Gena Hawk led us in the flag salute.

There is a quorum present.

Annie Keebler moved the Board approve the November 19, 2025 consent agenda, as presented. Danielle Santman seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

Dave Teague was recognized as our most recent Above and Beyond Award winner.  Dave is a Freeman alum, parent, former staff member, and most recently our Board Chair.  Dave has spent countless hours leading our Board and is a vital part of our community.  We thank him for his efforts that certainly go above and beyond for Freeman.  

The Board reviewed Board Policy No. 1210 - Annual Organizational Meeting

Dave Teague called for nominations for Chairperson.  Danielle Santman nominated Annie Keebler as Chairperson.  

Bill Morphy seconded the nomination and it passed unanimously.

Dave Teague called for nominations for Vice-Chair.  Annie Keebler nominated Danielle Santman as Vice-Chair. 

Bill Morphy seconded the nomination and it passed unanimously.

Dave Teague called for nominations for WIAA Representative.  Annie Morphy nominated Bill Morphy as WIAA Representative.  

Nate Talbott seconded the nomination and it passed unanimously.

Dave Teague called for nomination for Legislative Representative. Bill Morphy nominated Dave Teague as Legislative Representative. 

Annie Keebler seconded the nomination and it passed unanimously.

Showing a genuine concern for the welfare of others and being a kind, supportive helper

We received certification from the County Auditor, Vicky Dalton that in the General Election in Spokane County on 11/4/25, both Dave Teague (District #4) and Nate Talbott (District #2) received the highest number of votes for the Freeman Board Chair positions.  Thank you for being willing to rerun and we are grateful for your continuation on the Freeman Board.  

Overview

For the 2025-26 school year, Freeman Elementary School will continue to strengthen our Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) across academic, behavioral, and social-emotional domains. Our focus will be on refining practices within all three tiers to ensure that each student receives the support they need to thrive. Equally important, we are committed to fostering a strong sense of belonging for all students, staff, and community members.

Areas of Focus

• Our PTSG is hosting Craft Night on December 12th from 4:30-6:30pm in the FES gym.  This is a wonderful opportunity for our Elementary students to come with their families and make several free crafts for the holidays.
• We have our Winter Concert for K-2 students on December 15th @ 5:30pm in the FHS Blue Gym - this is in advance of the 6-12 Band/Choir concert that will follow at 7pm.  We have a dedicated music program again with Amy Beazer leading the way, and it's sure to be a great night.  
• Professional Learning Building PD for the late start focused on curriculum review for Math, Reading, and Social Emotional, and discussion regarding the CEE data.  Math curriculum ends in the next year and a half so planning for that transition for TK-5.  
• There were many dress up activities for the final week of school before Winter Break, as well as staff activities with the Masked Singer, etc.  

Enrollment

TK = 38 and P3 = 5    K = 67  1st = 50  2nd = 66

3rd = 57   4th = 72   5th = 57= 412 

Overview

For the 2025-26 school year, Freeman Middle School will continue to strengthen our Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) across academic, behavioral, and social-emotional domains. Our focus will be on refining practices within all three tiers to ensure that each student receives the support they need to thrive. Equally important, we are committed to fostering a strong sense of belonging for all students, staff, and community members.

Areas of Focus

>We had a successful Food Drive for the “Fill the Gap” Program run by the Valleyford Church.  We received 590 items and 5 turkeys, and the program director was very grateful.  The 6th graders won the challenge at the MS and will have a root beer float party on Wednesday.  

>The Robotics Regional results are in and Robo Rex got 3rd place and will be going to state.  The Lost and Found team finished 11th and improved a ton.  

>We have Math Is Cool preparations happening for their regional competition on Friday, January 30th at Mead HS.  This is our first team at the MS in a long time with enough for two teams at the competition.  

>PTSG Activities - "Notes of Thanks" - the PTSG came in for 5 consecutive days and met with kids to write thank you cards, and Craft Night is this Friday from 4:30-6:30pm followed by the MS Winter Dance from 6-8pm.  We have the second annual 6th Grade Ski Trip coming up on 2/11 at Mt. Spokane.  They came in and did sizing for equipment for the kids and registration has begun.  

>After the K-2 concert, the 6-12 Band/Choir concert will take place on Monday, December 15th at 7pm following the K-2 concert.

Enrollment

            6th- 57              7th- 72              8th- 64              Total- 193

Overview

For the 2025-26 school year, Freeman High School will continue to strengthen our Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) across academic, behavioral, and social-emotional domains. Our focus will be on refining practices within all three tiers to ensure that each student receives the support they need to thrive. Equally important, we are committed to fostering a strong sense of belonging for all students, staff, and community members. 

Areas of Focus

• Congratulations Mr. Jydstrup, our own Q-6/STCU/EWU Teacher of the Month (December)!!
• Reminder that the Winter Band and Choir Concert is this Monday, Dec. 15 (HS/MS starts at 7 pm).
• Semester 1 Finals schedule is set, and ASB is helping to support in all areas.
• CTE Reapproval process for Skilled and Technical Science courses is underway.
• Fall 2025 student and staff CEE data is complete and will be a FHS staff focus 2nd semester.

Enrollment

9th = 69,  10th = 56,  11th = 74,  12th = 78 .  Total: 277

Error was made in previous months reporting at 283.  Running start was inadvertently included.   277 is accurate.  

Overview

Fall Sports Overview

• Cross Country – Boys team was STATE CHAMPS!  Girls team was 7th in state.
• Volleyball – Academic STATE CHAMPS! Team finished 2nd in state.
• Soccer – Team finished 2nd in state.  Rylee Russell, Avery and Nora Gass 1st team all-state, Nicole DuPont, Delaney Abustallo 2nd team all-state, Gabby Daniel, Annabelle Gould Honorable Mention all-state.
• Football – Team finished tied for 5th in state.

Outstanding fall for our kids, teams, coaches, and community!

Areas of Focus

• Winter sports games started Tuesday, 12/2.  Preseason games happening now, league games start next week.  
• Athletics Dinner/Auction will be on March 14 at the CDA Casino.  All proceeds from the Freeman Athletic Foundation goes to the Athletics programs.  The last three years this event has raised $200,000 and is necessary with the rise in expenses for athletics - travel, officials, equipment, etc.
• 12/19-12/20 is the Greg Larson Memorial Basketball Tournament.  Games start at 4pm on Friday.  
• Freeman Alumni BB tournament will take place 12/20-12/21.  
• 12/30 is the Freeman Winter Classic Wrestling Tournament.

Enrollment

• Boys Basketball - 25 - 3 teams
• Girls Basketball - 18 - 2 teams
• Boys Wrestling - 21 
• Girls Wrestling - 1 - she took 2nd place in her first tournament of the year
• Cheer – 14 - usually has 12, but added 2 more that were interested

Overview

Work to improve programs and support our student athletes.

Participate in partnership with the Greater Spokane County League (GSCL).

Areas of Focus

Early Winter records

• Volleyball - 8th grade varsity 3-5, JV 2-6; 7th grade 1-2; Combo team 8-0.  Program wide, having the 6th grade participation this year will really play dividends in building the program.
• Wrestling – All League at Westwood - fantastic success
  • Eli Gilbert – 2nd
  • Orryn Crow – 2nd
  • Avery Schmidt – 2nd
  • Colt Dickinson – 5th
  • Thomas Goodman – 4th
  • Darren Grow – 1st
  • Tanner Seely – 3rd
  • Marquon Pugh – 3rd
  • Adam Jacot – 6th
  • Reagan Coyner – 2nd
  • Harrison Brown – 2nd
  • Evan Schwartz – 1st
  • Barrett Magers – 6th
  • Mason Higgins – 5th

Enrollment

• FMS Boys Basketball - 42 - starts January 6th (girls start mid-February)

Overview

Freeman SD Nutrition Services supports the philosophy of the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs and will provide wholesome and nutritious meals for our students.

Areas of Focus

1. The Senate passed a bill that will bring back whole milk and 2% milk into school food service if the bill passes in the House.
   1. If it passes the House and becomes law, we could see these changes take effect for SY 2026-27.
2. Met with K8 ASB students again last week.
   1. One request earlier this year was to serve brownies.
   2. I found a school food service brownie recipe that uses black beans rather than flour.
   3. I made a batch and served it to the ASB students.
   4. Reactions were: Very surprising but overwhelmingly positive. 
   5. K8 ASB selected BBQ Chicken Pizza (new recipe) for January.  Third week of January is National Pizza week.
3. Dietetic Intern Reminder
   1. Christoppher Lopez-Rosas
   2. Begins 4-week rotation Jan 26
   3. Met with Christopher last Friday for a pre-rotation interview - very excited for him to be here and already has ideas for his time with us

Overview

• "The students of Freeman are the heart of our community and the reason we serve. The Freeman School District Transportation Department is dedicated to providing safe, reliable, and respectful transportation for all TK–12 students. We are committed to connecting home, school, and community, ensuring every student arrives ready to learn and thrive." 

Areas of Focus

• We received the new bus we ordered in October.  This is already on the TK route.
• I have started training a new sub driver.  Hopefully will have her able to start subbing after Christmas.
• We are currently at:
  • 11 Regular Ed Routes
  • 1 SPED Route
  • 1TK Route 
  • 2 McKinney-Vento Routes

Areas of Focus:

1. Snow equipment is ready for use.  Couple of minor repairs that needed to be fixed.  
2. Supplies are all in for winter weather.
3. Not much change since last meeting. 

Safety:

Nothing to report at this time.

Overview

For the 2025-26 school year, Freeman Student Services Department will strengthen our Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) across academic, behavioral, and social-emotional domains. Our focus will be on refining practices within all three tiers to ensure that each student receives the support they need to thrive. Equally important, we are committed to fostering a strong sense of belonging for all students, staff, and community members.

Areas of Focus and Enrollment

Area of Focus

Special Education

• Personnel report due Dec. 15 is completed!
• SPED Count Annual Report due Dec. 17 is completed! 
• Alex Fern from KusakRock law firm did an excellent training for SPED certificated team on the “Top 8 Legal Pitfalls in Special Education.” We are discussing our next steps as a team this week. Very minor tweaks is all we need.
• MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Support) process is being updated to be more consistent building to building and support the SPED team’s needs for legal compliance.
• 115 Students 

Multilingual Learners (MLL)

• No updates at this time.
• 3 students

McKinney Vento/ Foster Youth

• Connecting families to area community resources including food for the holidays through Fill the Gap and upcoming Tree of Sharing program.  Thanks to Valleyford Community Church and the MS fundraiser - supporting 20 families this year - still in needs for gift cards
• 19 students/ 1 students

Title 1/ Learning Assistance Program (LAP)

• Working together with para educators to complete their annual training requirements
• Covering para absences is a challenge- we need para subs!  On website and in newsletters.  
• Looking into new math intervention curricula that we will bring to IMC later this year.
• 72 students (K-8)

Highly Capable

• Highly Capable Screening tool was purchased. The screening will roll out in 2nd and 3rd grade in January. Parents will receive communication early January.

Overview
Provide the highest quality technology-based services, in the most cost-effective manner, to help facilitate the FSD mission

Areas of Focus

• We met with select FHS and FMS students to discuss safety and security topics and gather valuable insights directly from their perspectives.  Very good raw discussion - some things we can tweak now and implement, and other items will be part of our safety and technology plan in the next two years.  
• We successfully set up the technology for the robotics competition in the middle school gym & K-8 MPR by ensuring seamless integration of power, networking, and audio-visual systems to support all event activities.
• We are continually refining the new website, addressing design and functionality to ensure it is fully optimized ready for its December 12th launch.

• Update regarding the 2026 Safety, Security & Technology Plan.  Presentation today in the Board Work Session that covered the details of the plan.  One of the first points of execution will be new chromebooks for fall 2026, and more to come in the next two years with a game plan in place.  

FSD Solar Project Update - David Funk

• Finalized all designs - working on 24 different school buildings now with 16 more in development
• 25 million in total energy savings in eastern WA so far
• Most of their projects in Avista territory, but we have in Inland Power territory
• 4 projects have been turned on so far
• 16 projects for January and February
• We will have one more finalized design that the school board gets to approve
• Freeman's site design has underground utilities which presents a minor issue with the railroad testing wells, so that's being accounted for in preparation
• May lose 4 panels based on location, but that won't impact output
• Permits will happen next with Spokane County, then an additional L&I review
• January 26th or February 2nd are our anticipated start dates, weather permitting
• Will coordinate site work dates in advance
• Build it in two weeks and then Inland Power comes out to approve 
• We have confirmation from Inland with the 25kw increment strategy to start
• Dr. Russell shared his gratitude for their partnership and communication
• David announced they are doing on PPA amendment - they are going to a flat billing process instead of custom billing. In January they will true up with any discrepancies.  
• Washington Sustainable Energy Trust is primarily funding our project
• Alan will email the most recent drawings to the Board 

• Review Board Policy No. 1630 - Evaluation of the Superintendent
• The School Board/Superintendent Expectations & Goals were reviewed at the work session - Annie Keebler will lead that process.  Dr. Russell asked that we keep an eye on the progress toward the goals, and discuss how you want him to finish strong as he announced his retirement, effective 6/30/26.  This is part of the Superintendents evaluation process.  
• Cash Flow and Enrollment were reviewed in the advance work session.  
• The Superintendent's mid-year evaluation will be presented by the Board at the next board meeting on 1/26/26.  Each Board member completes an evaluation form and sends to the Board Chair who compiles the information and then shares with the Superintendent. 

Dave Teague moved the Board approve Board Policy & Procedure No. 3226 - 2nd Reading - Interviews and Interrogations of Students on School Premises, as presented.  Danielle Santman seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

Dave Teague moved the Board approve Board Policy No. 5010 - 2nd Reading - Nondiscrimination and Affirmative Action, as presented.  Nate Talbott seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

Dave Teague moved the Board approve Board Policy No. 6022 - 2nd Reading - Minimum Fund Balance, as presented.  Bill Morphy seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

Dave Teague moved the Board approve Board Policy No. 1111 - 2nd Reading - Oath of Office, as presented. Danielle Santman seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

The new Oath of Office was administered to the 5 elected board members; Annie Keebler, Bill Morphy, Danielle Santman, Dave Teague, and Nate Talbott. 

I do hereby solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the State of Washington and the laws of the state of Washington, and faithfully discharge the duties of the office to the best of my ability. 

Dave Teague moved the Board approve Board Policy No. 1815 - 1st Reading - Ethical Conduct For Board Members, as presented.  Nate Talbott seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

Dave Teague moved the Board approve Board Policy & Procedure No. 5260 - 1st Reading - Personnel Records, as presented.  Nate Talbott seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

Dave Teague moved the Board approve the Surplus of FMS Office Furniture, as presented.  Bill Morphy seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

• The next board meeting will be on Monday, January 26, 2026 at 4:00 PM.  It was originally scheduled for 11:00 AM, but due to schedule conflicts with a few board members, the time has been changed to 4:00 PM.  We originally scheduled an Advance Work Session for January 26, but feel that it's not needed.  
• The following meetings will be on Thursday, February 26, 2026 at 6:00 PM and Monday, March 23, 2026 at 6:00 PM. 

Classified:                  Jamie Goodlake – Substitute Child Nutritionist III (Server)

                                    Jessica Clemons – Substitute Paraeducator

                                    Jennifer Eden – Bus Driver

Extracurricular:         Scott Moore – Resignation – MS 8th Grade Boys Head Basketball Coach

                                    Scott Moore – Resignation – MS 8th Grade Girls Head Basketball Coach

Dave Teague moved the Board approve the personnel action, as presented. Danielle Santman seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

Recording Secretary _______________________________________

Board Secretary ___________________________________________

Board Chair _______________________________________________