Parents, students and staff urge board to protect performing arts, request dedicated PAC manager

Parents, students and district staff urged the Mukilteo School District Board of Directors on May 27 to preserve performing-arts programs and to fund a permanent manager for the district’s newly renovated performing arts center as the board approved a change order for that renovation.

Speakers from Kamiak and Mariner high schools described the arts as essential to student engagement and to community identity. “We cannot let those [arts] disappear,” said Jim Kinsley, a parent and volunteer, describing choir and arts as central to student retention and well-being. Brian Barnes, president of the Kamiak Performing Arts Boosters, said boosters exist to “bridge that gap” when unanticipated financial needs arise for performing-arts programs, including student scholarships and last-minute event costs.

The appeal was echoed by parents and arts professionals. “You are not erasing an expense from your spreadsheet to balance your budget. You are taking away the foundation of this community,” said Mary Penn, a choreographer and director who highlighted the high number of students auditioning and the professional outcomes of Kamiak’s theater program. Brian Morrison, another parent, credited performing-arts participation with improving students’ social outcomes and cited instances where arts enrollment coincided with reduced disciplinary incidents at one high school.

Beyond program funding, Lydia Fitch, speaking as CAMYAT drama parent liaison, asked the board to fund a permanent performing arts center manager to oversee daily operations and rentals. Fitch said the district’s $10,000,000 renovation increases the need for on-site technical oversight; she recounted past damages and equipment misuse when the facility was left in use without a trained theater manager. “Having a trained professional on-site will prevent future damage and show the community that we care about this huge investment,” Fitch said.

Board business that evening included a motion to approve Change Order No. 5 for the Performing Arts Center renovation project; trustees voted in favor by voice vote and the motion carried. The board also approved the consent agenda (including a personnel addendum) and several policy revisions earlier in the meeting.

Why it matters: Speakers framed performing arts as both an educational pathway and a community asset, and they requested explicit district funding and staffing—requests that could affect the district budget and the operation of the renovated performing arts center.

Context and supporting details: Multiple parents and alumni recounted personal stories of students who found belonging and, in some cases, career trajectories through performing arts. Parent groups (Kamiak Performing Arts Boosters) described fundraising and scholarship support roles, while program staff noted the scale of student participation: Mary Penn said more than 80 students auditioned for a recent Kamiak musical and the director cast 44 of them. Lydia Fitch proposed that rental agreements include a mandatory technical-support fee to fund a manager.

Board response and next steps: The board approved the change order for the renovation project during the meeting. Speakers were told they would receive a district response to public comments. No new funding or permanent staffing assignment for a PAC manager was approved during the meeting; requests for a permanent performing arts center manager were offered as public comment and will require a future budget or staffing action by the board.

Ending: Parents and community members left the meeting urging the board to prioritize arts funding and facility management; the board signaled it would continue considering budget and policy items in upcoming meetings.