Superintendent reports enrollment up, school visits, student advisory work and bargaining training

Superintendent Lance Hansen delivered the superintendent’s report, telling trustees that district enrollment is up and the start of the school year has been “very smooth.” He said staff received positive feedback from school openings and that technology help‑desk tickets had been largely cleared following startup.

Hansen summarized several operational and planning items: - Enrollment and openings: Hansen said enrollment figures are trending upward and that the district will provide a balanced enrollment report when counts stabilize. - School visits and cabinet walkthroughs: Hansen and cabinet members visited many schools during the opening weeks to observe operations, classroom starts and facility readiness. He described cabinet walkthroughs as a tool to align leadership observation and identify replicable instructional practices. - Student advisory council: Diego Anguiano and other student representatives met to draft a mission and vision for the superintendent’s student advisory council; Hansen said students will continue to inform board discussions. - Interest-based bargaining (IBP) training: Hansen said the district and the Kennewick Education Association (KEA) have agreed to co-sponsor an IBP trainer; he listed district and KEA representatives who will participate in the process and said the board will be updated during the January bargaining timeline. - Community and fundraising: Hansen encouraged board members and community members to attend a Focus barbecue fundraiser for safe and drug-free school activities prior to an upcoming football game.

Ending: Hansen said he will continue to report progress on enrollment, implementation of new curriculum and follow-up items the board requested during study sessions.