Regular Meeting 6_00 P.M.-05-09-2024.pdf

Document type	minutes
Date	2024-05-09
Source URL	—
Entity	moses_lake_school_district (Grant Co., WA)
Entity URL	https://www.mlsd161.org
Raw filename	Regular Meeting 6_00 P.M.-05-09-2024.pdf
Stored filename	2024-05-09-regularmeetingpm-minutes.txt

Supplementary Documents

Text

Thursday, May 9, 2024
Regular Meeting 6:00 P.M.
Moses Lake School District #161
Board Room 940 E. Yonezawa, Moses Lake, WA 98837
Open to the public
Main Governing Board

1. Opening Items
Subject :

A. Call Meeting to Order 8:02 a.m.

Meeting :

May 9, 2024 - Regular Meeting 6:00 P.
M.

Category :

1. Opening Items

Type :

Procedural

Subject :

B. Pledge of Allegiance

Meeting :

May 9, 2024 - Regular Meeting 6:00 P.
M.

Category :

1. Opening Items

Type :

Procedural

Subject :

C. Approval of Minutes

Meeting :

May 9, 2024 - Regular Meeting 6:00 P.
M.

Category :

1. Opening Items

Type :

Action, Minutes

Minutes :

View Minutes for Apr 25, 2024 - Regular Meeting
6:00 P.M.

Motion & Voting
Moved to approved the minutes from the April 25, 2024 meeting.
Motion by Paul Hill, second by Amy Breitenstein.
Final Resolution: Motion Passes
Yea: Kevin Fuhr, Paul Hill, Kirryn Jensen, Amy Breitenstein, Carla Urias
Subject :

D. Changes or Additions to the Agenda

Meeting :

May 9, 2024 - Regular Meeting 6:00 P.
M.

Category :

1. Opening Items

Type :

Action

Motion & Voting
Moved to approve the changes to Executive Session as stated in this document.
Motion by Carla Urias, second by Amy Breitenstein.

Final Resolution: Motion Passes
Yea: Paul Hill, Kirryn Jensen, Amy Breitenstein, Carla Urias
Nay: Kevin Fuhr
Subject :

E. Adoption of Agenda

Meeting :

May 9, 2024 - Regular Meeting 6:00 P.
M.

Category :

1. Opening Items

Type :

Action

Recommended Action :

Moved for adoption of the agenda.

Motion & Voting
Moved for adoption of the agenda with the amendment noted in Section D.
Motion by Paul Hill, second by Carla Urias.
Final Resolution: Motion Passes
Yea: Kevin Fuhr, Paul Hill, Kirryn Jensen, Amy Breitenstein, Carla Urias

2. Recognition
Subject :

A. Appreciation

Meeting :

May 9, 2024 - Regular Meeting 6:00 P.
M.

Category :

2. Recognition

Type :

Recognition

Public Content
National Teachers Appreciation Week

3. School Sharing
Subject :

A. Chad Utter/Ron Mayberry - CB Tech
Presentation

Meeting :

May 9, 2024 - Regular Meeting 6:00 P.M.

Category :

3. School Sharing

Type :

Information

4. Consent Agenda
Subject :

A. Personnel

Meeting :

May 9, 2024 - Regular Meeting 6:00 P.
M.

Category :

4. Consent Agenda

Type :

Action (Consent)

Recommended Action :

Moved to accept the assignments as

indicated.

Public Content
Certified
Individual

Action

Position

Effective Date

Hans Warkentin

Retirement

Vanguard - Teacher

08/31/2024

Classified
Individual

Action

Position

Effective Date

Robin Hollenbeck
Stephanie Garcia
Katie Elder
Marilyn Hanna
Carol Cosper
Sheila Sisney
Charlene Johnson
Allex Rogers
Lisa Porter
Sherri Webster

Hire
Hire
Hire
Hire
Retirement
Separation
Separation
Separation
Separation
Separation

Groff - Nutrition Services
MLHS - Nutrition Services
Longview - Paraeducator
MLHS - Custodian
Lakeview - Paraeducator
Groff - Paraeducator
Transportation - Bus Driver
Early Learning - Paraeducator
Larson Heights - Secretary
North Elementary - Paraeducator

04/10/2023
11/07/2023
11/10/2023
03/18/2024
06/30/2024
04/14/2024
03/29/2024
05/02/2024
06/21/2024
06/11/2024

Motion & Voting
Move to approve the consent agenda according to the recommended action for each item.
Motion by Amy Breitenstein, second by Paul Hill.
Final Resolution: Motion Passes
Yea: Kevin Fuhr, Paul Hill, Kirryn Jensen, Amy Breitenstein, Carla Urias
Subject :

B. 2023-2024 Out of Endorsement
Assignments

Meeting :

May 9, 2024 - Regular Meeting 6:00 P.M.

Category :

4. Consent Agenda

Type :

Action (Consent)

File Attachments
2023-24 Out of Endorsement Assignments May 2024.pdf (57 KB)

Motion & Voting
Move to approve the consent agenda according to the recommended action for each item.
Motion by Amy Breitenstein, second by Paul Hill.
Final Resolution: Motion Passes

Yea: Kevin Fuhr, Paul Hill, Kirryn Jensen, Amy Breitenstein, Carla Urias
Subject :

C. Accounts Payable/Payroll

Meeting :

May 9, 2024 - Regular Meeting 6:00 P.
M.

Category :

4. Consent Agenda

Type :

Action (Consent)

Recommended Action :

Moved to accept accounts payable/payroll
report.

File Attachments
161128248 - 161128518.pdf (4,128 KB)
161128138 - 161128220.pdf (244 KB)

D. Approval of Consent Agenda

Meeting :

May 9, 2024 - Regular Meeting 6:00 P.
M.

Category :

4. Consent Agenda

Type :

Action (Consent)

Recommended Action :

Move to approve the consent agenda according to the
recommended action for each item.

5. Required Approvals
Subject :

A. TRIO Trip to University of
Washington

Meeting :

May 9, 2024 - Regular Meeting 6:00 P.
M.

Category :

5. Required Approvals

Type :

Action (Required Approvals)

Subject :

B. MLHS GEAR Up Trip to Pullman July

10-12
Meeting :

May 9, 2024 - Regular Meeting 6:00 P.M.

Category :

5. Required Approvals

Type :

Action (Required Approvals)

Subject :

C. FBLA Nationals, Orlando FL, 6/26/24 - 7
/3/24

Meeting :

May 9, 2024 - Regular Meeting 6:00 P.M.

Category :

5. Required Approvals

Type :

Action (Required Approvals)

Subject :

D. Approval of Required Approvals

Meeting :

May 9, 2024 - Regular Meeting 6:00 P.
M.

Category :

5. Required Approvals

Type :

Action (Required Approvals)

Motion & Voting
Moved to accept the required approvals with the additional pages on the supporting document for the
TRIO trip being removed.
Motion by Paul Hill, second by Kevin Fuhr.
Final Resolution: Motion Passes
Yea: Kevin Fuhr, Paul Hill, Kirryn Jensen, Amy Breitenstein, Carla Urias

6. Citizen Comments
Subject :

A. Public Comments on Agenda Items

Meeting :

May 9, 2024 - Regular Meeting 6:00 P.
M.

Category :

6. Citizen Comments

Type :

Information

Todd Hoffer--MLSD, I hope the school district is listening to voters. They want to cut your funding, so please start
with non-essentials such as the athletic departments. Playing sports is not a requirement to graduate, so if kids want to
play, make their parents pay and save that money for academics. Cut all transportation spending for athletics, make

parents pay for busses. Cut unnecessary courses of instruction at the high school, and significantly reduce their elective
choices. Only essentials to graduate.
If youre cutting all supply purchases for school, then make posts asking for community donations for paper, staples, glue,
etc.
The community spoke, so give them what they asked for and dont burden your teachers and staff with trying to figure it
out or pay for supplies out of their pocket. Burdening your staff is despicable. Making cuts to teachers and paraeducators
over admin is also despicable. Make all of this very visible to the public so they can see the impacts of their choice as
well as your frugal approach to cutting overhead expenses. Teachers and paraeducators are essential staff, admin is not.
Start making the hard decisions you are hired to make or continue to lose this battle and make an entire generation of
Moses lake kids suffer.
I voted yes and promoted the levy regardless of how disgusted I am with this administration. Now that we have our
results and I watch the district react, Im even further disgusted with this admin and the leadership of our Super. Get out
there and support your teachers or kiss a passing levy good bye for a long time!

Todd Hoffer-- I would like a copy
of the new proposed budget to see what the school district intends to cut and what they intend to keep now that you have
failed to secure the proper funding for our kids. Please send me a copy of the budget to my email address.
Nicole Wolfe--Please Consider
Asking Staff to Step Down or Retire. (Without the incentive as discussed yesterday with gifting public funds) I
believe that a lot of staff would be willing to Retire during this time and a lot of staff would be willing to Put in
notice to sub. if you give them an opportunity to come forward i know in my school alone you would have at
least 5 staff members.

Sonia Tyler--In the budget study
session from 5/7/24, towards the end of the meeting, a board member asked about the accounting error listed as part of the
budget concerns. It was stated the amount of the accounting error was half of the potential $20 million the district needs to cut.
I would like it stated, specifically, what that $10 million consisted of. It should also be stated how this happened.

Todd Hoffer--I am deeply concerned
about the recent decisions made by our district leadership in response to the failed levy. Significant accounting errors and a
poorly managed levy campaign have led to proposed staff cuts that will directly impact our dedicated educators and their
families. This approach not only disregards the commitment we have made to our staff but also seems to ignore the voices and
needs of our community.
We have already endured budget cuts through split grade classes, so what is next with significant reductions in staff? Increased
class sizes? Is this what is best for the children and community you serve or what is easiest for leadership to implement?
As a committed community member and a parent of students in the district, I strongly urge the board to consider alternative
budget solutions. These could include reducing expenditures on athletics and other non-essential programs and requiring these
programs to fundraise to cover transportation costs. Additionally, I suggest increasing usage fees for district facilities such as
pools, fields, and gyms, and exploring early retirement buyouts for eligible staff.
Moreover, there are opportunities to engage the community further by seeking donations and volunteer support for nonessential supplies. Implementing such measures would demonstrate a proactive approach to financial management, rather than
relying on the simplistic and short-sighted strategy of cutting the newest educators and support staff.
I believe that by adopting a more strategic and community-focused approach to budget management, the district can not only
preserve crucial educational roles but also rebuild trust with the community. This trust will be essential for the potential success
of future levies.

I urge the board to consider these suggestions seriously. We should be working together to ensure our financial practices
support our educational commitments, not undermine them.

David Enquist--When considering budget cuts, I encourage you to make the least direct impact to the students as possible and
cut as much as possible from the administrative part of the budget as possible. There is a high level of mistrust between voters and
the school administration, which I believe played a large role for those who voted no on the levy. This mistrust stems from
perceived wrongs of those currently and formally in the administration including the decisions around the Vanguard Academy,
which as far as I understand currently houses a very minimal amounts of students. The administration carries the vast majority of
the blame for the levy not passing in my opinion and should share in the vast majority of the budget cuts. This would also help in
building back trust that is desperately needed from the community.
Further, I strongly encourage you to cut the least amount possible from sports and other extracurricular activities. My kids and
others that I have coached and watched play gain as much or more valuable life skills from sports that they do from the classroom.
I would argue for most it exceeds what they gain from the classroom. On the same note, while I hope there are no teachers or para
educators cut for budget reasons, assuming this does happen, these cuts should be made on a merit basis and not years of service.
There may be some contract / union issues with this approach that make it impossible, however, from what I hear from my kids
and others that work in the schools there are some very unimpressive and apathetic teachers and para educators that don't lead to an
ideal learning environment for the kids. Teaching today is an extremely difficult job given the restraints state and federal law puts
on the teachers coupled with what seems to be a plethora of unruly kids who need social services as much as the education.
Keeping quality teachers and para educators that want to teach and help should be an extreme priority as such.
To conclude, I implore you the board and the school district to look inward on why these budget cuts are necessary. Some things
such as inflation and other recent bonds passing that influenced voters are outside your control, however, your relationship, level of
trust, and transparency with the community absolutely are within your control. The decisions are no doubt difficult, but the
students should suffer the least if at all. Thanks

Hunter Hust--With the recent issues
introduced to the Moses Lake School District, what if we shut down Vanguard, and turn it into a dinosaur museum?

Ronnie Sawyer--I am extremely
disappointed in the way the Director of CB Tech has been treated. She built a program that is one of the most successful in the
district. When she voiced her concerns privately, she was ignored. Now that she has made her concerns public she has been
placed on leave with a police escort. This is the type of weak leadership we have. people not willing to accept criticism. I have
voted for every school bond and levy the district has floated for 45 years. I won't support another until this is fixed.

Jason Hart--My name is Jason Hart. I am the current Aquatics Teacher, Head Coach for MLHS, Frontier, Endeavor, and
Columbia Middle Schools. This is my 2nd year working for the MLSD and it has been such an incredible experience. I
recognize the extreme difficulty our school district is in as well as the incredible pressure that must be on our entire cabinet and
school board. I do not envy any of you in the lease.
I am writing this letter advocating for the FAST program as well as the public use of our pool. The FAST program is an
amazing program in which we teach our high school students how to swim lessons to every 5th grader within the district. The
ability to swim can not be overstated in any city or town. With that said it is especially for those people who live on a river or
lake. With this program every MLHS 5th grade student, regardless of financial means, has the opportunity to learn needed
water safety skills.
With all that said, I have to say my favorite aspects of this program are observing the growth of the high school students and
watching the 5th graders enjoy each other so much while in the water. I have had many teachers tell me that they love how
students who are normally in different social groups interact with each other.
This program is amazing. Many of us would be heartbroken to see it fall victim to the failed levy. There is significant value in it
that is unique to this type of curriculum.
I would also like to address the concerns about the monies that are spent keeping the pool open to the public. Our pool is an
incredible asset to our community. I think that goes without saying. I have heard misgivings about the facilities costs that incur
to the MLSD. In response to that I initiated a conversation with an AFO, (Aquatic Facility Operator) who completes work
within the pool, and asked him how many more issues occur because the public uses our pool. He responded with the fact that
accumulation of facility issues are minimal in regards to the addition of public use. He did say we do use more chemicals to

manage the water chemistry, though not an incredibly large amount. We also agreed that the pool pumps are always on
regardless of usage. Water flow is essential to a healthy pool.
Labor expenses is another story. We do have significant Labor costs without question. I believe this can be managed to
minimize cost. Our pool manager submitted to Jeremy ONeil our list of services with cost increases for community members.
Even with these increases, these services are still affordable in comparison to industry standards. I guess in short the pool is a
huge asset to the community and has made our town of Moses Lake a safer and healthier place.
Year Round Swim lessons in some form are need for Moses Lake, not a want. Being we have a beautiful pool we must continue
these services in all regards and work to manage costs.Thank you,
Kim Edwards-The vague and
subjective language being added to Policy 2021 Library Information and Technology Programs could result in a loss of
representation for groups of students. All students deserve representation and to be seen as a hero in stories. The subjectiveness
in the language could allow for books to be removed from libraries that include factual information. If the goal of the library is
as you say, "to support it's educational objectives for the students" and to provide materials that are "suitable for educational
goals" does this not mean that libraries are responsible for providing literature to all students that is factual and representative
of the facts of the country and our world? In addition, what is the criteria that you state will be used for "selection, removal, and
replacement of library materials"? This is something that should be shared with the public before anything is passed. I would
like to know how something as subjective as this will be decided.

Subject :
B. Public Comments on Non-Agenda
Items
Meeting :

May 9, 2024 - Regular Meeting 6:00 P.
M.

Category :

6. Citizen Comments

Type :

Information

Public Content
The board welcomes input from the public.www.mlsd161.org/apps/pages/schoolboard
In accordance with the Open Public Meetings Act, the board is not allowed to discuss items that
are not on the agenda. The board will direct the superintendent to follow up on any items that
arise during public comment as appropriate. However, you should not expect a response from the
board members in reference to your public comments during the meeting.
----- Written Comment(s) ----

7. New Business
Subject :

A. Resolution 2024-05 Reduced Educational
Program

Meeting :

May 9, 2024 - Regular Meeting 6:00 P.M.

Category :

7. New Business

Type :

Action

File Attachments
Resolution 2024-05 Reduced Educational Program for 2024-2025.pdf (60 KB)
Recommended Reduced Educational Program Summary.pdf (51 KB)

Motion & Voting
Subject :

B. Highly Capable Program Plan

Meeting :

May 9, 2024 - Regular Meeting 6:00 P.
M.

Category :

7. New Business

Type :

Action, Presentation

Public Content
Please click on this link to view the Highly Capable Program Plan.
Highly Capable Program Plan 23-24
Subject :

C. Policy 2020 - Course Design, Selection and
Adoption of Instructional Materials

Meeting :

May 9, 2024 - Regular Meeting 6:00 P.M.

Category :

7. New Business

Type :

Information

Public Content
Additions are marked in red

File Attachments
Policy 2020 Course Design, Selection and Adoption of Instructional Materials.pdf (162 KB)
Subject :
D. Policy 2021 - Library Information and Technology
Programs
Meeting :

May 9, 2024 - Regular Meeting 6:00 P.M.

Category :

7. New Business

Type :

Information

Public Content
Addition is marked in red.

File Attachments

Policy 2021 Library Information and Technology Programs.pdf (140 KB)
Subject :
E. Easement Request from JR Simplot
Meeting :

May 9, 2024 - Regular Meeting 6:00 P.
M.

Category :

7. New Business

Type :

Action

File Attachments
Grant of Buried Water Pipeline and Communication Control Conduit Easement.pdf (115 KB)
Pipeline Route from Existing Plant to New Plant.pdf (732 KB)
Vicinity Map.pdf (1,090 KB)

Motion & Voting
Moved to approve the selling of easement property to JR Simplot.
Motion by Amy Breitenstein, second by Paul Hill.
Final Resolution: Motion Passes
Yea: Kevin Fuhr, Paul Hill, Kirryn Jensen, Amy Breitenstein, Carla Urias

8. Old Business
Subject :

A. Policy 3520 Student Fees, Fines or
Charges

Meeting :

May 9, 2024 - Regular Meeting 6:00 P.M.

Category :

8. Old Business

Type :

Action

File Attachments
Policy 3520 Student Fees, Fines or Charges.pdf (129 KB)

Motion & Voting
Moved to approve Policy 3520 Student Fees, Fines or Charges.
Motion by Paul Hill, second by Kevin Fuhr.
Final Resolution: Motion Passes
Yea: Kevin Fuhr, Paul Hill, Kirryn Jensen, Amy Breitenstein, Carla Urias

9. Information Items
Subject :

A. Student Board Representatives
Report

Meeting :

May 9, 2024 - Regular Meeting 6:00 P.
M.

Category :

9. Information Items

Type :

Information

Subject :

B. Board Comments

Meeting :

May 9, 2024 - Regular Meeting 6:00 P.
M.

Category :

9. Information Items

Type :

Information

10. Executive Session
Subject :

A. Executive Session

Meeting :

May 9, 2024 - Regular Meeting 6:00 P.
M.

Category :

10. Executive Session

Type :

11. Adjournment
Subject :

A. Adjournment Time

Meeting :

May 9, 2024 - Regular Meeting 6:00 P.
M.

Category :

11. Adjournment

Type :

Action, Procedural

Motion & Voting
Moved to adjourn at 8:30 p.m.
Motion by Amy Breitenstein, second by Carla Urias.
Final Resolution: Motion Passes
Yea: Kevin Fuhr, Paul Hill, Kirryn Jensen, Amy Breitenstein, Carla Urias