​Name of Observer: Diana M Conners
Observed Meeting:   So Whidbey School District Directors Meeting
Date of Meeting: April 26, 2023
Members present: Andrea Downs, Joe Greenheron, Marnie Jackson, Ann Johnson, Brook Willeford, Supt. Jo Moccia, Student members: Audrey Gmerek and Katya Schiavone
Members absent:
Others present (staff, media, public):  Principals: John Patton, Kayla Phillips, Dr. Jeff Frankhauser, Asst Supt Dan Poolman, Communications Director, Kristina Macarro and approximately 30 members of the community.

Summarize the main issues discussed at the meeting:
Presentation of spending over past year…A preliminary budget for 2023/24 was presented. Enrollment/ Down 46 for next year…
Program reductions–many that will affect students, no district funding for Running Start Program…
About 11 community members, coaches, parents, and students spoke to the new decision that forbids buses returning from athletic events from stopping on the way home for food/snacks/drinks.

List any issues on the agenda relevant to any LWV state or local positions or programs:
  

Do you recommend local League action or study on any of these issues? 
Learn more about budget cuts/program reductions—Watch discussions on the new budget.
Possibly conduct meetings with individual members of the school board or have them speak at an event.

Was the meeting conducted in an open, business-like, and civil manner?  Yes

Consider the following questions and respond if relevant:
Was the agenda made available prior to and at the meeting? Yes
Did members adhere to the provided agenda? Yes
Were any non-agenda items discussed?  No
Was there adequate discussion of issues?  There could have been more discussion, but there may not have been the time. 
Were any “Executive Sessions” called? Yes. There was an Executive Session following the Board Meeting.
Was there adequate opportunity for public input? Yes
Was background material available to the public? Yes
Did any member recuse themselves during the meeting? No
If yes, for what reason?

List any other concerns or observations: There was a great deal of public protest against new budget cut regarding stops for athletic buses returning from sporting events. Quite a lot of protest regarding the quality of school programs… Comments on ration of district management to budget problems and need for cuts… One person stated that this Supt earns more than the Governor of WA.
​
Observer E-mail:    conners@whidbey.com               Date submitted:  05/01/2023

​Name of Observer: Robin Porter
Observed Meeting: March 22, 2023
Date of Meeting: March 22, 2023
Members present: Observed via zoom; not able to see board member name placards via zoom. It appeared that all board members Andrea Downs, Joe Greenheron, Marnie Jackson, Ann Johnson and Director Brook Willeford were present. Dr. Jo Moccia, Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent of Business & Operations and Dan Poolman were also in attendance.
Members absent: Unknown.
Others present: members of the public, including teachers, parents and students.

Summarize the main issues discussed at the meeting:

The School Board formally voted to support the $80 million bond proposal [Proposition No. 1] which will be voted upon during an April 25 Special Election. Board members commented that if passed by district voters, the general obligation bond monies would be used to address “critical needs” of the school district. One of several examples offered by the board during the meeting is a “leaky roof” at the middle school. No public comments were offered on the bond issue during this meeting.

The board approved purchase of its first electric school bus from RWC Corp, following receipt of a Federal grant awarded to SWSD. The grant also covers other related costs (charging station and 13-year warranty on battery). The grant money will be reimbursed by WA Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) before the bus is received by the district. Total cost: $435,000.

SWSB Affirmative Action Plan Goals: Board members addressed their 5-year plan. This includes: 1) recruiting women administrators, 2) equity trainings, and 3) prevent employment discrimination based on gender.

Teacher, Mrs. Richards, made a presentation to the board highlighting projects within the Alternative Learning Experience (ALE) program. She said there are currently 66 students in the program, with a student teacher ratio of 22:1. Twelve middle school students also presented to the Board regarding their experiences during the current school year.

Financial and Enrollment Report (current fund balance $4.9 million; Student enrollment – 1152) presented by Dan Poolman, Assistant Superintendent of Business & Operations.

The Board also approved twelve additional Memoranda regarding district policy on: updating the ‘Child Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation Prevention’ policy; updating Conflicts of Interest/Principles of Operation as these apply to Enrollment policy; approving the Financial Education Mastery-Based Learning and Credit policy; approving the Students in or Released from an Institutional Education Facility policy; updating the Student Privacy and Searches policy; approving the new School Director Legislative Program policy; updating Students on Governing Boards policy; updating the Executive or Closed Sessions policy; updating the Infection Control Program policy; updating the Holidays – Leaves policy; updating the Temporary Administrators policy; approval of the School Bus Purchase.

List any issues on the agenda relevant to any LWV state or local positions or programs:   

Do you recommend local League action or study on any of these issues?   No 
 
Was the meeting conducted in an open, business-like, and civil manner? Yes

Consider the following questions and respond if relevant.  

FEATURE EVALUATED COMMENTS

Was the agenda made available prior to and at the meeting? Yes

Did members adhere to the provided agenda? Yes
Were any non-agenda items discussed?  No
Was there adequate discussion of issues?   Yes
Were any “Executive Sessions” called? No
Was there adequate opportunity for public input? Yes
Was background material available to the public? Yes
Did any member recuse themselves during the meeting? No

List any other concerns or observations: During the public comment period one person, Mark Eger [sic], identifying himself as the parent of a senior student athlete, requested that the board consider changing a policy that buses carrying students returning from extracurricular activities be allowed to stop for food. Director Willeford and Superintendent Moccia responded to the request. Willeford said that this issue was not considered a school board issue, as the board is not creating policy on it. Moccia clarified that this was an administrative decision based on both equity and cost issues.
Also, that exceptions are sometimes made for specific student trips. The Board’s Student representatives also advocated for food stops.
​
Observer E-mail: rbnporter81@gmail.com                       Date submitted:  March 26, 2023

Name of Observer: Diana Conners
Observed Meeting: South Whidbey School Board Business Mtg
Date of Meeting: Wednesday, February 22, 2023
Members present: Directors: Joe Greenheron, Marnie Jackson, Ann Johnson, Brook Willeford,
Superintendent: Jo Moccia, Student Members: Audrey Gmerea & Katya Schiavone, Principals: John Patton, Kayla Phillips, Dr Jeff Fankhauser, Susie Richards, Asst. Superintendent: Dan Poolman, Communications Director: Kristina Macarro
Members absent: Andrea Downs
Others present (staff, media, public):

Summarize the main issues discussed at the meeting:
Presentations by students–What’s happening in their individual schools. Three presentations.
Board Proposal: 2023 Updating Facilities for K-12/ School Bond $80K Approved. Resolution #669–General Obligation Bond Financial Report and Enrollment Summary Fund 1/31/2023 General Fund $5,075,922.73 Enrollment YTD average: 1151.07

List any issues on the agenda relevant to any LWV state or local positions or programs: N/A

Do you recommend local League action or study on any of these issues? NO
If ‘yes’ what action do you recommend? N/A

Was the meeting conducted in an open, business-like, and civil manner? YES

Consider the following questions and respond if relevant.

FEATURE EVALUATED COMMENTS

Was the agenda made available prior to and at the meeting? YES
Did members adhere to the provided agenda? YES
Were any non-agenda items discussed? NO
Was there adequate discussion of issues? Moderate
Were any “Executive Sessions” called? NO
Was there adequate opportunity for public input? YES
Was background material available to the public? YES
Did any member recuse themselves during the meeting? NO For what reason? N/A

List any other concerns or observations:

Observer E-mail: conners@whidbey.com
Date submitted: 02/27/2023

​Name of Observer: Robin Porter
Observed Meeting: Jan. 25, 2023
Date of Meeting: Jan. 25, 2023

Members present: Observed via zoom; not able to see board member name placards
via zoom. It appeared that all board members Andrea Downs, Joe Greenheron, Marnie
Jackson, Ann Johnson and Brook Willeford were present. Dr. Jo Moccia,
Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent of Business & Operations, Dan Poolman,
were also in attendance.

Members absent: Unknown.

Others present (staff, media, public): Rachael Mathews, Food Service Supervisor [with
students Grant and Tevron]; Mark Hodson, SWHS Social Studies teacher; Val Brown
and Sue Ann Brewer, Librarians.

Summarize the main issues discussed at the meeting:
Financial and Enrollment Report (expenditures $6.7 million; Students – 1145 year
average);

Memorandum 22/23 – 14 (Resolution 668) was passed which designates certain
expenditures for potential reimbursement from bonds or other obligations. This allows
for the school district to be reimbursed for architectural work and other soft costs by
bond monies when/if the future school bond measure is approved by voters.
The Board also approved ten other Memoranda regarding policies on: the Transitional
Bilingual Instructional Program; Guidance and Counseling – Learning Programs and
Supports; Suicide Prevention; Students in (Foster) Out of Home Care; Language
Access; Hiring of Retired School Employees; Substitute Employment; Rental or Lease
of District Real Property; Nutrition, Health, and Physical Education; and approval of a
Board Regionalization letter to be sent to WA state legislators.

List any issues on the agenda relevant to any LWV state or local positions or
programs:   

Do you recommend local League action or study on any of these issues?    YES  
If ‘yes’, what action do you recommend?
I would recommend that the LWV study the WA Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) policy on “Regionalization” that will result in the loss of $4 million over the next four years to the South Whidbey School District.
The SWSD asserts that this policy does not reflect the intent of the WA State Supreme
Court’s McCleary decision [In the McCleary case, the court ruled that the WA state
constitution requires the state to pay for all basic education costs and found that too
many school districts were instead covering basic education costs using local levy
dollars to do that]. SWSB voted in Memorandum 22/23 – 15 to send a letter to legislators to this regard.

Was the meeting conducted in an open, business-like, and civil manner? Consider the following questions and respond if relevant.  

FEATURE EVALUATED COMMENTS

Was the agenda made available prior to and at the meeting? Yes

Did members adhere to the provided agenda? Yes
Were any non-agenda items discussed?  No

Was there adequate discussion of issues?   Yes
Were any “Executive Sessions” called? No
Was there adequate opportunity for public input? Yes

Was background material available to the public? Yes
Did any member recuse themselves during the meeting? For what reason? No

List any other concerns or observations: NA

Observer E-mail: rbnporter81@gmail.com                       Date submitted:  Jan. 25, 2023

​Reports coming soon!