Evergreen board hears criticism over delayed pay, equity chief’s resignation; staff equity specialist posted

The Evergreen School District Board of Directors on Oct. 14 received public criticism over delayed pay for classified staff and learned the district’s director of Student Equity and Family Engagement has resigned, prompting the district to post an equity specialist role as an interim measure.

Members of the public, including longtime district employee Janelle Griffith, told the board the withholding and partial payment of recent paychecks after the strike has harmed staff and left morale low. “What we need is respect. What we need is to be heard, supported and treated like the essential workers we are,” Griffith said during public comment. Jamila Singleton, the departing director of equity, urged the board to redirect resources to bilingual family liaisons and described her resignation as a statement about priorities: “It is because of the leadership like this that I have chosen to resign,” Singleton said.

Those remarks came as Superintendent Dr. Maloney outlined operational and staffing updates. Maloney said the district posted an equity specialist position to provide “immediate support across all 38 schools” while a comprehensive search for the director role is planned. He told the board that 25 applicants applied for the equity specialist posting and that Heather Fowler will supervise the 12 staff members currently assigned to student equity and family engagement for the…