Sumner School District board adopts paraeducator pact, new Tehaleh middle school specs and instructional materials; language-access policy approved

The Sumner School District Board of Directors on Sept. 16 approved a series of administrative and policy actions, including a bargaining agreement for paraeducators, adoption of educational specifications for a new Tehaleh middle school and two instructional-material adoptions for high-school science courses.

The board, meeting in the district’s Central Boardroom, voted to adopt the Sumner Paraeducator Association bargaining agreement and salary schedule for 2025–26; to adopt Resolution No. 01/25-26 approving the educational specifications for the new Tehaleh Middle School; to adopt instructional materials for high-school environmental science and for high-school earth and space science; and to adopt Policy 4218 (Language Access). Each motion passed by voice vote after the administration recommended approval and no extended discussion.

Why it matters: the agreements and adoptions move classroom resources, construction planning and day-to-day operations forward. The paraeducator agreement sets pay and work terms for educational support staff for the coming school year. Adopting the Tehaleh Middle School educational specifications advances schematic design for a project the district said stems from a recently passed bond. Approving instructional materials authorizes textbooks and course resources for specified science classes.

Details and supporting items • Paraeducator bargaining agreement: District administration recommended adoption of the 2025–26 Sumner Paraeducator Association bargaining agreement and salary schedule. The board approved the agreement by voice vote with no recorded roll call. The motion was moved and seconded; no further details about mover/second were recorded during the meeting. Outcome: approved.

• Tehaleh Middle School educational specifications (Resolution No. 01/25-26): Benjamin Fields, identified as a principal with McGranahan PBK, presented the educational-specifications process the firm conducted with district staff and community members. Fields said the team worked from March to May and arrived at a roughly 130,000-square-foot middle school design intended to align with the district’s existing middle schools. The board adopted Resolution No. 01/25-26 by voice vote. Outcome: approved.

• Instructional materials: Kara Wilson, TOSA for secondary curriculum (named in the packet), recommended materials for high-school environmental science (Your World, Your Turn) and for high-school earth and space science. Both adoptions had been presented at the board’s Aug. 20 meeting as first readings; the board approved both sets of materials by voice vote. Outcomes: approved.

• Policy adoption: The board adopted Policy 4218 (Language Access) in accordance with the district’s policy-adoption procedures. Outcome: approved.

Other items: The consent agenda included a donation of a little over $10,000 from the Bonney Lake Education Foundation; the board acknowledged the gift during approval of consent items. The board also received a budget status report for July (Information only) from Chief Financial Officer Brian Berlioz.

What board members said: Board members briefly thanked staff and community partners. In remarks unrelated to the votes, a board member praised a recent on-site safety study session and another noted community events and student programs. Benjamin Fields described robust community engagement during the ed-spec process: “We had really wonderful engagement from your community, your capital planning staff, teaching staff, admin,” he said.

Meeting schedule and next steps: The board set its next regular meeting for Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025, at 6 p.m. in the Central Boardroom. Adoption of the Tehaleh educational specifications moves the project into schematic design, per the presentation; further design and construction steps will follow district capital-planning timelines and bond-program scheduling.

Votes at a glance • Sumner Paraeducator Association bargaining agreement and salary schedule (2025–26): approved (mover/second not specified; voice vote). • Resolution No. 01/25-26 — Educational specifications for Tehaleh Middle School: approved (mover/second not specified; voice vote). • Adoption of instructional materials for high-school environmental science (Your World, Your Turn): approved (mover/second not specified; voice vote). • Adoption of instructional materials for high-school earth and space science: approved (mover/second not specified; voice vote). • Policy 4218 (Language Access): approved (mover/second not specified; voice vote).