Dr. Erickson will call the meeting to order and welcome audience members.
At this time, the Pledge of Allegiance will be recited.
Ms. Lenssen will recite this land acknowledgement:
We, the Ferndale School District, acknowledge we are residing on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Lummi People.
The Lummi People are the original inhabitants of Washington's northernmost coast and southern British Columbia. They lived in villages throughout this territory and continue to have an ongoing relationship with these areas.
Since Time Immemorial, they have celebrated life on their water ways and on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded lands of their People to perpetuate their way of life.
We honor their ancestors as we acknowledge the past, present and future Lummi People as the original inhabitants of this land.
The Board will adopt the meeting agenda.
Dr. Erickson will recognize audience members who have comments to present to the Board.
You can either pre-register by emailing School Board support at kristin.newberry@ferndalesd.org before the meeting with your name, email address and reason for speaking, or by filling out the sign-in sheet at the meeting that evening.
For either option, you may also pre-register to comment on the Ferndale School District website at this link: https://www.ferndalesd.org/school-board/public-comment-form.
Commenters who pre-registered will get the chance to speak first. Each commenter will have 3 minutes to speak, and there will be a total of 45 minutes of public comment, in order to allow enough time for the School Board to conduct other business. If you are not able to complete comments in 3 minutes, you may submit the remainder of your comments in writing.
The superintendent will share information.
Student board members will share information.
Erin Gunter, City Council Liaison will share updates from the City of Ferndale.
North Bellingham Learning Center is in immediate need to replace the failing heating system. To access the OSPI Emergency Repair Pool Grant program, the Ferndale School district must declare and emergency. Any questions may be directed to Assistant Superintendent Mark Deebach.
Assistant Superintendent Mark Deebach will share information about the district's Education and Operations Replacement Levy.
Superintendent Kristi Dominguez presented the updated Monitoring Report for Operational Expectations Policy 4(OE-4) Personnel Administration to the Board at the September meeting. It is now before the board for adoption.
Superintendent Kristi Dominguez presented the updated Monitoring Report for Results Policy 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.5 Academic Achievement to the Board at the September meeting. It is now before the board for adoption hereto and made part of the minutes.
Receive revised Policy 1400 Meeting Conduct, Order of Business and Quorum as updated by WSSDA.
Receive revisions to Policy 3207- Prohibition of Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying.
Receive revisions to Policy 4060 - Distribution of Materials.
Receive revised Policy 5009 - Civility.
Local school districts within the State of Washington will join together to form a cooperative for the purpose of providing support and training to develop effective MLL programs. Questions may be directed to John Fairbairn, Executive Director for Teaching and Learning.
The Ferndale School District has been leasing a portion of the Mt View Elementary School to the NW Educational Service District 189 (NWESD) for the Discovery program since 2018. Beginning in the 2023/24 school year, the Discovery program has been moved to the North Bellingham Campus.
Attached is an updated lease agreement indicating the new location as well as changes in location.
This agreement provides funding for a Mental Health Specialist and to support Ferndale Youth Coalition initiatives within the Ferndale School District. All questions may be directed to Trina Hall, Executive Director of Teaching and Learning.
Authorize the cooperative agreement between the District and the Opportunity Council to permit the Rental Group to operate at North Bellingham, its Head Start and early childhood education.
Approve overnight travel for:
1. FHS Girls Swim team, Julia Landon and chaperones to travel to Federal Way, WA on November 3-5-2023 for the 3A Girls Swim State Competition. Costs will be covered by ASB funds.
2. FHS Cross Country team, Nick Carlson and chaperones to travel to Pasco/Tri Cities, WA on November 3-5, 2023 for the 3A Cross Country State Competition. Costs will be covered by ASB funds.
3. M.E.Ch.A. club students and Andrea Tafoya to travel to WSU in Pullman, WA on November 10-12, 2023 for the Children of Aztlan Sharing Higher Education (CASHE) conference. Costs will be covered by the Ferndale Schools Foundation.
4. FHS Volleyball team Michaela Hall and chaperones to travel to Yakima, WA on November 16-18, 2023 for the 3A State Volleyball Tournament. Costs will be covered by ASB funds.
5. School Board Student Representatives; Kwabena Ledbetter and Gabby Lenssen to attend WSSDA Annual Conference in Bellevue, WA on November 16-18, 2023. Costs will be covered by the board of director's conference budget.
6. FHS Choir, Jessica Schlichting and chaperones to travel to Yakima, WA on February 15-17, 2024 for the Washington Music Educators Association All-State Choir and conference. Costs will be covered by ASB funds.
7. FHS Choir, Jessica Schlichting and chaperones to travel to Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia Canada on May 16-19, 2024 for Spring Choir Tour. Costs will be paid out of a combination of ASB, fundraising and family contributions.
8. Staff travel to Minneapolis, Minnesota on January 31 - February 2, 2024 to attend the Winter NEXUS Academy Institute. A combination of funding from the NEXUS Academy and Department of Teaching and Learning will cover all cost.
Approve the hiring of personnel, per the list attached and made a part of the minutes.
Questions regarding this matter may be addressed to Assistant Superintendent Mark Deebach.
Approve Personal and Supplemental contracts for October 2023, per the list attached here and made a part of the minutes.
Questions regarding these items may be addressed to Assistant Superintendent Mark Deebach.
Approve resignations and retirements per the list attached and made a part of the minutes.
Questions regarding this item may be addressed to Assistant Superintendent Mark Deebach.
Approve leave of absences, per the list attached and made a part of the minutes.
Questions regarding these items may be addressed to Assistant Superintendent Mark Deebach.
Accept the September 2023 Fund Balance Financial Statements, as attached hereto and made part of the minutes.
Inquiries regarding this matter may be addressed to Assistant Superintendent Mark Deebach.
Adopt Resolution No. 13-2023 canceling Associated Student Body Fund warrant numbered 289709, as attached hereto and made part of the minutes.
Inquiries regarding this matter may be addressed to Assistant Superintendent Mark Deebach.
Approve minutes of the September 26 regular meeting, as attached here and made a part of the minutes.
The attached Policies have been update following the guidelines of WSSDA.
Authorized Voucher Transmittals:
GENERAL FUND
Vouchers 291087 dated September 29 in the amount of $2,109.03, 291088, 291089, 291092-291134, 291136-291285, 291338, 291340-291361 & 291362-291477 in the amount of $1,650,104.67.
GENERAL FUND PAYROLL
Warrants 478442-478460 dated September 29, 2023, in the amount of $1,824,494.19 and electronic deposits in the amount of $4,305,307.12 for a total of $6,129,801.31.
CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND
Vouchers 291090, 291286-291292 & 291478-291482 in the amount of $5,259,971.82.
A.S.B. FUND
Vouchers 291091, 291135, 291293-291337, 291339 & 291483-291512 in the amount of $101,170.76.
TRANSPORTATION/VEHICLE FUND
No October Vouchers
Review the year-to-date Board of Directors' Budget as of September 30, 2023, as attached hereto and made part of the minutes.
Inquiries regarding this matter may be addressed to Assistant Superintendent Mark Deebach.
Dr. Erickson will discuss the process to approve sending newly elected School Board Director(s) to WSSDA Annual Conference.
Receive Monitoring Report for Operational Expectations 7 (OE-7) Asset Protection as attached hereto and made part of the minutes.
Ms. Uppiano will report on Legislative Priorities as submitted to WSSDA. These are the positions that were universally agreed on:
Board members will share information.
Student Board members will evaluate the meeting.