The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

Board discuss special education contract

WAITSBURG–The Waitsburg School Board met Thursday, August 18, for a regularly scheduled meeting.

After serving the district for 25 years, board members and attendees said ‘thank you’ one last time to Human Resources and Assistant Business Manager Linda Henze, who retired the following day. The district presented Henze with a plaque, and later she went out for a celebratory dinner with district employees and friends at Whiskey C’s.

Teachers and staff at Waitsburg schools are gearing up for the quickly approaching school year. Registration was held on August 22-24 for all grades. The first day of school will be Tuesday, September 6.

Superintendent Tim Merlino and CFO Gavin Hopman of ESD 112 gave a presentation regarding the district’s contract for special education services. Waitsburg, like other small school districts in the state, has struggled to fill special education positions. ESD 112 serves local districts, including Dayton and Dixie.

Merlino and Hopman were able to answer questions from the public and parents who will utilize the offered services. One question from parents was whether students would have the same special education teacher, to which they were told yes. The special education teacher for the district would travel and provide face-to-face learning as much as possible, barring any illness or bad weather.

During public comment, Vicki Rossi spoke on behalf of interested residents, including Greg Tate and Eleanor Specht in attendance, to suggest the district invest in the district’s tennis courts. By making them more suitable for teaching and competition play, the group hopes to build interest in the sport at the school. She and resident Greg Tate offered volunteer hours for improvements and grant writing.

Rossi told the board how polite and engaged she has found the students she has met on the courts. The school board was receptive to Rossi’s comments and ideas.

The school board reviewed yearly items, including fee schedules, employee and student handbooks, and a collective bargaining agreement with WEA.

The board adjourned after a relatively short meeting. They will meet again on September 15, 2022.