[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-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",6547155,"mediaKeyId","5386766-ffbdcb2f4aefc7e4d6e40a05da80fac6","parentId",5386766,"title","Votes at a glance: Hermiston School Board actions, July 14, 2025","audioSeconds",185,"startMs",6951000,"endMs",7136000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5386766-ffbdcb2f4aefc7e4d6e40a05da80fac6&start=6951&end=7136","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5386766-ffbdcb2f4aefc7e4d6e40a05da80fac6/thumbnail_6951000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6547155/Oregon/Votes-at-a-glance-Hermiston-School-Board-actions-July-14-2025","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6547155-64fb5180752f10984bb699fd2e5146da/orig.mp4?Expires=1771144132&Signature=bZ1leWPma4qSsz3Pg3oaPBpgJq9woJ4-wIzSB45WgRpiSnPjp3-fnZtwspQbEsZo08vz5Vg0Szh6Ch3o~FOJo5JutANPqrEYzj4621oR9AeBm7kJqGoOPuUap3d-stSi1mt3qEZDyjXXJ2TuPu10e4t9QIRDv8PdKVyy7RmUmAYeahgQrv3FUNf6nzSJIhjoAdHp7zT9CazfKMArU6ru62RD8i3vAcLsUidTwkflqRX8Ec0EkKZPj7aDXl8-uutmDNHbKJFHMlmsss3vTLZs08ZoGjEzR4se2jDUHREJCoUGdpqXgnFOF-fuzj2wbyzLZAiw~QkZcEED8Xj1ctjq-g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Hermiston School District 8","date","2025-06-11T15:02:28Z","article","This \"votes at a glance\" summary lists formal actions, motions and outcomes recorded at the Hermiston School Board meeting on July 14, 2025. All items below are drawn from the meeting record.

- Election of board officers: Nomination and voice votes produced these officer outcomes: James Hurst elected board chair; Bonnie Luisi elected first vice chair (vice chair in transcript variants); Terry Vanderstell elected second vice chair. Outcome: approved by voice vote (no roll‑call tally recorded).

- Adoption of the agenda (as amended): The board pulled consent items 5.1.0.4 (building administrators and directors working agreement) and 5.1.0.5 (assistant superintendent contract) from the consent calendar for separate discussion. The remainder of the consent agenda was approved by motion and voice vote.

- Designation of annuity companies / deferred compensation vendor list (consent/6.1): Motion to approve updated vendor list (including change to PenServ as TPA) — moved and seconded; outcome: approved by voice vote.

- Building administrators and directors working agreement (pulled from consent; action item 6.1 0.2): Motion to approve the working agreement for building administrators and district directors (2.5% COLA and $60 insurance increase per year in the contract language described in packet). Motion passed; recorded as approved with one abstention noted in the meeting.

- Assistant superintendent contract (action item 6.1 0.3): Motion to approve the assistant superintendent contract (terms aligned to the administrator group: 2.5% COLA and $60 insurance increase). Motion passed by voice vote.

- Teachers' working agreement and proposed reduction in force (action originating after executive session): Motion text — \"That the board of education approve the 2025–2027 working agreement of the Hermiston Association of Teachers and implement a reduction in force to include 5 FTE licensed staff members to balance the budget for the 2025–26 school year.\" Mover: Chair James Hurst. Second: not specified in the record. Outcome: motion not ratified (failed); chair announced \"It is not ratified.\" Several board members spoke in opposition to layoffs before the vote.

Notes and caveats: The transcript frequently records voice votes and hand‑raising rather than a roll‑call tally. Where no roll‑call vote count is recorded, the summary notes the outcome as announced on the record. The meeting included executive sessions under Oregon law to discuss labor negotiations; some motion introductions followed those sessions.

Ending: The board continued with calendar and future agenda planning after recording the votes above.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Hermiston School District - Regular School Board Meeting, July 14th, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Summary of formal actions taken July 14 by the Hermiston School Board, including elections, consent approvals, contract approvals and a failed ratification of a teachers' agreement tied to proposed layoffs.","taxTitle","Hermiston SD 8, School Districts, Oregon","taxId",38301,"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},6547160,"Hermiston board discusses governor's cell‑phone executive order and a sudden loss of federal grant funding",1769,1951000,3720000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5386766-ffbdcb2f4aefc7e4d6e40a05da80fac6&start=1951&end=3720","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5386766-ffbdcb2f4aefc7e4d6e40a05da80fac6/thumbnail_1951000.jpg","/articles/6547160/Oregon/Hermiston-board-discusses-governors-cellphone-executive-order-and-a-sudden-loss-of-federal-grant-funding","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6547160-a75b675aa3582928b8961cffcc96c0ee/orig.mp4?Expires=1771144132&Signature=GZq4pusGrHknd7hVmUGaRMnsV8LjcjlCibfWoiCv6b~IxZXcbAxjqYHTTWK9i9cMfnm5V8NY4lCg2KuHzRMp~j0qMKnaiJ4Q-TTTXOJ0~stMGJppF9C7LpEjD86mHAWq0SGOgqhU1GE6bj5kJ8qFoUPp87c3BqEPzGui9ojwIQoWXov3bfKxsfJ9P6jsh4zhusb5UFS-u140G65NcMr~SjVjwC01ScgQpVyPxrudp3Y93S75YoN~AVr27N2etYe7C7aQ3ZsqRTUfx-hxGkz7GXzAhiBHhyXpWNkoRNpXC0HT2wTeQbbzT6qmHQJ83nTWNxmj0oUk14p3vtkgWJ-AFQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Hermiston School District Superintendent Trisha Mooney told the school board on July 14 that a governor's executive order signed July 1 will effectively restrict student cell‑phone use during the instructional day and will require district policy and rulemaking ahead of an implementation date in January 2026.

\"The executive order was signed on July 1,\" Mooney said. \"The intent of the executive order was originally that there'd be no cell phones\" from first bell to last bell, though she and staff said detail work remains.

Nut graf: The board discussed the rule‑making and operational questions the order raises, particularly at the high school where students typically do not have lockers and carry phones on their person. Mooney and secondary administrators are working on messaging and implementation details; Oregon School Boards Association (OSBA) guidance and a sample policy are expected.

Operational and legal issues: Mooney described practical issues for the district: students who rely on phones for multi‑factor authentication for online dual‑credit courses, medical monitoring devices linked to phones, open campus lunch periods and high school students who lack lockers. \"We're gonna have to focus on where we have control, which is really during class — off and away,\" Mooney said.

Timeline: Mooney told the board the executive order sets an adoption timeline for boards: policies must be adopted no later than October and effective no later than Jan. 1, 2026. OSBA and the state Department of Education are expected to provide policy templates and additional guidance.

Budget briefing and federal grants: During the same meeting district finance staff and Mooney reported a sudden federal funding change. Mooney said the district was notified June 30/July 1 that several federal Title grants the district historically receives — including Title I‑C (migrant/ELL), Title II‑A (professional development), Title III (English learners) and Title IV (student support and academic enrichment) — were being paused or withheld. Mooney said the total amount affected is \"a little over $555,000.\" She said the pause does not remove the district's legal obligation to provide services historically funded by those grants.

Finance details: Board finance staff (Katie Sol) walked through May projections and noted higher than expected year‑to‑date revenues and a projected ending fund balance. The district's forecasted total actual revenue was described in the packet as approximately $78,261,000 and the projected ending fund balance at the end of the school year was reported as about $10,900,000 (11.87 percent). Mooney said the withheld federal grants represent about 3.75 FTE of programming previously supported by those funds and that the district must plan for reduced grant support going forward.

Board reaction and next steps: Board members asked about communication and rollout of a cell‑phone policy and urged caution before adopting policy language without OSBA guidance. Several members urged leveraging stakeholder outreach and noted the state and federal agencies are still finalizing details. On the grants, Mooney said state and national education organizations are actively asking the federal government and state departments how to replace or restructure the funding; she said districts are continuing to provide required services while awaiting clarity on funding.

Ending: The board asked administration to continue developing policy language, to coordinate with OSBA and the state, and to return with more detailed proposals on both policy and budget implications at upcoming meetings.","Superintendent Trisha Mooney updated the school board on an executive order restricting student cell‑phone use during instructional time and briefed members on a pause or withholding of several federal Title grants that together total about $555,000 — a change that will affect upcoming budgeting decisions.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":44,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":50,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6547165,"Hermiston board declines to ratify teachers' contract proposal that included proposed 5‑FTE layoffs",188,7139000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5386766-ffbdcb2f4aefc7e4d6e40a05da80fac6&start=6951&end=7139","/articles/6547165/Oregon/Hermiston-board-declines-to-ratify-teachers-contract-proposal-that-included-proposed-5FTE-layoffs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6547165-c00923f2d549ff49566b10c7f6351b2f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771144132&Signature=nlcXvwnquwf7kzVkuwHVSDRv3Ii2Xjq6p5WCprFQhfeN~BfsZ0dFyeTtVAw9X-SeuCHfYtG~P29uSrCwLLPXPBZAUYYRSjAjvctyW1cu3e-2fZ~d50R2fL7--8mO~giJ3Fecafqf2SLAYyrDgezB~rJ1I3mLvg-AhOYC6OHGiCWqMvp~83EjAHfcnwgYfYVzr7nzDO858u9GQVObjEHzY6kVc4Q5v-CD4VzkH~Pa427FhJvLL8ueSKQTQj8mpDx~I-q5OdCpCrtjqiCZzaEhZ3h0cgJ2mZGvWVZYMOVILVsK26NxrheppNEWGvAH7G4MOjLJU5qhRidAzy6lx8HG5A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Hermiston School Board on July 14 declined to ratify a motion to approve the Hermiston Association of Teachers 2025–27 working agreement that included a proposed reduction in force (RIF) of five licensed full‑time equivalent (FTE) positions to balance the 2025–26 budget.

Board Chair James Hurst moved to approve the 2025–27 teachers' working agreement and implement a five‑FTE RIF. The motion was seconded. After discussion and roll‑call signaling, the chair announced the measure was not ratified.

Why it matters: The motion would have formalized the negotiated working agreement and, as presented to the board, included an immediate plan to reduce five licensed positions this year (and referenced additional reductions in a following year in negotiation materials). Board members who opposed the motion said they did not want to initiate layoffs.

Board discussion: Several board members spoke against implementing layoffs. Board member Bonnie Luisi said, \"I'm not in favor of laying anyone off, and I've got phone calls and letters from teachers in the district that are really concerned about having to go through layoffs.\" Board member Craig Jones said, \"I have a hard time, first day on the board, releasing or firing 5 employees this year,\" and objected to approving layoffs while negotiations were ongoing.

Procedure and context: The motion followed an executive session on labor negotiations; the chair introduced the recommendation publicly after that session. Superintendent Trisha Mooney had earlier outlined budget pressures during her reports (see related article), and negotiations with employee groups were discussed in executive session before the motion. The board did not adopt the motion to ratify the agreement and the RIF.

What the board recorded: The motion text presented to the board was: \"That the board of education approve the 2025–2027 working agreement of the Hermiston Association of Teachers and implement a reduction in force to include 5 FTE licensed staff members to balance the budget for the 2025–26 school year.\" Chair James Hurst moved the motion; a board member seconded. After discussion and voting, the chair announced the motion was not ratified.

Next steps: The board did not adopt the contract or the proposed RIF. The transcript records continued discussion of calendar and future items following the failed motion; the district will continue budget and negotiation work in subsequent meetings and in executive session as allowed by state law.

Ending: The board returned to regular agenda items after the vote and moved on to calendar and future items and an additional executive session later in the meeting.","A motion to approve the Hermiston Association of Teachers 2025–27 working agreement and to implement a five‑full‑time‑equivalent reduction in force failed after board discussion and public concern, the Hermiston School Board said July 14.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Hermiston School Board actions, July 14, 2025

Hermiston board discusses governor's cell‑phone executive order and a sudden loss of federal grant funding

Hermiston board declines to ratify teachers' contract proposal that included proposed 5‑FTE layoffs