[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-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],{"_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",6617111,"mediaKeyId","2843962-02dd7147cee15c549e382dde1ea8a933","parentId",2843962,"title","Wenatchee High students describe mock trial program and its impact at school board meeting","audioSeconds",327,"startMs",341000,"endMs",668000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2843962-02dd7147cee15c549e382dde1ea8a933&start=341&end=668","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2843962-02dd7147cee15c549e382dde1ea8a933/thumbnail_341000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6617111/Washington/Wenatchee-High-students-describe-mock-trial-program-and-its-impact-at-school-board-meeting","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6617111-2ac908ae27508aa1ca758c677a4eb083/orig.mp4?Expires=1776157117&Signature=BwYgfwwh-1bhkRzjuEBWLuwu0ipfqO~I3ixeVgD1AJGwDA0DoKsy8g2EqMHDBuigv5t3cn5r7fhaQWLK14HJih~wMdCcF61RPohBf0BO0s3YAizHdskFTQi~B9fmIM5pqhbp4x~HukSS1jURczrCRgQobjb4N7E~ng9JyZXR08iGQdgsOjNr-HSV6Wmzo2z6TAfq0KszEK0w5VtUvJg8HJ6XARyyYQLfNMpLHroNPJvcmRhnRRCfd67FEzx--8UjWKi~wJFV~e6laQPtuoJq0sE41XoIkuR6vJ~cNu2pLjQREkdJehBpEXXskpoQo2veVr~1oI-w0oDfXuNW50ZX9g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Wenatchee School District, Washington","date","2025-04-02T02:48:50.487Z","article","Members of Wenatchee High School’s mock trial team spoke to the Wenatchee School District School Board on April 1 about how the program has affected their academic and postsecondary plans.

Maisie McKenzie, mock trial president, described a three-year participation that helped her public speaking and clarified career goals: “I found more confidence in myself,” she said, and credited mock trial with opening opportunities and helping her plan to study criminology at Washington State University.

Senior Lizzie Pitzinger said mock trial taught courtroom procedure and broader skills, recounted team success at state competitions and thanked coaches and volunteers. “I spent the past 3 years on the mock trial team and I've loved every minute of it,” Pitzinger said; she also noted she received a Robert J. Bridle Inn of Court Scholarship for ethics, professionalism and civility at the state competition.

Students explained the structure of mock trial competitions — witness statements, exhibits, pretrial arguments, opening statements and closing statements — and described the experience of preparing cases and performing in simulated trials. The board and audience thanked the students, their teacher-coach Reuben Hart and community volunteer coaches, and invited the group to stay or leave as they preferred.

The remarks were given at the start of the meeting as part of the board’s practice of inviting students and program participants to share experiences; the board did not take formal action on the presentations.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Wenatchee School District Board Meeting 4-1-25","oneSentenceSummary","Students from Wenatchee High School’s mock trial team addressed the board about skills, confidence and awards gained through the program and thanked coaches and volunteer mentors.","taxTitle","Wenatchee School District, School Districts, Washington","taxId",38568,"location","Washington","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},6617115,"Wenatchee school board hears legislative update as state budget talks enter final month",741,804000,1545000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2843962-02dd7147cee15c549e382dde1ea8a933&start=804&end=1545","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2843962-02dd7147cee15c549e382dde1ea8a933/thumbnail_804000.jpg","/articles/6617115/Washington/Wenatchee-school-board-hears-legislative-update-as-state-budget-talks-enter-final-month","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6617115-e62babdd4b49080bb509cd801b20eb9c/orig.mp4?Expires=1776157117&Signature=XR97YvAXKqEYnjy0M6YvDG9vtn9eP~uwk75xYGNRmll1KgHvsYoyQLgGYNJRy~cRyDpXumH87M-27OHW9Fpkdx5mhz5RusIM5~A9LX1ROj-Eld53hNtipKHw90Q6RpSB-zdnrHYxf2bpkXiKFIOYi2Ls5eIhF13~GBdm2smxLeT0t2OHu0oYg8RCZs7rg6lMpM2w2Yb3g9oLd5eoATtpk6lrPj5aXqNrpbdcFjH1V4RntO4pv8O6qUoDXGdGuhSowxAQUeH9uYVEicNM1vj8cXywE46Wnx6YoObtDmEvyVUWto0M9wMKI3FsCHGLVLxOJnt9vDsDXox2TkO8c-xZzg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Sean Fitzgerald, the district’s executive director of business and finance, told the Wenatchee School District School Board on April 1 that the state legislative session was entering its final month and that many proposals important to K–12 funding remained unresolved.

Fitzgerald said revenue forecasts had narrowed recent projections of a state budget shortfall; “recently, in the last couple of weeks, they’ve kinda narrowed it down to a $9,000,000,000 budget shortfall, based on the most recent revenue forecast,” he said, and he warned that “nothing is truly dead and nothing is truly passed and finalized until the budget is approved by both the house and the senate.”

He reviewed bills and topics the district is tracking: a Senate special-education funding bill (identified in the presentation as “52 63”) that would condense the current two-tier funding model, raise funding and remove the existing enrollment cap; proposals to change Materials, Supplies and Operating Costs (MSOC) funding including a senate proposal that was scaled from an initial 10% increase down to about 6% with an annual inflation tie; pupil transportation funding bills that did not progress; and multiple proposals around school bonds, including discussion of lowering the voter threshold to a simple majority and eliminating a 40% validation requirement, which would require a constitutional amendment to reach the ballot.

Fitzgerald also described bills affecting transition-to-kindergarten (TK) programs, noting a bill introduced after his initial presentation (identified as “HB 2012” in the slides) that would backfill a 2024–25 funding shortfall and cap TK enrollment at current 2024–25 levels. He said earlier TK bills had died in committee but new language can still emerge in budget reconciliation.

Other legislative topics Fitzgerald summarized included proposals to raise local levy lids and modify Local Effort Assistance (LEA), clean buildings energy rules that could include exemption language for districts showing financial hardship, and competing house and senate budget proposals with tax changes being discussed. Fitzgerald said the governor’s office had proposed a larger deficit projection and emphasized that the governor had publicly opposed some proposals, including a proposed wealth tax.

Board members asked clarifying questions about whether governor’s office projections differed from legislative forecasts and how potential tax proposals might affect final funding. Fitzgerald said the release of house and senate budgets in the prior week set up a fast-moving reconciliation period before the April 27 deadline when the regular session ends; he warned special sessions could extend the timeline if no budget agreement is reached.

Fitzgerald’s presentation made clear the district is monitoring multiple funding items that could affect special education funding, MSOC increases, transportation operations and bond rules; he said language and funding levels could change in the last weeks of the session.","The district’s executive director of business and finance, Sean Fitzgerald, briefed the board on major education bills and the evolving state budget shortfall as the legislature entered the final month of the session.",{"_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},6617120,"Wenatchee school board approves policies, reinstates prior graduation rule and adopts consent agenda",1773,97000,1870000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2843962-02dd7147cee15c549e382dde1ea8a933&start=97&end=1870","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2843962-02dd7147cee15c549e382dde1ea8a933/thumbnail_97000.jpg","/articles/6617120/Washington/Wenatchee-school-board-approves-policies-reinstates-prior-graduation-rule-and-adopts-consent-agenda","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6617120-cae2303fb4239b14edaf8643191d1350/orig.mp4?Expires=1776157117&Signature=JoLmO9qSNPDcFkDYFXdHnaR3nMMjLfcpNHFz9utNFvVRB31Ec73Xu09dfOZWV5cYVzX3I6Cmth4XyjSfMQx1g3TZOvFblJg1BO7r1gtEZuI3v7MQnjWPWPIUkrCSCCTHjCJ-pp7zLlDlrAbgVa2m3qtJhBvhfmkYYUK-dTjTOBBY8Yxs~Ghpm9W5QB09Q26MlKA-jOEtTNVriUFuw3HH1vtw0jfi35RNmuJwR7o14wqSjJJy~3e-GbQVMeFOR62AB-viixA4Rowj2OS~BOJcyCJTUhfcq3Pzj6MthANJXzfbNY7GVuLMk-sd7-DQn3IbaqIMNp6hfeMO3BU67h5W9A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Wenatchee School District School Board on April 1 approved three policies on second reading, voted to reinstate the district's previous high school graduation policy and adopted the consent agenda that included vouchers, payroll, contracts, field trips and the March enrollment report.

Board President Jackson called for a motion on the consent agenda; Board member Martin moved to approve it and Julie seconded. The board took up brief comments about items on the consent agenda, then voted “aye” and the motion carried.

During discussion before the policy vote, Superintendent Kelleher explained the board’s thinking about state assessments and the district’s accountability: “Students in high school, all students, regardless of which graduation pathway they intend to complete, are expected to take the appropriate Smarter Balanced assessment in English language arts and math during tenth grade and to incorporate their results into their high school and beyond plan,” Kelleher said, and noted that test refusals affect district accountability measures and eligibility for some state and federal recognition.

Board member Maria moved that the board approve policy 5005 (employment and volunteers: disclosure, certification and approvals), policy 3210 (nondiscrimination), policy 5010 (nondiscrimination/affirmative action) and reinstate policy 2410 (graduation requirements) to the version last reviewed in March 2024; Tucker seconded. After brief remarks, the board voted “aye” and the motion carried.

The superintendent’s report followed the votes; it included updates on community events, facility-use fee refinements and the board’s progress on a technical skills center procurement. The board then recessed into an executive session to evaluate an applicant for public employment and review a staff performance matter; no final action was announced after the closed session.

Votes at a glance
- Consent agenda (vouchers, payroll, contracts, field trips, March enrollment report): moved by Martin; seconded by Julie; outcome: approved.
- Policy approvals and reinstatement: motion to approve policy 5005, policy 3210, policy 5010 and reinstate policy 2410 (graduation requirements to prior version): moved by Maria; seconded by Tucker; outcome: approved.

Details provided during the meeting show the consent agenda included three contract items the board discussed informally: a small yoga contract for students in the juvenile detention center, a contract to design and implement clean building standards at Wenatchee High School that staff said could carry fines of $444,000 if standards are not met, and an update to the district’s device replacement plan that included Chromebook and iPad purchases. The board did not take separate votes on those individual contracts at the meeting; they were approved as part of the consent agenda.

No individual roll-call votes were recorded in the transcript for the motions beyond the unanimous vocal “aye.”","The Wenatchee School District board approved three policies on second reading, reinstated the district's previous high school graduation policy, and adopted the consent agenda, which included contracts and the March enrollment report.","actionData","errors"]

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Wenatchee High students describe mock trial program and its impact at school board meeting

Wenatchee school board hears legislative update as state budget talks enter final month

Wenatchee school board approves policies, reinstates prior graduation rule and adopts consent agenda