Highline School Board Summary: 03/01/2023
Board Meeting Agenda
Board Meeting Recording
Board Meeting Transcript
Special meetings held before the Board Meeting (Recording):
4:50 – 5:50 Work Session: Human Resources 2022 Workforce Turnover Report
Roll Call:
President Van, Director Garcia, Director Howell, Director Alvarez, Director Hagos – present
Superintendent Duran – present
Recognitions:
- Director Alvarez recognized March 2, 2023, as National Education Association’s Read Across America Day.
- Director Hagos recognized March 5-11, 2023, as National School Social Workers Week.
- Director Howell recognized March 13-17, 2023, as Education Support Professionals Week.
- Director Garcia recognized March 20-26, 2023, as School Retirees Appreciation Week.
- Superintendent Duran introduced Instructional Leadership Executive Director, Jacqueline Downey who introduced Dr. Maries Huening, Principal of Glacier Middle School. Principal Huening shared information about Glacier Middle School and responded to questions from the school board.
Scheduled Communications
3.1. NicoleGrant (Community Workforce Agreement) – Highline mom and electrician. Supports the CWA policies, especially since she sees it helping women in construction, like herself, her daughter at Aviation, and other girls who wish to enter construction trades.
3.2. Maren Costa (Community Workforce Agreement) – Highline mom, supporting CWA, especially for kids like her son with IEPs. Asked for any opportunity for students to see different people including one’s with IEP’s doing different kinds of work, so they are inspired.
3.3. Deborah Lipp (Health clinics in schools) – Highline bus driver. Gave personal story of her 11-year old niece (not Highline) who received gender-affirming care without parental knowledge. Counselors refused to give the father any information. Families need to be involved. Asked questions about Highline’s in-school medical clinics.
3.4. Stephanie Hogan (Heritage Spanish program at Mount Rainier HS) – Mt Rainier educator. Asked why the “academically robust” heritage Spanish classes were cut from Mount Rainier in the 2022-2023 school year. “Cutting this program is a step backwards in our district’s move towards anti-racist education. It does not support educational equity, justice or bilingual/biliterate goals of the district. It negatively affects this traditionally marginalized community. Who made this decision?
3.5. Joe Lipp (Strengths and needs of the children) – Highline grandparent. Personal stories of student violence and misbehavior. He chose to break up a violent fist-fight between two young boys in front of Pacific Elementary while two teachers smiled and walked by. Saw young teens vaping. Where are the rules?
3.6. Katie Kresly (Thought Exchange) – Community member.Made some suggestions for Board Directors 1) Name “Student Academics” as a primary goal. 2) Parents need to be aware of the health care their children receive, even in the school clinics. 3) ThoughtExchange privacy policy is contradictory, the moderator can remove ANY comments for ANY reason. How is this giving you quality feedback?
3.7. Patricia Bailey (Policy and academics). Policy 0010 – divides racially. Policy 3211 – contrary to science, it tells children they can change their sex. This policy also allows boys into girls’ bathrooms and locker rooms, and forces teachers to lie to parents about the gender identity of their children, thereby undermining trust and relationships. Asks that Highline focus on academics.
3.8. Alex Myrick (District curriculum). Shared the story of North Korean woman, Yeonmi Park, who escaped slavery in China, then was named as an “oppressor” while at college in the United States because her skin was too light. Asked the board “how concerned should we be about any similarities between North Korea and the United States?” What path are we on?
3.9. Ben Folgers (Teacher Retention) – Mount Rainier teacher. Gives his observations for why there is a 17.4% turnover rate in Highline. High workload, poor building conditions, chronic tardiness, inconsistent discipline policies. He has presented these issues to the administration and labor management, but they have not been resolved.
3.10. Brandice Tranholt (Staff Turnover Report) – McMicken teacher. Sad about the high turnover report, however, she gave reasons she sees it happening. Teachers are overburdened, they have a new curriculum, and the resources do not match the need. Para-educators are underpaid and traumatized.
3.11. AnneMarie Kebre (High School clinics). She asked a series of “cost, scope, objectives”
questions related to the on-site HealthPointe Clinics at Evergreen, Highline and Tyee high schools. She asked about how parents are informed, as well as clinic/school logistics.
Superintendent’s Updates
Superintendent Duran thanked participants in the recent ThoughtExchanges around the four Strategic Plan goals and shared next steps in the Strategic Plan process. Superintendent Duran shared that Highline is in the process of exploring Community Workforce Agreements in connection with some of the upcoming work projects.
School Board Reports
5.1. Legislative Report
Director Van shared about a recent opportunity for district board directors to meet with State Senators and Representatives around bills that impact education and encouraged the community to reach out to elected officials to advocate for our students and community.
5.2. Director Reports
- Director Garcia had nothing to report at this time.
- Director Hagos shared appreciation for local elected officials and city leaders for engaging with and encouraging our youth.
- Director Howell shared that between our four comprehensive high schools a total of 12 Scholar Athletes participated in state championships. Director Howell shared that she was able to attend North Hill Elementary Schools’ student led Black History Month Assembly.
- Director Alvarez shared that Superintendent Dr. Duran along with Executive Director of Systems Improvement for Student Success, Dr. Rebekah Kim and former Superintendent Dr. Susan Enfield presented at the American Association of School Administrators conference.
- Director Van shared that February 10 marked 100 Days of Kindergarten; students participated in various activities to celebrate the occasion.
Consent Agenda
6.1. Approval of Minutes
6.1.1. February 15, 2023, Board Special Meeting, Executive Session
6.1.2. February 15, 2023, Board Special Meeting, Work Session
6.1.3. February 15, 2023, Board Regular Meeting
6.2. Approval of Accounts Payable Vouchers, Director Garcia and Director Howell
6.3. Approval of Personnel Report
6.4. Approval of Board Financial Reports
6.4.1. September 2022
6.4.2. October 2022
6.4.3. November 2022
6.4.4. December 2022
Director Alvarez made the motion to approve the consent agenda. Director Howell seconded the motion. The motion to approve the consent agenda passed unanimously.
Items Removed from the Consent Agenda
None.
Action Items
Director Alvarez made the motion to approve this item. Director Hagos seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
8.2. Motion to Approve ANEW Pre-Apprenticeship Program Payment Approved the ANEW payment of $270,000.00 to support the career access and advancement efforts of youth, especially women and BIPOC.
Director Garcia made the motion to approve this item. Director Howell seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
Director Howell made the motion to approve this item. Director Alvarez seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
Director Alvarez made the motion to approve this item. Director Howell seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
Director Garcia made the motion to approve this item. Director Howell seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
Introduction and Action Item
None.
Introduction Items
10.1. Motion to Approve Project and Construction Management Service for the Tyee High School Replacement Project with CBRE/HEERY. Approval of this motion would approve entering into a contract with CBRE/HEERY in the amount of $1,941,495.47 for the project, and construction management support services for the Tyee High School Replacement project.
10.2. Motion to Approve Project and Construction Management Service for the Pacific Middle School Replacement Project with Vanir Construction Management Inc. Approval of this motion would approve entering into a contract with Vanir Construction Management, Inc. in the amount of $2,844,290 for the project, and construction management support services for the Pacific Middle School Project.
10.3. Motion for Approval of Program Management Services with Vanir Construction Management, Inc. Approval of this motion would approve entering into a contract with Vanir Construction Management in the amount of $X,XXX,XXX for program management support services for the 2022 Capital Improvement Program (CIP), including a new Evergreen High school, Tyee High School, and Pacific Middle School projects.
Items Added to the Consent Agenda
None.
Adjourn
Director Alvarez moved that the meeting be adjourned. Director Howell seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. Director Van declared the meeting adjourned at 7:21 p.m.
NEXT Meeting: March 15, 2023, 4:20 PM – 5:50 PM
- School Board Special Meeting – Executive Session – Performance Review. (Not open to public.)
NEXT School Board Meeting: March 15, 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.
