The PHS ASB student representative provided an update on recent ASB activities:

• Focusing on revising student ASB constitution to ensure consistency across grade levels. 
• Prom is scheduled for May 31st. 

• Craig Nelson: No report. 
• Lisa Waananen Jones: Jefferson Elementary PTA recently met and is planning upcoming events, including Family Engineering Night and other spring activities. They also noted a parent-hosted social media roundtable at SES, with an additional session planned. The director highlighted that this is a great time for families to get involved in school communities, as there is an increased need for volunteer support during this time of year.
• Arron Carter: Attended Lincoln Middle School Awards ceremony to celebrate student successes. 
• Amanda Tanner: Reported that another parent-led social media roundtable is coming up, and childcare will be provided. Coordination for the board dinner is still in progress. A.Tanner met with PSD Athletic Director, Wendy Kruger, regarding the 2025 WIAA proposed amendment changes and has forwarded the document to the board. A.   Tanner will be sharing feedback with the DA10 WSSDA Interscholastic Activities Committee Representative in preparation  for the regional advisory vote. A. Tanner  also shared updates on the current status of athletics and activities, noting that the district is currently ranked 3rd for the WIAA academic cup in the state.
• Nathan Roberts: Participated on the search committee for the high school principal and reviewed the board communication plan. Noted that he has been submitting a monthly snippet for the superintendent's newsletter and invited board members to provide input on what's included in that paragraph for sharing with staff, families, and the community. In the community update, Executive Director of Operations, Juston Pollestad, wrote about Linewize for Chromebook usage and is considering summarizing the listening session and discussing ways to incorporate feedback into the district's budget-related decisions. Budgetary decisions will need to start being made in May. 
  • L. Waananen Jones suggested including a timeline in the article, along with a preview of what will happen over the summer regarding the budget. 

• AI Task Force has met to review board feedback on the AI guidelines and is setting the goal to present the final guidelines to the board by April. The guidelines will need to be revisited periodically. Additionally, there is a need for a form to evaluate the tools being used and to establish what that evaluation process will look like.
• Recognized March 10-14, 2025 as Education Support Professionals (ESP) Week. Families and community members can send an eCard to recognize our Education Support professionals which can be found on our district website. 
• State of Washington is moving to one high school and beyond plan platform to ensure consistency across the state. There will be a 2 year rollout of the transition to School Links, Pullman will be transitioned in year 1 to the new platform. 
• Spring sports and activities are underway. 

Pullman High School Showcase Presented by Debbie Crabtree, Pullman High School Principal

Pullman High School's Treble Triad, that encompasses students  in grades 9-12, were introduced by Andy Mielke, Band, Choir & Drama Teacher, and performed Italian folksongs for the board. Students had the opportunity to share what Treble Triad means to them. 

Transportation Update by Juston Pollestad, Executive Director of Operations

The Transportation Update presented an overview of the current student transportation system in the Pullman School District and potential changes to improve service. Currently, K-5 students use school buses, K-12 rural students use school buses, while grades 6-12 rely on Pullman Transit. Feedback from a listening session highlighted concerns about young students riding with adults, long wait times at transfer stations, and the limitations of Pullman Transit, which primarily serves WSU and the community. There was feedback on what it would look like to serve all students on yellow buses. The district faces challenges in transporting more students without adding drivers, covering a 220-square-mile area, and minimizing student travel time. 

Two proposed solutions were discussed: 

• Option 1, which involves staggered start and release times with elementary schools beginning at 8:30 AM and secondary schools at 9:00 AM, but there are some challenges with the release times and the amount of time students would be waiting for a bus home. This would add 45 minutes for students that live out in the rural areas.
• Option 2, which utilizes tandem routes with consistent start and release times, using Franklin Elementary as a transfer hub. This would add 20-25 minutes for students that live out in the rural areas. This would be the option with the least amount of additional minutes on the bus. 

These options are based on our current number of bus drivers and school buses. Recent driver recruitment efforts have been successful, with new hires and more in process, allowing for potential route adjustments. The district is focused on improving efficiency while continuing to serve preschool and special needs students. Feedback during the discussion included questions about supervision at schools, testing routes during spring break, and the possibility of maintaining the current system if no changes are made.

Regarding funding, the issue isn't the number of buses but the shortage of drivers. Recruitment is ongoing, with efforts to offer local driver testing to streamline the process. The district is considering a transportation levy, and once the budget is consolidated, further discussions will take place on whether to pursue the proposed options or consider a third one. The board also acknowledged the challenges with marijuana legalization and its impact on bus driver recruitment, and our Executive Director of Operations continues to advocate for additional transportation funding at the state level.

• C. Nelson:
  • DEIB Task Force has a survey to roll out to community, families, and staff to start collecting feedback. 
• Dr. Maxwell 
  • Continuing to monitor federal executive orders and sharing updated information on Safe and Welcoming Schools webpage. 

Speaker: Cooper Jaquish

Topic: Provided comment on the comments made at the previous board meeting by Joe Thornton addressing the superintendent contract renewal being conducted in an open public meeting. Provided comment on inequitable salary raises, the need for transparency, and concerns on how the district will prioritize budget cuts. 

The action item was discussed at previous board meetings, and the presented policy and procedure are merged revisions of the two draft policies/procedures that have been previously presented. No feedback or questions have been received.

During the discussion, A. Tanner inquired if there would be forms associated if the policy is passed. N. Roberts responded that the Board Chair will provide the form, which will be attached as an appendix to the procedure. Some samples from other districts have been received, and this will be discussed further during the retreat. If the discussion goes well, the form will be included in the procedure.

The 2025-2026 fee schedules for Lincoln Middle School (LMS) and Pullman High School (PHS) were presented to the board for approval. There are no changes to the 2025-26 LMS Fee Schedule, while the 2025-26 PHS Fee Schedule includes changes for consistency in fees for CTSO clubs and the ASB fee card structure. Students who qualify for free or reduced lunch will have these fees waived.

During the discussion, C. Nelson clarified that the fees apply only to clubs, not classes. Principal Crabtree confirmed this. L. Waananen Jones asked why the athletic card fee would be higher, to which Principal Crabtree explained that there are additional fees associated with travel for athletics.

Annually course offerings require action by the Board of Directors. There have been no changes to the Lincoln Middle School (LMS) Course Guide for the 2025-2026 school year. However, the Pullman High School (PHS) courses required edits to include dual credit course designations.

During the discussion, A. Carter raised a concern about dual credit options, noting that some credits may not transfer equally across universities and should be specified for which colleges they apply. Principal Crabtree responded that the last page of the course book includes College in the High School and Dual Credit courses and agreed to add a note clarifying the universities that the credits apply to. Dr. Kramer asked whether the dual credit courses are at no cost to students, and Principal Crabtree confirmed that they are, also noting that College in the High School courses can be taken without earning college credit.

Each year, the Board is required to approve the district’s membership in the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA), which oversees and regulates interschool athletic and extracurricular activities for students.

During the discussion, A. Tanner clarified that by being part of the WIAA, the district must follow any active amendments. N. Roberts confirmed that the WIAA is the rulemaking body, and the district has the choice to either participate or not. C. Nelson further emphasized that there is no alternative; participation in the WIAA is necessary to offer sports, which N. Roberts confirmed, stating there are no other agencies to govern these activities.

• March

For 2024-2025 School Year 

Budgeted FTE: 2560 

Current FTE: 2587.03

Current Year Average FTE: 2,603.82

N. Roberts announced there will be an Executive Session to discuss personnel and to discuss with legal counsel litigation or potential litigation per RCW 42.30.110(1)(i) that will end at 7:55pm