each day, making their role an important part of the overall educational experience. The transportation department has strengthened student support through PBIS initiatives, student recognition programs, and improved parent communication that fosters positive relationships, encourage student engagement, and contribute to a supportive school culture. Child and nutrition promotes student wellness through healthy meal programs, farm-totable initiatives, stakeholder surveys, and regular family communication through newsletters. Facilities strengthen uh community connections by coordinating district resources for youth programs and community activities while balancing facility access uh with long-term stewardship and sustainability. And that's quite the balance right there of supporting our community, our students, and again being very fiscally responsible and sound with with the the facilities that our community has provided us. Uh the

060district continues to expand partnerships that improve access to education, including collaboration with the community and schools. Uh this is a program that connects an adult to a school and then that adult connects with our kids and provides an opportunity to connect them with resources throughout our community. um we pay those people through some categorical funds and recently we are losing some categorical funds next year for the mid-level campus and CIS has worked with us to uh continue this partnership free of charge to make sure that those resources um are still at the mid-level campus next year. >> What's CIS Ryan? >> Uh community schools. So they have access to philanthropy and Ryan has worked closely with them to allocate that philanthropy to the mid-level campus next year. >> Yeah, I would love to take credit

061for those negotiations, but they were pretty willing to to keep that partnership with the West Valley School District. >> Uh department uh contributions to outstanding uh outstanding student experience. um finance department, though that can be uh a tough one to connect, but uh aligning financial resources with strategic district priorities and student needs. Utilize datadriven budget processes that support equity, accountability, and long-term sustainability and ensure responsible stewardship of taxpayer and categorical funds. Our human resources department recruits, supports, and retains highquality staff who positively impact student learning and well-being. provides professional development, employee support systems that strengthen organizational culture and effectiveness and promote safe, inclusive and supportive work and learning environments. our IT department which that department is becoming more more complex over the years. Um and so we are very fortunate to have a very strong

062IT program but they ensure reliable technology systems that support instruction, communication, operational efficiency, expand access to digital learning tools or resources for students and staff and support cyber security which has become a hot topic recently infrastructure and innovation to enhance teaching and learning. Facilities facilities department ma maintains safe, clean, welcoming and well functioning and learning environments. Coordinates community partnerships and facility access for youth and community programs. Supports long-term planning and sustainability of district facilities and infrastructure. And then child nutrition again providing healthy nutritious meals that support students well-being and academic uh success. engages students and families through the surveys, the newsletters, and the farm-to-table initiatives. Um, promotes access to manage nutrition services for all students. And then transportation, that's been a fun department to work with. There's a lot that goes into transportation and some

063of the barriers that they have the opportunity to remove for families. Uh, but obviously provides safe, reliable student centered transportation services that reduces barriers for attendance and learning. reinforces positive behavior expectations to the PBIS and strengthens communications and relationships with families and students. Uh facilities and operations departments create the foundation for student success by ensuring schools are safe, efficient, welcoming, and supportive through strategic planning, operational excellence, and strong community partnerships. These departments have helped create learning environments where students feel connected, supported, and ready to thrive academically and socially. Uh we are very fortunate to have six very strong uh departments that I've just spoke about and I want to make sure I recognize those directors. And Jeremy Cox, he's our director of IT. Uh Candy Parier is the director of finance. Pearla Garcia is director

064of human resources. She's here today. Go ahead and wave. There you go. Uh Jack McCascal, director of facilities, Brandon Romero, director of child nutrition, and Jamie Schmidt, director of transportation. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> All right. >> Thank you all for that wonderful presentation. >> Next on the agenda, we have public comment of non-discussion agenda items. We'll open the floor for public comments for any non-discussion items that um that anybody would like to speak about. If you'd like to share something regarding discussion agenda items, there'll be a time later on in the evening to speak about that. >> So, we have the sign here and then just a reminder again that later in the program there's the discussion item for the instructional materials. Uh so I do see some

065people signed up for the instructional materials committee uh choices and so we'll wait and have you uh speak after the discussion. >> Will you read or looks like >> that? Let's go in order. Uh Emory Robinson and Tiana Robinson regarding accessibility. So you can go ahead come up here to the podium. Hello, my name is Emmy Robinson and this is my mom and dad. It's nice to meet you all. I want to talk about how much I love my school. I love my friends and my teachers. I love being able to use the elevator and going upstairs and downstairs. I also love that I can go outside and play, but I cannot go up on the BM, which is why I can talk to you today. The BM is a steep hills that and I

066need teachers to push me up the and down the hill. It's so I could play with my friends. I'd like there to be a safe way for me to get up and down on my own. I think it should have handrail so I could uh pull myself up. The path should The path should also be less steep and smooth. This path would not only help me, but it would also help other students who have trouble walking. All of my friends hang out up on there and I think all students should deserve to be able to play where they want to. I am not asking for special treatment, just the chance to play with my friends. I love my school and I just want there to help make it accessible for all current and future students.

067Thank you for this one. >> Um, so Emry is a fourth grader at Summerview Elementary School. Um, he's a great kid. Sorry, I'm a little bit emotional. um he has a really big heart and I'm really proud of him for having the courage to come up in front of you all today to raise awareness um for this safety issue concerning the burm. Um my purpose for speaking is just to elaborate a little more on this issue and just to make sure that Emmery and other kiddos with special needs aren't forgotten. Um, so the ADA states, "No qualified individual with a disability shall by a reason of such disability be excluded from participation in or be denied the benefits of the services, programs, or activities of a public entity. And that a public entity shall administer

068services, programs, and activities in the most integrated setting appropriate to the needs of qualified individuals with disabilities. Independence and autonomy mattered. Emry has grown in his independence and his confidence so much in the last few years. Just in this last year alone, he's learned how to transfer from his wheelchair into a car, how to transfer from the floor into onto his wheelchair, and how to slowly but surely make it up and down stairs on his own. Even at school, he has shown how independent he can be. He was just recently chosen to be a cafeteria worker, which I'm told is quite an accomplishment, and not everyone is picked. I would like to see him continue to learn new things and expand his scope of independence. Other children can freely move around the playground without assistance.

069Emry should have that same opportunity. Having to ask adults for physical help every recess is isolating and can be a little humiliating. Our child deserves the dignity of moving independently alongside his classmates and not waiting for an adult to be available to lift or push him into the play areas. We're asking the district to help remove this barrier that prevents our child from accessing the same playground spaces his classmates use every day. Right now, he cannot safely or independently reach those areas. This affects his inclusion, safety, dignity, and equal participation in school life. Recess and play with other students are a part of a child's education and social growth. If Emry cannot independently reach these same areas where his classmates play, then he's being excluded from an important part of his school experience. Inclusion is

070not just being physically present at school. It means being able to participate. All of Emry's friends play up on that BM. That's where he wants to be. Now, as much as this is an inclusion issue, it is just as much a safety issue, a safety issue for Emery and for all the adults who are responsible for him. All staff and students are to meet at the top of the BM during fire drills and in real emergency situations. In emergency situations where stress levels are high, that is when accidents are most likely to happen. If the grass is wet, one misplaced footstep could cause my son and the adults caring for him to come tumbling down and injure themselves. An accessible path would not only help my son, but other students with disabilities or mobility limitations

071or even students and staff with temporary injuries. Most people don't see the struggles that we see every day with Emry's mobility limitations. We're limited on the types of parks we can attend because most of them don't have accessible paths to roll his wheelchair through. Some sidewalks just end with no path forward. And a lot of buildings don't have easy accessibility for wheelchairs. This is something Emry will face for the rest of his life. But in a place like school, where he spends a good majority of his time, accessibility is essential. Our child should not have to choose between safety and inclusion. An accessible path would allow him to participate with dignity, independence, and most importantly, safety. I appreciate your time and consideration in this matter. Thank you. >> Thanks, Emmy, for sharing mom and dad

072too. >> Yeah. Thank you. Next, uh Ruth Mulka, Brad Lick. Bradley Lieick are wanting to speak about the IMC committee. So, we'll wait until that discussion. Ben McMurray was signed in. Did you want to make a comment, Ben? >> No. >> Okay. Thank you. U next is Joe Bird with uh wanting to speak on the German program. >> Good afternoon everybody. Um as you said, I'm Joe Bird. Um, it's my understanding that it was decided this year to not continue the German class at the junior high next year. Um, I'd like uh to raise a point to hopefully have that reconsidered. Um, it's my understanding that 21 students are already signed up for that program next year. West Valley has a long history of being an outstanding German uh foreign language program. nationally recognized with

073an internationally recognized GAP program. The GAP program is the GermanAmerican partnership program. Every couple of years we send people over to Germany on an exchange program throughout the summer and then the other years they send kids over here. Um during the school year as kind of an educational exchange trip, there's not a lot of schools that offer that. Um, West Valley has had this program for longer than I've been around. Um, we have several people here that have been part of that over the years and uh um I think it's a big mistake that it's being taken away from the junior high level. We're very fortunate to currently have um the opportunity to offer five years of German. Um the fourth and fifth years are available or at least have been in the past for

074college credit through central. Um as well as have given students the opportunity to graduate with their seal of bi literacy in the German program as well. Myself being one of them. Um there are several others in this room that have done the same. That's all. Okay. So, >> next on this is Ron Compton requested curriculum. So, I assume that's the IMC. Is that right? Is that regarding the uh materials that will be adopted? >> Okay. So, we'll wait until that discussion item. Okay. Uh Susan Bird, uh German and curriculum. So, maybe for German this this side >> and I would like to be included on German. >> Sure. And what's your name? Dennis Clingal. >> So, I'm Susan Bird and I was a German parent, a GAP program board member for nine years with West

075Valley's German program. All three of my children went through the GAP program through West Valley, starting in 8th grade, moving all the way through. their exposure to international students, to the ability to learn a foreign language that isn't around them all the time, and for the ability to build relationships internationally, even if they don't go to Germany, the through the German children who come here to participate in the programs here is unequivocal. You cannot get that experience anywhere else in the state right now. I just want to speak in pro of keeping the program in the junior high. It's very important. The children learn better if they're exposed to it longer. The earlier in their age group they're exposed to a foreign language, the better they maintain it. The United States is lacking in our

076foreign language abilities. German students typically know four to six languages before they're out of middle school. By exposing our students to German as a foreign language and the opportunities they receive through West Valley's German program, we are giving them the opportunity to work internationally, to go to school internationally, to build relationships with our international friends in Europe as well as the farms throughout the valley. There is a huge number of northern European descendant farms, German specifically, throughout the lower valley. So, it's important that we teach our kids and allow them to have that opportunity. >> Next is Michael Moore, which is the IMC. So, we'll wait till that discussion. Uh, is it Mia or Maya Robert? >> Yeah. >> How do you pronounce your name? >> Maya. Sorry. Maya. Maya Robert. Uh, for German. >>

077Yes. Thank you. Um, to bring home the point, my name is Maya Robert. I was also a German student here at West Valley. I see a lot of familiar faces, maybe some new faces. I graduated in 2018. Um, I was a part of the German program for four years. I participated in a GAP exchange. Um, and then I went on to continue to study German in college and move to Germany after graduation. Um, I have since moved back and I'm working on my masters in teaching >> and I'm really looking forward to student teaching with Rick Beck this coming school year, uh, 2026 to 2027. Um, and that I hope that there is a solid German program here. Um, so that I can do that. >> Thank you. GREAT. >> NEXT, UH, JAMIE. Is it

078Walther? >> Walther. >> Yes, Walther. Uh, regarding German, >> I don't really have much to say. I just am here to support the German program and I hope you'll keep it in the junior high so the program can grow and be stronger. >> Thank you. >> And Randy Robert regarding the German program. >> Um, pretty much the same. Um, but I'm very proud of my daughter and she learns so much and I think it really helps to start young and to have that time, you know, and it's very I think it'd be a good choice. It'd be a good use of money for the school in like like it's such a well-known program to keep it going. >> Thank you. >> Uh, Kaylee Glover, is that how you pronounce it? It's Callie. >> Callie, I'm

079sorry. Callie Glover. >> Um, I don't have a whole ton to say, but I am here in support of keeping the German program at the junior high. I think um it would be a great idea to keep it there. As I am I'm currently a German 200 student. I'm a sophomore at the high school. Um, and I I wish I would have started German a year earlier. I do wish I would have um done it in 8th grade. um but I hadn't known about it and so I think that it should stay a program and I think that more um attention should be brought to it because um during 8th grade I only ever recall knowing at least me personally one student who was in the German program during my eighth grade year and so

080I wish that I had known about that sooner because I would love to be 100 right now. Um, but I am going to take it next year. So, I'm glad that I can continue that step forward. Um, and I think it's great that or I think other people should be able to have the opportunity to get to um the 500 class by the time they are out of high school. I think that would be >> Thank you. Okay. >> And Caitlyn, how do you say your last name? >> Wley. Okay. Yes. Thank you. I don't really have much to say on this topic. Um I'm mostly a theater partner. >> Um yeah, I think they should keep it as a program just because I wish also that I was in it a year earlier because

081I'm also a 200 student as a sophomore. That's all. >> Great. Thank you. Very good. And then Jennifer Nelson, you're in German. I sat in the back, but I promise I >> Good evening. Um, I'm Jennifer Nelson. I am the chair for world languages here at the high school and I'm actually asking um on behalf of Rick Beck if I may present his statement because ironically he is in Germany right now and he could not make it tonight. So, do I have your permission to read his? >> Of course. Yes, >> Rick says, "I feel betrayed by the district. I came back because I thought I was getting a chance to rebuild the program. We have started the process of rebuilding the program from the bottom up. In one year, we have nearly doubled the

082number of students registering for German 100, and now the district wants to remove 40% of those students. I'm also dismayed that the district rejects the possibility that a vibrant long-term successor could be available. In my judgment, Maya Robert has displayed all the earmarks of becoming a fine teacher to take over the program. She has experience in teaching this age group and also younger children. She has already become involved in those events that cause German programs to stand out and appeal to prospective students, the German students convention and German immersion camp. In my opinion, with now over 30 years of experience, it is worth the risk to give this West Valley bread young and he has uh has parenthesis. She is nine years younger than Rick was when he established the program. So, I'll back up.

083It is worth the risk to give this West Valley Bred young teacher an opportunity to continue the revitalization of the program. I believe we deserve a chance to continue the rebuilding process of the West Valley German program. Rick Beck, West Valley School District German teacher. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> And Barb Borton signed in for the IMC, so we'll wait for that discussion. Uh there's someone else and a name that I can't read. Signed in for the >> Andrea Stone. >> Stone. Okay. Andrea Stone. So Andrea also signed in regarding the books. I assume that's the discussion coming later. All right. Uh Tanner McKini for German. >> When you look around in this room, uh Joe Bird has mentioned it. This is a room filled with students that have gone through or are currently

084going through the German program at West Valley High School and West Valley Junior High. That's an important distinction to make because if the junior high does not have a German program, then I may not be a student that went through it. I started German, I believe it was in 2012, uh when I was in eighth grade at West Valley Junior High, and German was the best part of my time at West Valley High School. Uh I went on to get my or bachelor's degree at Central Washington University in history, social studies, teaching, but I got my German minor there as well because of the classes that I took in this building. And I wouldn't have had access to those classes if I didn't have access to the German 500 class that was made possible by

085starting in 8th grade. I had I went to Central Washington University. And it was very convenient because the credits that I had earned in that college in the high school German class while I was sitting here as a a junior and senior in high school were already on my transcript. I didn't even have to transfer anything. I took a I talked to the German program because although those are important uh core classes in the German minor uh you still have to take other classes as well. I talked to them and they told me that since I had already had classes that I would have to take a placement test. Well, I took a placement test in German uh the German language. And the way that the test works is that from 0 to 100 is

086German is the first year German, 100 to 200 is two is second year, etc. They offer three years of German at Central Washington University. I tested out a because of West Valley High School's German program. West Valley High School has a long history of exceptional German instruction. I remember my time when I was going to those German exchange or the um was it the German students convention that was mentioned earlier and there's a few people in here that I see that I went to when I was in high school. They went with me. I remember walking around and having other German classes and German teachers from around the state tell me, "You're lucky that you're going to West Valley High School because you have the best German program in the state." When you walked into

087this building on your way to walk up to the high school, you walked past a plaque and I don't know if you guys recognized it or not, but when you leave the building, I want you to look for it. It says GAP, GAP, German School of Excellence. It's on the side of the front office. That is a nationally recognized award that West Valley High School got. And we got that because we had an exceptional German program. Perbeck and Maya Robert are in the process of building that program back up. I think that it is important and I call upon the school board to please continue to have German at the junior high level and to so that we can continue to move into the high school level because if we don't have it at the

088junior high, we won't have German 500 and we won't have German excellence that we've had for the last 30 years. >> Thank you. AND CHANTEL MCKENNA. >> OKAY. SO, I can't follow that. My son and I also have been very involved with the German program. I took Susan's role when she left as the president of the German club. And it's just it's a big um family. the kids, they know each other all the way from eighth grade all the way through 12 because they pull the kids in when we do the German dinners and all the the stuff that does for the German program. >> We have like the the October Fest and the fundraisers and all that. And so, um, my other son Colton, he went after Tanner and he started like he made

089friends from eighth the eighth grade the eighth grade that were brought up. Those are his best friends when he was in like 10th grade or 11th grade. So, I'm just saying it's it's very good camaraderie for the kids and it's really good for their education when they get into college. >> Thank you. THANK YOU. AND THEN IS IT Roger Fry or is that wanted to speak as well? >> Okay. Or Rogers. Someone left. >> Eric Rogers. Is that okay? There it is. Sorry. >> No problem. >> I didn't see there. Eric Rogers. >> Okay. Hello. My name is Eric Rogers. I'm a senior at West Valley High School and I am a the last German 500 student in West Valley, which I learned at the beginning of the year when I found out that all

090of my friends who I had been in German with since 8th grade were no longer taking German. Um, I remember being really really excited to have the opportunity to be able to take German um, when I was before 8th grade when I was in seventh grade because I remembered for a very long time in my life that I've been very interested in the language and the culture and I was so excited when I figured out that I would have the opportunity to take that. And so when I went to my first year of German, I was with all my friends. I convinced tons of people to sign up. Uh I know that my parents were wanting me maybe to take Spanish because it's a predominant language in the Yakama Valley besides English, but I chose

091German and I'm so glad that I made that decision. Um my first year of German 2021, Fra Deborah was my teacher. I had her all the way up until my third year of German which was 2024. The next year, my last year, junior year, I had Deborah or um >> Barbara Dubois. Thank you. She was a German teacher that was here for a year. And then this year, I have Perbeck, who I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to learn from. And I am so grateful that I've had the opportunity to learn from so many different teachers over the year, but that I've been presented with the opportunity to take German. When I think about my time at West Valley, and I know that it's the end of senior year, and a lot

092of people have been saying, "What are you going to remember? What are you going to think of?" The German program is one of the things that has made me the happiest. I remember being in German in 8th grade and singing to the theme song for the football program that West Valley supports with our GAP city, Gustro, in Germany. It's called FA Hanza. And every year, multiple times a year, the teacher would have us get up with our friends and we would wear scarfs for the logo of the soccer football team. And it was just really a fun opportunity and I just I think it I think back that it was like such a good opportunity and it makes me so happy. And over the years, at the beginning of this year, I was upset to

093learn that the German program was declining because I know that Spanish is probably more popular, but that I had the opportunity to take German. So, currently at the beginning of the year and still, I'm in a German 300, 400, 500, me being the last 500, um, up until if there's the opportunity for people to take it in 8th grade, then eventually they can get to that level if they choose. There's only six people in my class, so it's a very small class, but it provides having Rick Beck as a teacher, it provides a very good opportunity to to get one-on-one very precise learning and it's provided me with a very good ability of the language. Just recently, I finished up taking my second stamp test. The first one I took for Japanese and then the

094second one I'm taking for German. And it's been really nice to have the opportunity to grow and learn with so many different people and my friends and just have a really good opportunity with the German program that has been provided because I'm really glad that it was able that I was able to take it in grade and as a few other people had talked about with the GAP program. I did not go on the GAP exchange that happened last year but I became really good friends with some of the German students that came over here last year. I don't know if you remember two very popular students, um, Tavis and Yasper. They are good friends of mine now, and I still keep in contact with them. They're still waiting for me to go to Germany

095one day. Hopefully, I can get to go. But I'm just really glad and I'm really proud that I got to go to a school that offered that program that made it accessible for there to be a very interconnected relationship with students not only in Washington, which it's already been proven and spoken about by many people that West Valley has a very amazing German program, um, but also that I've been able to make those relationships with people abroad. So, I just lastly would like to say that I'm very glad that I had this opportunity and that the German program has allowed me to not only advance in German, but it's also just really helped thrive my really helped my ability and love for language to thrive. It's provided a very healthy and fun environment that has

096really created a good, stable foundation for language learning. And I think that it has been proven that there are teachers and people that really really care and it would be an amazing opportunity for people going into eighth grade and in the future to be able to take eth to take German in 8th grade and continue to learn and grow beyond that. Thank you. APPRECIATE. And last sign up is Dennis Clingel for German. I didn't prepare anything specific. Uh Hairbeck messaged me and I'm here. Why am I here? It's been over a decade since my voice came out of this school as fifthyear German students and the impact on their lives and a lot of other people's lives has been immense. It comes back partly to Herbeck. Herbeck is probably one of the most premier language

097instructors I've ever encountered anywhere. He not only teaches the facts and the mechanics of the language, but he also teaches the essence of the whole culture of the European nation. And I will tell you, we had the opportunity to travel with the German students with my boys and I was totally amazed at how comfortable they were from day one when they hit the ground over there to be able to communicate and navigate the European continent. The relationships that they established during the German program here have stayed with them. It's been over a decade now, but they still almost on a daily basis are communicating with students all over the world, not just German, all over the world, but friends in Thailand, friends in uh Brazil and so on that we're all part of this international

098exchange of friendship and language, whatever. uh Europe, you talk about the German study, but the interesting thing of it is when you actually spend some time in Germany, which we've been very fortunate to do because we've got all this extended family over there now. But to them, uh, going to France for the weekend is kind of like running over to Idaho. And they're very comfortable with it because of the fact that they have confidence to to interact in that international uh community, if you want to call it that. The fifth year program is was essential partly to the success of my boys and how they interfaced with the rest of the world after coming out of here. We we saw some of it happening while we were here but what has amazed me is that

099it continues to evolve all the time. So Ivan and Casey uh both went on to the University of Washington, got their degrees in engineering, are now licensed engineers. Biden works for Actton County. Casey's working for King County, but they're still utilizing the the skills of interaction of people internationally and understanding the mechanics of it. A lot of that came down to some of the immersion that Herbeck presented and I'm sure that you carry on because you know Herbeck and the process but that started in the fifth with the first year being in the junior high and that was imperative as a stepping stone into the high school arena of language study. So, it's really really important and uh I could probably stand up here for an hour or two and I don't want to do

100that. But I I do want you to understand the importance of that starting out in junior high because that is an important step in language skills getting into high school. The un this this great facility of West Valley. I have had interactions since the last 20 30 years now and I I mentioned that my boys you know we've had German students stay with us multiple times uh short term as well as full years um and when I talk to people about how we've traveled to Europe and how we've been able to be comfortable with that that was just a small portion of what we were able to learn from our Royce and from Herbeck that made us feel comfortable to do that. Um I I was scared to death to go, you know, anywhere in

101Europe where I didn't know the language, but I found out that if you have some basic understandings of the culture and how things work and Herabbeck did that and the program here does that and I'm sure it will continue to do that, especially with the transition of Herbeck handing off the the the program. So, um, but it it it's more than just how to catch a train in Europe or how to do this or that. It's that confidence level that carries on through whatever career you may choose. And and and the interesting thing with this is that people here just there's some things about this that you don't really appreciate because it's here and you just grew up with it. But if you get out of this little community of ours and you're talking to

102somebody somewhere else and you talk about what this community is accomplish in languages, particularly with the German program, people are just rolled over. They don't they wow, you know, and the people that are knowledgeable about it, if they know you're from here, they said, "Wow, you've got one of the most premier high school language programs anywhere in the nation." And and a big part of that is the five years. And and just a little side note, I just had neck surgery last a month ago. Um my spinal cord was shutting down from the neck down because of uh the service just closing in on the spinal cord. >> The doctor that I ended up getting to one of the most premier I went to his website, checked him out. He's internationally known. He's working out

103of a clinic in Zillow, partly because he has a girlfriend there. But anyway, he is a third generation neurologist and where's he from? But Germany and uh so that's Dr. Peter Gurn and uh so uh but he did awesome job on taking care of me and I'm standing here before you today not in a wheelchair because he was able to save me so to speak. >> But that's just a small sample of the how the international thing goes back and forth. He's third generation. He grew up in Germany, but he's here and I don't think it has anything to do with our program here or anything else, but when I talked to him the first time and we had a little bit of conversation, he knew my name is Clingal and he knew what it

104meant and I and right away uh he he was just happy to to be here. So, it's all part of what we can do here and the impact is immense. It's way beyond getting out the door as a graduate from the West Valley School District. It's really uh stepping into the rest of the world and the German program here certainly does that better than any language program I've ever been able to see. And people recognize that and I'm hoping that you will be favorable and continue to support that program. I think with the the starter coming out particularly with the heritage of seeing how Herbeck did it uh because teachers make the difference. We've seen that on every program and and so Herbeck happened to be is extremely you know he's internationally known. He's been

105recognized nationally and not to mention statewise. So to have one of his students come on and pick up where he left off, we need to support that. And I think you'll find that in the long run, it'll be supporting the community as a whole and continuing to make this school one of the exceptional schools in the whole nation. >> Thank you very much. >> As a reminder, the board won't respond tonight, but there will be public comment next time that we meet. We'll have a response as well. We're going to move into the approval of consent agenda. We have items A through F tonight. Approval of minutes, approval of vouchers and payroll, financial reports, approval of employee contracts, approval of resignation, retirement separation, and approval of leave requests. Unless there's any specific questions or discussion

106regarding items A through F, I'd be willing to receive all of the items as one single motion. >> I'll make a motion to approve the consent agenda A through F. Excellent. All those in favor say I. >> I I. >> All those opposed, same sign. Motion carries. 300. We have discussion items. Instructional material committee. >> All right. This an opportunity for the board to have some discussion uh prior to the vote for the approval of instructional materials. And so the uh the instructional materials are listed there in item C under action items and the list of materials are there. It's opportunity for the board to have a discussion prior to that and then also for our public to have public comment prior to the vote as well. >> Excellent. And so there are nine different

107books being submitted for recommendation to be adopted to the 2026 2027 curriculum. Last time at the board I given the recommendation that we read Darius and Twig, Dear Martin and Marorrow Thieves. So I had some objections to them. uh as I met with Mr. Kandle uh last month and as we talked through he made some good points about Darius and Twig that I made the commitment that I would reread the book. I would look it over again and uh I read it last night and the conclusion that I came to was that I was overly harsh in my criticism. Uh I think that although there is objectionable material that people will find objectionable to it, I don't think it reached the the same quality of tipping point. And so I'm going to resend my uh

108recommendation to reject Darius Twig, but I'm going to hold on to the uh the desire to reject Dear Martin and Maro Thieves. >> I just read Maro Thieves again yesterday >> and actually have it in my bag. It's an amazing book. It invites so much discussion and engagement on um critical thinking skills like we heard from our staff that you know it's so important to get kids engaged right so hard they're looking at their phones they're have laptops it's so hard to get kids to read and then have a discussion so I think you know Mr. Crannle pointed out um that he needs like deep material that really is provoking, thoughtprovoking, right, for discussion. If it's just an action-driven book that doesn't, you know, dive into some maybe heavy topics, um then they lose a

109lot of that ability to have some critical thinking. These are high schoolers, right? The stuff that they see in the hallways or here in the hallways, I think, um is much worse than anything in that book. I thought the book was pretty tame. Um, anything that was suggested wasn't explicit. It was just a reference and inference. Um, and I thought it was a really important book. It explores some, you know, critical history for a lot of our um, students and, um, encourages kids to think about other populations or other things that maybe are reality for other people that aren't isn't just a reality for them. and um you know promotes empathy for people that aren't like you are or people that have gone through hard things and um you know some of our kids are

110really privileged and they haven't gone through a lot of hard things. So reading about it and really getting that first that perspective is really important. Um and you can't get that if the book doesn't really isn't realistic, right? If the book doesn't have antagonists with, you know, that do bad things or say bad things or are just bad people, bad behavior, you don't get the flavor of what the protagonist is up against. So um that book specifically I just finished last night and I thought was an amazing book. I thank Mr. Crannle for giving that opportunity for our kids to read that book. I think it's important. >> Well, thank you. Um, I appreciate the work that goes in into I think even just selecting curriculum by the teachers, uh, you know, and then also

111the, uh, the parents and teachers that read through the material and make their recommendations to approve or not to approve and and I do weigh those and consider those. Um, and I I'm I'm in support of the books except for the two uh Maro Thieves and um uh our other book. >> Dear Martin, sorry, lost lost my >> um and I think because if you go to the criteria for considering a uh the the books uh that come through appendix 1 through four, these are the appendixes. So number one is you have to consider does it contribute to effective student learning? Number two, does it have sex bias in the material? Number three, does it have cultural or ethnic bias? Um and then number four, does it have information that may be objectional? And underneath

112each of these in the appendix, there's a description of what these mean. And so when I consider number three, does it have cultural or ethnic bias? There's a lot of descriptions underneath there. Uh, but one of them under cultural is no is that there's no bias in regards to race, creed, religion, color, or national or origin. And I would say there's another one that says the vocabulary for racism is avoided. Uh, and in Dear Martin, uh, the n-word, uh, is used often throughout there for referring to to black people. Um, and I think that goes against the vocabulary for racism being avoided under the socioeconomic status. Uh, there's one that says, "Social class groupings portray all individuals in a variety of roles that are both positive and negative." I'd say Dear Martin puts law enforcement

113in a negative light as a as a group and that there's not really a counterbalance that shows that really another 98% of law enforcement are good. Um, and then the fourth one, does it have information that may be objectional? And underneath there, uh, one, uh, description is profane, vulgar, or obscene language. Uh, Dear Martin and the Marorrow thieves, I think really have a lot of that in both of those books. Um, is there one is graphic sexual incidents underneath number four. Um, and in chapter 8 of Marorrow Thieves, there's a a sex scene uh that's described um uh in there that um I I I falls underneath graphic sexual incidents. Um you know, and then is the content unsuitable for maturity of the audience? And and I would say I have a daughter who's coming

114out of 10th grade. I have a daughter going into ninth grade. And so, uh, for me as a parent, um, I would say this is probably not content that I want them discussing in a class. And so, I think because of these reasons, I I'm going to vote no on those two books. Um, and I'll just say to vote no on curriculum is not a ban on books. Um, these books are completely available. Uh, and anybody can read them. uh you can order on Amazon and it'll probably be delivered to your house tomorrow. Um and not everyone's going to agree uh on these things and that's okay. That's a great thing. We can disagree about these things and I respect uh others opinion that disagree and I I respect Mr. Kandle. I appreciate uh all

115the the work that you put into even just writing uh your defense on the books. Um, and um, I think uh, that same thing was the consideration of uh, Darius and Twig and and I'm for that book. I um, I think it's a good story. Um, it has um, some uh, profane language, but I would say it's not excessive in there. And so for that, I'm going to vote no on those two books. um you know and I think at the end of the day um it is uh it's the one responsible for approving or not approving what the record shows is is it's the school board. And I think that's something that uh we have to to to be able to answer for and I think for myself um I I'm I'm need to

116vote no on those um you know but um yes to all the others. So kind of my thoughts on it. >> I think it's important Mr. Gy that you didn't bring this up at the instructional materials committee. So you and I sit on that committee >> and there there's 15 people get to vote, right? And they voted 15 to zero for all the materials and you didn't say anything. Yeah, I did. So you prevented that discussion happening at that meeting and so now we're not giving that we're taking that committee's >> discussion and approval away from them. >> It's it's a good discussion. Last year I spoke up a lot. >> Yes, I remember that. >> And I'm wrestling through how to have these interactions. I'm wrestling through how to sit in them and and

117not speak or to speak. Uh I wanted to see this year how the process went through and what happened in it. It allowed me to look at the overall package and I think this year I identified some problems with the process and so I wanted to be silent in it but I wanted to observe but um my opinion of the books is by no means private and so I I've spoken on them before. Um and so >> but you didn't speak on these books last year because >> I did. I wrote several. >> Yes, you wrote, but at the meeting you didn't speak on them. >> No, because Mr. Krenle pulled the books before we got to talk about them last year. So, >> I'm just concerned with us having 15 parents and staff members

118that took the time to read the books and approved it unanimously >> and then you as you know us as non-educators >> and going and superseding their opinions. Um, and I Dear Martin has is a heavy book, but our kids are facing heavy things. And um, these aren't elementary school students who, by the way, learn about the Holocaust and wars and all sorts of violent things. Um, these are these are kids that are almost adults. They have to be address, you know, using vulgar language is reality for a lot of people. And just because they read about it doesn't mean they're going to use that word. You know, I watch a movie with violence in it. I don't commit that violence. It's telling a story and it's important um to, you know, be accurate and

119that's accurate. That's that's reality. Yeah. >> So, I think we're robbing our kids from having real critical thinking and um you know, having that discussion in a guided classroom is much better than just, you know, us ignoring it in education and then just letting it happen in on the playground and in the hallways. >> Yeah. >> And um you know, I I feel really strongly about this. I think and also I want to point out that this book is not required. It's a book club choice. So a student does not have to read that book if we approve it. It's a choice. >> Um and a parent can always say I don't want my kid reading this book. You know I don't you know a 15year-old could probably find the book at the library if

120they really wanted to. >> Um because our library carries it so here. So um anyway I Yeah. >> Yeah. No, I I respect your opinion on it. The response that I would think about for all of that is even if a 100 people were to sit on that board, I'm still responsible for my vote for my conviction. And as I look at the appendix, there's things in the appendix that don't match up. And when the process isn't complete, then the information isn't complete. And I worry that people are making decisions that don't match the content of the book. And so as I read it and as I have conviction for it and as I have a responsibility for that vote, I'm going to vote to both my conscience and then to my constituents and I'm

121going to do the things that I believe I was put in elected office to do. You're absolutely right. The library absolutely holds all three of these books and more. Um, and so what I'm talking about is curriculum. I'm not talking about access. I'm not talking about good books or bad books. I'm talking about curriculum. And in the curriculum conversation, I want to have the most robust, intelligent, wellthoughtout arguments. And I feel that these books lack those things. And so I think that you can have very serious conversations about all of those things, but there are better books to do it. When we're building a curriculum, I want our students to have the best curriculum. And that means that there's going to be friction and conflict with it. Every good book has conflict and friction, but

122the way that it's described and the words that are used do matter and the way that it's portrayed matters. And so that's one of the reasons that we have a rubric or uh an appendix to go through. And so then I want to see a robust appendix. I want to see a robust curriculum and I want parents to be able to have the ability to decide what their children read. I think parents still have their the ability to decide what their children read. >> That's fair. >> Um, you know, I think if the book isn't in the classroom, it won't be read and we're you're depriving a lot of kids out of that diverse perspective. Um, >> I think that that by itself is the problem where if it's not in the classroom, it won't

123be read, which I would inherently say it's not good enough to be read otherwise because great books don't have to be taught don't read enough books. So, I wasn't talking about the book specifically. I was talking about the fact that kids don't read outside of class and so what we've engaged with them. You know, Mr. Kandle talked about like it's really important to find books that are short enough that kids can read them in class and all of that. So, that's what I was referring to. >> Yeah. And I I think that you're right that there is a deficiency in reading in just doing it um casually. >> So, we're competing with, you know, what's on the internet and the news, which is all, you know, worse than any of these books. um that's all

124just fast and doesn't promote critical thinking and you know a long discussion and a long story that builds and has rich character development. So that's why >> yeah and it's a good >> we're not going to agree but um I just think it's really important to to stand up for our teachers that are the professionals and the experts and that put a ton of time and you know their entire careers into um you know being choosing books and um I really want to support that. Yeah, I absolutely agree. >> We'll now move to the public comment of the discussion item, everything that we just discussed. All right, we'll go in the order that was signed in. So, Ruth Bulka and if everyone could please come to the podium, we'd appreciate that. Dr. Ruth would be

125Bradley Liebrich. >> Good evening. My name is Ruth Hull Vulka and tonight I am speaking in support of the novels approved by the IMC committee that are now under consideration by the board for use at West Valley. I speak as a 23-year veteran teacher of grades 5 through 12 English and drama both here at West Valley and previously at a private Christian school, Bishop Ryan High School in May, North Dakota, while my husband served in the US Air Force. I also speak as a parent of three West Valley students as an alumni and a longtime community member. As a firsttime IMC committee member, I expected thoughtful professional dialogue centered on literature and instruction. While I didn't realize that that expectation would be complicated by past IMC committee experiences, I was deeply encouraged by what I

126witnessed. A diverse cross-section of staff and community members working to represent broad perspectives and a strong level of trust placed in both our educators and in the feedback the students provided from the pilot process. That trust matters. So I speak here tonight somewhat reluctantly because public comment is not always a safe place to be brave. Words can be shortened, misconstrued, or removed from context and judgment, right or wrong, can feel permanent. Still, I feel strongly, passionately even about these novels and their value in building rigor, empathy, depth of thought, and meaningful engagement for students at West Valley Middle campus and West Valley High School. Across these seven award-winning texts combined, these novels have been recognized with more than 40 major literary honors and over a 100 additional awards. There is a consistent theme. Students are

127invited into complex real world conversations through stories that are accessible, engaging, and developmentally appropriate when guided by trained educators. I did read all seven novels. I also listened to the audio Dear Martin and the Maril Thieves, both in audiobook form. The narration of both were superb. I've really enjoyed listening to them with their dialects and cadence that permeates both of those cultures, especially the marrow thieves, which humanized this piece of science fiction and challenged me in the way good literature should. The stories that stay with us are rarely the ones that leave us comfortable. That is what good literature does at its best. It creates space for reflection, empathy, and growth. These novels now sit on my shelves besides books like Anne Frank's Diary of a Young Girl, CS Lewis's That Hideous Strength, Him Potox,

128My Name is Asher Lev, Lois Lowry's The Giver, and Chengua Chates, Things Fall Apart. Novels that continue teaching me something new every time I return to them. What these novels offer students, even in difficult moments, is hope. They do not avoid pain, but they frame struggle with resilience, reflection, and the possibility of healing. As a Christian, I am also guided by Christ's words in John 17. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world, but you protect him from the evil one. Many of us were raised with the understanding that young people are not prepared for the world by being isolated from reality, but by learning how to engage it wisely. This reflects the broader biblical idea of being in the world but not of it. A theme my own parents and

129I often discussed when I was in high school and college as I wrestled with difficult ideas, literature, and the realities of the world around me. Students are already encountering violence, racism, addiction, isolation, and identity struggles through lived experience and online exposure. Schools cannot remove those realities. What we can do is provide structure, language and guidance so students learn to think critically and respond thoughtfully. That is where literature matters. Literature circles as described by Harvard Graduate School of Education are small student-led discussion groups that allow students to choose from teacher selected texts and deepen comprehension through structured conversation. Research consistently shows that this model increases engagement, strengthens critical thinking, and improves speaking and listening skills while helping students build confidence and discussion and collaboration. Literature circles help create that place for growth. Students learn to listen

130carefully, support ideas with evidence, disagree respectfully, and consider perspectives different from their own. These are not only academic skills, they are life skills. We c we also cannot ignore students digital environment. According to research from the American Psychological Association from 2024, 4.8 is the average number of hours a day that US teens spend using seven popular social media apps with YouTube, Tik Tok, and Instagram accounting for 87% of their social media time. Specifically, 37% of teens say they spend five or more hours a day where they are exposed to content far harsher and less thoughtful than anything found in these novels. The differences The difference is that literature circles in classrooms provide guidance, reflection, context, and discussion rather than unfiltered exposure. Within this model of literature circle, students retain choice. Approved booked lists allow for

131student selection and families retain the ability to choose alternatives when needed. This ensures participation without isolation and that balance respects both educational goals and family values. Yes, some of these books contain strong language and painful experiences, but literature has always reflected real human struggle. The question is not whether students will encounter hardship or difficult language. they already do. The question is whether they will have guided opportunities to examine those experiences thoughtfully and learn from them. If we remove every text that creates discomfort, we we risk removing many of the stories that build empathy, resilience, and ethical awareness. I also believe fiction, especially dichotopian and historical fiction, plays an important role in moral development. The Maril Thieves reminded me of the historical realities of World War II and the dangers of dehumanization when society stopped seeing

132certain people as fully human. That is why I support the unanimous recommendation of the IMC committee and I respectfully ask the board to approve each of these novels for classroom use. Bradley Lie. And next would be Ron Compton. >> Good evening, Dr. Finch, members of the board. My name is Bradley Liicks and I'm a social studies teacher here at West Valley High School. I attended White Hall and 10 elementary schools and graduated from West Valley High School in 2001. I've been a teacher in the district for 13 years. I've taught grades 7 through 12 at the junior high, the innovation center, and currently teach uh 10th grade social studies here at the high school. I'm here tonight to speak to you as vice president of the West Valley Education Association to speak on behalf of

133our members. The uh WVEA would like to echo the comments of our fellow teachers and respectfully request that the board vote to accept the recommendations of instructional materials committee and approve the recommended materials. A vote not to approve these materials is tantamount to telling teachers like Jeremiah Crandle and Ruth Bulka that the board does not trust their judgment as educators. A no vote by the school board would also remove academic choices available to students and their families since all the ELA texts offered are options that students and parents can choose from. It's hard to have a robust conversation when books aren't allowed in the curriculum. For a body that advocates for parental rights, not approving these texts would remove choices from parents without their consideration. The instructional materials committee, a body that is larger and

134more representative cross-section of our community, voted to approve these materials unanimously. The WPA would also like to ask the school board postpone this vote until the entire board is present for to give their consideration. And if you're not willing to do that, we ask that you respect the judgment of its educators and the choices that we are attempting to offer students and families and vote to accept the recommendations of the instructional materials committee. Thank you. >> All right, Ron Compton and then Michael Moore. Good evening. Uh my name is Ron Compton. I was a formal former uh full-time educator uh in the West Valley School District and uh currently am substitute teaching here on basketball. Uh I would just like to express uh my strong opposition to the proposal to block the adoption of those

135three books. um they've already been reviewed and approved through the district's established curriculum process. Uh these materials were vetted by educational professionals, people with the training experience and institutional knowledge to evaluate what is age appropriate and educationally sound. When the board overrides that professional judgment based on personal or religious objections to content, it's basically saying that you're substituting ideology for expertise. Uh that is what I believe that's not the board's appropriate role in curriculum decisions. um because basically it sets a precedent that should concern everyone regardless um regardless of where they fall on any particular issue. Uh the argument that some of these depictions of violence or drug use or uh sexual situations are maybe too scary for children or maybe personally you don't want your kids reading them. um you're you're basically fundamentally misreading

136how literature works. In my opinion, a book, for example, a book that portrays racism is not endorsing it. It's giving students the tools to recognize, understand, and reject it. Uh and blocking that opportunity does not protect students. It leaves them less equipped to navigate the world that they will inherit. And before you vote, I would just ask each one of you to consider uh the following. Uh number one, do you believe that your educational knowledge supersedes those of the committee? Do you think you can make a better decision on curriculum than the the 15 uh to zero unanimous decision to approve those books? That's all I ask is I consider that. Um, what message does blocking these books send to students whose whose life experiences are reflected in these pages of these books? And if

137your personal or religious belief is the basis for this objection, how does that that connect with the board's obligation to serve students of all backgrounds and beliefs? There was a presentation earlier that talked about in group one exactly those key sentences there. So, I respectfully urge that the board trust the educators and curriculum specialists who have already done this work and to allow these materials to move forward. Thank you. Right. Michael Moore actually takes my spot. Maybe >> that's fine. >> Is that okay? >> Yes. Come on up. Thank you. Hello everyone. My name is Kevin Moore. I am a senior here at West Valley and I wanted to share my experience that I had in Mr. Mr. Kranle's class when I was a sophomore. Um, I'm not going to lie. Before that class, I

138had not read a book cover to cover since elementary school. And reading felt more like a chore, and it was not something that I wanted to do. However, in Mr. Kandle's class, I was given a choice. I could select one book. I could select one book from several to read and discuss in small groups throughout the semester. Because I was able to choose a book that genuinely interested me, it allowed me to stay engaged and motivated to keep reading. Reading the book was challenging, but having the choice over what I was reading made the experience feel way less intimidating. Instead of forcing myself through something I had no interest in, I was immersed in the story and wanted to continue. As I finished the book and moved on to others, reading became easier. And more

139importantly, it became something I enjoyed. Today, I love reading. And I honestly don't know if that would be true if I hadn't been given the opportunity to choose what I read in that class. I don't think I need need to explain the benefits of reading to a room full of students, parents, educators, and community members. But reading helps build knowledge, empathy, critical thinking, and communication skills. In order to develop these skills, our students have to want to read first. The books being considered tonight were carefully selected by Mr. Cranle and unanim unanimously approved by the teacher and parent reading committee. If if these books are not approved, our students will be left with only one assigned book and will lose the opportunity to choose the book that speaks to them. Some students may connect with

140that one book, but many likely will not. I'm standing here because I was one of the students who benefited from having a choice. That choice helped turn me from someone who never read into someone who enjoys reading. I hope future students are given the same opportunity. Thank you. >> All right. Next is Barb Borton and then is it Ariana Stone? >> Andrea. Andrea still. Okay. So, Barb, go ahead. Andrea, I'm still working on the old style, so it's less than three minutes. Um, I'm not here to say yay or nay on the books. I did read the books. I didn't necessarily enjoy the books, but I did read them. And I just want to make a comment that um when my children were growing up, I made it clear that any use of profanity or

141vocal language was unacceptable. And this wasn't just a personal taste. I believed it reflected a lack of self-discipline, limited vocabulary, and an openness to behavior that could be harmful or disrespectful. The Roosevelt said, "Profanity is the parlance of the fool. Why curse when there is such a magnificent language with which to discourse?" While I have some issues with the book, the language was the hardest for me. As a believer, it's hard for me to read a book like Mel Thieves where Jesus is used as a swear word. But what bothers me a lot is that because I say that, I'm considered ultra religious, bigoted, or small-minded. It's a real personal thing for me, and I hope that my grandkids feel the same way. In a 2019 article by Brainfax, an independent source of brain and

142nervous system information presented by the Society of Neuroscience, states, "Unlike everyday language such as ironing board or doorway, profanity is closely tied to emotion, memory, and the brain's lyic system. When you read a swear word, you are essentially loading that word into your automatic speech bank. If you encounter a situation later that triggers a strong emotional response like pain, anger, or extreme surprise, these preprinted, highly emotional words are much more likely to erupt out of your mouth to release stress or to vent. That I think is a fact. And in this world where there's so much garbage that kids hear even in the hallway, I don't want to add that garbage to a book that they read. That's not being a bigot. That's not being small-minded. That's being real. as a footnote in defense novel

143paper that you wrote, Mr. Krandle, you gave to the board, you kind of justify the use of profanity and vulgar language in books because it's needed to convey the narrative the story is being told as in Dear Martin. Then you followed through with bringing up the Bible. Yes, the Bible has, as you said, a lot of violence. It's got everything completely being all manner of evil in human nature. But news flash, you can understand those stories. They change your lives. But there is no profanity. There is no vulgar language. And get this. out of 1,324 times that the word Jesus is used, it is never a swear word. Thank you. All right, Andrea Stone. Uh, thanks for letting me speak. Um, I like everyone else, I I wrote it down so I wouldn't go off.

144Um, all right. I was able to read two out of the three books. They were great books, and I question why the school board members would want to keep these books about diverse characters from the students. I did see a little bit of the school board members um in the last schoolboard meeting um there was a video saying there was sexual suggestive material. Also there was upset over regarding the language and violence. I am not sure how much time the school board members have spent with teenagers but whether we like it or not they are having these conversations hearing kids yell these things out in the hallways. hearing their peers talk about it during lunches and bus rides. I think it's wonderful that we have a teacher who is so interested on finding books that

145actually keep our teenagers attention. If you are worried about the content in these books, then you definitely do not want to know what these kids have access to online. Every time I pass by a teenager, they have their phones in their hands, not even engaging with their peers. They have access to any shows that they want from Netflix on HBO or HBO or they can go home and play video games that are very graphic and violent. I would much rather have my children and our West Valley students to find a book that is engaging to them, where they can step outside of a challenging day, where they have too much homework, their parents are making them do the chores they don't want to do, their siblings are being annoying, and they can pick up a

146book and step out of their shoes and into the shoes of the characters. For those of you that are avid readers, you know what a luxury it is to find a good book and to be a reader. I believe we should let our English teachers and librarians do the jobs that they are trained for. They are in the classrooms with our students five days a week. They know the conversations they are having. They know the content that they are interested in that will keep the students from turn or that will keep the students turning the pages. These were wonderful books about diverse characters with different experiences from a Native American boy in a futuristic society where they're just trying to keep their culture alive. There is another book about two black students that want to

147do better and not be stuck in their town full of kids that are making the wrong choices. One is a writer, one is a runner, and they're doing everything they can to get themselves to college. They are they are inspirational stories and I would much rather see my children wanting to read a few more pages than fighting with them about only being focused on their screens. This teacher has chosen books that our kids will enjoy and I believe the hope is that it begins that their love of reading begins there. Reading books leads to conversations and discussions. Being in a classroom environment is a great place to learn how to do that. When we stop trusting our teachers and begin to censor them, it becomes a slippery slope and our students are the only ones

148that lose out. Um I will also add I know that you um Mr. James Clark. >> Yeah. >> Um you said by not allowing the students to read these books that it is not a ban. That's is what a ban is. you are not allowing these students to read it in the classroom, therefore banning the books in the classroom. So, I disagree with you. I think that it is great that they have different choices to read. You as a parent, you as a parent, too, if you don't agree with the book, you do have the choice to say to go through the books with your children, your 10th grader and your eighth grader, and you can say these books are not allowed. and then you could have that conversation with your family. And I think

149that that is a great opportunity. Um, but to not allow other families to have those conversations and choose for their children. Um, I did not know that school board members had that um power and that is disappointing to me. Um, let's see. The the substitute teacher that said you were number one substitute teacher He said, "I will say I do agree with him and I know that I don't have a big voice in the community, but um I'm shaky. I don't I don't speak well in public. I think that it is a great suggestion to have all five school board members here to vote as they were voted in by the community. And I think with something big like this where there are so many people that agree with it and some people that don't

150agree with it, I think it would be great to have all five members up there. Thank you for your time. >> All right. And Michael Moore finish. We decided to sit down next time. >> Uh first off, I just want to thank everybody and the board and um the uh IMC um for uh getting a a topic that finally brings my son to a school. Thank you very much. I asked him if this was his first one and he politely reminded me that I used to drag him to these things all the time when he was younger. So, thank you. Nice job, Kev. I'm proud of you for being here for uh speaking your mind. You should always feel uh comfortable in doing that. So, nice job. Um I want to maybe offer a couple

151different perspectives to the board. Uh so, obviously, uh instructional materials controversial topic. Um I do agree that we should have I was surprised not to see um the other two board members here. So I'm just in agreement. I really enjoy hearing what they have to say and so I would strongly advocate um for holding off on any vote um or further discussion from the board until they're here. I just think it's embarrassing to community um and because of um the nature of this particular topic and so um I'm glad that Squber brought that up and is uh reinforced. Um want to offer a couple of different um uh just a couple of different uh thoughts on this. Um so I I'll start um by reminding the board um uh Mr. Kartar, Mr. 80 uh Mr.

152Wott uh who's not here, but I I did talk to him about this last Thursday. Um you guys were were uh with a couple other past board members back in February 2024. Um this is when the state legislature was passing uh law or about to enact law um that was regarding instructional materials and there was um some discussion and debate um about having local control. So my first question u for the three of of you that voted in favor of a resolution uh regarding that to make a statement to other districts in the area in the community in the uh in the state and and to the OSPI. Um what what was the intention of that? What was the intention of that resolution? Uh, was it so that you yourself could have a vote for

153your own moral beliefs? Um, you know, I know they're strong. I'm not questioning that. Um, or was it so that you could represent our local community, our local educators, our local administrators, our local parents? Um, I I would really like to know. Um, I am in favor of having the people in this room have a say. And Mr. Kepler, just, you know, so that you guys when when I hear you, the the method for this is is not perfect. We're never going to have a perfect method for board meeting. You've brought it up in the past, uh, Mr. Keart. uh you know, but I will say that during the debate, it's hard for me to sit back and listen knowing that my son, who um has really been debating whether or not to speak for

154two weeks since the last board meeting, um has to hear you say that you've already made up your mind, that you're no vote. So, just something that personally I do take exception to. Um if my son's going to come up here and speak, I I would appreciate you having an open mind to hear. Um, and I think that's fair. I I don't And you know, I I just as if I were in your shoes, I would probably u in the future try to um approach these that way to and that's to the entire board. um the resolution uh that that you made again um you know Steve Walcott brought up the fact that and I I can paraphrase and I I I tal I I mentioned it to him but you know cracks him up

155during the meeting. He he brought up the fact that it cracks them up when we think we have a vote but we really don't. And so I I I found a just a tremendous amount of irony in that statement. Um you know Mr. Kart you in the previous two uh discussions regarding instructional materials uh you brought up kind of how the instructional materials committee didn't h maybe you were you know there were some absentes and then you know like getting some more members and things like that and so my question is how do you expect people to want to be engaged if we don't listen to them or support them? Um, a unanimous decision is pretty strong. Uh, in my mind, I'm not going to question I I didn't read these books. I, you know,

156I I kind of honestly I I tend to uh agree with uh Mrs. Borton about some of this stuff because I don't bring, you know, my kids. I joke around with them. I'm like, you can go through my phone and read all my text messages. I don't swear or anything like that. I mean, it's just, you know, it's pretty vanilla. I work in construction, though, and that is what it is. But I don't bring it inside the house. So, uh, and those of you who know me know that. But, um, >> talking about if you haven't read the books. >> Well, I'm just >> Just saying. Now, you know, >> I'm not debating you though. I'm just speaking to the board. So, that's I'm just >> speaking to the board. So, same way. >> I

157do. >> Okay. Um, so I'll get back to what else trying to articulate. Um so uh but I I do feel that um there should be um value in the community in the stakeholders in the um the uh students the the the teachers the administrators that are on that committee. So that's the first stuff. One other thing um and this may get um you know uh little sentimental, but um back in October of 2024, uh a a person named Cindy McCullen came and gave a presentation to the board. I think it was 24, maybe 25, but I I went back through that and watched because I remember something that was said and uh at the end and it was um how do you advocate from the heart? You know, I can't remember I think it

158was maybe you, Mr. Keepart that asked that, you know, and I'm guessing that it's these situations that you asked that question for. You know, you obviously feel very strongly about this, but um you know, there's obviously differing views and so I'll advocate um on behalf of my son who spoke here today. Uh you know, this was surprising um for me to see him get up here. um second surprise that we've had in the last couple months. Um >> he did a great job. >> Thank you. Uh but uh I I got back from the board meeting last couple weeks ago and I asked him, you know, if he had had Mr. Mr. Crannle and you know, he lit up and oh, Mr. Crannle, you know, yeah. Um, so it led to, you know, I I

159told him they were reviewing some materials and um I asked him if he could meet with or he I said, you know, you should go talk to him and I I asked u maybe to see if he would share his paper and because I I was really curious on what he provided and and so uh he he uh he uh talked to Mr. Crannle and and uh you know gave I was able to read Mr. Cranles's paper and you know as as I read through it um again you know and I okay I I don't I didn't I didn't read the books but the general theme of the um what he was trying to say was that you know in his opinion these books um didn't you know they they weren't focused there was no

160focal point on these they were it was a way for him to reach out and connect with the students and what he felt was his best opportunity to connect to the students. And um it sounded like I mean it was pretty in-depth. I read it a couple times um just to try to absorb it. But uh you know it it was I thought it was I thought it was great. And as I was reading it, I actually was quite embarrassed because um you know up until that time um when when when my wife and I and and when our as a family we found out that my son had been accepted as a student at University of Washington um you know there there was a lot of emotion, a lot of factors and and we

161um kind of looked at you know we were trying to figure out how that how that happened. He's not a 4.0 student. He's not an honoral student. Um we we were quite surprised. We had already planned on his second school. Um and at the admittance day, the dean of admissions started talking about how everybody at Hecked belongs and there's a reason why that out of the 77,000 applicants, 7,300 of you were selected. and he was talking about his essay or the the essays and the character of the students who they were and how they value those over GPA test scores and you know and that's where in in kind of reading Mr. handles paper. I I was embarrassed because up until that night, um I I I thought a lot of validation as a parent

162because I knew what my son wrote that paper on. And um it was supposed to be about his hardships, 600 words or 650 or something. Man, I I'm sorry, but you know, we my son doesn't have a lot of hardships as other kids, you know, and um so we talked about it and he wrote on who he was and if that was good enough for them, then that's great. Um as I read through Mr.'s uh statement, I started to see some of those come out. Um I read back through that essay and it was pretty powerful. And um I was just embarrassed that I didn't give credit to the teachers that helped him set himself apart, not just 10%. But if you factor in GPA and a whole lot of other things, maybe even in

163the top, I don't know. But what I do know is somehow in 600 words, he was able to tell a group of people who he was and they believed in him enough to give him a chance. I did take the time and all Mr. Cran asked for at the last board meeting was an opportunity to talk to the board members. I don't know who all talked to him. It sounds like Mr. He did. But I wanted to talk to him and tell him thank you and I was embarrassed because he is an amazing teacher and I know that from personal experience and I'm sorry I didn't have time to read the books and speak about that but this has more to do I believe with a much broader picture is having trust in our educators

164is having trust in our administration is having trust in people and I want you to fight for local control to have trust in people like Mr. Cran. And it's the the hard path and and like you like like you said, how do you advocate from the heart? And it's really hard to go out to your constituents and explain to them which is the hard path and say, "I I don't agree with this stuff. I don't agree with the language. I don't agree with blasphemy. I do not agree with this stuff. However, I have trust in our employees and our educators who are the most important assets of our district. They are we start losing people like Mr. Kandle, we are in trouble. And this is exactly how it starts. And I feel very strongly about

165that. that outweighs a lot. And you know, these are difficult choices. And I do understand your elected officials and you you do have a say. That's a heavy burden to bear. Sometimes it's not always the the easiest path isn't always the way, you know, and I'll tell you what, my son is a perfect example of that. Okay. >> Thank you. All right, moving on to action items. >> Action items. We have multiple action items on the agenda tonight. >> Excuse me. >> Did you say >> I'm sorry? I was going off the list. Peter, I'm sorry. >> Would you allow me to speak? >> Be fine. Go ahead. >> Good evening. Uh some of the comments and thanks Mike. I appreciate that. Thanks for your son. uh being inspired. I would say that if you're

166not satisfied with the school board, you have an opportunity to have a vote and that's where your representation comes into place. And I want to speak for Mr. Walcott or Mr. uh Keepart regarding the proclamation that they made and what have you. I think what they were talking about is in general that we as a community don't want to lose our local control and our vote is in schoolboard members. So ultimately if we're dissatisfied or satisfied that's where we make our move. That's where we have to say. So we always have our formal representation. I will say that I think our state has severely limited by their laws what we can say and I think a lot of you can relate to that. Um I'm not here to say yay or nay on the books.

167I've read two or three um that I don't think really matters here. I uh I want to uh compliment uh uh Mr. Krenle. Uh I've got your treatis here and um I did attend the IMC meeting uh as an observer for the first time that was allowed. I appreciate that Dr. Finch. Um I really enjoyed your statement uh quoting uh Justice Per Stewart when he talked about obscenity. It's kind of like I know it when I see it. And I think ultimately when it comes to these books, uh, it's kind of like stake. Some of us like it medium rare, some like it medium. Two people can read the book and draw different conclusions. And that's where I think part of the rug is in this particular case. I don't think Mr. Grout I think

168he has all the good intentions of the world of teaching students and that there's some folks that disagree that, you know, that's that's kind of their view. And ultimately what I was concerned about what I wrote read in here is a section and I think uh Mike Morris has touched on a little bit is the communication and the trust factor and it sounds like from the earlier dialogue that there has been some communication and I I think that's what's needed. Um so I hope that continues and I would echo a couple of speakers spoke about it. I I would like to hear though the schoolboard members. So I recommend that you postpone postpone excuse me. Um and so you don't have a chance chance to hear that. Um I don't think the acceptance of these

169two books is it's a first world problem. Frankly, it doesn't mean that some group is going to be marginalized. There are hundreds upon hundreds of books that are out there. So, if the school board decides to vote no to these books, and by the way, it's not banning books, as it's been already said. You can order it from Amazon. However, maybe the people who disagree, cuz I don't know how the vote's going to turn out, and the people who want this book could get together and say, "Hey, what did Mr. Kramer ask for? He's looking for a book that has complex characters and approximately doesn't want a super long novel cuz he's you've articulated that that is tough and with all the brain power that's in this room and other folks maybe you can find

170a few other books. So, as Michael Bourne, your son had mentioned, he liked the idea that he have options as long as a teacher allows options and whether it's through Google Classroom or notification. Uh, I have a son who graduated, I have a son in the ninth grade, we do receive notices from teachers that say, "Hey, by the way, we're doing something. You might find these objectionable, letting you know, as long as that communication's out there." I think that's really uh key. So, what I'm really interested in is the process. cuz I don't like people talking about oh there's a 150 vote. I've been following the IMC for the last four or five years. I've been in regular discussions with Dr. Finch and to a lesser extent Miss Drake about this and I think I

171don't want to speak on behalf of any school board member. I'm talking about myself as a parent and a community member. I think the committee lacks credibility. I interviewed eight people on a committee last year and there's two people who came forward who actually read the books and two of them are in this room. I also heard from administrators and teachers who said flat out, I didn't read the material. I just reviewed it. I reviewed some online. If you want the committee to have credibility, you have to read the material. There's a number of people I was talking to Natalie about this that want to be on that committee and they haven't chosen and that's that's just a darn shame. If you want to have credibility, you should be able to stand forth and during

172that committee there was only two substantial questions that were asked during that time. I would have thought if people read the material there would have been more Q&A going on during that time. Somebody else referenced it earlier. So for me at speaking on behalf of what Mr. Crown wrote trust I'm not talking I'm just talking about for me personally the committee has lacked credibility over the years and I think that can change. I think it could change it has improved. There's been another a number of things that Dr. Finch has implemented and I think we've made some really good progress. I love that it's transparent and you can attend in person and you don't have to wait for a video because you actually can see the verbal and non-verbal communication that's going on. So, I

173know you care and I appreciate it and thank you for writing this. And another thing that Mr. Cran put in there, he talked about recommendations on the criteria. I totally agree. Now, keep in mind your quote, it's still subjective. So you can talk about gratuitous um world of language somebody's idea in the case of or hear it once is gratuitous or maybe me 20 but you see what I'm saying. So I think there can be improvements that are made to the form. I like the idea that the form is going to be expanded. Miss Drake brought it up at the last meeting. So there's not just one sentence or two sentences for those of you who have seen the material that describes the book, but there's actually there's more material there. So the people that

174are on a committee, they're not there to hear a sentence or two that summarize a story. They're to hear why the teacher is making a compelling case and they can assess it more effectively so their recommendation is more meaningful. So, I'm about the process and the integrity, the fidelity of it. >> There you go, school board. Thank you. >> Thank you, >> Board. As we have several action items, some of them are on the level where we may want to talk about them. So, I want to just go through them one by one. Um, approval of travel requests. Unless there are any questions or discussion, I'd accept a motion to approve the travel requests. I'll make a motion to approve the travel request. >> All those in favor say I. >> I. All oppose. Same

175sign. Motion carries. 30. Action item two, approval of policy addition, revision, first reading. We have eight different policies that we are looking at tonight. Policy number 21106 2140 32104315-541-543 546513. Uh there are several there. Are there any questions or discussions that we need to pull out for this first reading? >> No. >> Okay. Hearing none of push back, I'll make a motion to approve all eight policy additions and revisions for the first reading. All those in favor say I. I >> I all oppose same sign. Motion carries 30. Action item three, approval of instructional materials. I've heard several times tonight that there's a desire to postpone >> before postponing. >> Yeah, we can absolutely postpone. Let's postpone until the next schoolboard meeting, which is June 6. Action item four, approval of bus purchases, three buses.

176Uh, any discussion or clarification needed for these items? >> I I just I I thought it was good. I appreciate uh Mrs. Schmidt and um I think I think these were cheaper than the ones we got last year, which is kind of remarkable. So, uh I'm Yeah, I thought she did a great job on >> Yeah. >> Awesome. Anyone willing to make a motion to accept the approval of purchasing three new school buses through Bryson as a vendor? >> I'll make a motion to approve the purchase. >> Thank you, Mr. Kappar. All those in favor say I. I. All oppose. Same sign. Motion carries. 30 items arising. >> I It's really late. Um but I just want to acknowledge all the people that are here. And oftentimes we have board meetings where there's like two

177or three people here. So, I know it's way past everybody's bedtime, especially high school teachers that have to be here early tomorrow morning. So, um I just want to say thank you for taking the time to all the community members, too, for being here and sitting through this. It's really important. Um we really value hearing all of your opinions, even whether we disagree with them or not. It's really valuable. >> Um and all the students that spoke did an amazing job and really just shows the, you know, the the strength of our teachers that are guiding them and teaching them. And so kudos to all the teachers. >> So I >> I thought all the German students that had gone through were very well spoken. >> Um and and the the languages that they've learned

178really I think contributed to >> Yeah. Thank you. >> We have some school reports. >> Any questions on the reports? We had the all the administrators really appreciate the detail they give about the school improvement plans and then uh recognition of staff and students. I really appreciate that format and I I find them very informative. Enrollment reports. Enrollment uh is still looking good for the school year. We have the safety reports and travel logs. So that completes those reports. >> Excellent. And superintendent report. >> Superintendent report was just a followup from our last uh board meeting that we had at the innovation center. It just shows uh all the other expenditures we've had for the mid-level campus and the high school. So just want to assure the board that we are um supporting all programs

179for career and technical education. Uh the state funds CTE for grades 7 through 12. And so we have expenditures at the middle school, at the innovation center, and the high school. And you can see that uh there's there's lots of materials that are supporting all of our schools. >> Excellent. Any board reports for development? Okay. The time is 9:28 and I will call this business meeting adjourned. >> Thank you. >> Don't forget to sign before signatures here.