001All right, the time is now 6 PM and I would like to welcome you to this meeting of the Granite Falls School Board. Thank you for braving the tornadoes to be out here today. Um, I would invite you all to please stand for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Going to hand the mic over to our superintendent, Dana Gizland, for the land acknowledgement. Thank you, Director Concaid. We honor the first peoples of these lands by acknowledging that the area in which we gather is within the traditional territory of the Stilogamish tribe of Indians. The Stilish people have inhabited these lands and waters since time in memorial
002and their descendants have remained in this territory to this day. The Stilgish people have continued to practice the traditional ways of their ancestors of fishing, hunting, and gathering. The still Gish tribe has had these lands and cultural traditions passed on to them by their ancestors who believe that everything has a spirit and that they are the caretakers of these lands and waters. Tonight in attendance we have uh director Gaulner, director Leoo, myself, Director Concincaid, our superintendent, Miss Danny Gizland, and our student rep Lexi. I would like to take a moment um to uh motion that we excuse the absences of Carl and uh Bill. Okay. All in favor? I. All right. Moving on to item number 2 a board comments and reports wa Thank you. Uh I'm typically pretty loud. So, um but no, so
003as far as board comments, I always appreciate these because we get so many people together. There's excitement. We're celebrating students. We're celebrating great educators. Um it's just always a good time for us to get together and remind ourselves of all the hard work that's going on within the schools. And so, it's always great to see everybody's smiling faces. Um and yeah, really looking forward to tonight. And I have no updates for the community report. Um, just to repeat what uh, Director Leoo said, I just wanted to welcome you guys all tonight. This is one of our favorite things to do and it's a lot of fun. It's a lot more fun than a stuffy meeting. So, um, welcome to all of you. So, let's get right on to it. Moving to item number 2A, success
004in education. All right. So, good to see all of you. I'm Dana Gizel, the superintendent of the Granite Falls School District. Um, tonight we have our success in education award winners. All of our students are here and so many so many familiar faces and then also our bridgeuer award winners. And tonight um and then we'll follow with the regular uh the rest of the school board meeting. Tonight, I'd like to start with uh Crossroads and Open Doors High School. Uh Emily Moore, our executive director of teaching and learning, will uh talk about those students. Good evening, everybody. Good evening. Um I'm just hoping that we don't have a crash of lightning while I'm while we're doing this tonight. So, if there is, we'll just keep going. Um it is my pleasure to serve as the
005acting principal at Crossroads High School between now and the rest of the year. and we wish principal uh principal McVey the very very best uh in her time away from the building. Um it is my pleasure to invite uh Tana Carr forward. She is our first success and ed winner. So school board and community I present to you Tana Carr. Come on up sweet pea. Tana is a dedicated and fearless leader who embraces every opportunity with enthusiasm. Though she juggles a demanding schedule, balancing school, clubs, roller derby, you go, girl, and a deep commitment to volunteering. She manages it all with grace and determination. Her quirky humor, boundless talents, and unwavering dedication make her an invaluable asset to ASB, Tiger Cabinet, and her friends. Guided by a strong moral compass and an even stronger heart,
006Tana continually challenges herself and gives selflessly to her community, embodying the true spirit of student success. Please help me present Tana to our school board. Congratulations, Tana. Well done. She's going to go down. One more round of applause, please. Thank you. I would like I'd like to invite over Lexi Shaman. Give her a round of applause. Thank you. Lexi is a driven and passionate leader who thrives in every role she takes on as ASV president, a member of Tiger Cabinet, a school board representative, and an officer in multiple clubs. She is a true force of leadership and dedication. Confident in challenging herself and speaking in front of groups, she leads with purpose and vision. Lexi is deeply committed to her school and her community. Always striving to create a stronger, more connected district. A fearless
007speaker and a loyal friend, Lexi embodies the spirit of student success through her unwavering dedication in ambition. Congratulations, Lexi. One more round of applause. All right, Principal De la Cruz, will you come down for the presentation for Mountain Way Elementary? And while she's coming down, every um everyone who is a winner in success in education, if you could wait till the very end, we'd love to get a picture of all the students in the school board in the front. Okay, we've got our whole team here. Our kinder teacher and I'm representing for the first grade and our second grade teacher. So, we'll have our kinder teacher go first. Um, hi, I'm Susan Burke, Hensley Parish. Please come on down. All right. At Mountain Way, we are Cubs. Cubs stands for cooperation, understanding, bravery, and safety.
008Hensley is a true cub through and through. She embodies cooperation by consistently working well with her peers, always being a reliable and supportive team member. Her understanding nature shines as she is willing willingly helps others once she has completed her own work, offering kindness and encouragement along the way. Hensley also demonstrates bravery by embracing new challenges daily, pushing herself both both emotionally and academically. Above all, she prioritizes safety, ensuring a positive, secure environment for those around her. Her character and dedication make her a valued member of the classroom community. Thank you, Hensley. Okay, so our first grade winner, his name is Ben Golivan, but he got sick today. So, he's home, so we're wishing him get well wishes. Um, but Ben puts 110% effort into his studies. Only a first grader. Ben is completing all
009first grade assignments as well as reading fourth grade non-fiction passages to extend his learning. It is evident he loves school and learning new things. Ben is a friend to everyone and is always willing to help others. Round of applause for Ben. If I could have Kinsley Picket come to the stage. Kinsley is a really phenomenal second grade student. She consistently demonstrates a very strong effort in everything she do. She takes pride in the work that she does. She's genuinely interested in the things we talk about. Uh she asks really interesting questions. She pushes the conversation forward. She's engaged with uh with our learning beyond just what's expected. Hi. Uh she's an excellent friend to her classmates uh helping them grasp concepts under discussion, consoling them when they need consolation, encouraging them to do their best
010and uh and always just setting a really excellent example for us all to follow. So for all these reasons and more, I'm very pleased to present Kinsley Picket with the student success and education award. All right, we will now move on to Monte Cristo Elementary. And tonight, uh, executive director Rachel Cordman is going to be presenting for Monte Cristo. Hi. Um, our principal is out ill also. Thank you. Uh, third grade winner, uh, Violet Blake, would you please come down? This year was Violet's first inschool experience. All year she has been excited to learn, coming to school every day with a positive attitude. Right away, she fit in with the class, quickly learning classroom routines and expectation. Violet's enthusiasm for learning has helped her to show incredible progress throughout the year. From Miss Thor on
011our second I Ready Diagnostic, Violet grew 43 points in reading, meeting and surpassing her end of the year goal. In class, Violet works hard to understand our lessons and regularly participates in class discussion. She is kind to everyone and is an excellent community member, always setting a good example for her peers. I am so proud of the work Violet has done this year, and Miss Thor is excited to see you continue to grow. Violet's favorite subject in school is math. Her favorite books to read are about Snow White. She likes drawing when she is not at school. She doesn't know what she wants to be when she grows up, but likes the idea of working with kids. I'm going to invite Miss Cook up um to share our fourth grade winner. Grayson, you want to
012come on up, buddy? Mom, I'm seriously gonna try not to cry because like this is why I do what I do. Seriously, tell me when I cry. Oh, great. What do I need? I wrote a book. Sorry, guys. I'll try and talk fast. I could write a novel on this kid. All right. Grayson is a shining example of what it means to embody the four pillars of our minor pride expectations: responsible, respectful, safe, and kind. He consistently demonstrates these values in everything he does, setting a positive example for all of his classmates. Whether he is following directions in the classroom, walking through the hallways, or participating at recess, Grayson always upholds the highest standards of behavior, his unwavering commitment to these expectation makes him a role model for his peers and a student that teachers
013can rely on, and I do a lot. One of Grayson's most remarkable qualities is his extraordinary patience in every situation he encounters throughout the school day. He approaches challenges with a calm and thoughtful demeanor, always willing to help others without hesitation. Whether assisting a classmate with their work or offering a reassuring word to someone in need, Grayson's kindness and willingness to support others creates a welcome and inclusive environment. His natural leadership shines as he encourages his peers, making sure that everyone feels valued and included. Hey, high school teachers pay attention. Beyond his strong character, Grayson's enthusiasm for learning sets him apart. He's incredibly smart and he thrives on challenges. He's always eager to expand his knowledge and take on new learning opportunities. His dedication to academic success combined with his positive attitude makes him an
014inspiration to those around him. No matter where he is, classroom, hallway, recess, lunch, or specials, Grayson sets the standard for excellence. His leadership, kindness, and determination make him truly deserving of the success in education award. Now, this is where we had fun. I don't know if he told you what his answers were already. So, Grayson's subject is math. Now, when I asked him what his favorite book to read was, he had to think about it because what would Grayson rather do? Math. He's like, "Well, if I had to read." So, but he's a great reader. Um, he said Big Nate would be the books that he'd want to read. But he'd much rather be solving math problems is what he told me. Exactly. Uh Grayson likes to play baseball, basketball, and soccer. And when he
015grows up, he would like to be a professional baseball player. I'm sure you guys already know this, but here's the picture. If that doesn't work out, he wants to be a professional basketball player. And if that doesn't work out, what did you tell me? Where do you want to work? Yeah. He wants to go work with dad. is what he told me. And I thought that was so sweet. So, and I just want to add that literally Grayson is why I do what I do because every day he reminds me why I love my job. Here you go, buddy. Ender Akreman, are you here? Shoot. I'm gonna go ahead and read it. I had the opportunity to meet him um this afternoon when I was covering at Monristo. Um so Ender Aerman is success in
016um ed for fifth grade. We are proud to announce that Monristo Elementary fifth grade student Ender Aerman has been selected as this month's success and education winner. Ender earned this award because he has been a helpful, responsible, and high performing student who excels in both the classroom and throughout the school. He has especially shown strength in the area of math and loves to solve challenging problems by himself and with others. His positive behavior and can do attitude have earned him accolades in music, PE, and on the playground. Um, from Mr. Men, Ender holds the reputation among the students of staff as being one of the friendliest, dedicated, and most caring students at school. He simply gets along with everyone and helps out whenever asked. He has been a role model and a leader for all.
017Enderman. All right. Now we'll have Mr. Mayor, Granite Falls Middle School. Thank you. Is Miss Stephanie Garcia Valgas here. All right. This is our sixth grade student for success in Ed tonight. Miss Stephanie Garcia. Stephanie embodies the qualities of a dedicated, hardworking student. Her commitment to excellent is evidence in all she does from her academic achievements to her extracurricular involvement. She is not only diligent, excuse me, she's not only a diligent student, but also a leader within her sixth grade class, always ready to lend a helping hand to her classmates and inspire those around her with her positive energy and enthusiasm. Outside the classroom is Stephanie's passion for learning and creativity continues to shine. She loves arts and crafts. She's an active member of our afterchool arts and crafts club where she brings imagination and
018innovation to every project. She is also a member of the afterchool skate club showcasing her adventurous spirit and in her trying new things. Beyond her beyond her school activities, Stephanie enjoys spending time with her family, especially when going on vacations or hiking at the ice caves. Her love for the outdoors and exploring new places reflects her curiosity and appreciation for the world around her. And Stephanie, your dedication, leadership, and enthusiasm make you a shining star at Granite Falls Middle School. Your hard work does not go unn unnoticed. We're all so proud of your accomplishments. Keep striving for your excellence. Keep being a role model and never stop believing in yourself. The future is bright for you. We cannot wait to see that you what all you have to offer. Congratulations on your well-earned success this
019quarter. Thank you. Next is our seventh grader successing ed winner, Miss Molina Newman. Mr. Mayor does not have many seventh grade teacher assistant positions. Um, she is one of the few. uh I cut him down and she is definitely has earned that position. And another lady tonight, the two ladies tonight, Miss Crystal and Miss Jennifer, we love having her first semester as our TA. So, I just want to say um I also told her in front of her parents, he's my favorite Newman because she's the only Newman I have in my building right now. So, uh congratulations to Molina Newman for receiving the seventh grade success in education award for the third quarter. Molina sets such a great example for other students. She's always kind, caring, and considerate of others in all her classes. She
020is on task and exceeds the expectations set in place for her. Molina is a great role model for her peers and shows off our rock standards in a still way. Molina takes each assignment in class very seriously and demonstrates the skills that are being used each and every day. She is thorough in her work completion and certainly stays on top of her grades. Molina can be seen working even when those around her may not be as focused, which is an amazing skill to have. Molina is a bright spot of all of her teachers days. She's always greeting them with a smile and even offering a hug. I rarely see her not smile. She's always smiling. Her hard work and integrity do not go unnoticed. With a great sense of humor, she knows how to bring
021joy in any situation. She's also a talented basketball player who she gets along with her peers and teammates and contributes much to her team. Molina truly deserves this award for her, excuse me, where she is an exemplary student for all those to look up to. With a successful seventh grade year going, we're so excited to see what future holds for this bright, intelligent, fun, young, and academic student. Congratulations, Molina Newman, for winning the seventh grade success award winner. Thank you. Last but not least, our eighth grade award winner, Mr. Jackson Mazil. Yes, he's the tallest student in the building, Jackson Miselle. Um, I actually had the opportunity to meet Jackson when I was a high school principal, uh, assistant principal at high school through his dad and not knowing at the time I would be
022his principal is one of my most proudest moments of him being, uh, me being his principal. getting the opportunity to be his principal. Next year he'll be in ninth grade. So he'll be gone. I'll truly miss him. Um I don't know who can I will pull other than Molina to be as honest as they can be with me and tell me the truth on how things are really going outside of my office. And Jackson Mazelle is that student. So uh Dave knows he's getting somebody that is is a great student, great family. So I'm super proud of him. Granite Falls Middle School is proud to recognize Jackson Miselle as the eighth grade third quarter success education winner. Jackson exemplifies what it means to be a leader, friend, and a positive force within our school. Jackson
023is known for his kindness, hard work, empathy, always going above and beyond to support his peers and teachers. Whether he's ensuring every student feels included in school activities or stepping up as a voice of reason in tough situation situations, Jackson leads with integrity and compassion. He is organized, assertive, and community focused, making him a role model both inside and outside the classroom. Academically, Jackson is meticulous, takes great pride in his work. His dedication to his education and his ability to stay on top of his responsibilities make him stand out. As a student leader, he is well respected for his inclusivity and ability to bring people together. Teachers admire his quick wit, positive attitude, natural instincts, doing for what is right, wickedly awesome sarcasm. Even though on the hardest days Jackson is having in class is
024a reminder why teaching is so rewarding. Jackson's helpful nature doesn't stop in the classroom. When he was a TA, he consistently went the extra mile to make everything sure was everything was taken care of. Even now, he still checks in to see if anything needs to be done. Whether it's organizing materials, helping out wherever he can, he truly embodies our par pride values of opportunity and service. His peers describe him as funny, kind, responsible, outgoing, always looking out for his friends, and slaying all day. He doesn't dwell on the past and is great at planning. Jackson, your leadership, your heart, your dedication make Granite Falls Middle School a better place. Congratulations on well deserved this recognition. Thank you. All right. And now at the one of the biggest state qualifi uh state events that um
025our state has. It's the wrestling state championships. He did fantastic there. Um he has a very cool creative job too. He resells secondhand clothing, which saves thousands of pieces from entering the landfill. Um, he helps coach our middle school wrestlers. He enjoys fishing, wrestling, um, for his outside club and referees youth football games. He's not exactly sure what he wants to do after high school. He's hoping to join a trade union with the emphasis in plumbing or electricity. For the teachers, this award for Joseph comes as no surprise to me. He's a leader, a hard worker. He's dedicated, determined, and any other positive adjective that you can say about Joseph. Since Joseph walked into the doors as the ninth grader, he has been dedicated and has always taken great pride in his academics as well
026as being a student athlete. Joseph is always in a good mood with an infectious joy that spreads throughout his peers in the class. He is an enthusiastic participator in all discussions partly because of his outgoing nature and partly because he has always mastered the material. He works really hard, goes above and beyond on all his assignments and usually has a superior grasp of the subject matter. What his name means? His name means Joseph means God will increase. Usually has very well organized mind. Plus, their expressiveness usually helps them to convince others quickly to follow their lead. So, he's a bully. He's loving, warm-hearted, and understanding. Finds strength even in the hardest situations. Bursting with mental strength and leadership qualities. He's daredevil who always finds something new to try. Service, unselfishness, responsibility, and love for home
027and family. He's a leader brimming with determination to achieve greatness and independence. And from what I know of Joseph, those fit him to the tea. Give it up for Joseph Roberts. Thank you. Let's have Michaela Herb come on up here. Are you kidding me? for the podium. Michaela, another outstanding student. She's a 3.6 GPA in top 25 in her class. She's in chemistry, algebra 2, US history, but her passion lies in the theater and production. She has been in four of our school plays, Charlie Brown, Sense and Sensibility, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and our upcoming play, Pink Panther. Not only was she an actor, but an assistant director. She is an author and an artist. She enjoys working on personal projects. She regularly volunteers at the Evergreen Community College various at various locations. After high
028school, she hopes to publish her books along with selling her art. She is thinking about becoming an art teacher. Her teachers Michaela is always pleasant, polite, and helpful to other students. She puts in extra effort on every assignment just because she appreciates a job well done. She is a shining light in her class. Michaela is a quiet yet profoundly talented theater student whose dedication to her craft speaks volumes. She has an innate gift for performance while she rarely seeks the spotlight outside the stage. Her commitment to perfecting every scene, every line, and every movement is undeniable. Michaela is a natural leader in the theater. She often serves as assistant director and helps others through thought thoughtful feedback and creative approach. Her maturity, dedication, and talents have elevated every production that she has been a part
029of at Granite Falls High School. This spring, you will see her as the serious scientist and professor in the Pink Panther. Her name, you have a receptive nature and may bear burdens for other. You're pragmatic, thorough, strong willed, practical, and sometimes stubborn. You like home and security above all. You are bold, independent, inquisitive, and interested in creativity. You know what you want and why you want it. You are always looking for a chance to do your own thing, be your own person, and to have things done your own way. Your vibrant and active nature draws peoples to the to you making you natural magnets for admirers. Please give it up for Michaela. And our last Thomas Hancock. Come on up here. One more fantastic junior student. His GPA is 3.97. He is number five in
030the class. He's taken AP calculus, AP Psych, physics, along with being a Running Start student. He was on our knowledge bowl team that just recently qualified and competed at the state championships where they finished ninth this year. He's a member of FFA with a desire to be a chapter president. In his spare time, he likes to play guitar and ride horses. Listening to him even back in middle school, um he sings a mean Johnny Cash. Uh he will be competing with his horse at the evergreen fair this year. He will be attending um any and all Boeing and UDub summer camps. As an example of what kind of person TJ is, he attends the Makea-Wish celebration in Seattle on a yearly basis. He wants to attend college at the University of Washington and dual major
031in aerospace and material science and then work for Boeing or another similar aerospace. Thomas's teachers. Thomas is a brilliant kid who loves to learn and be pushed with material. He is not just interested in the grade, but the learning. He drives himself to learn on his own and asks deep follow-up questions. Often wants to allow his fellow students to process and chimes in with the correct statement, question or discussion point that leads to great conversations. Thomas has taken all the college in the high school AP classes offered at Granite Falls High School for history, math, and science. As a junior, he has a great attention to detail and is very observant, patient, and rarely makes the same mistake twice. I'm really excited to see how Thomas will change the world for the better. His me
032Thomas a twin or the twin. Don't know why that is. I don't think you have a twin, do you? No. You are sensitive, affectionate, imaginative, and cooperative. You can keep secrets and are a good diplomat, prone to self-sacrifice, dependable, very downto-earth, and well-grounded. Your prime desire is to build protected and secure environment at home and at work. At times you may appear also to be stubborn and overly critical to others, but your practical approach to life and productivity makes you one of the most beneficient members of the community. Please give it up for Thomas Hancock. Mr. Mayor, will you come on up here for a minute, please? So, four years ago, um we had two new administrators come to the high school and um Mr. Mayor was one of them and the the other person,
033uh Mr. Nisley. And um unfortunately, this is Mr. Nisley's last year here in the district. He is moving to Florida. Um, I know there was a lot of talk on social media what he was doing, where he was doing it, but he's moving to Florida. He's following his passion um as an ROC instructor in Florida. Um, he has led this school. Um, his name actually, and I looked it up. Uh, Molly, everything falls. Um, his name exudes strength, responsibility, and kindness. and in watching his leadership, that's pretty much what I have noticed over the last two years. I'm super thankful um that I have had the opportunity to work with him um work around him for two years. He's taught me a lot. Um and I just want everybody to really recognize Mr. Nisley for
034leading the school, this high school for the past four years. Please give a round of applause. Um, I just want to say thank you for bringing me here. Uh, a lot of people I I've been giving him a hard time the last month. I mean, you should have seen him at dinner the other night. I was he was sweating bullets because I was not pulling the punches about uh him leaving. And uh you know cuz I I figured he was going to be here for a while and a while is four years and I know that his purpose and his passion is where he's going. And that's it makes me sad because that's my friend that's uh a leader. He's like my big brother. So anytime I struggle with um helping kids in our community,
035I call him first. So yeah, I'm I'm a little sad. Um, I'm happy that I'm staying here because I've gotten calls and say, "Are you going to the high school or are you leaving?" And I'm like, "No, I'm I'm here. I I love this place. This is my purpose for for the kids." And I I'm just sad because that's my best friend. So, um, I I'mma keep giving it to him until he leaves. I'mma give it to him on the phone and and my family is upset at him. And, you know, but he he did this place right when we got here. It was middle of a pandemic and we couldn't even see faces and we didn't know faces. We didn't know anybody's name. We didn't even know how to get to town. And now
036he can walk through town and everybody know him. And all the kids really, they say they don't love him, but they do because I seen it last Friday when I was here and they was like, "Mr. Nisley, Mr. Nisley, Mr. Nisley." And you know that's love and it's hard love, but you did a great job here. So I want to say thank you, John, for being here. Um, and congrats. All right. Thank you. Thank you, John. Also, um, when someone tells you that they're leaving to take their dream job, you you you're happy for them. You wish them the best, and you can't wait to hear how it goes. So, we know you're going to do great things in Florida, and so we wish you the the absolute best. I would like right now for
037all of the uh success and education winners to come up front because we'd love to get a picture of you all. And Paris, if you could take that, maybe Emily, too. And board, if you could join them down there, that would be fantastic. Would it help us? Just put together more One more round of applause for our success and ed winners. All right, we will move on to our bridgeuer award winners and then we'll take a short recess and um everyone can take pictures and those kind of things. Then we'll resume with the regular um the regular programming. So our bridgeuer award, it's an absolute pleasure to uh to welcome you to our bridge builder award ceremony tonight. The Bridgebuilder Award recognizes recognizes outstanding Granite Falls School District staff members, both certificated and classified, who
038excel in creating strong, meaningful relationships with our students. These relationships are truly foundational in helping students thrive. Tonight, we're thrilled to announce that we had 52 exceptional staff members nominated for this award. A special shout out goes to one of our winners tonight. Um, Tana Carr, who Emily talked a little bit about, talked to me at Tiger Cabinet. And Tiger Cabinet is about 55 students who um applied and they meet with um district leadership maybe like every month and a half or so and give us feedback on what's working, what's not working, some things that we could do. And Tana had um the incredible idea to put up um little posters with QR codes. And those QR codes allowed for more people to easily access the nomination forms. And we had more student nominations this
039time than we've ever had. um when we've done the bridge builder. So, thank you Tana for that. So, all of our nominees uh tonight are listed over there on the screen and I want to congratulate all of them. The decision um from the team is always really difficult. Um there are powerful sentiments from everyone um about everybody on that screen. Each nomination was thoughtful, heartfelt, and clearly demonstrated the incredible impact our staff members have on students. As you can imagine, selecting winners from such an outstanding group was challenging. Every nominee is truly deserving of the recognition. You can see that full list of nominees displayed on the screen. Let's give them all one more round of applause. Now, on to our winners. This evening, we'll be recognizing four remarkable staff. Two from classified, two from
040certificated. Each of our winners will be be presented with a beautiful award crafted right here at Granite Falls Middle School in our own wood shop. Thank you to Josh Van Jensen for the incredible craftsmanship. Additionally, we want to express some our gratitude to Pillchuk Espresso who generously provided each of the winners with $25 gift card. Pchuk Espresso reached out to us to show wanting to show their support which truly highlights the spirit and generosity of the Granite Falls community. Without further ado, I invite our four winners to join me on stage. Crystal Johnson, Trevor Williams, Robin Bar, and Sander Wy. All right. Hello. Little snug up here on stage. All right. Hello, Robin. Come on over here. All right. Our first bridge builder tonight. I have the incredible honor for presenting the first bridgeuer award
041to an individual who exemplifies the very essence of building strong, meaningful relationships with students and families. Crystal Johnson, our beloved secretary at Granite Falls Middle School. Crystal's impact stretches far beyond her official responsibilities. Her daily presence provides our students with stability, warmth, and reassurance. One of our parents beautifully shared, "Crystal is present every day, offering students a friendly reminder, genuine care, and wise advice. Her welcome welcoming smile, approachable approachable n nature create a safe, comfortable environment for students and families alike. Crystal's exceptionally thoughtful in her interactions. She asks insightful questions, respects each student's comfort zone, and patiently awaits their readiness to open up. Her genuine kindness and unwavering support empowers students to trust and confide in her, especially when they need it the most. A touching example of Crystal's profound impact involved the student facing
042a difficult circumstance due to false accusations. Crystal compassionately guided the student, helping him understand the situation clearly and positively, reassuring him of his worth and innocence. Her gentle yet powerful approach not only comforted him, but helped restore his confidence and joy. Crystal, your commitment, empathy, and extraordinary ability to uplift and support our students and their families are deeply valued. You embody what it truly means to be a bridgeuer, connecting with hearts and making our school a better place every single day. It is my absolute pleasure to present the bridgeuilder award to Crystal Johnson. Thank you, Crystal, for all you do. Onto our second bridge builder. I'm honored to present the next bridge builder award to Sandra Wy, one of our amazing school bus drivers. Bus drivers hold an incredibly important role in our school district.
043They are the first friendly face our students see each morning and the last to wish them goodbye each afternoon. Our drivers often form lasting bonds with both families, becoming familiar and trusted figures who watch our students grow from their first nervous day of kindergarten to the proud moment that they graduate. That kind of relationship is genuinely extraordinary. Sandra was nominated by a student who beautifully highlighted her impact, writing, "Sandra is there to always brighten everyone's day." "If it's a bad day, she helps. She's funny. Everyone trusts her. One time I had a rough day and she was there to cheer me up." When asked on the nomination form how Sandra facilitates student growth through relationships, the student simply said, "She does. Period." It truly doesn't get any better than that. Sandra, thank you for being
044the first adult our young people see every morning and the last friendly goodbye each afternoon. Thank you for building the bridges of trust, support, and joy morning and night. We are grateful for your kindness, humor, and the incredible difference you make in our students lives every single day. Congratulations, Sandra Wy Wy, on receiving the Bridgeuilder Award. It is an honor to recognize Trevor Williams as our third recipient of the Bridgebuilder Award this evening. A teacher who genuinely builds meaningful connections and enriches our school community in countless ways. Students share that Mr. Williams asks questions and makes jokes, creating a class classroom atmosphere that is welcoming, engaging, and enjoyable. His unique ability to blend humor with learning makes his class memorable with one student saying stating, "I have definitely learned and remembered more in this class
045than I have in any other history class." Mr. Williams consistently goes the extra mile, patiently helping students take notes, complete their homework, and truly understand the material. Another student thoughtfully expressed, "I could listen to him teach all day. He is thoughtful, interesting, kind, and so professional. Everyone wants to have him for a teacher." Mr. Williams has a special talent for making history come alive, connecting events from the past to contemporary issues in ways that resonate deeply with students. Years after leaving his classroom, students continue to recall and reflect upon the meaningful lessons they learned. One remarked, "Years later, students are still talking about his class and what they learned. If I was a teacher, that's how I would want kids to remember me." Beyond his exemplary teaching, Mr. Williams is a dedicated mentor and leader
046among staff, guiding new teachers and leading professional development and onboarding sessions. His commitment to excellence impacts educators across Granite Falls, enriching countless classrooms and influencing generations of students. Adults eagerly participate in his professional learning sessions because of his engaging style, deep insight, and authentic passion for teaching. How incredibly fortunate our students, our staff, and our entire community are to have such an exemplary educator as Mr. Williams. Congratulations, Trevor Williams, and thank you for building bridges that last a lifetime. And for our last bridge builder of the evening, it is my great honor to present the next bridgeuer award to an extraordinary educator who exemplifies the heart and soul of our Granite Falls community, Robin Bar from Crossroads High School. Robin is someone deeply rooted in the community. She has dedicated years of her life teaching
047here, raised her own family here, and built meaningful connections across our schools and neighborhoods. She has embraced numerous roles and responsibilities, always stretching herself personally and professionally for one clear purpose, to put kids first every day. Students flock to Robin because of the safe haven she creates. They trust her with their academic challenges, their social emotional struggles, and their personal lives, knowing that she will listen without judgment, help without hesitation, and advocate fiercely on their behalf. Her check and connect students rely on her wholeheartedly, recognizing that she is their unwavering supporter. One student story illustrates Robin's profound impact. Over the last three years, Robin stood by a student facing significant challenges with housing and family stability. She has shown them unwavering compassion, connecting them with resources, and ensuring that all teachers know when the student
048needs extra care. She truly is their safe person, creating a space for honesty, trust, and vulnerability. Robin's colleagues speak of her with great respect and affection. She's always there when needed with open arms, a bright smile, and an ability to make every student feel like her own. She often lifts others up with kindness, genuine mentorship, always offering emotionally emotional and academic support. Even after hours, you'll see her van always parked in the parking lot, putting in the extra time quietly and selflessly, never asking for recognition in return. Robin Bar embodies integrity, compassion, and selflessness. She builds bridges every day between students, families, colleagues, and the community, making Granite Falls Schools places where students truly feel seen, heard, and valued. Please join me in honoring this amazing educator and community leader, our Bridgeuilder Award recipient, Robin
049Bart. Then if we could have our bridge builders go behind the bridge builder sign, we'll take a picture of you all. Thank you. One last round of applause for our bridge builders. They're amazing. All right. Thank you so much for being here to celebrate our success in education award winners and our bridge builder award winners and we will turn it over back to director kincade. Thank you. We're going to take um about a five minute recess um before we continue on with our meeting. You guys are welcome to stay um or you can go about your day and enjoy whatever storm we might be having outside. So, thank you all so much for coming and congratulations to all of you. Is it on? It is. It It just doesn't amplify. Oh, okay. We are going
050to continue on with this meeting of the Granite Falls School Board. We're going to go to item number 3A, superintendent report. But first, we're going to watch a video put together by Trudy. Yeah. Yeah. Put it together by our&M. Oh. Put together by our&m students. Presented by Trudy. Yes. So, take it away. Before we before we jump in, this video is um what we'll be showing our principal candidates tomorrow. um our Tiger Cabinet students, um AMM worked with them and they they did a lot of takes and then Trudy and at all combined it all into a a a really a really cool thing that I think that our principal candidates um will really enjoy tomorrow. Sorry, can you see it? Okay. Yeah. I personally really enjoy VOTC. I think it's really fun and a
051good way to incorporate spirit into the community. My favorite tradition at Grand Falls High School is definitely battle of the classes. Favorite tradition at Grand Falls High School is definitely battle of the classes. [Music] because we're a nice small community that's very involved in everything that we do. My favorite thing about the Granite Falls community is how everybody is so friendly and involved. Um I think it's such a tight-knit community. Everyone really knows each other cuz it's a smaller town and it's really a beautiful town, too. There's so many in the mornings the sunrises are unmatched. The sky is very beautiful a lot of the times during the spring months. Uh the it snows a lot too, so it gets really pretty during the winter months. [Music] Granite Falls High School is looking for a
052great new leader. Are you ready? We need a principal that cares about the kids and helps us the best. We're looking for a principal that can inspire us and support us. Could that be you? We want you to be the next principal at Granite Falls High School. We want you to be the next principal of Gran Falls High School. We want you to be the next principal at Granite Falls High School. We want you to be the next principal of Granite Falls High School. We want you to be the next principal at Granite Falls High School. Granite Falls High School is looking for its next great leader. Are you ready to take on that challenge? [Music] Thank you, Mrs. Sullivan. Awesome. So, we will share that with our candidates tomorrow. We're excited uh for a
053long day and an involved day and um we appreciate everyone who's going to be a part of that. It's great production value. Yeah, that was really cool. Thanks, Judy. All right. Um could you make it go ahead? Oh, yeah. Thanks. Can I Hey, Corey. is Corey. Corey like on the actual PowerPoint. Thank you. Anywhere. Thank you, Paris. All right. I wanted to give um my report is pretty uh quick tonight just because we had um a lot of awards and things, but I did want to give you a nutrition services update. So, um, back in the fall, um, we appropriated some funds to a new menu planning and nutrition software. It's called Healthy Pro. It is, um, and I, and I defer to Marshall, too, if he wants to jump in at all. But it,
054it just streamlines everything that we're doing. Removes paper. Um, our our food services supervisor won't have to calculate everything, you know, by hand. It's good for meal planning. It just it is really it's what everybody else is using. Um, it was money well spent. And I think um she actually um let us know that she goes I I literally have stacks of paper because the USDA requires so much paperwork to be turned in and this way it's turned in electronically. And so anything we can do to make things expediated um I think is it's is good is money well spent if you will. Um all of the records are online. The the nutrient analysis um if someone asked for an allergen that's in a specific recipe, it's super easy to pull all of those components.
055So we're excited about it. It's going really well. Lynn's done a ton of the trainings and um we're we're onboarding that. Marshall, anything else on that? Um I think one of the things that they really like is it integrates all the nutritional information and um ensures that we're meeting the the standards for how meals are comprised. Right. So, we're excited about that. The second thing I wanted to give a quick overview on is the school meal debt. Um I have asked Marshall that when the the auditors are back in the district to ask them the question kind of at the bottom but just some statewide context across the state. Um Washington state school meal debt is about 138,000. Um that seems a little low. That's from a report that was done in um an article.
056Uh Granite Falls schools um four out of five school sites offer free meals this year. So they're not incurring any more meal debt. Um Granite Falls High School is the only school that doesn't have free meals. Um, but that has definitely slowed our debt, which is great. We currently have $50,000 um in meal debt, which is a significant amount. So, this is making me think about this number a little bit more up top. Regardless, we'll focus on our our current context. Um, $50,000, um, if we, you know, continue to incur that, it just makes a bigger and bigger hole, and that ends up coming out of the basic fund. Um the outreach efforts that our food services and others have done, weekly phone calls and emails to high school families with meal debt, occasional outreach
057to all families with balances. Um and then some personal calls on on the the large accounts if as we did some analysis it's not um so we have of course we give people free and reduced meal um applications and those kind of things but sometimes it's just a convenience thing and families um you know they just continue to kind of maybe not send in a check or send in um money or whatever. The concern is that we can't continue to incur debt on one side of it and think that you know we're in we're in tight budget times. So, um, Marshall will be talking with the state auditors that they're in the middle of our audit. I I just find it in congruent that we can allow continual debt acral and then not a way
058to hold people accountable because of course we want kids to eat, but there's got to be a happy medium here. So, more to come on that. I believe the auditors will be back in um the week after spring break. Marshall, is that correct? I have a meeting with them on Friday, actually. Perfect. So, we'll we'll talk to them about that and I will wrap back around with you all on that. Okay. Um, student voice. Um, at pretty much every board, I'd like to talk to you just a little bit about student voice. We just heard some and that is linked here so that our directors that are gone tonight can see that. But student voice and the hiring process of Granite Falls High School high school principal position um is a really big deal for
059a district, especially a one high school town. Um we have about a hundred students who gave feedback through the online survey. We had staff and families give feedback as well. Um they shared things that they would love to see um examples of things they think need some immediate attention. Um tomorrow we have eight students I believe um participating as part of the interview team um as part of the um there's a part of the the applicants are going to come and they're going to present. So, there's students on that team and then we have a group that's going to tour um the candidates around the building and then ask them some questions. So, we're excited for our students to have that opportunity to engage with our candidates and I kids are incredibly authentic in their
060feedback. So, I look forward to hearing from them. Um I think that that is it on that. And then lastly, um our upcoming district and community events. Um we have interviews tomorrow. um over 30 staff and students and parents involved in the interviews. Uh spring sports, it is a terrible idea to put spring sport dates on here because quite frankly they change every week with rain outs and hail outs and all of the things. So if you want to know what's going on, like tonight we had uh baseball and softball outback, but um you know, check out the Granite Falls High School uh website and the district website. We'll keep those up to date. Uh SBA testing is coming up just around the corner. Getting ready for that. I know that the teaching and learning
061team um has been doing a great job of working with uh building assessment coordinators to coordinate that. Um Snowomish County candidate filing week if you are interested in running for any political position not just school board but that is the beginning of May. So make sure if you are up for reelection that um you turn that in. And then I want to put this on your calendar and I know Paris um put on many of our calendars and we will continue to do that. There's lots of graduation events um that come up in the spring. Um but the the two graduation ceremonies um June 5th and June 6th, which is Crossroads and Granite Falls High School. I want to make sure you secure those nights. And you need to Paris is going to love me
062for this. She's she's going to be like, "Thank you. Please get her um what gown you need and your you know height and all of those things." You're welcome. So um so that she can get those ordered because that Justin's order has to get in really early. Any questions on the kind of district and community events and things coming? You already got that information, right? Yeah, I thought so. Yeah, she was on top of it long time ago. Good, good, good. All right, that's it. Awesome. All right. Um, that moves us on to item number 4A, new business, which is the first reading to amend policy 1250, students on governing boards. Dana, can you explain a little bit? Absolutely. So um we looked hardily into this policy um in talking with our students on Tiger
063Cabinet. More students wanted the opportunity to be advisers to the board and um it's not it's right now it's the the student adviserss are they come to the board as a um an election process they per our board policy it's the vice presidents of each of the ASBs and those students would be invited to still apply and do that but this will allow a few more students to be actively involved. Um we used some WASTA policy. We also used a few other districts um policies. It allows again more students to be involved. It allows an application process and it doesn't limit it to only students who are actively an ASB officer. So um they will apply and um it'll we'll go through the process and we'll review those and then um select students. There would
064be a few more up here which I think would be great because students can't always make every meeting and I know Lexi's down there. can't see your button. Um, but it's nice to have if there's two or three. Um, and then really giving some meaningful input. Um, last Friday I talked to uh the chairperson for the board of education in Washington state and their student adviserss are actually uh voting members, not just advisory members. And he said that's we're trying to start the trend in Washington state. He said um at first we were kind of like oh they're just an advisory and then we're like nope we're going to set the stage for our districts and we hope that they follow at some point. So, that's something I think that we should talk about and
065consider. Any discussion? Uh, just I know this is the first reading, so we'll go through a second read, but um is seven actually six or is there something to be added at six? I think seven's actually six. Okay, that looks like a six out. Yeah. Yeah. Okay, no worries. Yeah, I just wanted to make sure that um No, outside of that. And we added the procedure here just for the board to look at. Of course, you don't have to um pass it. I just wanted you to be aware of of what we're what we'll have in procedure as well. I really like that um they can start at 9th grade and reapply cuz I think for me being on here, you know, every year it's new ones and it's nice to have someone stick around
066that you can build a relationship with and and get to know and they can get to know us and bring that back to their fellow students. So, I kind of like that a lot. I do too. and the like the training that you could do in the onboarding and then they could be back the next year contribute and then you have multiple grade levels that are um represented. Yeah, absolutely. Great. Uh I'll make a motion that we accept the first reading to amend policy 1250 students on governing boards. Motion has been made. Is there a second? Second. All right. All in favor? I I That moves us to items from the floor. Do we have any? Nope. Okay. That moves us on to the consent agenda. Um, are there any additions to the consent that
067weren't in there? Okay. Um, is there any discussion? All right. So, with that passes with unanimous consent and the time is now uh hold on 7:20. Thank you. That concludes our meeting of the Granite Falls School Boards.