The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

DAYTON – The Dayton School Board met in the High School Library at 6:32 p.m. on December 20, 2023. School Board members present were Chair Jeffrey McCowen, Zac Fabian, and Grant Griffin. Aneesha Dieu and Ryan Paulson attended using Zoom. Superintendent Rich Stewart was also present in the library.

For the first order of business, the Board members who stood for re-election in November were administered the oath of office. The composition of the Board remains the same as it was before.

Next, the Board Chair and Vice Chair positions were elected by roll call vote. McCowen was elected to a second term as Chair. Fabian was elected as Vice Chair.

The non-voted positions were assigned as below:

•Facilities Representative – Griffin/Fabian

•Curriculum Representative – Dieu/Paulson

•Budget & Finance Representative – Griffin/Dieu

•Community Outreach/Public Relations Representative – McCowen/Fabian

•Custodial Negotiations Representative - Paulson

•Classified Negotiations Representative - McCowen

•Certified Negotiations Representative - Dieu

•WIAA Representative - Fabian

•Legislative Representative – Dieu (second year of two-year term)

The Board then approved the consent agenda. Of note, among other items, was a grant of $40,000 to the FFA, which will allow them to purchase a pickup truck and stock trailer.

During the public comment period, a member of the public, parent, and school employee spoke about her concerns that the district lacked transparency and communication and how that affected the hemorrhaging of students and families from the district. She noted the district is rebuilding and that it takes time. She said the teachers were tremendous but did not have support from the top.

Stewart said the superintendent search was underway, and one completed application had been received. The position is scheduled to close for new applicants on January 12, 2024, but could be extended if necessary.

Stewart said he has presented levy information to all the school employee groups and has a busy schedule of presentations to community groups in January.

Stewart said they were working on a complaint filed with the Office of Public Instruction (OSPI) for discrimination against a student. The complaint was filed during the previous administration, and the resolution may likely involve some extra training, he said.

The remainder of the meeting was spent discussing several, mostly minor policy changes.

The board approved a new non-representative contract before adjourning the regular meeting to enter an executive session for an unspecified discussion. It remained in the executive session for about 35 minutes.

McCowen adjourned the meeting at 8:07 p.m. The next School Board meeting is scheduled for January 3, 2024.