Highline School Board Summary: 02/15/2023
Board Meeting Agenda
Board Meeting Recording
Board Meeting Transcript
Roll Call:
President Van, Vice President Alvarez, Director Howell, Director Hagos – present
Director Garcia – excused absence
Superintendent Duran – away at Conference
Recognitions:
- Choose 180 – Sean Goode Director (will be leaving program) – Program supports kids who need discipline to make better choices. Highline has partnered with Choose 180 since 2018
- Director Howell – Commented that she used to work at Mt. Rainier and appreciated the Choose 180 Program. She “saw students gain agency through this program”
- Director Alvarez thanked him for his ongoing support of HSD
- Director Van – thanked him for supporting Highline
Scheduled Communications:
- Darany Pen (Resolution 11-23) Highline Educator and founding teacher of Highline Virtual Academy. He expressed sadness at the recent announcement that HVA would be collapsed due to low enrollment and moved to Seahurst Elementary. Thought stakeholders should be able to weigh in on decision and he requested Board to get stakeholder input before deciding on future of HVA
- Hillary Britt (Resolution 11-23) Teacher/Librarian at Highline Virtual Academy (HVA). Concerned that Highline continues to advertise HVA for next school year even though it is being collapsed and asks for time to allow the school to grow.
- James Payne (ANEW Pre-Apprenticeship Program). Highline Parent who addressed HSD low enrollment and challenged causes given by the budget director. Reported 1,200 white children have left the district since IRI policy was established in 2016. Spoke of ANEW Pre-Apprenticeship Program and its equity policy which supports female and BIPOC youth. Asked the Board to vote no on Motion 10.2 regarding the ANEW Pre-Apprenticeship Program.
- Andrea Ornelas (ANEW Pre-Apprenticeship Program). She belongs to Laborers Local 242 and promotes ANEW Pre-Apprenticeship Program.
- Alex Myrick (Student Health & Safety). Challenged Board to reconsider gender policies and admit they made a mistake. Said Dr. Paul McHugh, a former psychiatrist of Johns Hopkins, says transgenderism is a mental disorder.
- Linda Peters (Highline Virtual Academy) – no show
- Franli Newman (Highline Virtual Academy) – Teacher at HVA. Wants Board to reconsider collapse of HVA under one principal at Seahurst. Feels HVA’s needs will be secondary to Seahurst’s in-person population.
- Vaughn Rohrdanz (Alternative Learning Budget for 2023-24) – Teacher at HVA . He requested that the current HVA keep current staff, administration and office staff as a stand alone school.
- Katie Kresly (School Counseling). She expressed concern that the teachers may be usurping the roles of skilled counselors and parents by soliciting “private, intimate conversations about sexual behaviors, sexual attitudes, mental and psychological questions, and private religious practices” from young students. Suggested the board adopt “Parents as Primary Stakeholders” Resolution to avoid litigation as the Ohio Hilliard School District is facing.
- Patricia Bailey (Student Mental Health). Retired Teacher who spoke about the need for policy and procedure 3211 on Gender Inclusive Schools to be re-written. Shared quote of 17 year old girl who suffered from Gender Ideology which is supported in policy 3211.
- Deborah Lipp (ANEW Pre-Apprenticeship Program). She appreciates that people are given opportunities through ANEW Program but lamented that opportunities are only for female and BIPOC Youth.
Superintendent’s Update:
- Labor Partner Update – HEA, Jeb Binns, Vice President HEA – reported in absence of Superintendent
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- Reported Highline District is moving forward on Community Workforce Agreements
- Shared concerns from last District Meeting
- Discipline Problem – Teachers concerned that students are not being held accountable for actions
- Student Attendance rates are out of control
- There is wide ranging disparity in how tardiness is addressed
- Homework policy 2422 which was put in place during Covid may be out of date as the district shifts to Standards Based Grading
- Pursuing interest in Community Schools (Supported by politicians Pramilla Jayapal and Adam Smith)
School Board Reports:
Legislative Report: Lots of action with school bills happening in the legislative session. Van will forward school related bills to the Board.
Director Reports:
- Director Hagos
- Congratulations to Communications Manager – Mandi LeCompte who was named to the National School Public Relations Association’s 2022-2023 “35 under 35” class
- Mt Rainier Dance Team placed 1st and 2nd place
- Grace Kabaya awarded $10,000 from Amazon and named Highline School Foundation as her charity
- Director Howell
- Joined walk-through at McMicken and observed Standards Based Grading
- Reported on Seahurst Beach Clean-up by Maritime School 9th graders
- Director Alvarez
- Kindergarten enrollment open for 2023-24. All kids aged 5 by 8/31/23 are eligible
- Jumpstart happens 8/23-25 for kindergartners to be introduced to routines
- Director Van
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- Joined Raisbeck student volunteer at a work based learning Virtual Reality Program. Van reported it is hands on and would like to see more of these experiences for students
- Healthpoint medical clinics on school sites – available to Middle School and High school students. Currently at Tyee, Evergreen and Highline
- Thanked staff for coming to Work Session earlier on Family and Community Partnerships
Consent Agenda: (Approved 4-0)
Approval of Minutes:
Approval of Payroll Warrants and Accounts Payable Vouchers Directors Alvarez and Hagos
Approval of Personnel Report
Items Moved to Consent Agenda:
8.2 Motion to Approve Pacific Middle School Replacement Project – Approval of Contract Amendment No. 4 and increase of Purchase Order P201415 – Hutteball+Oremus Architecture – Architectural and Engineering Services – Approved Contract Amendment No. 04 and increase Purchase Order P201415 for $6,573,086.52
8.5 Motion to Approve Evergreen High School – Approval of Value Engineering Study Report Approved the Value Engineering Study Report prepared by Sazan Environmental Services
8.6 Motion to Approve Tyee High School – Approval of Value Engineering Study Report
Approved the Value Engineering Study Report prepared by Sazan Environmental Services
Action Items: (Approved 4-0)
Authorizes Superintendent to direct action to implement the reduced educational program for certified staff for school year 2023-24 and notify certified non-supervisory staff adversely affected by the reduction prior to May 15, 2023
Introduction and Action Items: (Approved 4-0)
9.1 Motion to Approve New Contract and Purchase Order with Northwest Playgrounds for 2022-23 SY
Approved contract with Northwest Playgrounds and PO for $826,389.84 for playground equipment replacement, upgrades, and maintenance, as recommended by the 2023-22 CARE Committee
- Scott Logan reported that when the ESSER fund were established a CARE committee was created to managed school needs – this group was a community group committee and is managed outside school district
- Out of Total $4 million Esser funds, 3.97 was allocated to CARE Team
- Team determined playground equipment was old and we had minimal ADA compliance
- Created Phase 1 and 2 for the project
- Phase 1 – Structure play replacement was $667,000
- Phase 2 – Fall Zone safety for playgrounds – foam is safer than wood chips
- Director Howell asked if we would have ADA compliance at every site
- Logan answered yes, that is one of our minimum construction standards
- Director Van clarified with Logan that this would be for the 4 elementary schools and finished before 2023-24 school year
- Logan answered yes, but there are more than those four schools listed including Bow lake, Cedarhurst, Gregory Heights, Hazel Valley, McMicken, Midway, Mountview, Shorewood, and Southern Heights.
Introduction Items:
- Director Hagos asked why is here a need for this program at Highline’s Big Picture School because it looks like its targeted towards kids in danger of dropping out and why is recruitment being held at elementary schools
- Jeff Petty, founding principal of Highline Big Picture responded
- Equity core value drives our work and we approach school differently so good resource for kids disengaged from school
- School started when district was struggling with Cohort graduation rates
- Student population was originally students with risk factors for graduation
- The intro of the lottery made Big Picture a choice school which changed demographics away from just students who were in danger of graduating.
- Two years ago changed recruitment strategy to access students in most need of this type of school
- Director Van stated this motion is in regards to waiver from credit based grading and asked about success rates at the school since it is not based on grades A, B, pass
- Petty said its based on post graduation success
- Student is either engaged in career of choice or secondary education
- Petty said its based on post graduation success
- Director Van asked about success rates at the school
- Petty said indefinitely and gave the example of four graduates who are employees of the school. Feels its due to small cohorts with teacher following students all four years
- Director Hagos expressed that she was impressed with attendance rates at Big Picture and that according to data a high rate of kids are meeting state science standards.
- Director Hagos asked if families are clear during recruitment how Big Picture addresses graduation and state standards
- Petty said yes and no. We don’t have classes or grades and it is so different from what families are used to
- Director Howell commented that she had a Big Picture student intern and was impressed with her culminating project called an Exhibition. She likes to see creative approaches for kids demonstrating mastery.
- Director Howell said she hoped that we can spread mastery based learning away from seat time to our comprehensive schools. Students love being in school and we don’t have to dangle credit in front of them to get them to come.
10.2 Motion to Approve ANEW Pre-Apprenticeship Program Payment
- Director Van asked about pass through dollars and what is the success rate and how many students are served through this program
- He was answered with a report from OSPI which states: 48 kids enrolled, 36 students of color, 9 white, no women
- Director Van asked about title what does it mean where it states it”will not create racial imbalance
- Scott Logan said it’s a prerequisite in order to be qualified for school construction assistance funding from the state.
- Gave definition of creating racial imbalance in two possible ways
- If you switch from a comprehensive high school to a CTE program that could influence attendance within the school boundary
- Or if the boundary is changing as a result of construction
- Highline is not changing any boundaries or school programs within
Adjourned at 7:10 pm
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Special Board Meeting Work Session – March 1, 2023 4:40 PM – 5:50 PM
NEXT School Board Meeting: March 1, 2023, 6:00 PM
General Meeting Information:
- Highline School Board meetings are generally held on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month at 6 PM in the Central Office Boardroom.
- Community members can give New (two-minute) verbal commentary in Scheduled Communications.
- Call the District Office at 206-631-3070 – New (Sign up begins at 9:00 a.m. on the Monday of the week of a Board meeting; sign up closes at 9:00 a.m. on the day of the meeting.on the day of the meeting in order to be included on the agenda.)
- Board Meetings can be viewed via Live stream.
