[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6365227,"mediaKeyId","2160265-39f327bd3aefad66f1eee33232647386","parentId",2160265,"title","Board approves assistant superintendent contract; superintendent to separate HR role after retirement","audioSeconds",220,"startMs",4466000,"endMs",4686000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2160265-39f327bd3aefad66f1eee33232647386&start=4466&end=4686","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2160265-39f327bd3aefad66f1eee33232647386/thumbnail_4466000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6365227/Oregon/Board-approves-assistant-superintendent-contract-superintendent-to-separate-HR-role-after-retirement","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6365227-8ddc2e0d900151e4daea05a18a1862f2/orig.mp4?Expires=1770700930&Signature=RwyRhCneHpjSCdqQlLRCo8~OZ~0Gr-H7IFDFdSDkNsg-DhfG-g-BecwSTQ8sS5nZLufL9e9Rl4-s9Ti0mmK2z7NOwozOw6hnURG1F0AMj75ySD0dGeWf5ogLgfn5YO61v7Fia8ldghGgHsbycEUqwZJJlAjmuRy8~0iL3bAKaJN9XmQbT7szYgbDl4oSKXlkX3Dsy8vnkAMgzAL9fQECbHEtDhsXSoxPLRcorwNneZn8fE1Gz0dmNq8j-iAVRiJWPoQP5DNetE~zuW93gsiyblspLgGlQ0SH7Mnh1LSgtoueOfYx8BzimtZDGRABXC1JFHvfKVKkFuXOy6T7xzZmEw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Forest Grove School District 15","date","2025-01-29T15:11:41Z","article","The Forest Grove School District board approved an assistant superintendent contract on Jan. 28 that names the district's director of teaching and learning (referred to in the meeting as Director Mulvaney) to the cabinet-level role.

Superintendent Dr. West explained the move followed the announced retirement of the district's current assistant superintendent and HR director, John O'Neil, at the end of the school year. Dr. West said the HR role needs to be separate from the assistant superintendent function but that hiring a new, stand-alone cabinet-level HR director is not fiscally responsible during the current budget period. As an interim step, Dr. West proposed appointing Director Mulvaney to serve as assistant superintendent so the district can run a full search for a dedicated HR director later.

The board moved and seconded the contract; the motion carried. During the vote one board member voiced hesitation about making a leadership change during a period of academic recovery, noting concerns about altering momentum while reading scores are being addressed. The board recorded the motion as approved; the transcript does not include a line-by-line roll-call tally.

Dr. West thanked outgoing HR director John O'Neil for his service; the superintendent called O'Neil \"a tremendous asset\" during Dr. West's first seven months. Dr. West said final details on the HR director search will follow and that the appointment allows the district to sequence recruitment work for human resources while maintaining cabinet continuity.

The contract presented covers the 2025'28 period (as described in the packet); the board directed staff to proceed with subsequent HR recruitment steps once the assistant superintendent appointment is finalized.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","FGSD School Board Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","The board approved a multi-year contract to appoint Director Mulvaney as assistant superintendent while district plans a separate HR director search following John O'Neil's announced retirement.","taxTitle","Forest Grove SD 15, School Districts, Oregon","taxId",76425,"location","Oregon","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6365231,"Board approves bond-funded security and fire-system upgrades totaling about $1.71 million",218,4365000,4583000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2160265-39f327bd3aefad66f1eee33232647386&start=4365&end=4583","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2160265-39f327bd3aefad66f1eee33232647386/thumbnail_4365000.jpg","/articles/6365231/Oregon/Board-approves-bond-funded-security-and-fire-system-upgrades-totaling-about-171-million","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6365231-8ac735018e5b26fb24a0e9dc05cec640/orig.mp4?Expires=1770700930&Signature=Y3CtA3MU2t~SXws9qUuI1xkKviA5yp54e8UzTYn1HDw7F6gdtwNz3VX086V1RB88rN7bYCWpcwQCTSitMAnVkejg1jjk6TW5TpD0ez1UHUYcWEcpgfgBZQwOf8tcgrbTzQ9Ts2qlXddYHi2eKvANuMk8ApomoOaNUvFc6v5RmxvN7chrA4jaaYqMg247a5AeLYd-nHoR8oTfo7ZrFhiSQig-uGSy2GYkAVrWSGZ-FG8p3uGitF0aFqESR2YcSydOACwIgdInyCKSRHgVMhE1Vdatv2NBmDv5cS0LN99Bdggxc1G29GkFZaQCDF~k8aqLqilQn9dC73iOI1lQrJXxxw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Forest Grove School District Board approved two bond-funded capital contracts at the Jan. 28 meeting for security and fire-system improvements to multiple school buildings.

Business staff presented a contract award to Convergent (presenter named as Eileen) for security-system work at listed sites (including Tom Kaliste, Harvey Clark, Echo Shaw and Joseph Gale — building names as presented) totaling $705,775 and funded from bond proceeds. A board member made the motion and it was seconded; the board voted in favor.

The board then approved a contract through GB Manchester to replace fire systems (including installation of new EST systems with full voice-alert capability) at Echo Shaw, Harvey Clark and Forest Grove High School for $1,004,324, also funded with bond dollars. The board asked for any questions; a motion to approve was moved, seconded and approved.

The items were presented as part of ongoing bond-program work and identified as scheduled for the next summer construction period.

No amendments to the contracts were proposed at the meeting; trustees approved both contracts during the action-items segment.","The board approved two bond-funded contracts: security-system upgrades for several buildings for $705,775 and fire-system replacements with full voice alert for three buildings for $1,004,324.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6365237,"Independent auditors give Forest Grove SD a clean opinion; suggest trimming bank accounts and 403(b) compliance step",337,3119000,3456000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2160265-39f327bd3aefad66f1eee33232647386&start=3119&end=3456","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2160265-39f327bd3aefad66f1eee33232647386/thumbnail_3119000.jpg","/articles/6365237/Oregon/Independent-auditors-give-Forest-Grove-SD-a-clean-opinion-suggest-trimming-bank-accounts-and-403b-compliance-step","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6365237-149799f658349589b03010269501a92a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770700930&Signature=RVkkgwMeQzPbYlgfyehQxtYLOnLX68jA1jiJy~EYTJA6DJPIZBCi9qhubCtB0JML9nHskZ0fmK64dV-YWvflN0BH2YLUeyCQ6Y9AqYNR5o2fGS2HZZKjJuShu5SUld8ectdBeFDAeH2yj6rn5mj5BBbUEOO95ZMXKTXXurBTViaeawYWkyMtvWstK-hHZyFcT0iuAo-bw3Akkm1Otm0KS3AtLF5jDDmEcrxErtoS5ol-yg4bxFJoVlGFCdpWNFYq1z4cp9YJi0il-yIw5yM2BcUEbUDOPMoHKiv8YfN8FUZb3qvj-cDBqDl6blGfwCrLD-s-QP12QXyH8IBmQ0z-PA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Forest Grove School District auditors presented their annual report to the board on Jan. 28 and said they issued an unmodified (clean) audit opinion for the district's fiscal year.

Lead auditor David Bledsoe told the board the audit covered two single-audit programs (ASR and the Child Nutrition cluster) and that the district had no material weaknesses or separate management-letter items this year. \"The audit opinion... whether the books made sense to the report, make sense to the numbers, make sense. Yes,\" he said.

Bledsoe identified a minor item of note: an over-expenditure in an OMS account (referenced in the audit letter and on page 72 of the packet). He described this as not material and not a finding that would change the audit opinion. He also noted that the district has many bank accounts and recommended the district consider consolidating them where possible; staff said many smaller accounts exist because of outside-donation requirements.

Two routine recommendations in the board letter addressed 403(b) vendor compliance (asking vendors for a specialized audit report covering data controls) and reviewing bank-account structure. Bledsoe described upcoming GASB technical pronouncements (compensated-absences reporting and risk-disclosure changes) that the district will implement in future fiscal years.

Board members thanked the business office for timely responses during the audit; the packet shows capital asset spending of about $17 million during the year tied to bond projects and an increase in the general-fund balance.

The auditors fielded board questions and offered to explain technical GASB changes in follow-up conversations.","Auditors reported an unmodified audit opinion for the district, noted an over-expenditure item in OMS and recommended administrative best practices on 403(b) compliance and bank-account consolidation.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6365243,"Forest Grove superintendent warns declining enrollment and facility assessments will squeeze district budget; reaffirms sanctuary-state protections",544,657000,1201000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2160265-39f327bd3aefad66f1eee33232647386&start=657&end=1201","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2160265-39f327bd3aefad66f1eee33232647386/thumbnail_657000.jpg","/articles/6365243/Oregon/Forest-Grove-superintendent-warns-declining-enrollment-and-facility-assessments-will-squeeze-district-budget-reaffirms-sanctuary-state-protections","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6365243-2c43ea7e9700dfbbcfa475faf136bbcd/orig.mp4?Expires=1770700930&Signature=C~qCjXVxgBZylcd8Q5UeHw8Kl7mtiI6YSNJbrJtTp~YLpcpxAvh71jRkfCfjXkqNK6NGHnJeZQiVlbH28R~M0-IHYOYXRRUeaaUkkU-9yXpbaiul2KLMBeviI6gThfpTYYIsIEyA9Dd46CZLmnV44SUd-M0fQn7JANiMim87YS8Hhi0do7PFW04xChcszn1G~k88j4hKLrPFRm0aLmeiMFcn8Pp~hwcldhKL3uzWtHMwx76pD9tr6oIg2fiNUlHApvht3jZ9mmab1XdkpkPi-4WyvUEIqJdcUJkv88J8ZDL99sNozPVCctUtzZb9QlbNJtGxEsggFbHi-CGcPLZMcw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Forest Grove School District Superintendent Dr. West told the board on Jan. 28 that the district is facing continued enrollment declines that will reduce state funding and that state facility assessors will be in the district through February.

Dr. West said the district is about 129 students below budgeted projections and \"at about a 129 students below what we budgeted, we can expect, at a minimum, about a $1,000,000 less than what we're receiving right now.\" He linked that shortfall to both a long-term decline in enrollment and technical limits in the state funding formula that have not kept pace with recent cost increases.

The superintendent framed the budget risk in statewide context, noting a post-pandemic funding gap and the governor's $600 million proposal to adjust the State School Fund current-service-level (CSL) calculation. He said the CSL changes are technical and do not fully cover districts' increased costs, and that districts are being asked to deliver more services without commensurate funding.

Dr. West also reported that the state is carrying out a facility assessment prompted by recent legislation; Forest Grove is among the first districts to be assessed. He said the state review is narrower than the district's own long-range facility planning and bond work and that the district will share the state's findings when the final report arrives.

On district staffing and structure, Dr. West described a long-term increase in FTEs juxtaposed with falling enrollment: \"We have declining enrollment, and we have increasing FTE. We can't sustain that.\" He showed district data indicating students per FTE fell from just over 10 in 2015'16 to just over 7, which he said will require \"right-sizing\" during the upcoming budget season.

Dr. West also addressed federal executive actions and local anxiety about immigration enforcement. He reaffirmed the district's legal obligations and policies. \"Oregon law as a sanctuary state explicitly prohibits public employees, including school district staff, from assisting in federal immigration enforcement efforts,\" he said, and added that \"FERPA protects student educational records, and our school policies or district policies align with that as well.\" He emphasized that the district will not release students to anyone other than their parents except on a judicial arrest warrant and urged the community to rely on facts rather than rumors.

Dr. West announced next steps on personnel and engagement: focus groups to inform the high school principal search (Karen O'Neil is retiring after roughly 15 years), invitations already issued to community members, and a district \"transition team\" convened to provide local insight and communicate with community leaders.

The superintendent closed by asking the board and community to follow legislative developments and attend local forums; he pointed to a Hillsboro town hall scheduled for Jan. 29 with state lawmakers Susan McClain, Janine Solman and Nathan Sosa.

Dr. West opened the board to questions after his report; board members discussed legislative strategy, the special education funding cap and the difficulty of persuading some legislators about school funding needs.

Looking ahead, Dr. West said the district will share the state's facility assessment results when available and will incorporate the enrollment and budget information into work on the upcoming budget cycle.","Superintendent Dr. West told the board the district faces lower state funding tied to enrollment declines and upcoming state facility assessments while reaffirming the district's compliance with Oregon sanctuary-state law and FERPA protections.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board approves assistant superintendent contract; superintendent to separate HR role after retirement

Board approves bond-funded security and fire-system upgrades totaling about $1.71 million

Independent auditors give Forest Grove SD a clean opinion; suggest trimming bank accounts and 403(b) compliance step

Forest Grove superintendent warns declining enrollment and facility assessments will squeeze district budget; reaffirms sanctuary-state protections