Tacoma School District
Minutes
Board Business Meeting
Date and Time
Thursday September 11, 2025 at 6:00 PM
The Tacoma Public Schools Board of Directors will meet for a Business Meeting on the date and time above in the 4th Floor Auditorium at the Central Administration Building. All regular Board Business Meetings, Committee of the Whole, and Study Session meetings are open public meetings and everyone is encouraged to attend. Executive sessions are closed to the public. Public parking and the main entrance are located on the west side of the building at South G Street.
ACCOMMODATION
Persons requiring accommodations for a disability in order to attend a Board meeting (including the services of a sign language interpreter or those who want to speak at a board meeting but are advised not to attend in-person due to health risks) should contact the Board Office at 253.571.1443 before 4:30 p.m. at least three working days before the meeting to ensure that the District has time to implement appropriate accommodations.
NONDISCRIMINATION STATEMENT
Tacoma Public Schools does not discriminate in any programs or activities on the basis of sex, race, ethnicity, creed, religion, color, national origin, immigration or citizenship status, age, veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity, homelessness, disability, neurodivergence, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups.
The following employees have been designated to handle questions and complaints of alleged discrimination:
Civil Rights Coordinator, Gender-Inclusive Schools Coordinator, and Title IX Coordinator:
Tiffany Davis-Brantley
253-571-1252, civilrights@tacoma.k12.wa.us
Section 504 Coordinator:
Laura Tuman
253-571-1086, 504Coordinator@tacoma.k12.wa.us
Tacoma Public Schools
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 1357
Tacoma, WA 98401-1357
INTERPRETER
Individuals requiring a language interpreter for a Board meeting for any language, other than a sign language interpreter, should contact the Board Office at 253-571-1443 before 4:30 p.m., at least three working days before the meeting to ensure that the District has sufficient time to identify an interpreter.
Directors Present
C. McElroy, E. Bonbright, K. Strozier, L. Keating
Directors Absent
E. Leon
Guests Present
Carriana Wells - Student Representative, Joshua Barber - Student Representative, T. Jones
I. Opening Items
A.
Call the Meeting to Order
B.
Flag Salute
C.
Land Acknowledgment
Board President Strozier read a statement to honor and acknowledge that we are on the traditional ancestral and historical lands of the Puyallup Tribe of Indians.
D.
Roll Call
E.
Adoption of the Agenda
II. Recognition of Staff, Students, and Community
A.
STATE HOLIDAYS AND CIVIC OBSERVANCES*
A.1 NATIONAL HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH
A.2 LABOR DAY
The first Monday in September: RCW 28A.150.050 and RCW 1.16.050
A.3 CONSTITUTION & CITIZENSHIP DAY
September 17, or on the preceding Friday if it occurs on a non-school day: RCW 28A.230.170.
*NOTE: The State Holidays and Civic Observances were inadvertently left off the September 11th Board Meeting agenda and added after the-fact.
III. Superintendent's Report
A.
INTRODUCTION OF STUDENT BOARD REPRESENTATIVES
Director of Athletics & Activities Neil introduced this year's cohort of School Board student representatives:
- Joshua Barber, Industrial Design, Engineering and Art (iDEA)
- Carriana Wells, School of the Arts (SOTA)
- Tavaeh Harrell, Mt. Tahoma
- Jordan Fualaau, Lincoln
B.
SUPERINTENDENT UPDATES
Superintendent Garcia gave start-of-school updates, thanking community partners, staff and students for all the hard work starting back from day one. He asked the community to be patient as we get in the flow of things.
He also recognized that this is the anniversary of 9/11 and shared remembrances and acknowledged all who were affected by that tragedy.
IV. Members of the Public Wishing to Address the Board
A.
Public Comment Guidelines
B.
OPTION 1: VERBAL COMMENT
Sharon Freeman, member of Bethlehem Baptist's Affordable Housing committee, addressed the Board regarding the Church's plan to build an affordable housing development on the church's property.
[Tacoma Public schools enjoys strong working relationships with Tacoma Housing Authority (THA) and local community-based organizations serving youth and families within our city, and we are pleased to provide opportunity for "public comment" at a business meeting following proposed housing projects' submission of the application to THA.]
C.
OPTION 2: WRITTEN COMMENT
There were no written comments submitted by the deadline.
V. Consent Agenda
A.
APPROVAL OF THE JULY 10, 2025 BOARD MEETING MINUTES
Minutes were passed as part of the Consent Agenda.
B.
APPROVAL OF THE AUGUST 14, 2025 BOARD RETREAT MINUTES
Minutes were passed as part of the Consent Agenda.
C.
APPROVAL OF THE AUGUST 28, 2025 BOARD MEETING MINUTES
Minutes were passed as part of the Consent Agenda.
D.
APPROVAL OF WARRANTS
E.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED FINANCIAL REPORT)
F.
INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL REQUESTS
G.
FIELD TRIP REQUESTS
H.
APPROVAL OF THE PERSONNEL RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE SUPERINTENDENT
I.
OTHER
J.
APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA
A voice vote was called, and the chair declared the motion carried with a vote of 4 yeas.
VI. Curriculum and Instruction
A.
APPROVAL OF CONTRACT NO.TSD-25-206 BETWEEN BROCK'S ACADEMY AND TACOMA SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 10 FROM SEPTEMBER 1, 2025 - AUGUST 31, 2026
VII. Business Matters
A.
APPROVAL OF CONTRACT NO. TSD-25-225 BETWEEN THE CITY OF TACOMA (TACOMA CREATES) AND TACOMA SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 10 FOR THE 2025-2026 SCHOOL YEAR
B.
APPROVAL OF AMENDMENT #1 TO CONTRACT TSD-20-219 BETWEEN ASSOCIATED PETROLEUM PRODUCTS AND TACOMA SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 10
C.
APPROVAL OF AMENDMENT #1 TO DISTRICT CONTRACT TSD-22-124 WITH ALEXANDER GOW FIRE EQUIPMENT
D.
APPROVAL OF PUGET SOUND EDUCATIONAL SERVICE DISTRICT INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT TSD-25-175
VIII. Other Business
A.
FIRST READING OF BOARD ANNUAL GOALS AND OBJECTIVES FOR THE 2025 - 2026 SCHOOL YEAR
The Board reviewed the proposed Annual Goals and Objectives they have formulated for the 2025-2026 school year
Strategic Benchmark: Safe and Supported
Goal #1: The Board will conduct a comprehensive study of the appropriate use of cell phones during school hours.
Goal #2: The Board will conduct a listening session with our LGBTQIA+ students to learn more about their school experiences.
As this was a first reading, no action was taken. Board members may provide feedback before a second reading.
IX. Closing Items
A.
BOARD COMMENTS/REPORTS
Committee Reports:
- Director Keating shared about meetings she, Superintendent Garcia, and Chief Financial Officer Medina, and our Government Affairs Team have continued to meet with legislative representatives as interim work between legislative sessions, working together with them on ways to help mitigate financial impacts school districts have been navigating for the last several years.
- Director Bonbright shared about her work on the Tacoma Education Dream (TED) Fund Board, a local foundation that the District has created to raise funds for TPS students and programs. They're putting together a program committee and will be working on the grant program. There will be more shared soon.
Community Events:
- Directors Keating and Bonbright attended the Asian Pacific Cultural Center grand opening of their new building, congratulating Executive Director Pritchard and her team for their work.
- Director McElroy shared for the community's knowledge that High School Late Nights will continue throughout the school year every Friday from 7:00-11:00pm at all 4 community centers. The YMCA also hosts Friday late nights from 5:00-9:30pm. -♦- She shared about the Tacoma Moon Fest at Chinese Reconciliation Park on Saturday, September 13th. -♦- She encouraged Tacoma residents to attend and get involved with their Neighborhood Council meetings, Co-Create to Recreate through Parks Tacoma, the Parks Board, and Tacoma City Council meetings for additional places to make their voices heard.
Updates/Comments:
- Board members shared the experiences they had serving at schools on the first day of school.
- Directors Keating and Strozier greeted students at Oakland High School.
- Director Keating, along with Chief Communications Officer Jumper also greeted students at Jefferson Elementary School and helped welcome State Superintendent Reykdal as he visited the school.
- Director McElroy greeted students at Franklin Elementary school, which was fun as it has been meaningful in her life.
- Director Bonbright greeted students at Mary Lyon Elementary and shared how positive and excited they were. She met a lot of staff as well.
- Director McElroy reminded the community that the cold season is coming up and shared that you can donate warm clothing to different venues like the Salvation Army and Goodwills, and that they also need donations of socks and underwear.
Superintendent Reminders:
- There is a vaccination clinic at Mt. Tahoma on Sept. 25th, 3:30-6:30pm, which is free for TPS families.
- The District has emailed families about what used to be called the "Free and Reduced Lunch" forms but now are called the "Child Nutrition Eligibility and Education Benefits" (CNEEB)forms. For middle school students, this is a direct link to College-Bound scholarships. There are additional benefits besides free meals for both middle and high school students. Deadline for the form is October 1st. All information is online here.
- He encouraged seniors to check out our Guaranteed Admissions Program with seven different universities and community colleges.
B.
ANNOUNCEMENT OF NEXT REGULAR BOARD MEETINGS
September 25, 2025, 6:00PM: Business Meeting
October 9, 2025, 6:00PM: Business Meeting
October 16, 2025, 6:00PM: Study Session
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.