Shelton School Board June 9, 2026

001All right, it's six o'clock. Let's uh start the meeting. Let's go ahead and 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. Okay. So, everybody had a chance to look at the agenda. >> Yes. I move that we approve tonight's agenda. >> And I second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> And we have an agenda. First up is superintendent report. Mr. Jesse. >> Thank you, board president Wheelander, other board directors, community members, staff, and students. Uh this past week we had high school graduation ceremonies. I think it's a real glimpse um into the impact that we uh for so many lives uh and just another

002proponent for why we have public education. I do want to just take a moment to to say that uh it was really nice to shake some hands and really hear some of the stories uh the individual stories for some of our students um who have passed through our system. Um many of them have overcome a number of obstacles on their journey and there were a lot of uh students who were very grateful for a lot of their experiences that they've had here. Uh not only just obviously in their senior year but along along the way. Uh I will make my public service announcement. Please if you are uh celebrating celebrate responsibly. We most certainly don't want any incidents this time of year. Uh I today was over at uh MS. Um fifth graders were sharing

003their book recommendations. It was an amazing opportunity to get up close, hear the students about what some of their favorite books were. Uh they were able to share uh their five-star rating system. So some of them uh selected books all the way earlier in their childhood. Um some more recently. It was great to hear what they're up to, including their summer plans. So, thank you to those students and thank you to the staff who uh were there for that. And then um also just want to take a moment to uh kind of a reflection for this school year uh to thank all of the folks um that are listening about the levy. The levy, passing that levy was extremely important um without passing a levy I think at a really pretty historical level of 62%

004given what the passage rates are for the levy these days. uh so that we can continue to do the things that we do. So, thank you for all the community members that inputed, the staff, of course, students. We had so many students um line up there. Of course, the board um with that. So, with that, enjoy your summer. Thank you. Okay, on to community comments. Uh as part of the regular school board meeting, the board welcomes community members to make public comments in person and or by phone. soon as conditions allow. Please see the full script with call-in instructions and guidelines for community comments displayed on the screen above. First up will be Sydney Evans. Hi, my name is Sydney Evans. I'm a mother with two children in the Shelton School District and I also

005attended Shelton schools. As we wrap up the current school year and prepare for the next, I want to take some time today to advocate for and encourage the expansion of our music and arts programs. My daughter Rehea is in the seventh grade. When she started at MS in the fifth grade, she was very excited to join band only to find that it was only available to sixth graders that year. Then in sixth grade, she learned that band had been cut completely. This school year has been challenging and difficult, and band has been her saving grace. It's been amazing to watch my daughter's confidence grow as her musical abilities flourish. I can't imagine where she would be at had she had access to these programs two years ago. Bordeaux Elementary did not have a music teacher

006this year, and Evergreen, where my son attends, did not have an art teacher. My daughter Rey is not just a musician, but an artist, too. And she had to choose between music and art. Even physical education was reduced to one semester. I feel that these programs should be widely available across the district and included in afterchool extracurriculars. The arts are well known as a haven for all types of people. And it's important to keep in mind that some children with disabilities may not be able to participate in other activities. But above that, what if I told you that an educational curriculum that prioritizes creativity could actually improve test scores and help make kids smarter? We've seen consistent cuts to these programs over the years, many that have never returned since the CO 19 pandemic, and

007we're doing a disservice to our children's education. I believe we can improve this and subsequently make learning more enjoyable for the kids of all ages. With that, I'll leave you with the speech from neurologist Josh Turknit. A 2008 paper by Dr. Robert Bernstein of Michigan State University found that Nobel Prize laurates in science are 22 times more likely than the average scientist to sing, dance, act, or perform in some way, seven times more likely to be a visual artist, and 12 times more likely to write poetry and literature. That seems wrong. How could spending time on something totally unrelated make them so much better at solving problems? For decades, we've built an educational system on the idea that the arcs are extracurricular. A luxury to cut the moment budgets get tight so that we can

008focus on the real work. We treat the arts like dessert, an indulgence you earn after finishing the vegetables of math and science. But what if the craving is a signal? What if kids are drawn to music and theater because that's what a developing brain actually needs? What if we've confused brain food for junk food? We've inherited this puritan instinct. If it feels like work, it must be good for you. If it feels like play, it must be frivolous. But fun does not mean easy. A kid lost in a guitar solo is working harder than a kid grinding through a worksheet. If your brain were a supercomput, asking it to do long >> Thank you, [applause] Reed Lender. Hi. Um, hi. I'm Ray Leander. I'm a student at Oak Bay Junior High and I'm currently enrolled

009in their band uh program. Now, u this entire school year has, like my mom said, been extremely difficult for me. I don't like a few teachers and overall it's a big change from the middle school switching from a number grade system to a letter grade system. But one class uh in particular has helped me like stay strong through the school year. My band teacher, Mr. Sanders, who is actually in the crowd right there, [laughter] um has made um my experience uh through this school year a lot more enjoyable. Honestly, um like compared to past teachers I've had, uh uh some past music teachers, he's definitely helped me grow um musically the most out of any teacher. And um I've just recently learned that um he's being taken down from his position as a band teacher,

010which means that in 8th grade I will not have him as a band teacher. He'll still be teaching um math and stuff, but I mean I it doesn't make sense to me uh exactly why you'd do this and replace him with a different teacher from what I've heard, a health teacher from the Shelton High School. And um it's just sort of an unreasonable thing considering the fact that Mr. Sanders has been teaching his band class for about seven years now. And this sudden change is um like not the most intelligent change to do. He's already, you [laughter] know, he's already teaching um two different subjects as one person, which I mean, in my opinion, is impressive enough. And he's insanely good at uh teaching both. He can play basically every instrument that he teaches. So,

011like having somebody that skilled in music be taken down from a position as a music teacher just doesn't doesn't seem right, I guess. Um, I didn't really bring a script, so I'm going to hesitate a lot during this. I really don't want this change to happen because having another change throughout the year, you know, I just switched teachers from middle school. So, of course, it's going to be like confusing as is, but having another change from a different teacher is overwhelming. And honestly, I just like if I'd like to see this decision be, you know, probably I don't know, just not happen. So, um, I'd like you to consider what I've said and maybe reconsider your decision. [applause] >> Thank you, Nick Sanders. All right, good evening. My name is Nick Sanders and I'm here

012tonight representing 255 members of the Shelton Education Association. In the interest of maintaining a positive working relationship with the district, SEA members have asked me to speak on their behalf because nowhere else in this region have we observed such low trust between the staff and the district. In May, SEA leadership presented a survey that illustrates a climate in which teachers, counselors, and other certificated staff feel overworked, undervalued, and unsupported. These findings along with candid, honest, and anonymous comments were presented to Superintendent Jesse and Tabitha Whiting. Staff morale remains low. The uh the district budget crisis came with a direct cost to the people working here, much like it has for Shelton students themselves. Staff have experienced significant changes. formal reductions in force, non-renewals, resignations, and staff displacement, all while navigating the lasting effects of COVID,

013increased student needs and an everchanging economic landscape. Many educators have also expressed concerns about changes to evaluation practices, and increased levels of oversight that are more punitive than supportive. The impact these changes have had on trust, morale, and employee retention are serious. Whether intended or not, these experiences have shaped staff perceptions and have and we believe there's an opportunity to strengthen the culture through collaboration and partnership in a school district. A collaborative trusting relationship between district leaders, community stakeholders, and staff has an extremely positive impact on students and their ability to learn and thrive. We want to help simultaneously strengthen both the working conditions of Shelton school district employees and the learning conditions of Shelton students. As such, we present to you the areas of strength and opportunities for growth that sea members identified as

014an effort in an effort to strengthen the Shelton school district culture. Superintendent Jesse is committed to Shelton students. SEA members believe that he wants the district to succeed. We appreciate his support in supporting students receiving special education services, improving literacy rates, and ensuring the Shelton levy passed. SEA members con consistently highlight trust, communication, collaboration as areas where staff believe improvement is needed. Open communication, honest collaboration, and a shared understanding of needs with staff as real contributors will help us create trust. Terra Brun will finish the statement. Thank you. >> Thank you. To build an intentional partnership, we need a foundation of trust and collaboration. SEA recommends that the superintendent take three short-term and two long-term action steps intended to strengthen partnership between district leadership and staff. In the short term, be an active educator within

015the district. Consider working as a substitute teacher once or even twice a month. Experience what the staff experiences. Good district leadership stays grounded in the staff and the student experience. Increase transparency and communication to staff. Number three, outwardly commit to driving changes in the district with raw and honest data. In the long term, we'd ask that you collaborate consistently with SEA together within the first four months of the school year. Please communicate district processes, systems, and respective staff roles. Develop a shared leadership model and build systems for ongoing staff feedback and engagement. While doing so, as the elected body that sets the policies, goals, and tone of this district, we ask that you work together alongside SEA and district leadership to develop a plan based on the action steps we've recommended today. We hope to

016see this plan develop over the summer and implemented before the summer summit. This will create the environment that students and staff deserve, an environment where students are challenged and supported, and where educators and staff are respected, valued, and treated with dignity. Educators in Shelton love their community and they care deeply about the students. We remain committed to ensuring that the board and community have an honest understanding of the experiencing ha experiences happening within our schools. Thank you [applause] Cheyenne Anderson. Hi, I'm Cheyenne. Um, I'm not good at public speaking and I'm really nervous. Sorry about that. And I didn't write anything down. Um, I'm here on behalf of my sibling. He goes to uh Oak and he is in Mr. Sanders class and he's come home this year every day almost and had something negative

017to say about his school. My family has been there several times to talk to the counselors and stuff uh because of the stuff he is going through. They're being bullied by other teachers and other staff. The only person he has ever had a good relationship with or anything good to say about is Mr. Sanders. And we feel that he already does an extremely huge amount with the subjects that he teaches, which is more than from my understanding he should be. Sorry, nervous. Um, he also went to school for specifically being a band teacher. To take that away from somebody seems wrong. It seems unfair and unjust. Um, and to then overwork another band teacher who's already doing so much is the same same thing. Um, we just want you to reconsider what you're doing, what

018you're trying to do. We don't agree with it and we really would like Mr. Sanders to stay where he's at. He is very inspirational to a lot of people around here. Obviously, this I've never seen a meeting this full before. I've only been to a couple because I haven't been to many, but this is a large turnout for something that seems very important to everybody here. So, that's all. Thanks. [applause] >> Thank you, Maron Gardner. And Trinity Okay. All right. Hello everybody. My name is Trinity Shut. >> My name is Marin Gardner. and we are co-presidents of the Shelton High School Drama Club. Um, we would like to represent some of the positive experiences that we and other students have had with the performing arts center. First, our band run by Mr. Lawson is a

019huge aspect of every school event, including football, basketball, and our recent graduation. Through their passion and year-round commitment, they create an unparalleled amount of school spirit. They are a constantly growing program with more than 25 new students pro projected to join in the 2026 to 2027 school year. They are the most committed, most passionate people I know. Another important program ran in our performing arts center is our choir. Choir reigns as one of the best introductions to many different types of music education. It is the place where students build confidence as well as a tight-knit community with overwhelming student feedback about the program. One example includes this student who states, "Much like theater and band, it is a way to express ourselves and be able to show our talent. It is a place people go

020to be themselves and give them opportunities to voice their opinions. It is a loving environment that everyone should have the option to experience. The dedicated members of choir may be working the hardest to revive the choir program as well as working for the sake of the other pack programs. Our performing arts center also holds our stage craft class and after school club. This class fosters many different technical specialtities including how to work our soundboard light systems and a huge amount of innovative tools to problem solve using hard skills. These skills are applicable to a wide range of post high school careers with multiple notable stage craft leaders going on to work in their specialized fields. Our theater program run by Miss Lawson and Miss Devon are a huge confidence booster for our students. We are

021open and welcoming no matter the experience level which causes us to constantly grow and reach out to other high school theater communities through the recent thespies and thespian festivals which we have won awards in our growing theater community. My gosh has outreached to many of the different people throughout the Shelton community. For me personally, the performing arts is what is enabling me to be here and speak with you all today. Growing up, I had very low self-confidence. But after performing in front of audiences and being given opportunities for leadership roles like the ones I have now, I have found joy in public speaking and developed the confidence to challenge myself inside and outside a classroom. The skills I learned through the performing arts have helped me shape me into the person I am today. and

022I know many other students who share this same exact experience. Performing arts have fundamentally changed how I interact with other people. The confidence I have in myself is only due to the faith that my teachers Joey Seard, Crick, Nick. >> Thank you, [applause] >> Pamela Brewerman. Hello, I'm Pam Bowererman and I have been a taxpaying resident of this school district for 32 years. I've supported every levy and bond without exception. I've trusted this district to do the right thing with my tax dollars until now. A few weeks ago, I attended a music concert at the high school and I was very disturbed to find out that the music and theater programs are being threatened with additional budget cuts. A fundamental human need is to belong. A student fulfills this need by being on a team

023in music, theater, in a club. If you cut these programs or make them largely inaccessible, those students still need to belong to something. And that something may not be a positive influence, such as gangs and drugs. Music and art are lifesaving for some kids. And I mean literally life-saving. Yet, I fear this district views these programs as expendable, which I find unacceptable. is the obligation of the school district to meet the needs of each child, allowing them to shine and giving them opportunities to learn and grow their talents. Okay. Our students need music as a place for success, expression, and as an outlet to keep them looking up, forward, and away from deep depression or suicide. It's a tragedy that our most fragile citizens, our kids, are given less and less even though the educational

024process due to funding and budgeting that, in my opinion, often prioritizes areas which don't directly impact students. I looked up the school district financial records. 1/8 of this district's budget is dedicated to district-wide support. Many six-f figureure administrative staff received raises from 25 to 75% in the last four years. I don't have the necessary data to make any real informed conclusions on what this means and as a result I encourage the district to explore cuts to administrative expenses and non-teer salaries instead of targeting programs and people who directly impact students. As a 30-year, now retired employee of the state senate and a former high school business teacher, I am very aware of the struggles confronting public education today. I also know how budgets are negotiated and if something is deemed important, it will get funded.

025Music, theater, and other creative arts are crucial programs whose value can't be measured by test scores or trophies, but by something more personal and lifechanging. They aren't expendable and neither are the children who have a passion for them. Thank you so much. [applause] >> Thank you, Molly. Fervor. [applause] Hello, school board. My name is Molly Forvor and I'm a student at Shaun High School. And I wish our district saw how much band means to students, teachers, and others. I've been in band for about two years, and honestly, b has been a big part of my life. But if we do put funding into our bands in all of our schools, we can actually perform on the field like we should be doing at football games and have actual color guards. And it could influence many

026people because the band is as much as a part of our school culture as our football team and other sports. And playing music is a passion a lot of people love in our district. No matter or sorry um being in band isn't easy, but it's fun. We don't put countless hours onto instruments for no reason. Most of us see us using our instruments for our future careers. And I feel like most of you guys do not see a reason to also support the kids who want to be composers, directors, orchestrators, or even make music theireselves. And our funding can go to a variety of things such as color guards, new uniforms, bringing types of ensembles back like jazz or even orchestra to repair broken instruments and to afford new music for our students. In many

027other schools in our district, it's really hard to pursue music, especially in our junior high and middle school. How comes doesn't even have a band or choir? And why does why doesn't OBJ have a choir? Because I feel like all kids deserve and be able to have passion for music no matter what grade. Everyone deserves to have compassion for an instrument or for their voice. Music is actually classified to help improve students mental health and it was a big help of mine. I was struggling to find something that I wanted to pursue and when I joined band was my life. I couldn't have gone better until now. And I want students to see that about band as well. I want others to love band as much as I do. And I see that our work

028pays off. I want to speak for the ones who couldn't be here tonight. That us being kids need more from you guys. We want to be talked about. We want our music to be heard. Is that hard to ask for? But this isn't all about the money. It's also about your presence. Me and our band go to parades to represent our school and spend hours at rehearsal for concerts, but I pay attention and I haven't seen one of you guys come. I would like to see you show up for concerts, too. And Mr. Sanders encouraged me to join band when I was in middle school and when choir was cut. He helped me find an instrument that I loved and I want him to stay as a teacher at OBJ. Thank you, [applause] >> Amelia

029Barabby. Feel free to correct me if I got that wrong. >> [snorts] >> Good evening everybody. My name is Amelia Barabby and I'm an upcoming junior at Shelton High School. Today I'll be talking about the arts in Shelton. Ever since I was younger, I have been interested and inspired by the arts. I have been in band for almost five years and I'm going into my third year at high in the Shelton High School theater and stage craft programs. Not only is the performing arts center at the pack or as I call it my home impacts my life, it also helps my mental health severely. So much has impacted me so much and I have also found family and made lifelong friends because of these programs. Though we are severely underfunded, we do our best to

030put on the best shows for our community. Mr. and Mrs. Lawson along with Joey, Miss Devon, and Mr. Sanders are some of the best people I have met and inspire me every day to do my best. [snorts] These four are the most devoted to the arts and I have met than everybody and so is Mr. Sanders. I beg for you not to take him away from the schools for that. He did I wouldn't be here. I had not started until he had come. Um, as a person who wants to pursue props design professionally, the safety and security of these programs are so important to me. Even though most are against us or our district tries to dissolve us, I am proud of the growth this year we have made alone. This year's stage craft has

031had the most people I have seen and we had a huge cast of over 32 people for Percy Jackson the musical [clears throat] as they have attempted to wait a takeaway choir next year at the high school program I used to be in and I and I attempt to be in next year as well. I have talked to so many students and been told how much they enjoy listening to our band at our football games and at our sports events. Just because some people in this town believe that our sports are more important than our performing arts, we are also important as well. And I am saying this as a person who plays sports. So I implore you to support our programs. please [clears throat] uh at school as much as possible whether that is

032showing up the community donating or even spreading more information and talking about us. Thank you for listening and enjoy your evening. [applause] Kevin Hartley. [applause] Kevin Hartley. >> Hi. I don't think I have time in three minutes, so I'll try to pick and choose here. Uh, whenever a school district faces budget cuts, music is among the first things on the table. And whenever that happens, advocates for music education reach to the same set of justifications. Music improves test scores in math and reading. Music teaches discipline. Music builds teamwork. Music keeps kids out of trouble. These things may be true, but there's a deep problem with each and every one of them. And it's the same problem. They all justify music by pointing to something that isn't music. They treat music as a delivery mechanism for

033outcomes that the culture has already decided matter more. And the moment you do that, you just made music expendable. If a cheaper, more efficient intervention comes along that raises test scores or teaches discipline or builds teamwork, then by your own logic, you should cut the choir and fund that instead. Music is one of the very few things that every human culture in recorded history has produced. Every single one. There are cultures without written language, without the wheel, without agriculture. But there is no culture without music. That alone should tell us something profound. Music isn't a luxury that civilizations add once they've handled the basics. It is one of the basics. It's woven into the fabric of what it means to be human. Uh music may be one of the oldest forms of human communication we

034have. When a when a community cuts music from its schools, it isn't trimming a luxury. It's removing one of the few spaces where young people learn to do something together that isn't competitive, isn't graded on a curve, and isn't primarily cognitive. It's one of the only places in a school where a teenager is asked to feel something and express it honestly. Where a kid who struggles in every academic class might discover they have a gift. A school music program is one of the few remaining things that brings an entire community into the same room. Concerts, musicals, performances. In an era of increasing isolation and fragmentation, these gatherings aren't trivial. They're one of the last forms of shared cultural life that many communities have. The reason levies fail and music programs get cut is not ultimately

035about budgets. It's about a culture that has lost track of what education is for. If education exists only to produce workers, to raise test scores, or improve economic competitiveness, the music will never be safe because music doesn't serve that purpose. >> Thank you, [applause] Serena Stevens. Hello. Inspire, challenge, empower. That's Shelton School District's values, right? It's on the logo. It's everywhere. It's put on everything. Music, arts programs that embraces every single one of those values. Inspires, challenges, and empowers. Due to all these cuts every single year, why is music the one that gets hit the most? Performing arts get hit all the time. It feels like soon all we're going to have left in Shelton are the core subjects and sports and that's it. Where's that leave the other students that aren't athletes, the ones

036who thrive in these schools because of the performing arts? The first time my youngest daughter went to a junior band night when she was in fifth grade at the high school, she came home with tears in her eyes and said, "Mom, I found my people." And I said, "Yeah, you found your people?" And she said, "Yeah, they're a little weird like me." So that's kind of our little joke. These are her weirdos. These are these performing arts, the music kids, and the theater kids. Those are our little weirdos. We need to embrace all of those little weirdos. And I say that with all the love. I hope you guys know that. [laughter] Um [snorts] because of fantastic music teachers like Miss CPPO, who's gone. We cut her. Mr. Mr. Sanders, who we're talking about reassigning,

037Mr. Lawson, who she's had the opportunity to get to work with as well, even in 8th grade, who I hope is still going to be here for her high school. She's going into high school next year. And she's terrified, absolutely terrified that she's not going to be able to have her entire high school career with music and theater because those are her people. Those are so many of these students people and I feel like so often we forget because well the athletes are the ones that look they made the front page right? Well guess what the theater kids did too. It just might not have been as sparkly as oh look the football players. Okay, but let's think about these theater kids and these band kids. Those are the ones who are taking this stuff

038and are going places. I hate to tell you the sports kids like 2% I believe was the statistic actually go on to be professional athletes. But so many of these music and band kids, that is where they're going to thrive. >> [applause] >> Mary Clif. Good evening. I'm Mary Clif and I um taught in Shelton School District for 38 years. I retired a couple years ago. So I'm still here supporting my people. Um I was asked tonight to read something from a parent that couldn't be here. So um I'm going to read the parents quick note and then from the student. My student is enrolled at OBJ and was asked to in his study skills class to write a letter to a teacher that he appreciated and he wrote to Mr. Sanders. Before the letter

039was read, I wanted to tell you about my student in order to add context to his letter. My student deals with extreme anxiety to the point of not talking when he is at school unless required by a teacher. He doesn't even converse with other students outside of class. For him to feel comfortable enough with a teacher to write them a letter of appreciation is a big deal. For him to have a teacher that makes him feel confident enough to perform in front of people is a big deal. And for him to have a class where he feels like he fits is a big deal. Thank you, Melissa Strickland. So, this is now from her son Memphis uh May 21st, to Mr. Sanders. Thank you, Mr. Sanders, for being a great band teacher. When I first

040signed up for band, I thought it would be like permission for military. I couldn't have been more wrong. When I'm in band, I feel very comfortable in that class than any other class. I really hope you'll be the band teacher next year. I have a friend who is going into band next year and he is was looking forward to having you. Just going to let you know that I am totally normal and I talk at home all the time. And did Rocco even tell you he is my cousin? Anyways, thanks for having a big impact on my life. I'm going to miss having a nice band teacher, Memphis. So, and I would like to add um I became a teacher because of my music teachers at Olympia High School. Um I went on to Washington

041State, majored in music, and then went on and um majored in education as well. If it would not have been for those music teachers, I wouldn't be a teacher. So, really think about music impacted my entire life and I'm a great person because of that. Thanks so much, [applause] Kelly Manchester. >> Oh, well, >> it's good to see you. Thank you. Uh, Cararissa Well, uh, Wellsa Wells. Gotcha. Hello, my name is Cararissa Wisec. Some may know me as the unicorn. Um, I'm the social emotional behavioral development teacher at MS. Uh, this is the first time I've had enough energy this whole year to speak at the board meetings. And that being said, today was a whirlwind and I am so exhausted. I'm proud of myself for even being here. My message is simple. Um, the

042EBD world needs more care and consideration from the board and the superintendent. We don't need unannounced visits, only interacting to ask if I have access to the academic curriculum. Um, I'd like to be clear though, I do feel very supported by my admin, but there's only so much that they can do. We need EBD support from the board and superintendent. I'm curious how much you know about the EBD team struggles. Um the little struggles like not getting enough prep or not getting it at all. Um to the bigger struggles like not having time to eat lunch or drink water um or having safe spaces available for every student needs. We say we're inclusive. We need to be inclusive. Um, not to mention what supports are given for being over case load. Um, which is already

043too high to begin with and everything in between. So, I'm here with years of experience to collaborate. That's all. Thank you for your time and I'm looking forward to working with you. [applause] >> Thank you, Matt Hilton. I'm guessing at the name it looks like Matt Hilton MH something. Okay. Lori Chapel that I know I got right. Good evening. I'm Lori Chapel, work at MS. Um, this has been on my heart for a long time and it might seem to some of you kind of weird that it's coming out tonight, but in this room is all so many leaders, our teachers and the board, everybody. And I want to talk about the indigenous perspective of leadership. So in indigenous communities, true leadership is the capacity to recognize, awaken and harmonize the knowledge, energy, wisdom, gifts,

044and competence that already lives within every member of the community. Leaders do not stand above the people as though all strength must come from one person. A true leader stands in the center of the circle, listening deeply, seeing clearly, and helping every relative find the place where their gifts can serve the whole. In our indigenous way, leadership is not domination. Leadership is relationship. Leadership is the sacred art of calling forth the best in each person so that the whole circle becomes stronger, wiser and more unified. Every person carries a gift. Every age, generation, every experience, every family has trans transformed into wisdom, knowledge, and has something to contribute to the building of a community. When people's gifts are not recognized, honored, and given a meaningful place to serve, these gifts begin to scatter. The more

045capable, committed, committed, and visionary members may feel unused, unseen, or held back. Their energy may move away from the circle. They may search elsewhere for a place where their abilities can be respected and put to good use. This is not because they have no loyalty. It's often because the circle has not created a living space for their contribution. This is why wise leadership must be inclusive, consultive, and gift centered. A healthy community does not waste its people. It does not allow jealousy, fear, control or insecurity to block the gifts of others. It understands that the strength of one person belongs to the whole. When one person rises in a good way, the circle rises. When one gift is honored, more gifts come forward. And when one voice is welcomed, others find courage to speak. From

046our indigenous perspective, leadership is like tending the sacred fire. The leader does not create the fire alone. The leader protects the fire, feeds it, watches the wind, and makes sure everyone can gather around it. There are many who bring things to the fire. And because of this, the fire grows because many hands are serving it. Leadership gathers rather than separates, awakens rather than controls, strengthen rather than diminishes, and creates a place where every gift can be used for the good of the community. And this way, the community becomes a living circle of purpose. The community doesn't need to go elsewhere to find their field of work because their community itself has become a sacred field where their energy can root, grow, and bear fruit. In this way, leadership becomes not the power of one but

047the awakening of many. It becomes the path by which we unite our community, restore our relationships, and move together toward the fulfillment of our sac of our sacred responsibilities. And those who know me know that I am a build a a bridge builder. That is an influence probably of Miss Little Sun. >> Thank you. [applause] >> Okay. On to reports and recognitions. Uh 5.01 be the recognition of the 202526 retirees. on the page. >> I got four pages here. Unless I missed one somewhere. >> Nope. I've got check marks by every name of every page I got given. Is there another >> What's your name? >> Lauren Hayes. Am I missing a page? Four pages. I got all four pages. I got all four pages. I promise. >> Was Are we missing a page? >>

048Something on the floor over there somewhere. Rich, could you look for me? Yeah. Um, I guess if we lost a page somewhere, Lauren, come on up. First, I want to say thank you to Mr. Jesse and to the schoolboard for being so supportive of my program this year and to the students who have worked so hard and derived so much joy in their learning and performing. I truly appreciate all the kind words I've received from so many of you. It is a joy and a privilege to work with such wonderful students and to see them grow and take their music music education beyond my classroom as they've gained confidence within my program. When I was hired in Shelton, I was excited to learn the history of devoted music teachers who served our community and the

049opportunities that have been offered to those students. I've heard so many students who have gone on to have music careers as teachers, audio recording specialists and performers, and so many alumni who otherwise still deeply value music in their lives. Today, I want to bring to your attention a growing concern I have for the longevity of the music department, kinder through 12th grade, here in the Shelton School District. Currently, music is not offered at Bordeaux Elementary. No ensembles or continuous music classes are offered at the middle school. The choir program at OBJH was canceled even though 35 students had signed up to take that year-long course. And as Mr. Sanders has been asked to teach other subjects, he has been unable to offer additional music courses that would help grow his program. He has been informed

050he will no longer teach the band program that he has worked so hard to maintain and cause to flourish over the past seven years. At the high school, Mr. Blossom was offered only one band class and one choir class that are offered only one quarter a year. Mr. Rants had retired the previous year and he had five or six bands including a marching band. His program flourished. They won awards and they got to travel. Mr. Nola traditionally had three or four choirs each year and due to the coral offerings being cut, many students left the program altogether not feeling supported in their endeavors. Many parents have come to me over the last few years to express concerns about their students music options being cut and they have felt powerless to make a change. As a

051professional member of this community, I have offered my services to the recent curriculum adoption and to finding new ways to make the program both a place for students to grow and flourish and to contribute to the fulfillment of the basic needs of the school district. It is my hope that going forward we can partner together to find better ways to help the district's kinder through 12th grade music programs succeed. Thank you each individually for your time, your talents, and your commitments to making Shelton a place that gives students an upper hand in their education. To that end, I look forward to working together with you. Thank you. [applause] >> Thank you. >> Now, we'll move on to reports and recognitions. I >> May I speak? I was on the same paper as two other people

052who did. >> I >> Christina Lawson. >> What's your name, ma'am? >> Christina Lawson. I was above Amelia Barbe or sorry. >> Yeah, I called you at some point. >> Oh, I am so sorry. I missed your I missed the announcement. Um, if I may speak. Thank you. >> Go ahead. >> Um, my name is Christina Lawson. I'm the drama director at Shelton High. I'm speaking on behalf of the performing arts center and its programs. I've not been here long, but the two years I have noticed the performing arts programs at the largest high school in this area have been systematically cut down despite growing interests in all of them. Before working at Shelton, I worked as technical director and stage craft teacher in Oakland, California, in the second largest school district in the state.

053Against budget cuts and being laterally moved into core subjects as necessary, my performing arts colleagues and I fought and our program for our students to have access to performing arts classes. I rebuilt a stage craft program for the from a club to two classes and fundraised money to produce a musical for the first time that school had seen in seven years. I was so excited to move to a supportive district only to find that we faced so many of the same fights. When I interviewed for my position here, I was shown and told about the performing arts programs offered here and I was thrilled to be a part joining a community that clearly supported the arts and education. With several job offers, I chose to come to Shelton because I was so impressed that the

054challenges despite facing the challenges of a title one school in a rural area, they supported the arts. I thought if they had all this and a school in the heart of the performing artscentric city of the Bay Area didn't, they must be doing something right. Um, but when I started here, I was faced with we had to cut some due to budget cuts, but we'll help you get those back next year if you have the enrollment. Then, despite passing the levy, choir was cut from year round to one trimester. Theater one and two merged into one class, also cut down to one trimester. Uh, and then broadcasting class gone. Wind ensemble gone, jazz band gone. All these, despite students asking for these programs, our admin asking for these on our these classes on our behalf,

055and yet we still lose courses. I came to this district because I wanted to continue to make a difference to show you don't have to be rich to be a part of the arts. Um, right now only a small portion of our students have access to a community that lets them explore and find their voice and creativity. Um, when asked about why the choir and theater courses were cut stu I was told students seem to be getting their fulfillment from the afterchool program so we don't need it during the day. We but I'm so incredibly proud to be a part of the afterchool program of thesbian troop 831 drama club and stagecraft. We competed for the first time and placed in top two categories make with two students going to nationals in Indiana in just

056a couple weeks. We made over 5K $5,000 in ticket sales in our spring musical. We brought Missoula Children's Theater back to Shelton. We put on a, if I do say so myself, a kick-ass talent show this year. And we couldn't have done this without performing arts classes. They it after school programs are simply not enough. We need to do both. An after school program is a job in itself, but still students need access to both during the school day and after school to not compete with their already full schedules or their other commitments after school. Whether that be jobs, sports, taking care of families. It doesn't have to be one program or the other. It can be both. Please, I come to you as a public school teacher, performing artist, and excited new member. Support

057the art. >> Thank you. [applause and cheering] And your name? >> Hello, my name is Leila. Leila Allen. I am one of Mr. Sanders beginning band students and I go to Oakland Bay Junior High. I'm here to speak for Mr. Sanders position as a band teacher for both seventh and eighth graders. If you know me, I'm not one for school. In fact, I'm gonna be honest and say that this year was not my best year. But I could say that Mr. Sanders and I have a good bond and he understands me deeply. And I would hate for a different band teacher. Mr. Sanders is patient and a funny and good at teaching. So much so that we won second place in the parade for best sounding and looking band. Thank you for your time and

058listening. I hope you can take into take into consideration and keep Mr. Sanders as the band teacher. Thank you. >> Thank you. [applause] Anyone else? Okay. Reports and recognitions 5.01 1 recognition of the 202526 retirees. Ask our retirees and those who are recognizing to come on up. [applause] Great. Uh so, uh first up is principal Bruce Kipper. Um uh we're gonna recognize our retirees that um this evening um that were able to attend. And so Bruce is the first one. I remember u meeting Bruce uh five years ago. It was during COVID uh and I was over there at uh SHS. So we're touring around the school and Bruce I'm like asking a bunch of questions, you know, like why you here? What's what's going on? And um some some of the story that Bruce

059was able to tell me was he was coming from Arizona and I was like oh my gosh that like all those things and you've decided to come up here and dedicate yourself to the students. Bruce went on and on even after just one year and he had not met really the staff members in physically physically in person. So for that year so I was because it was April and uh he was already could see the pride that he had in being the principal at Shelton High School. I thought it was really impressive uh coming on board um to see uh that Bruce cared so much not only about the community but really about the students and making sure that the services provided them was outstanding. And so over the years I've been very fortunate to

060work alongside Bruce to know that he definitely placed students first. I know leading a comprehensive high school is most certainly not easy. Had to make a lot of tough decisions uh things that are not always popular and also to confront you know always the things that happen in school districts. I want to thank Bruce so much for bringing things to learn alongside him. He definitely up my particular leadership and knowing that we are trying to strive to always be better. Um, and so I just want to say thank you so much, Bruce, for your service, your six years for the dur the district, and I think another 32 in Arizona. Um, and so that's a lot of years. I He's in the Hall of Fame there. Um, and so I just want to appreciate so

061much for Bruce Kipper and all of his service here with the Shelton Scooters. Thank you very much. Hand [applause] Good evening. So, I'm we're here to um celebrate Edith Hooie Nan Hooano and we're going I'm going to read it in English first and then out of respect for her first language, Spanish, Cat's going to read it in Spanish. All right. Today we have the privilege of celebrating Edith, someone who has made a lasting impact on Evergreen Elementary. For the past 11 years, Edith has been an important part of our Evergreen family. When talking with Edith about her time here, she often shares how much Evergreen has meant to her because of the welcoming and accepting community she found when she arrived. She speaks about the sense of belonging she felt here and how much she

062had always appreciated being part of a school family. What is remarkable is that the very thing that Edith valued most is exactly what she has given to everyone at Evergreen. Edith is a nurturer. She is always thinking about the people around her and finding ways to care for them. Whether it is checking in on a colleague, offering a kind word, or bringing a small gesture of support, like the bag of ginger shoes she brought me a few days ago. [snorts] Edith has a way of making people feel seen, valued, and cared for. She has done the same for our students. Edith has always worked to ensure that every child she interacts with feels welcomed, supported, and like they belong. Her kindness, patience, and genuine care have helped create the very sense of community that she

063treasures so deeply. Evergreen has been fortunate to have Edith, not just because of the work she has done, but because of the person she is. She has helped shape our culture through her compassion, generosity, and unwavering commitment to others. Edith, thank you for your countless ways. You have cared for our students, our staff, and our entire community. Thank you for helping make Evergreen a place where people feel they belong. We are grateful for you, your 11 years of service with us. And while we will certainly miss you, we are excited for your next chapter in life. On behalf of everyone at Evergreen Elementary, thank you for all you have done and given to our community. We wish you happiness, good health and many wonderful adventures in your retirement. Congratulations. >> Thank you. [applause] Evergreen. control.

064>> [laughter] >> Subadencia anod. Evergreen. >> [applause] >> But I mean, she doesn't know I'm doing this. Um, but I wanted to take a minute to recognize Kathy James and her 38 years of service here um, in Shelton, Washington. Um, I told you I wasn't going to let you go, but I guess I actually have to. Um, her service here at Shelton High School um, I started in uh, 2020 and I didn't actually get to meet her in person until um, the year after, but I felt like I already knew Kathy just from our Zoom meetings together. Um, you can always find where Kathy is in a room. Um she's constantly interacting with those around her um with her jovial personality and her inquisitive mind. Um through our PLC's together, she was always quick for

065a laugh and always making sure that we were on task in her own special way. Um I know that the math department at SHS is not going to be the same without her. Um we have learned so much from her, gotten so many resources from your endless closet of goodies. Um, and um, I know that you are going to be sorely missed. Um, please don't forget us over here at Shelton High School. Please come back and tell us how your greenhouse is doing. Um, and um, know that you have tons of friends here at Shelton High School and in the Shelton School District that will be missing you terribly. >> Thank you very much. [applause] >> Good evening. I just want to take a couple minutes to um talk about Kathy. Also knowing Kathy, uh

066I have had the privilege of um supervising or being the lesson on admin leazison with the math department for a few years. And this year in particular, um the math department took on the challenge of trying to um see what we could do to increase the number of freshmen that passed algebra the first time they took it. As you know, algebra is a really tough subject um for our students, especially at the nth grade level. Um, and teaching is ve teaching is very hard. Um, it is not a hard is is not an easy job nowadays with all of the multitude of things that we ask our teachers to do. Kathy, the best thing I can say about Kathy, and I I do say this from the bottom of my heart, you're a bulldog. Like,

067if you want something done, >> president of state, I am a bulldog. >> Okay. [laughter] And I didn't even know that. Um, they rubbed off well on you then. Um, if you want something done and if you want a student to succeed, you put them in Kathy James' class. Um, I can't tell you how many emails I got from Kathy. Where's this kid at? Go find this kid for me. um this student needs to be in my room during lunch and um we started meeting every Friday with with the algebra teachers and Kathy would come down every Friday during her planning period and I knew I didn't have to do anything because she was going to bring me all the information I needed and she was going to have notes on every single kid in

068her class that was not being successful and what she was doing to make sure that they were successful. The last bit of information I got from you, I think she had one student that was not passing her class third try and that student had attended school less than 50% of the time. Every other student that she has in her four classes was passing and that's all because of your work. So, we're going to, you know, well, I I can't say we're going to miss you because I'm not going to be there, but [laughter] they're going to they're going to miss you tremendously at Shelton High School. and um you have certainly left a legacy behind. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. [applause] >> Congratulations again, Bruce, Edith, and Kathy. Really appreciate that. And the other um

069members that are listed up here, appreciate all their service to the students. and of course the Shelton community. Thank you very much. [applause] Up next is Shelton Promise with Chelsea Cornwall Brady and Monourir Fatimi. Good evening, board president, members of the board, Superintendent Jesse, members of the staff and community. We are excited to present tonight an update on Shelton Promise. I have with me tonight Evergreen's Shelton Promise program manager, Monourir Feti. And we also have a current Evergreen student, Abraham Cruz Santos, who was a former student at Shelton High School and a member of Shelton Promise. So tonight, we're going to hear how our first cohort is doing, our first cohort of 53 students. As a reminder, we grew from three students attending Evergreen State College from Shelton to 53 on our first year of

070having Shelton Promise. Um, we also get to hear about our second cohort and what our numbers are looking like. So, we're excited to share some updates. So, I'm going to hand it over to Monourir. Right. Hi. Thanks for having me tonight. Uh, my name is Monour Fatami. I'm the program manager of the Shelton Promise program. Um, and I've been honored to hang out in this community for the last couple years now. And I'm maybe here more than my actual home. It starts to feel like especially I feel like I've seen some of you the last few nights more than my kiddo. So that's notable. Um, okay. So let's go on to the I have a few slides to remind me what to tell you. [laughter] All right. So um last year we started the pilot

071program. So it was a two-year pilot program. We kind of jumped in and said I don't know. We only had three students come. Is there going to be interest? Is there going to be readiness? All of that. And this pilot has proved that it wasn't a readiness issue. It wasn't an interest issue. It was a need for a sincere invitation, some supports, and look what happened. So, we had 53 new Shelton Promise students enrolling in 2025. Um, this enrollment exceeded our initial projections quite a bit and demonstrated a strong momentum in building a collegegoing culture here that has been a priority of the district and we could hop on that and um, support that. It reflects a deepening partnership between our communities. Um, what seemed like two different communities, it didn't take long to uncover

072that on every street in every household there's some connection to Evergreen. and at Evergreen and every office there's some connection to Shelton. So it was just really uncovering that and highlighting it. But this is not a ret not just um a retention is initiative. We're not just trying to get students. We're trying to keep students support students and give them personalized support to realize their goals. So how's it going? All right. So this year, next slide. Um our program impact. So over $350,000 of aid was distributed to those 53 students that happened. That was um both tuition gap fill and also to support and offset the cost of living. Um this was an average of $6,000 per student. It didn't necessarily work out that way for every student, but it was a every student has

073tuition and fees and then what are the things that students need and kind of a need-based grant to support that. We have had exceptional retention rate and engagement. 99% of students retain from fall to winter. Um 93 retained from winter to spring. And these are significantly um above traditional benchmarks. We are yet to see what will be for fall, but we have um really strong um it the amount of students that have already registered that are showing interest that have are are committed to fall. we're going to continue these high retention rates. Some student highlights. So, one of our students organize Farmworker Justice Day on campus, which was hugely successful. We had a student just get back from her um studying abroad in Greece. She sent me the most beautiful photo um from the Parthonon

074and said, "Thank you, Shelton Promise. Thank you, Evergreen. I never thought I could be here." So, that was so cool. One of our students became a mom. That's little Daisy May. one of our students um and that's also a previous Shelton pro or Shelton student who is now the Shelton Promise uh intern. They are competing at Udub there for our athletics program. Many of our students have jobs both on and off campus. I think four Shelton Promise students run their bookstore at the moment. So, we're really seeing them grow confidence skills and it's really really cool how we've seen them benefit our community. Uh, couple more things. Oh, am I allowed to change it? Sorry. I'm like waiting for Oh, here we go. Thank you. Where do I point it? >> Okay. All right. So,

075continue growth and future cohorts. So, and our anticipated second cohort will be starting in the fall. We are anticipating around 50 to 60 new incoming students. Um this growth is driven by sustained community engagement, early outreach and um increasing interest in evergreen. So this has been really exciting. And just some other numbers. So applied and accepted. I try not to count them until fall. You know, we it's it's things happen, but out of um from SHS, we had 16% of the senior class apply and ac be accepted. From Cedar, we had 88% and from Choice and the Homeschool, um we had 14%. 26 of those students received merit awards. So, these are high um achieving students graduating with honors. Um at awards night the other night, 18 seniors were um given high awards and over

076eight the seal of biiteracy. So Shelton is responding to this pilot and it's also we are so excited to welcome all of these students and see them enrich our our um envi um community as well. Okay. So what's the future? We were a two-year program. We were only funded for these two cohorts. So these two cohorts do have funding and support for their full four years. But what about their younger siblings? We now have three sets of siblings in our cohort and that's just a year apart. like what what could happen. So, right now, continued legislative funding is not not likely. Um, that said, we are working diligently to secure some other funding to figure out other ways to continue this. What we can assure you is that we are going to remain accessible, affordable,

077and approachable. Um, one of our alumni said this, and I can't stop using it. Shelton is fertile ground for growing gooey ducks. So, we're going to lean into that. Okay. So, we will be back in the fall with details about Shelton 2.0, as we'd like to to call it, Shelton Promise 2.0. But right now, we are just excited to celebrate the students that we have, the students that are coming, and this amazing um community partnership that we've built. Um, that's it. But I'm going to give you a second to hear from one of our Shelton Promise students because that's the fun part. Oh, but you don't need this. Hi, I'm Abraham Cruz Santos. I graduated last year and I've been attending Evergreen. Um, I didn't really prepare for this. I didn't know how to prepare

078for this. Um, I've never talked in front of a crowd like this before, so I apologize for that. Um, I've really enjoyed my first year at Evergreen. Uh, I grew up with five siblings living in the house and five others in a down south. And I never thought I would be able to go to college. I didn't think we would have the money for that. And I was really happy that um I got to go to Evergreen for with the Shelon Promise. It really made my life easier. I plan to um pursue education to be a teacher and I have hopes of actually coming back to Shelton to teach one day. Um I don't really know what else to say. >> Sorry. [laughter] >> Thank you. [applause] >> Thank you. >> Okay. Yeah. Did board

079members have any comments, questions? You may not be off the hook, folks. No, >> I just want to thank, you know, you all for putting together that Shelton promise. I know it was just a two-year cohort. I have a senior in high school and and she I have seen through some of her friends just how helpful the whole process has been from, you know, filling out the applications to talking through what the options are. And um you know I it's something that I think was born out of the fact that Evergreen State College is so close to Shelton that students could if they needed to still live at home and pursue a college education. That's what makes it accessible instead of say, you know, Eastern that's clear on the other side of the state. That

080wouldn't be as easy if that were the promise or the commitment. So, I really appreciate having a program that is so close to Shelton and seeing so many students get excited about it and do it. Um, so I do hope that regardless of whether there's funding, but some of those other accessibilities, the handholding of filling out applications because there's a lot of people that that's the first time they're filling something like that out or the FAFSA form. It's been really, really helpful for so many students. So, I'm excited to hear how the next group goes and what the potential for the future is going to be. Uh, this is actually something I was interested in seeing those numbers, the retention numbers. That's that's fantastic. That's excellent that these kids are maintaining their commitment to this

081program that uh is just wildly amazing for them. So, I'm really glad they're sticking with it and I hope that continues. >> Yeah. I just want to say thank you for the the information and the data. You we we heard all about it. We got really excited and then to to see what this translated into year one and to hear again hopefully next year. So, we're excited to keep that information coming. Feel free to update us throughout the year. Please. >> I I guess the only question I have I see you back in the back. Um is I know that uh congressional funding is not most not likely to be continuation. um they're cutting everywhere they can, but uh do you have any proposed avenues for funding things like this in the future? >> Sorry,

082I ran off. I didn't realize this part. Um so right now, because of the funding situation across the state, especially in higher ed, it just didn't seem like going to the legislature was going to be the best way. Um, so I'm not going to go into details. Um, but we we have a a series of plans going and so there there's there's a backup plan if the first one doesn't go. And the biggest thing that I'm seeing is that everyone that I'm talking to at Evergreen is committed to figuring out a way to continue this relationship in some way or another. Some tiny details might need to change. Um, but we don't we really want to keep it as similar to what we've done before and the things that can absolutely remain the same that

083I can speak to is the waving the application fee, the support to apply. Um, and we're really seeing that onboarding them in the cohort model is really supportive. So, those are things that we can that we can absolutely support. We've also seen that the numbers, a lot of why Shelton Promise works is because a lot of these students qualify for so much aid. So, educating them, supporting the community to complete FASA and understand it, that is going to be something that will never go away and that we're that we've seen the benefit of. >> So, where there's a will, there's a way. >> Yes. And so, but there's also um interested people, there's generous people, there are there's there's there's things in the works. And so, I am just excited to come back in the

084fall and lay out those details, but I'm confident that there will be there will be details. Yeah. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Any other questions? >> Anything else? You're free to go now. Okay. Next up, our entertaining as ever budget update with Clinton Sherman. >> I feel like I always have to follow the coolest thing possible every time I have to come up here. Um, this is um the standard kind of budget update about where we're at now and what we're planning for for next year. Uh, in some broad strokes, um, we'll have May's numbers for you at the next board meeting. Um, in at the end of April, our fund balance was $4.6 $6 million slightly outperforming uh what we expected. Um and we're still on track to hit our goal at 1.5 million. Uh

085again, that's a far cry from the about the 7.5 million that we should have. Uh that fund balance is really important to we talked about this quite a few times to absorb that economic down pressure that we're seeing and we can make strategic moves instead of having to be reactive. So the importance of building that fund balance uh in a proactive stance to be able to continue our programs is is just vital to the work. Um our year-to-ate average enrollment is 4170 uh which has been down again for next year we're budgeting uh to cons even though we're trying to expand some programs uh we can't rely on those programs yet as some of those are new and so we're trying to be conservative in those estimates. Uh at the last board meeting we walked

086through what next year's revenue is expected to look like. Uh we talked um some broad strokes around the general purpose, what those were, how they were basically um basic at aortionment and um general basic aortionment special education, which is different than state special purpose special education. We walked through those. Uh we're roughly $85 million should be coming in next year. We've absorbed a handful of cuts from the federal government and the state. Um those manifested in different ways throughout the system. Uh here's what we talked about last time with uh state revenues, um federal revenues, and I know I'm going quick. If you have questions about these, stop me anytime. This is what we talked about last time. So, in a high 30,000 foot view for next year, just in in simple terms, we know

087that education is a is a people focused um organization. That's how we get outcomes for kids, how we support kids best. So next year 85% of our um expenses for for the overall budget will be people and that's with their salaries and their benefits. Uh and then 15% will be those material supplies and operating costs. So contract services, supplies, pencil, pens, curriculum, those sort of things. We'll get in much more detail of what these expenses look like at the next board meeting. I just wanted to talk about what this meant, what this looks like in broad strokes and what it looks like for our our fund balance for next year. And so we ended last year with negative 1.8. Um we should end this year with a positive 1.5. If you roll that into next

088year, starting off with 1.5, getting roughly that $85 million of revenue. We'll have about $82 million of expenses and we'll um we are aiming for roughly 4.5 million. We do know that things come up and so it should be around that. Um we do have some deferred maintenance we need to address over the summer and some of the HVAC that's been a real some failing the last couple of weeks we we're going to address. Um but in real broad strokes that's a overview of what the budget will end up looking like. We'll go in uh a lot of detail. Uh probably an hour I'll probably talk for an hour next time which I I'm apologizing in advance for everybody. Um what questions do you have so far? >> Maybe not so much a question. Yeah

089it's a question. Um, >> sure. >> We are working with the state as we're in binding and they've given us some conditions to meet and and we see that looks like a good direction. >> Yeah. >> Is the state happy with the direction we're moving to get out of budgets? >> Oh, yeah. So, we meet with OSPI and the ESD quarterly. Um I think we talked about um a couple months ago how I don't want to say a shout out but they but they did look to us as a model of how to handle banning conditions and some of those so they are happy with the uh progress that we're making. Um it's still difficult work. It's still hard. I mean um in general it feels like when there's a lot of money everything is

090going great and when there's not a lot of money everything is not going great. Uh when in reality the margins are where the truth is there. A lots of things are going well. We have a lot to celebrate here. Uh even with the financial constraints um and we'll continue pushing on those and and prioritizing those things. >> Yeah, appreciate that. And so the simple answer, we're headed the right direction as we look on there. >> We still have a couple years ahead, but but we should be there. >> Um they were talking about their uh the Shelton Promise from Evergreen was talking about they have multiple plans all at once. I've said this, I'm a big fan of a plan. We have a three-year plan. At the end of next year, we should be at

091about roughly four and a half million. after that should be about seven and a half million and then everything will feel a lot different uh once we have a um an adequate fund balance. So, >> thank you. >> Of course, anyone >> I think that's >> Oh, let me jump in >> because when you say that that we've got those different plans and I know I've heard you say that before too. um is that accounting for potential uh lack of funding from either state or federal? >> Yeah, so that's the tricky thing. Um with these revenues, you know, we're forecasting initially three years in advance and so we don't know whether that down pressure will come from the federal government uh or the state with OSSI dollars being reduced or the levy equalization being reduced.

092So, we do have a plan, but within that, we have to have the flexibility to be able to pivot. Um, and we'll just continue to do that and try to make as strategic decisions as possible. >> Thank you. I appreciate all the planning. >> Yeah, it's honestly the it's the only way. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> Of course. Next up be the annual report on alternative learning experiences with Chelsea Brady and Vernon Brunie. Good evening. Uh we are here tonight to provide the annual board report update on our AL programs. So this I I said on Thursday night, what a great opportunity to already be presenting to you all when you got to see the graduation and how meaningful it was. Um, and so with that in mind, as we go through and we're talking

093about our current structure, our staffing, our enrollment, and really how we continue to adjust and change to really meet the needs of our students, um, because we know that these programs are so important to our community and specifically to our student population. >> So, who do we serve and why? Um, we serve students who need a smaller environment. Some kids just don't do well in a building with 1400 other people. They need to know their teacher and they need to know their teacher. They need to know that their teacher knows them. Uh students also need flexible schedules. Sometimes we have students who are working to help support their families. Students managing medical appointments, mental health treatment, or caregiving responsibilities at home. Sometimes a Monday through Friday 8 to3 schedule just doesn't isn't realistic for them.

094We'd rather keep them in school than lose them because the schedule doesn't fit their life. Uh some students seek independent learning models. So some of them are genuinely self-directed. They don't need someone standing over them all at all times and they need a structure that trusts them and holds them accountable in a different way. Also we serve students who are seeking a therapeutic school setting. So, we partner with um True North and we have um mental health supports and we have substance use supports right on campus. Um and we work with other entities outside of Choice as well uh for those kids that need um a little something different. We also sometimes students seek us out for more personalized learning opportunities. So, um we built in different vocational paths. We have um we have lots

095of students who who need the small school setting but also want to access uh the different things at SHS that they enjoy. We've got some kids in junior ROTC and some kids that are um doing different language courses or they do um some of the the art classes and photography and things like that. Um and then our last thing is that we we serve students who are recovering credits. So students that might have hit the wall, had a hard year or a hard season of life and fell behind, they're not failures. They're just people who need a re-entry point and someone who believes that they can still finish. And that's what we do. >> So with that in mind and knowing those are the needs in the community, we've really realigned and um got ourselves

096set up to be able to serve in those different models. So this is what it currently looks like. You'll see that there's a asterisk next to some of these numbers. I'll I'll explain why. So, right now in our middle school, we have about 30 students that attend every day. Um, and we have two middle school teachers. So, we have about 15 students in each classroom. In Choice High School attending our day program, we have about 80 students that attend. Um, and we have four high school teachers. We have our Choice Hybrid re-engagement. So that means we have some online opportunities and we also have some flexible coming in just a couple hours a day working one-on-one with a teacher. Within that model we have about 60 students and we have 1.5 teachers. The other.5 of

097that teacher you can see serves open doors. So right now we have 118 students that are enrolled in our open doors program. They amazingly had 33 students by the way graduate on Thursday night. That's awesome. and two more finished up their credits today. So, very successful. Um, within Open Doors, we have 2.5 teachers that are serving that program. Um, so our total headcount within Choice is 290 students, but as you can see, because we have so many different needs, we set ourselves up to be able to serve those students in a variety of ways. So, we don't ever have 290 in the building at one time. Um, we also have, given the needs in in the building, we have a multilingual teacher that comes over and serves some of her day. We have a special

098education teacher that serves both Open Doors and Choice. We have a full-time counselor. We also have True North mental health and True North Substance Use. So, we have really invested in choice. We know how important this school is to our community and to our students and tried to really align our staffing and services to meet the needs that we have. Um, so these are student outcomes and uh this I think that number 90% was from 2025 9th grade on track. And when I first got here that number was uh in the teens actually. And so every year I've kind of tried to ramp it up and we um wrap ourselves around that ninth grade group. Um this year we graduated 24 kids from from choice and five of them were accepted into Evergreen Shelton Promise

099and then you can see the number of open doors graduates this year for the first time outpaced the number that choice and so those are that's a really that's a big number that I'm really proud of and like we mentioned two more crossed the finish line today. So uh a lot of those kids graduate at different times through the year based on when they finish their requirements. Um, and then you see that we've also acquired the gravity program um, in order for us to be able to to uh, study for and give the GED tests. And um, the reason that that took place is because we opened open doors and suddenly there wasn't as big of a need for gravity and we had um, instead of having two different entities, gravity came to us. It's

100run by ESD and said why don't we work together said yeah that's great. So what happens a lot of the times that if a kid's studying for the GED, they realize that they're able to get mastery credits when they pass one of the tests. So as they're gaining high school credits along with the GED, many of them say, "Well, let me just from getting this many credits, let's just finish it out." So most of them stay and get their diploma. So it's been a really cool thing. This is also about student impact. These are not real names, um, but they're they're real stories. And, um, we've got a few different scenarios, but the first scenario, uh, this little one is kind of a, um, had some tough tough stuff in their family and, uh, was

101known as a fighter in the community and kind of came with this like I got to keep my reputation as a fighter. And uh so got into some trouble and had you know plenty of things go wrong. But we she was involved with our um middle school with Miss Karen and then we um had her working with another um legend at Choice with Miss Carrie Fennel and um she has been going through different stages and different things, but she's she's re-engaged and she's she achieved six and a half credits as a freshman this year. And uh I just heard today that she just mentioned that she wants to go to college and she wants to become a social worker and work with homeless people. So that's her new goal. The one you see in the

102middle um this guy I met when I was I do uh I try to visit the juvenile detention center every week because I'm also the principal of Juvie School. It's sometimes known as but the Mason County Juvenile Detention Center. We have an amazing teacher in in Jeb Dorne there. And so all the kids that get in trouble with the law end up uh in our juvie school. And so I try to visit them as much as I can. Um especially like on Fridays and I deliver some candy or some chocolate or something. But uh this guy met in there and he's he said like basically, "Hey Brunie, I can't go back to SHS cuz all my buddies are there and I'm gonna keep getting into the same stuff and the same I just keep getting

103tempted by the same things. So I I can't go." And I said, "Well, come on, man. We'll take you get you an open doors program. We'll get you started." and um he's not only found sobriety, but he's got other other kids around him that are like doing it together, staying sober, and like staying on task. And he crossed the stage the other night, so super proud of that one. And then Yeah, it's really cool. Yeah, for sure. Um this one uh had one of the most traumatic events that I can ever um tell you about and I and I won't give you specifics, but um came to us uh and said, "Uh, Mr. Mr. Brun, I got to drop out. This is what happened. And she was really honest and spelled out the whole scenario.

104And I was like, geez, that the police need to be involved and they were the police actually arrested her. And um it wasn't her fault. It was a big nasty thing. But um she dropped out and then the next day the parents came in and speaking to me in Spanish. And that's uh happens on occasion. And the parents are like, "She's we don't want her to drop out. She can't drop out. You need to keep her." I said, "Well, you know, she's 18. she's got to she can kind of do what she needs to do. And so we worked with them and we you know I stayed in contact with with the father and after she came out of um out of jail we worked with her and tried an online program, tried some different

105things and then eventually she um got an open doors and stuck with it and also was at graduation the other night. So really huge huge deal. Every student that walked across the stage has a pretty amazing story and I've told Bernie a couple times his speech really speaks to the situation. I mean um that is the importance of having these programs in our community and why we continue to invest in them and we're really seeing the outcomes and and the impact. So, just looking ahead, uh, we will continue to grow and mold to the needs of our community. Uh, we're going to continue to align to the SHs schedule. So, our, uh, choice high school next year will be on the same Bell schedule. They'll also be attending five days a week. Um, and that

106allows students to be able to be shared across campuses, which has been very successful and grown over the last several years. We're also expanding our online opportunities. Many times we find that students come in, they get online, and we really try and re-engage them back into our schools um because having them in person is really the best way to be served. But we do have some students that for whatever reason do need to learn remote and online. And so we're expanding some opportunities for that. Um and we're bringing it down to sixth grade. So we'll have online opportunities for grades 6 through 12. Um you've heard uh Adrian and Clinton talk about home partnership. So that is still housed under the umbrella of choice. So we'll have that next year for K5. And then just

107continuing to grow and refine what we're doing so that we can really best meet the needs of our students. So that is our report. Are there any questions? I just want to say thank you. This is such a vital piece of education in Shelton. It has been for a really long time. What is impressing me as I've got to tour and hear more reports is how you adapt to what is needed now. Um paying attention to the needs and maybe a shifting culture and running after with that open doors program and to hear so many of them walked across that stage on on Thursday getting to be there is extremely inspirational. I recommend anybody at attend choice graduation, but we appreciate all the work and all the teachers and and that you've given students an

108opportunity not to fall behind, but to actually stay up and to get ahead. So, thank you. >> Thank you. >> You know, I initially was going to say the the flexible schedule seems so foreign to most of us who went through public school where it was our lives adapted to school. It wasn't the other way around. and to see the success stories that you guys have out of that school uh is inspiring. So, thank you for for working as hard as you do to make that work for our students that really need that extra help. >> Thank you. >> Yeah, I was going to say the same thing. It's incredibly inspiring and listening to your speech, you're at both choice and Cedar, very inspiring. and then to see those students come across and tonight you're

109even sharing more that I wasn't aware of that you were doing these things with juvenile detention and it's really I mean it's very touching it's you know incredible how much of your life you are putting into reaching out to these students in this community and giving them opportunities that maybe they had thrown away. I wrote it down. I love the fact that you said you're not a failure. This is a re-entry point. And for so many, that's what they need to hear, that this isn't just a failure and you're done, but you can come back and you can actually find where you might thrive. Um, so really incredible. I I love seeing the actual stories, too. um because it really is amazing and and I think that is not always known just how much or

110what some specific struggles are that some of our students really do overcome to get their education. So thank you very much for telling us about the program about the open doors and how that has grown. I am curious because you mentioned Gravity and I know they used to have an office at the transit center. Is that now within choice or it's just totally different now? >> Yeah. So, there's still a gravity program in Olympia, but what we did instead is just partner with them. We shared some resources and curriculum. They provided some training for us and so we offer the GED now within our own open doors program. >> Okay, great. Thank you for that clarification, too. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thanks. [applause] >> Okay. Has everybody had a chance to check the

111uh consent agenda? Make the motion to approve the consent agenda as presented. >> And I'll second. All in favor? >> I. >> Okay, we're paying the bills. Item number seven, uh, instructional materials committee nominees, uh, Adrien Minry and Chelsea Cornwall Brady. >> You could have just stayed up there all night. All right. Uh, board president Welander, other esteemed board members, Superintendent Jesse, we're here tonight to present the nominees for the instructional materials committee. This is a followup to the policy revision that we brought to you uh just a few months ago with uh 2020. And that is a little bit small, very far away. So, sorry about that. Uh, there's some technical language on here. This is just an overview of the roles and responsibilities of the instructional materials committee. Uh it does serve an

112important function within the operations of a school district um and is outlined as I said by policy 2020. So they are a bridge between the curriculum adoption committee and process and the school board. So they are responsible for doing the official appointing of the committee of um then overseeing their work and then provide making sure that all of the processes are appropriately followed and when they can assure that those are giving the okay to us and also as members of the committee. um but then to bring forward formal recommendations for curriculum adoption to this board for approval. Also, in the case of a complaint from a parent a parent or guardian regarding materials um that could not be resolved at the school level, then they would take a vote um that would be they would

113hear the complaint and then make a decision on that. And they are also responsible for removing any materials that uh no longer meet district criteria. In general uh you can see there just the responsibilities which include uh just responsible uh and professional conduct as a member of the committee. Um and we anticipate that we will meet a minimum of two times but we will have to convene uh as needed. So here are the names that we would like to put forward to you uh for approval of the committee. You can see um who who these people are uh both Chelsea and myself as directors of curriculum instruction. Uh would naturally serve on the instructional materials committee. uh we have representatives and this also follows the procedures for 2020 where we have certain percentages to meet

114of both representation of families uh and uh teachers as well. So um Mike Craft is our assistant principal and then I'll let you read the other names there. Um, these are all folks who completed the application for the committee and that we used a rubric and reviewed all of the applications and selected these individuals. So, with that, I'll open it up if there are any questions for Chelsea or myself. You may have answered it a little bit. Um, how does a person get on the committee? So, there's an application. Um, can you give a general sense of how many applications there were that you sorted through? We this was we didn't have Oh, go ahead. You had a specific number. >> So, we didn't have a ton of applications. Um I think we had a

115total of 12. Um and so we were really happy that we had someone that was a parent in the community. We did only have one. Um but we were lucky to have some other folks that are serving on the committee, me included, uh that are a current parent of a student enrolled. Um but we do also have a a family member that's joining us which we're excited about. >> How do um community members So you've got this selected. If somebody was interested, they said, "Oh, I didn't know that existed." Um when and where do they apply next time? >> So um this is a considered a two-year appointment. And so it will come out again and we send it out. It's posted on the website um and shared out that way. So if a family

116was interested, they could always reach out to one of us as well. We'd be happy to share more information when when this comes back up again. I guess in that vein, does it because I've got kids in school as well too. Is that sent out as a information in any of the school newsletters for things like that to inform community members? at home by um each of our schools in whatever way they communicate with families either newsletter, messenger, whichever way they send their weekly update. So, that was connected in there as well. >> Okay. Thank you. And then just because I'm noticing Evergreen isn't listed up there as a school is that did no one from the school end up applying and >> Yeah, and we don't have representation from every single school or every

117single grade level. This really is a small team, but um as Adrianne mentioned, this team is really just overseeing that that we're following policy and procedure for the curriculum adoption process. So, the curriculum adoption team will have a more widespread representation. Um and we did have a number of applicants for that. >> Okay, great. Thank you for that. >> Okay, I take a motion to approve the list. I move that we approve the instructional materials committee nominees. >> Second. >> All in favor? I >> Okay, there you go. You got a list. >> Thank you. >> All right. Now, we'll move on to board member comments. We'll start on the end with Director Wilford. >> Well, I want to start. I want to say thank everybody that came here today and made their comments. Um,

118you know, there's a lot of things that goes on in the district that we as a board don't necessarily know about. So, I appreciate the comments. I appreciate the emails. Um, we can't be here all the time as much as we would love to be. Uh, so it's a it's a great insight for us. Um, this is my first time as a board member going to graduations. didn't make it the choice unfortunately, but I did go to Cedar and I got to listen to Allan, our former student rep, speak as a valadictorian and he did an amazing job as we all expected. And then I was at the SHS graduation, which uh I'm told the teacher that gave his speech uh is going to be hard to top. If you were there, you know, uh

119and I want to recognize the retirees. There's a couple names on the list that I knew. uh one personally and then there was um Fred from maintenance who I actually worked with when I worked here years ago. Uh congratulations to all of our retirees especially there's several of you that were here for over 30 years which is an amazing commitment to one place for such a long time. It's a it's a large devotion of your life. So that is truly appreciated. Thank you. >> Yeah, I'll just echo um what a great week with all the graduations and awards ceremonies. um choice graduation was incredible and we've just heard from that. But to watch people walk across that uh stage that maybe at some point in their high school journey thought that wouldn't happen. So that

120was amazing. I didn't make it to Cedar, but I know that was a great evening. Um a giant shout out to everybody who put together the Shelton High School graduation. It ran so smooth and was honoring to the students. The class speakers were were incredible and they did a great job getting up there. and it is my first year getting to be part of that. To stand on the stage and shake hands is an honor and makes this this job just uh a little more fun. I appreciate that. Congratulations to all the graduates and and congratulations all the teachers retiring. Thank you for the many years of service. I'll say um community comments when you get four pages if I'm being honest can be nervous. And so I appreciate the respectful tone and communicating your

121your passion but but doing it in an appropriate way. That was that was such a blessing and and I appreciate this handout. Um and look forward to reading it from the teachers. Um this is last week of school. Teachers, thank you very much. It is a wonderful but sometimes long year and we appreciate all of you. Director Davis. All >> right. I'm going to echo some of these comments already, but thank you very much to the students and the adults that came up to speak tonight. That is not an easy thing to do. It can feel really awkward and it can definitely make people nervous, but thank you so much for sharing the things that you are passionate about. And as the two other directors said, we need to hear those things. We don't always

122know what's going on and so it's great to get those direct comments. I too really appreciated the genuine attitude of wanting to work together to find solutions and I appreciate the information that was provided to us tonight. Um I would like to say because it does bring up questions I would like to have some further clarification and communication on if there are classes or courses that are being reduced you know if that's lack of student interest or what is going on but if we could get some some board communication on that I would appreciate that. Um, last week was full of activities that were super fun and one of them was here in this school. Uh, as I mentioned, my own I had my own oldest daughter graduated from Shelton High School on Saturday and

123one of the special things that this school district does is have a walkth through for all of the seniors through all of the schools. So, that they have transportation that coordinates this all over um even to our partnering school districts. And I surprised my daughter by coming here to Mountain View and just hiding in the background and watching the walkthrough. And if any of you have been to a live sporting event like the Seahawks game in downtown Seattle, it was that level of excitement from the kids. It the energy cannot be matched. It is just such a fun thing to see him be a part of. So, um I was really thankful that I managed to get a chance to get out of work to do that. All of the graduations were so special. And

124this is my 11th year of going to three of or I guess we didn't always have Cedar, so it was two, but um it was 11 years of Shelton High School graduations and then the other two schools as well. And just very special to see all of the seniors get a chance to walk through to see their families, be so proud um of them and just the way that this community comes together. On Wednesday night, we heard Principal Kipper and uh soon to be principal Jordan Stray uh talk about all of the community scholarships that have been given to our students as well as scholarships from all over. I want to say it was over $400,000 that came from our community to support um our local students. And it was it topped a couple million

125dollars I think for for the rest of it. So, that's really amazing, the support that our students are getting and just seeing some really incredible students. I'm so excited to hear about the futures of of all of them. Um, thank you to the retirees. It was wonderful. I had a chance to talk to Kathy uh at Shelton High School's graduation. Just obviously cares so much about her students and u and creating, you know, Bruce, what you said about her with the math department was really amazing. Uh thank you to you, Principal Kipper, for all of your years of dedication here at the Shelton School District. I think I was in one of those COVID uh outdoor ceremony, three of them where we were getting blasted by rain and then sun and wind. And so you

126always had a smile on your face. I think that's how I remember um you know that I really appreciate your service here to the school district and all of the retirees that were that were listed up there and honored by the people that were standing um there as well. It is the last week of school. So um congratulations to all of the graduates and to all of the students who are about ready to get summer break and to all of the teachers too. I hope everybody can get some much needed uh rest and relaxation. Hi, my name is Matthew and I am a recovering band geek. Um, I took tonight fairly personally. Um, I was in the the music program from Mountain View all the way through Shelton High School. Uh in my years there,

127we had between one and three music teachers depending on the day uh or the year, the level of enrollment, the amount of financial ability of the school district. I can tell you that in my time on the board, um we've spent 600,000 on instruments. I have gone to concerts every year. Um I do go to plays when I can. I've seen our own band uh be big and good and I've seen our band not be able to hit a note with a shotgun. Um we are not taking the performing arts lightly. I personally know what it will do for you. The whole reason that people can't get me to shut up is the hours that I spent on stage. I've sang, I've danced. I've played multiple multiple instruments uh including learning the tuba because we

128didn't have somebody to play one in a parade. I've had bands I I've played in bands that were eight people. Um we actually got Mankey Lumber to paint a trailer for us so we could ride on the back of it in Forest Festival because we didn't have enough people to march and we would have looked stupid. We are here for the arts. It is a continual investment. it the the number waxes and waines every year. We've had the argument before. We've heard it from other teachers. Um, conversely, right now, our administrative staff in the building downtown is a skeleton crew. Folks down there are doing a couple of jobs each. They're not fully staffed. We have We're well below the average. The average, last I heard, was about 8% should be admin. We're sitting at

129about 2 to three. Uh when I asked the other day, um yeah, uh we're pretty much done with school for the year. I want you to remember to be nice to everybody. Some of these kids, the only meals they're getting are at school and that's gone for a couple of months. So, there's going to be some struggles out there. Um man, Mr. Brun, uh there is so much bandwidth in that guy. Uh, personally, I can tell you how much he helps kids. I've been in the school. I've been around other kids. My other profession has taken me into homes to see some of these kids, and now they're at choice. Um, I've pointed struggling parents to Mr. Brun personally. And if you've ever watched him walk around, to know that he has chased kids across

130a parking lot to make sure he get they get back into class. I I don't know. I could ramble on for hours after tonight's meeting. I promise you I won't. And I will end with have a very safe summer and be nice. Thank you. With that, I would take a motion to adjurnn. >> I motion we adjourn. >> Second. >> All in favor? I I >> All right.