The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

WAITSBURG-The Waitsburg School Board met Thursday, October 15, for a regularly scheduled meeting. The Board is still meeting via Zoom video call.

Secondary Principal Stephanie Wooderchak reported that school has been going well overall, given the circumstances. She said that the parents had been a huge help troubleshooting the technology problems that sprung from the Chromebook distribution and remote learning.

"People are having honest conversations and are making adjustments when we experience obstacles," Wooderchak said while reporting some of the feedback she has received from staff, students and parents. "There is very little complaining."

Wooderchak announced that Koby Harris had been selected as the Student of the Month for October. Harris is a senior this year.

Many students have reported that they are glad to be back, even on the hybrid schedule. They have enjoyed being back with their friends, and many have informed Wooderchak that they feel they can get more work done while in the classroom.

Board member Sarah Boudrieau let Wooderchak know that she has heard many concerns about the students carrying books and other materials from classroom to classroom. Currently, lockers are not available to prevent students from mingling at close distances. Wooderchak said the staff hopes to work with students in finding a solution to make it easier between classes.

Staff at Preston Hall Middle School and Waitsburg High School have set up a tutoring and additional assistance program for students who need a 'little extra scoop,' as Wooderchak put it.

Superintendent Mark Pickel gave an update on the recently-updated fall sports conditioning schedule. The Washington Interscholastic Athletics Association (WIAA) released a set of guidelines that will allow student athletes to begin training for potential sports seasons safely. The full schedule can be found on the school's website.

Pickel also gave the board members an update on the facilities and maintenance happenings.

The school secured an entire pallet of hand sanitizer, roughly 60-70 cases worth, from the Walla Walla Emergency Management System. He is hopeful that they will be able to secure more PPE soon, as well. Pickel said he is 'very impressed' with how well the custodial staff has been cleaning. He said that they have been very busy and very thorough.

The high school experienced a boiler issue, and compromising the heating system, Pickel said that Mike Dill was able to get it repaired and running very quickly.

The school district will be using an arborist out of Walla Walla, Boyd's Tree Service, to remove some diseased trees on the corner of 8th and Caroline streets. Pickel reported that the trees pose a safety hazard.

During the elementary principal and superintendent reports, Superintendent Pickel said that the budget and student numbers are going 'in the right directions.' He echoed many of the same things that Wooderchak reported in the secondary report, saying that students are happy to be back. The elementary staff is working hard to fix any hiccups that come up.

Parent-teacher conferences will be held the week of November 9. Elementary teachers will be reaching out to families via ClassTag to set up an appointment.

The school district is working on the website, which will be updated soon. Pickel said that he and another staff member have been working on a mock-up, and the change should happen in the next week or so. He expects the new website to be more user-friendly than it currently is.

The Washington State School Directors Association Conference will be virtual this year. Board members opted to attend evening sessions online.

The Board reviewed multiple sets of policies for first and second readings. The school board has received a small group of policies each month to review and update as needed. Many of the policies have not been updated in recent years, and some have been retired altogether.

The school board meets the third week of the month, at 6 p.m. All board agendas and Zoom call information are available on the district's website, http://www.waitsburgsd.org.