BOARD REVIEW
October 2021
Clover Park School Board Recognized
as a 2021 Board of Distinction
Clover Park School District’s Board of Directors was recently named a 2021 Board of Distinction by the Washington State School Directors’ Association (WSSDA). The school board has been recognized as a Board of Distinction five of the last six years. 

“We are proud to receive this award. Board members put an incredible amount of effort into making a difference for our students and community,” said School Board President Dr. Marty Schafer. “As a board, we will continue our work with a focus on equity and student achievement.” 

The Boards of Distinction program is designed to encourage boards to examine their practices as governing bodies and how their actions and decisions impact the success of students. To be awarded, boards must show a clear link between their leadership in applying the Washington School Board Standards and closing gaps that impact student success.

The CPSD school board was recognized for its efforts to close opportunity gaps for students through its leadership on equity, student voice, the development of an equity policy and its focus on supporting students during the COVID-19 pandemic with additional academic, social, emotional and mental health support.

Read more on the district website.
CPSD Refinances Bond, Saves
Taxpayers Nearly $6 Million
Clover Park School District Board of Directors approved an action to refinance a 2010 bond that will save district taxpayers $5,963,099 million over the next 10 years. Taxpayers will see the savings reflected by lower property taxes. 
 
The district took advantage of declining interest rates to issue new debt to pay off the previous balance. This process, called bond refunding, provides a refund because of the new debt’s low interest rates.
 
The district will re-form its Facilities Advisory Committee later this year, which will help prioritize future facility needs and potential bond opportunities.

Read more on the district website.
Oct. 11 Regular Meeting
At its Oct. 11 board meeting, the CPSD school board heard a report from Superintendent Ron Banner about National Principals Month and Governor Inslee's Vaccine Mandate.

Banner thanked the board for its recognition of the district's principals and assistant principals.

"This great group of administrators has been doing so much work during the pandemic that, like all of us, no one was prepared for," Banner said. "They have gracefully worked above and beyond their call of duty to support their students, staff and families as we have navigated the pandemic."

As of 12 p.m. on Oct. 11, CPSD had only four staff members planning to resign or be terminated as a result of the Governor's vaccine mandate. In total, 99.5 percent of employees received the vaccine or an approved exemption.
As part of the Individual Action Agenda, the Board of Directors: 
  • Adopted updated Standard Operating Procedures to guide the board's governance of the district.
  • Resolved that 2020 Replacement Educational Programs and Operations Levy for 2022 collection be certified at the approved voter amount.
  • Accepted grant from Department of Defense Education Activity for World Language Advancement and Readiness.
  • Authorized superintendent to enter into a contract agreement with Presence Learning to provide special education services for the 2021-22 school year.
  • Accepted grant from Washington state Department of Health for additional staffing to assist our COVID Response Coordinator.
The next regular meeting of the school board will be Monday, Nov. 8, at 6 p.m.
Oct. 25 Regular Meeting/Workshop
The school board held a regular meeting/workshop on Oct. 25. It heard a report on academic recovery for the 2021-22 school year and received a training session on inclusionary practices.

Academic Recovery
Deputy Superintendent Brian Laubach presented an academic recovery report that highlighted how the district is minimizing exposure for students and staff and outlined current guidance from the Department of Health related to close contact and COVID-19 exposure. 

Laubach also addressed classroom and school closure procedures due to COVID-19 and the district’s continuous learning plan. District classroom teachers will continue to use Microsoft Teams to upload and maintain daily classwork and activities, homework, lesson plans and instructional materials so that students always have access to these materials.  
 
The health department has the lead for determining vaccination sites for students ages 5-11 once authorized. The health department has had discussions with school districts about hosting vaccine clinics, and CPSD would be open to this option.
 
Conversations are underway to ensure that meals are available to students when a classroom or school is closed. The process will be student-centered and could include weeklong food boxes being offered. 

Board Training on Inclusionary Practices
Director of Teaching and Learning Suzy Kontos and Director of Equity and Community Engagement Grant Twyman presented training for the board on “Delivering on the Promise and Power of Inclusionary Practices.”

The training focused on the classroom applications of the district's equity work and detailed inclusive classroom practices that have been introduced in the district. The training explained Universal Design for Learning. It holds all students to the same high standards and expectations but provides multiple pathways for students to achieve at high levels.

The board had a chance to give input and ask questions centered on student learning and student perceptions of the inclusive practices being embedded in classrooms.
The next regular meeting/workshop of the school board will be Monday, Nov. 22, at 5:30 p.m.