Board President Gamblin led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.

Board President 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 shard the good news of the district:

• Director Scott Mason and Superintendent Wenzel walked in the Black Diamond Labor Day Parade with other community members. The received positive feedback from the crowd and it was fun to greet people from different generations who have been a part of the Enumclaw School District. 
• Last Friday night was a town emptying event as community members drove over the bridge to Buckley for the "Battle for the Bridge" football game against White River.  It was great to have Enumclaw win and bring home the trophy, and was an overall excellent evening of high school football that included a flyover! 
• Elementary schools are utilizing the Character Strong curriculum that has been funded by the Enumclaw Schools Foundation. This month's theme is "respect" and each month staff and students will focus on a different characteristic that strengthens school culture and improves behaviors and student belonging.
• TMMS is starting a flight club for students interested in learning about the principles of flight. EHS and EMS have also posted about club offerings for students. 
• EHS is taking applications for students to be a part of the Student Advisory Committee. Students meet with Dr. Merrell and share thoughts and ideas on how to make EHS a better place for students. 
• There were many creative examples of classrooms actively participating in Constitution Day. One class laid on the grass and the students spelled out, "We The People." 

Student Representative Elliott Cheney shared the following:

• The girls and boys cross country team had their annual trip to California. They ran a course preview upon arrival and then had time to swim in the ocean and participate in other team-bonding experiences. They raced in the evening and it was a great time.   

Student Representative Preston Bauer shared the following: 

• The clubs starting at the high school include Dungeons and Dragons, Thrive, Interact, and many others to give students a variety of opportunities to connect with other students surrounding similar topics of interest. 
• Juniors and Seniors have been invited to attend the College Fair at the Seattle Convention Center. This a great opportunity for students to learn about the many higher education opportunities available. 

Superintendent Wenzel shared the following in his Superintendent's Report: 

• Preston Bauer officially took his oath of office for the position of Student Representative to the Board. Congratulations to Preston for being selected to this important position, where he will bring student voice to the work of the school board. 
• The Beautify Enumclaw annual campaign honored firefighters who lost their lives on September 11. Jeri Gamblin led this wonderful effort, and 75 high school students stepped up to join the campaign. Their efforts included painting at the stadium and gardening at Hope Lutheran Church. The EHS football team will take on their own community project later this week. 
• The district priorities this year remain focused on math, English Language Arts, attendance, graduation rates, and the on-time, on-budget opening of Evergreen Elementary. 
• The new makerspace is opening at EHS, and a proposal to host a grand opening celebration has been confirmed for December 1st. The event is being planned for the late afternoon or early evening, and board representation at the opening will be appreciated.
• An OSPI update was reviewed highlighting what the the State Superintendent views as the main issues facing the state this year. Many issues impact district goals, including student achievement, K-12 funding, new learning standards for math and ELA, and the implementation of the statewide IEP system. The State Board is proposing changes to graduation requirements. There will be professional learning opportunities concerning AI, and the district plans to bring an AI policy to the Board for their review before the end of the school year. This will be created with staff and student input. 
• A video was shared highlighting the ongoing project at Evergreen Elementary. Principal Nicole Tronvig and local contractors shared their project insights, along with excitement for being a part of building something that will bring so much value to the community. The project showcased the excellent partnership with the construction teams and the ESD staff, with a special appreciation to the communications team for their excellent work. 

Ryan Ota, Consertus Project Manager, shared the construction schedule and stated that the project is on budget and ahead of schedule.  The City of Black Diamond addressed initial permit review delays and hired a third-party reviewer. They believe the main building permit will be issued by the end of the week. Current work continues uninterrupted. Other permits submitted to the city include covered play area, trash enclosure, and the storage building. 

The work is on track across all areas with slabs poured, foundation framework in progress and a primary focus on completing the roof by the end of December. This will mitigate project risks by securing the dry-in. 

The presented resolution establishes Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) 3, finalizing the total project at $61.5 million. A summary table of the full contract highlighted a betterment allowance and a contingency budget, which will address unforeseen challenges or future betterments. Superintendent Wenzel celebrated this update, emphasizing that the project success is excellent news for both the district and the community. 

Board Questions and Answers

Question: How much time remains before a delayed building impacts the master schedule? 

Answer: If permit issuance goes past the window, the team will reorganize the schedule to keep the crew productive and on-site.   

Question: Who manages the city and the permitting?  

Answer: The teams from Consertus and Korsmo are managing the permit process. The city has been reaching out with questions on the permit and has been very collaborative with the team. They have been a great partner through this process.  

Amee Smith distributed SEPAC (Special Education Parent Advisory Council) flyers to the Board inviting them to attend the council's monthly meetings. They are held at the end of the month at the Birth to Five Center and they begin at 5:00 p.m. The council is reviewing their monthly meeting calendar and adding topics that matter most to families. Their goal is to bring in professionals to present on selected topics and develop a comprehensive resource packet for families with students who qualify for special education services. Ms. Smith encouraged Board members to attend an upcoming meeting and become involved with their committee. 

Melanie Harrington introduced herself to the Board and shared that she is the parent of two students in the district, one in special education. She was in attendance to read a statement from Juanita Izabal, a mom of two in the district, her oldest in special education classes at the high school. Ms. Izabal was unable to be in attendance so she read a statement on her behalf. Her concerns and requests were: 

• Students with disabilities deserve the opportunity to try out for standard school sports based on their interests and abilities, rather than being restricted to Unified Sports. Unified Sports are valued, but there should be other opportunities available students that help them grow and become more independent.
• Parents who speak up, ask questions, and advocate for their students should not be labeled as "difficult, disruptive, or unreasonable." Parents of students with disabilities are not asking for special treatment, but desire a partnership in the educational process. We will continue to advocate for our children wanting them to be seen for what they are capable of and not defined by what others believe their limitations may be. 
• Parents understand there are limitations, staff challenges, budgets and competing priorities, but she urged the School Board to take these issues seriously and to work with parents toward meaningful improvements for students. 

Julie Isom introduced herself to the Board and welcomed Dr. Wenzel to the district. She requested the Board and Superintendent to:

• Visit the ILC classrooms to observe plans, goals, and behavioral management while speaking with students, teachers, and paraprofessionals.
• Review the special education system rather than focusing on individual incidents . 
• Evaluate whether students with disabilities are receiving the same level of care and opportunities as their peers in general education. Noted were concerns regarding transportation, peer behavior, communication, and life-skills curriculum. 

The policies presented for first reading were:

• Policy 2100-Educational Opportunities for Students with a Parent in the Military
• Policy 2161 - Special Education and Related Services for Eligible Students
• Policy 3115 - Students Experiencing Homelessness: Enrollment Rights and Services
• Policy 3124 - Removal/Release of Students During School Hours
• Policy 3246 - Restraint, Isolation, and Other Uses of Reasonable Force (Proposed New Title: Restraint and Isolation)
• Policy 3242 (Retire) - Closed Campus

There were no additional comments or questions. 

Director of Business Kyle Fletcher submitted the Financial Report to the Board of Directors in advance of the meeting. There were no comments or questions. 

Director Fisher offered compliments to the Superintendent and Communications Team on the weekly wrap up videos. 

Director Gamblin reminded the Board of the upcoming meeting with elected officials from the cities of Black Diamond and Enumclaw along with representatives from the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe.