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

• Executive elections are taking place on April 18. 
• 3rd Annual Multicultural Night will take place on April 18.
• 2025 Art Festival is underway showcasing artwork by PHS students. 
• Filming senior music video and preparing the senior choir for graduation. 
• Received 100 public comments about graduation regalia. 

• Craig Nelson: DECA Update – Melissa Mayer will be accompanying students to the National DECA Conference next week in Orlando, Florida. The Board recognized the PHS students who qualified to compete at the national level, having first earned top honors at the state competition.
  • Dr. Maxwell noted that DECA students helped at Cabaret and raised money for that trip.
• Lisa Waananen Jones: No report. 
• Arron Carter: No report. 
• Amanda Tanner: Pullman High School Fundraiser – Pullman High School, in partnership with the Boosters, will host Pullman High’s Got Talent at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $5, and proceeds will support student clubs and activities.
• Nathan Roberts: 
  • The Board discussed the upcoming WSSDA Regional Meeting in May, which overlaps with a scheduled Board Work Session. The consensus was to maintain the current work session schedule and not attend the regional meeting. 
  • The District continues to work collaboratively with the City of Pullman on several initiatives. City transportation will be holding a public forum on route placement, and Executive Director Pollestad will attend to provide input on behalf of the district. A joint meeting with the City of Pullman is being planned for June 17, during the regularly scheduled City Council meeting. While there are no formal agenda items, the intent is to use this meeting to build relationships, identify shared areas of interest, establish collaborative communication channels, and explore opportunities for community partnership. The DEIB Task Force is also developing ideas to support and strengthen these partnerships. Board members were encouraged to send any additional suggestions for potential agenda items to Director Roberts. The goal is to hold joint meetings 1–2 times per year, with the next one tentatively planned for October. Once the June meeting is confirmed by the City, an invitation will be sent to Board members.

Superintendent presented updates on the following:

• Pullman High School Pathway Update: A temporary access path to Pullman High School (PHS) via Robert Road has been prepared. Pullman High School will communicate with students and families that the old path should not be used and that the temporary access route must be followed. Developers have requested that students do not remove the temporary barrier and remain on the designated route. A permanent gravel pathway has been negotiated with the developer. The new path will follow the district’s property line and include additional grading, removal of topsoil across the site, seeding, and stabilization. The pathway will be four feet wide. A photo was shared with the Board for orientation. A licensing agreement is scheduled to be signed on April 17, after which construction of the permanent path will begin.
• Pullman Aquatic Center: The latest discussions and planning efforts regarding the Pullman Aquatic Center were shared with the Board. In order to move forward with a potential sale, the Board would need to declare the property surplus. A photo reference was provided showing the area under consideration, which includes approximately 2.5 acres encompassing the Aquatic Center, the adjacent parking lot, and the access road to the rear of the property. The playground will not be affected. It was confirmed that the playground is located on school district property. The district is considering only the space within the defined boundary of the Aquatic Center area. There are multiple pathways that provide access to the playground, and the district is committed to keeping those access points open. A title report has been ordered to verify ownership details. An appraisal of the building and property will be needed. If the Board moves forward, the property must be declared surplus and then it can be advertised for sale. Continued meetings and planning efforts are underway, with another update expected after next week’s meeting. The anticipated timeline to complete this process is by July 2025. Funds from the sale are governed by an RCW which allows the use of funds for purposes such as paying off bonds or other capital projects as determined by the Board. There is no set timeline for spending the funds, and they will accrue interest until used.
• Legislative & Finance Committee: Provided a report on recent legislative developments and financial planning activities. Emphasis was placed on monitoring state-level budget decisions and their potential impacts on district funding and operations. Provided an update on changes to the funding multiplier for students over the age of five, as well as a potential increase in Materials, Supplies, and Operating Costs (MSOCs). While the district is expected to see an increase of approximately $100 per student, the actual need is closer to $400 per student to adequately address rising costs such as utilities and insurance. Advocacy for reimbursement for transporting students using alternative vehicles that do not require a CDL license is underway. This change, if approved, would significantly help address the ongoing bus driver shortage and offer a more economical transportation solution for the district. 
• Enterprise Fleet Management Program: Reviewed a proposal from Enterprise Fleet Management outlining potential cost savings, safety upgrades, and long-term planning advantages and cost savings of leasing versus owning district vehicles. The presentation included data on vehicle usage, replacement cycles, and financial models to support decision-making. The district is most interested in acquisition and vehicle resale portion of the program. Next step is for Enterprise to do an analysis of our current fleet and they will return with potential cost savings, if any. At this point just exploring this as an option. Will bring back in 2-4 weeks. 

District Budget Priorities Input Review

Presenter: Bob Maxwell, Superintendent & Nathan Roberts, Board President

An overview was provided of the recent listening session and community input survey designed to identify priorities for the district’s budget decision-making process. The input gathered reflects the values and priorities of the community.

Dr. Maxwell reviewed each section of the survey summary, highlighting the ranked priorities as identified by the 318 participants. The district is taking a multi-year approach to addressing budget needs, using the input to guide both immediate and long-term planning. Director Roberts emphasized that this document will serve as a key reference in future planning efforts.

• C. Nelson shared that the DEIB Task Force is scheduled to meet on April 17. The group will be reviewing items to bring forward to the Board for consideration.
• Dr. Maxwell noted he has been monitoring recent federal executive orders related to equity and programming. A document requiring signatures from states is circulating, and he emphasized the importance of taking time to ensure alignment with state laws and that the district’s actions are deliberate and compliant.
• N. Roberts informed the Board that the co-chairs of the DEIB Task Force have been invited to provide an update on the group's direction, ideas for community engagement, and upcoming focus areas at the next board meeting.

No public comment.

Presenter: Bob Maxwell, Superintendent

The AI Guidelines were previously presented and discussed at a Regular Board meeting. Feedback from that discussion has been incorporated into the revised document. Looking ahead to the 2025–26 school year, the district is considering the development of guiding principles, as well as the potential for formal policy and procedures related to AI use. Additional training opportunities are planned for summer 2025 to help inform future decisions. Since the last presentation, there have been no additional questions.

Presenter: Juston Pollestad, Executive Director of Operations

The Board, at the end of the school year, approves activities that will take place over the summer. Travel for summer activities is not provided by the district. In addition, notification of activities is a requirement of United Schools Insurance Program so that our insurance administrator is aware of summer activities.

The board meeting reconvened into an open session at 7:50pm, and the chair announced that the executive session end time would be extended 15 minutes before returning to executive session.

The board meeting reconvened into an open session at 8:05pm, and the chair announced that the executive session end time would be extended 10 minutes before returning to executive session.