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Board elects new chair, approves superintendent-selection criteria and consent agenda; summary of votes
Summary
The St. Helens School District board elected a new chair in a 3–2 vote and approved the consent agenda and several action items including superintendent-selection criteria and the SRO IGA; this article lists motions and outcomes recorded in the meeting.
At its regular meeting the St. Helens School District board recorded several formal actions: the board elected a chair, approved consent and action items and set steps for the search for an acting superintendent.
Votes at a glance
• Election of board chair: Motion to elect Matthew Douglas as board chair passed by a vote of 3 to 2. The meeting record shows a nomination and second; members discussed the role’s responsibilities and training opportunities. The chair will assist the superintendent in setting agendas, sign official documents and represent the district at official functions.
• Consent agenda: The board moved and seconded approval of the consent agenda; the chair called the vote and the items were approved (board recorded “Aye” during the roll call).
• Acting superintendent qualifications and characteristics: The board approved the qualifications and screening criteria that will be used to evaluate candidates for an acting superintendent role, including prioritizing student safety and an Oregon administrative license or reciprocal qualification. The board approved moving the criteria forward as presented.
• 2025–26 IGA for school resource officer: The board approved an intergovernmental agreement with the City of St. Helens for one SRO at the high school beginning August 2025 at an annual cost of $170,000 (see separate article). Board members discussed recruitment, training and who would backfill patrol duties.
Details and next steps: The acting superintendent candidate screening process will use the newly approved rubric; the district said it will work with a pro-bono human-capital consultant to screen applicants and bring forward candidates for executive-session interviews, then return to open session for any negotiation and final action. The board scheduled additional work sessions and trainings, including an OSBA board-development session for board operations and candidate-readiness.
Ending: The board also noted upcoming executive-session personnel discussions and encouraged community members interested in budget oversight to apply for the volunteer budget committee ahead of the upcoming budget cycle.
