Board President Julianne DeShayes led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.

Board President DeShayes read the following statement, We acknowledge we are gathered upon the ancestral lands of the Seattle area's Federally Recognized Indian Tribe, the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, who historically lived throughout the areas between the Cascade Mountains and the Puget Sounds, what is also known as the Salish Sea. 

The Board of Directors shared the following good news of the district: 

• There are many opportunities to watch a variety of athletic activities. Board members shared about attending a volleyball match, football game and swim meet. 
• The EHS theater performance of White Christmas will begin next week. 60 students, including student representative Makhya Walls, are participating in the production of White Christmas. 
• Board members attended the WSSDA Annual Conference and reported that there were great breakout sessions with many ideas being shared and excellent opportunities to be with other school directors.
• Girls flag football is being recognized as an official WIAA sport. 42 girls tried out for the EHS team with no cuts and lots of excitement for this new program.
• The "Beyond the Hive event'" is being held at the high school is tonight. This is a great opportunity for parents to learn about available student scholarships and pathways beyond high school. 
• Parent Teacher Conferences have been held last week and this week. 
• The honey produced from the bee hives on EHS campus was delicious and board members are looking forward to seeing a larger production this year. 
• Student representative, Elliott Cheney, shared that he enjoyed the WSSDA annual conference and that is was a great experience meeting other students in leadership. 

Superintendent Dr. Shaun Carey shared the following in the Superintendent's Report:

• The Theory of Action, District Mission and Five Commitments are shared at the beginning of each meeting to remind everyone of the district's "what, why and how." 
• Students and staff honored our veterans with school assemblies and events throughout the district. 
• November is school conference month. These conferences are a great opportunity for parents to partner with the teachers in our schools
• The "Beyond the Hive" event at Enumclaw High School was held tonight with parents sessions for the FAFSA, career exploration, senior timelines and other student opportunities beyond high school.  
• High school CTE students attended the Future in Flight Aerospace and Advanced Manufacturing Expo at the Kent Showare Center. 
• A picture of Black Diamond Elementary students participating in Dancing Classrooms was shared. Thank you to the Enumclaw Schools Foundation for sponsoring this program for elementary students.
• The month of December holds many opportunities for choir and band concerts along with the performance of White Christmas at the EHS auditorium. Dates and times are listed on the district's website.  
• The Five Commitments presentation will be shared with the community on December 9th at the EHS Media Center.
• Enumclaw Middle School and Thunder Mountain Middle School recently held food drives and delivered 2,180 pounds of food donations to the local food banks. It is wonderful to see students taking pride in their community and civic responsibilities. 

Principal Scott Meyer thanked Dr. Carey and the school board for inviting Westwood Elementary to share at the board meeting.  

Mr. Meyer informed the board that over the summer a new playground toy was installed and students love it. He shared that when installing the equipment the construction workers found a treasure box with a note for students. He is using the theme of "the lost and forgotten treasure of Westwood" with students. They are finding clues with challenges on them and having a blast with it. Mr. Meyer started the school year with staff asking the question of "what is our treasure and how can we keep it our main focus all year?" For educators the treasure is students and we keep them in the forefront. The treasure map is the district's Five Commitments. Mr. Meyer shared that Westwood teachers in attendance will share how their is focusing on the commitments.

Mr. Meyer introduced fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Evans, to share how she starts the day with students with a focus on well-being. She spoke about brain smart starts, making connections with each other, the "wish well" board where students share something on their heart, breathing techniques and together stating the school wide affirmations. 

Second grade teachers Mrs. Grimes, Mrs. Morgan, and Ms. Wayne shared math data growth over the past year.  They walked through a math lesson using "Spring Math" the math intervention curriculum that supports students in building math fluency and foundational skills. They shared a video clip of partnered students engaged in a lesson together and shared a picture of how students are marking their personal growth on data charts. 

Para educators Mrs. Little and Mrs. Hicks shared about reading groups in grades kindergarten through second grade. They spoke about the resources and programs all staff are utilizing to provide targeted reading instruction at the level of student need with a greater focus on phonics. They are fostering a love of reading and seeing students grow in confidence in their reading skills. 

Ms. Lee shared with the Board of Directors ways the staff at Westwood is supporting student belonging with positive behavior intervention supports utilizing Kelso's Choices, Time Machine, Hands Off School, and referral data.  Positivity Pals have been assigned to struggling students. These "pals" are providing positive and encouraging feedback to students and they are seeing a decrease in behavioral referrals.  Cougar cash can be earned by students and the Cougar paw has been created to award classrooms for their positive behaviors. 

Ms. Carel shared with the board that Westwood is known for its culture of celebration and climate. The spirit assemblies are a big part of the Westwood community. Students are excited to share their talents and acts at assemblies, families are welcome to attend, and they always close with the Cougar fight song. 

Mr. Meyer's shared with the board that student data shows Westwood's success and that they've been recognized by OSPI four times in the last eight years. 

The Board of Directors thanked Mr. Meyer and the Westwood teachers for their contributions and attendance. 

Sarah Tolbert introduced herself to the board and stated she is a parent, voter, tax payer and employee of the district. She served as a member of the Focus Committee and wanted to share a focus reflection, how important the upcoming levies are and support for Resolution 1152 for a future school in Black Diamond. Ms. Tolbert stated that we are Enumclaw and that a bridge and a river doesn't define us or divide us, but a commitment to excellence identifies who we are. She stated the Focus Committee was a group of community stake holders with different experiences working on a vision to create a 21st century district that responds to the needs of all of the students. That committee came to the decision that the needs for the district are now to keep student learning at the forefront. She's working at Black Diamond Elementary and those staff members have students throughout the district. She sees this community entrenched in "We are Enumclaw." This is their community and this is our community. The answer to supporting these students is in supporting the tech levy. Students need the interventions such as text to speech. They are learning how to master communication. The Focus Committee became aware of the complex needs and unique challenges of the district. No one wants to hear we need more money, but we want to support out commitment to excellence.

Nancy Merrill introduced herself to the Board. She thanked Board President Julianne DeShayes for running for school board again, for her service as a person of integrity and bringing positivity to the Board. Ms. Merrill stated that she wanted to address a couple of important things. She encouraged the Board to put the levy for educational programs and technology on the ballot in February. She served on the Focus Committee, but she did not serve on the sub-committee exploring other options for Black Diamond as she was set against anything that would separate the district. She shared we are one school community in two towns. It is critical to keep it this way and that we work hard to get that building in Black Diamond. She admires the work that has gone into the study and planning for this. While this might not be what she would have chosen ten years ago, she knows the Board is looking at it from a different perspective and that is what they worked so hard for the Board to have. She expressed her support and encouraged the Board to keep moving forward. 

Andre Koch introduced himself to the Board of Directors and stated he is the proud parent of two students in Black Diamond. He served as vice-chair of the Focus Committee and the collective goal was to make recommendations to the board concerning aging facilities and student growth in the district. He stated the committee did not make a definitive decision to divide the district. He is a well connected resident of Black Diamond. The families in Black Diamond support Enumclaw initiatives regularly and they regularly vote in favor of bonds and levies. There is a small, vocal group advocating for boundary changes. He asked the question of where Black Diamond students would go and that Tahoma, Auburn or Kent would all present major challenges. He knows there are two critical levies on the agenda and the funds are essential to maintain programs for students. He stated we need to uphold the commitment to students and put these levies on the ballot to go before the voters. He commended the Board for their work with Oakpointe. He is eager to learn about opportunities for the community to have a voice in the school design process. He looks forward to meaningful engagement, thanked the Board for their time and for making important decisions for students.  

Jen Wallin shared that she was a member of the Focus Committee and wanted to address several mistruths. The committee meetings were open to the public, but no one attended except for committee members, board members and cabinet members. Focus committee applications was open to everyone. It is wild to her that people claim this was not the case. She believes it is difficult to claim the lack of transparency when the committee met monthly with information posted on the district website, was listed in school newsletters and covered by the Courier Herald. This work was not done quietly, it was very transparent and the district was not trying to conceal work. The reality is we can offer the public ways to participate, but we cannot force people to engage. She wanted to clarify the process of looking at Black Diamond boundaries and removing them from the district was not broadly supported. The committee believed this was not a good use of time so a sub committee was formed to review this topic and the idea was formally tabled. Voting records are available from this topic. When they learned of a new solution for building a school in Black Diamond she was encouraged. It offered a potential solution that the community had been asking for with no financial contribution. She stated that she served as a chairperson on the last bond and that it is not lost on her that there are people with individual influences speaking out against this project. She sincerely hopes current and incoming board members don't change course on this issue. She was deeply disappointed after the last election that the board attempted to remove the land acknowledgement and that it was not a good use of time. It is up to the board to be required to uphold state standards regarding Title 9 regardless of personal beliefs. As the board switches to a majority of members without students in the district, those with students in the district are paying close attention. She will still be in the district long after the terms have ended she will remain fully invested in the district. 

Amy Smith introduced herself and stated she was in attendance in support of the EP&O and Technology levies and voice her support for the Ten Trails school in Black Diamond. The moment she came to this district ten years ago, she shared that her child would need assistance with special education services. She was immediately connected with services and her daughter is now at Green River and would not be there without the help of teachers, nurses and para educators who assisted her. There was a lot of thinking outside the box to get her daughter where she is today. The EP&O levy needs to be passed so students can be supported through staff who are supported by these funds. Most of the activities shared in the good news of the district are supported by the EP&O levy. She stated she supports the school in Ten Trails, is participating in the "Yes for Kids" campaign and that she is blown away by the support of the people from Black Diamond. 

Dave Weston shared appreciation to the Board of Directors for taking their work professionally. He knows that he only sees the tip of the iceberg and these professional conversations make a difference. He told the Board that from the top to the bottom the work you do makes a difference and changes the character of what is happening in school system. He encouraged the Board to look into AI and play with it. The board needs to know about it. He shared that after the February session concerning the Oakpointe acquisition, he thought it was too good to be true and that we would regret selling the land.  He appreciates the board and district being pro active and that it is time we got a school for Black Diamond. We have a lot of students on buses and the quicker we can do that the better. He tipped his hat to Westwood, sees the enthusiasm from them and it makes  a difference seeing good people doing what is best for kids. 

Denise Stiffarm, the district's land use attorney, shared an overview of the Proposed First Amendment to the Amended and Restated Comprehensive School Mitigation Agreement.  

Ms. Stiffarm stated that the first agreement between the developer, city of Black Diamond and the Enumclaw School District was executed in 2011.  In 2021 the agreement was amended and restated.  Today's proposal includes the district releasing their interest in the high school site. The proposal also includes the district having flexibility with how they plan for the other future school sites. Recreational facilities are included in the amended plan with a joint use agreement to be implemented between the City of Black Diamond and the district. 

Once the district releases the high school site, the district will receive $40 million to begin building a new school. The district will also receive $25 million to be repaid with future school mitigation fees. No other cash will be needed to repay this advance. $3 million will be conveyed to the district for athletic fields when the building permit is issued.  

The Board of Directors asked Ms. Stiffarm clarifying questions.

Question: Per the agreement, the district cannot sell the high school site to anyone else other than the builder and they can't build additional homes. In your professional opinions, is this a good value? 

Answer: Yes, the appraisal's value is significantly less than the $40 million. The developer can use it for residential purposes, but they will not be able to build additional homes.  They can spread out their residences in different ways. 

Question: What is the protections in place for the district?

Answer: $40 million will go to the district accounts once the high school site is released. The letter of credit for the $25 million is air tight for the district. The funds are guaranteed to the district regardless of what happens to Oakpointe. This was an important part of the negotiation process to get all of this right. 

The Board of Directors thanked Ms. Stiffarm for her time. 

Personnel Report-November 2025

• Field Trip Request-Thrive Club, Washington D.C.
• Field Trip Request-Competitive Cheer Team, Vancouver, WA

• Construction Project Management Agreement-OAC/Consertus and ESD
• Monetary Donations from Kibler PTA and Sunrise PTO

Director of Business Kyle Fletcher submitted the Financial Report to the Board of Directors in advance of the meeting. 

Board President DeShayes read questions from Director Stouffer concerning voucher expenditures. The questions were as follows with answers from Director of Business Kyle Fletcher.  

Voucher #1 pg. 28 Washington Schools Risk Management

10/1/2025  PO# 6082500000 $612,849.00 

Can you speak to the process for price/value comparisons that ESD uses prior to electing to partner with an insurance company?

Most districts partner with an insurance company, or risk management pool/cooperative, in order to minimize the liability of sustaining financially debilitating losses through a major claim occurrence or catastrophic event. While premiums have certainly been increasing rapidly over the past 4 years, so has the general reinsurance market, which is also in-line with rising costs in potential claims/events. There are only 2 or 3 major players in the insurance cooperative market for school districts in Washington State, and they all provide similar services at similar costs. As with personal insurances (home, auto, health, etc.), premiums are not the only consideration as coverage levels can also differ. We will continue to keep an eye on the market and intend to continue weighing our insurance options moving forward, as costs continue to increase. As of now, Enumclaw School District is in a favorable risk standing with WSRMP, and as such, our premium increases are less than the base/average of other member districts in the pool. 

Voucher #1 pg. 16 Hollywood lights

10/1/2025 PO#1302400459 $47,922.43

Purchase stage lights for the auditorium

Voucher #2 pg. 32 Hollywood lights

10/9/2025 PO# 7202400041 $56,669.54

EHS Auditorium light upgrade

Are both of these PO's for the same project? If so, can you explain why they would be on separate PO's?

These PO's are for two different projects. The first PO is for the auditorium "stage lighting" (technical/performance lighting on/above the stage area) and is paid for by CTE dollars through the General Fund to support the CTE program connected to learning, instruction, and student performance. The second PO is for the "house lighting" (general auditorium lighting in seating and common areas) and is paid through the Capital Projects Fund (not GF or a CTE/curricular cost). 

Voucher #2 pg. 32 Sequoyah Electric

$75,017.88 , one check, same PO, separate invoices, same descriptions. Can you confirm the scope of work provided under this PO? Multiple portables at both TMMS and EMS?
The scope of this work includes labor and construction costs as well as material costs for network fiber and copper installations for our portables at both Thunder Mountain Middle School and Enumclaw Middle School. The costs are similar because each portable is a double portable (2 classrooms within one portable) and the costs are separated out for each space.

Voucher #7 pg.6 First Student

10/21/2025 PO# 1522500005 $2,133.00

Athletic transportation cost due to bridge closure. I am sure that ESD has had many additional cost associated with the bridge closure. Have these cost been tracked and is there any avenue to get compensation for the cost or will ESD end up eating it?

This expenditure relates to the use of a chartered transportation service (First Student) to transport middle school students to athletic events (baseball & softball) in September. While the description mentions the bridge closure, it's for the reason of travelling an alternate route to Sumner (through Auburn), but the use of this service was not due to the closure of the bridge itself. We use chartered services at various times when no internal transportation options are available as we try to minimize the amount of athletic/activity event cancellations and rescheduling for students and families. As far as bridge closure costs to the district, we have relatively few costs associated with that situation directly. At this time, any additional costs associated with the closure (mileage distances, etc.) are likely to be covered by the district. 

Voucher #8 pg.1 A&A Transportation

10/29/2025 PO# ? $16,860.00 pupil transportation.

 Looks like one check number on multiple invoices. The description is vague, can you provide some clarification on how this would have been quantified? Trips, students, miles, etc.?

This check covers three separate invoices to A&A Transportation for services provided in the month of September (and a few days in August). A&A provides alternative transportation for students associated with special education, McKinney-Vento (homeless), and foster care. Depending on which of these programs/services are supporting the students being transported, the detailed billing is separated each month into three separate invoices. Each invoice amount is calculated by the dates of service, the number of trips, and the total mileage from the home address/location to the school address/location.  

Director Stouffer joined the meeting. He asked Mr. Fletcher how transportation services are affected if the levies don't pass. Mr. Fletcher acknowledged that the district would be challenged with securing these transportation services without the support of levy funds. 

The Board of Directors stated they would adjourn the regular session at 8:22 p.m. to go into Executive Session for one hour to discuss a public employee. 

The regular meeting of the Board of Directors was called back into session at 9:24 PM. No other business was discussed.