Teachers, parents and administrators urge board to spare deans, oppose staffing cuts as board OKs short-term loan

The North Shore School District board of directors on Monday, Feb. 10, 2025, heard sustained public opposition to proposed 2025–26 budget cuts that district staff say could eliminate all deans of students and reduce assistant principals and secondary teacher positions, while the board approved several routine facilities items and authorized an interfund loan of up to $13,000,000 from the capital projects fund to cover a projected low cash balance.

Why it matters: Educators and parents told the board the staffing reductions would worsen large secondary class sizes, remove key behavioral and mental-health supports and threaten campus safety. District leaders said the short-term loan is a cash-management step, not a solution to recurring revenue shortfalls.

The North Shore Education Association presented a letter signed by 1,241 members as of noon Feb. 10 opposing the district’s proposed 2025–26 budget, which the association said would “eliminate all dean of students positions, reduce secondary teacher positions, and reduce assistant principal positions.” Robbie Reed, president of the North Shore Education Association, told the board the proposed cuts “will have a devastating impact on our students' education, safety, and well-being by increasing our already large secondary class sizes and laying off essential staff who support safety, security, and school culture.”

Reed and other speakers repeated figures included in the association’s letter that, the union said, the district has endured $46,000,000 in budget reductions over the past two years and that staff have already agreed to concessions. Reed added that the association “do[es] not accept any restoration plan that prioritizes purchasing curriculum over the reinstatement of staff positions that directly support students.”

Teachers, deans and parents described how those positions function in day-to-day operations. Maureen O’Shaughnessy, a teacher at Bothell High School, said assistant principals and deans provide operational leadership and safety oversight and warned that cutting one-third of assistant principal positions would leave schools understaffed for behavior, safety and counseling coordination. The district’s public comments included a teacher at Inglemore, RJ Harris, who said high burnout among staff makes district advocacy for positions important to retain employees.

Several current school administrators described concrete student-safety incidents and proactive supports that deans provide. “The student asked me, ‘Who’s going to keep us safe?’,” said Navarre, identifying themself as dean of students at Skyview Middle School. “I won’t be here next year,” Navarre said, describing daily crisis interventions, fights and incidents that they currently address.

Special educator Jeff, from Woodinville High School, told the board the loss of deans and assistant principals would increase uncertainty for staff and students who rely on those adults for help. Parent commenters, including Sarah Maxwell of Maywood Hills Elementary, urged the board to prioritize staff reinstatement over curriculum purchases.

District leaders and board members responded in two separate budget-related discussions. Superintendent Michael Tully described the recommendation before the board to authorize a short-term interfund loan from the capital projects fund to the general fund to cover projected low cash balances through Aug. 31, 2025; the loan was presented as “not to exceed $13,000,000” and repayable by the end of the fiscal year with interest at the prevailing King County rate. Deputy Superintendent and Chief Financial Officer JoLynn Bergey told the board staff expect two near-term low-cash months (February and March) that should be manageable, and that draws are more likely in June and July when apportionment timing from the state varies. Bergey said the district monitors bank balances daily and intends to draw only what is needed and repay promptly.

Board members noted the short-term loan is a cash-management strategy rather than a structural fix. One director said the district’s capital funds are legally restricted from paying operating staff, and another referenced a similar action last year in which the district transferred $10,000,000 and paid roughly $100,000 in interest.

The board approved routine facilities and consent items during the meeting, including acceptance of a completed capital project at Cottage Lake Elementary School (replacement of exhaust fans, roof work and VFD replacement), authorization to sign a utility easement at East Ridge Elementary requested by Woodinville Water District, acceptance of playground improvements at Woodmore Elementary School, and acknowledgement of signed construction documents for the Bothell High School modular project. Those items were presented as standard project reporting or ministerial approvals.

Votes at a glance

- Agenda approval: motion moved and seconded; outcome: approved (board vote called; individual tallies not specified in the record).

- Consent agenda: motion moved and seconded; outcome: approved.

- Project acceptance, Cottage Lake Elementary (project value over $1,000,000): motion moved and seconded; outcome: approved. Scope cited: exhaust fans, roof demolition and upgrades to Buildings C and H, replacement of a variable frequency drive (HVAC control system), and installation of three water-bottle refill stations. Funding: capital funds (not available for operational staffing).

- Authorization to sign utility easement, East Ridge Elementary (requested by Woodinville Water District): motion moved and seconded; outcome: approved. Purpose: allow district to transfer maintenance and repair responsibility for water supply pipes and valves to the water district; follow-up report to come.

- Resolution 897, interfund loan from capital projects fund to general fund (not to exceed $13,000,000): motion moved and seconded; outcome: approved. Notes: Loan to cover projected low cash balance through 2025-08-31; repayment required by fiscal-year end with interest at King County’s prevailing rate; board discussion emphasized intent to minimize draws and to repay promptly. (Details in actions array below.)

- Project acceptance, Woodmore Elementary playground improvements (under $1,000,000): recorded as complete and presented for acceptance; outcome: accepted.

- Acknowledgement of Bothell High School modular project construction agreements and related documents (signed under administrative procedures): presented for board information; record shows documents were signed and provided for review.

What the board directed and next steps: Board members asked staff to continue monitoring cash daily and to prefer smaller, intermittent draws over a single large loan amount if needed. Board members and several public commenters urged the board to seek alternatives that do not reduce direct student supports; multiple speakers requested the board prioritize restoring staff positions over non-staff purchases. The board did not adopt any immediate staffing decision at this meeting; the public comments and association letter were entered into the record for consideration as the budget process continues.

Ending: The meeting record shows strong, consistent concern from educators and parents about the potential loss of deans and assistant principals and the safety and instructional consequences that speakers tied to those roles. District staff and the board framed the interfund loan as a temporary cash-management tool while the board continues deliberations on the 2025–26 budget and state funding levels.