Greetings Families,
The Board of Trustees met on the evening of Monday, January 15th. Routine business was
accomplished, including approving last month’s board meeting minutes, expenditures, payroll expenses, and an out-of-district student enrollment request.
The policy committee has been busy reviewing and updating several policies that are part of recent legislation and will help the district continue to fulfill its duties required for the accreditation and strategic planning processes. The next policy committee meeting will be February 1st at 3 PM at Somers Middle School if you are interested in attending.
There was also an executive session for the annual evaluation of the superintendent and district clerk by the board of trustees.
Several teachers and staff were present at the meeting to voice concerns about receiving disrespectful and sometimes confrontational communication from parents. Staff asked the board and administrators for clarification about how to best handle these challenging circumstances. The board reiterated its commitment to the existing policies and student-parent handbook. Mr. Price, the principals, and several staff members agreed to work together to create procedures to clarify how the board-approved policies should be followed, as well as set expectations to document interactions. The board agreed to send a letter to district families clarifying the relevant policy and handbook content and encouraging safe, responsible, and respectful interactions. It is important to note that we are incredibly grateful that the vast majority of parents are supportive and respectful even when faced with hard conversations.
We are proud of how the board, staff, and parents have worked to rebuild trust and camaraderie after several difficult (COVID) years.
We will continue to ensure that parents have a voice and that challenging conversations are conducted with mutual respect and the shared goal of doing what is best for the students. We greatly value our staff as educational professionals and recognize that their expertise, paired with strong, positive parental involvement, is a winning combination. Superintendent Price stated that a community meeting will be held in February as part of the new OPI accreditation process and strategic development plan requirements. Please watch for more information about this meeting and participate to voice your thoughts on the district’s top priorities.
The next regular board meeting will be held on Monday, February 26th, at 6:00 PM at Somers Middle School.
We hope you are staying warm and safe during this cold and snowy week. Enjoy the long weekend.
Sincerely,
Jesica Swanson
Chairperson
jesica.swanson@somersdist29.org