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District honors retirees, announces administrative changes; staff reallocation reviewed amid levy loss
Summary
Board meeting recognized multiple certificated and classified retirees and announced principal and administrative reassignments. Staff discussed differences between deputy and assistant superintendent roles and ongoing comparisons to peer districts as the district absorbs levy revenue loss.
The Battle Ground School District board on June 23 honored a slate of certificated and classified retirees and reviewed several administrative appointments and reassignments for the coming school year.
Stafflisted certificated retirees with varying years of service (examples cited in the meeting included employees with fewer than 10 years, more than 10, more than 20 and more than 30 years of service) and classified retirees. The district announced principal assignments and role changes: Selena Adelson Journey named principal at Pleasant Valley Primary; Kelly Torres to be principal at Lauren Middle School; Stephanie Watts to be principal at Prairie High School; Kevin Paulina to serve at the Battle Ground Virtual Academy (BGVA); Susanna Warsh moving to Glenwood Heights as assistant principal; Eric Saxhaug to serve as an assistant principal at Prairie High School; Matt Stanfill to be assistant principal at River HomeLink; Everett Klote to take the athletic director position at Prairie High School. The meeting introduced Laurie Landerholm as the incoming director of human resources (currently traveling) and noted that Lynelle Segar Murray has accepted an assistant superintendent role pending board approval.
Staff explained that, within the district's usage, the difference between an assistant superintendent and a deputy superintendent is primarily scope: assistant superintendents typically oversee a single department, while deputy superintendents oversee multiple departments. The speaker who reviewed the district's superintendent‑level staffing comparisons told the board she had compared Battle Ground's two superintendent‑level positions with neighboring districts of similar enrollment and concluded other nearby districts typically have three to five superintendent‑level positions, depending on district size and number of buildings. Staff cautioned that reductions tied to the levy failure had required reallocation of duties and could affect service levels over time, and they said they will continue comparisons at director and principal levels.
Board members asked for additional columns in the comparative staffing chart (for example, number of buildings) and requested a timeline for assessing sustainability; staff said they would aim to report back before or shortly after the start of the school year if staffing models prove unsustainable.
The board gave a round of applause for retirees during the recognition portion of the meeting; no binding personnel actions were taken in open session on June 23 beyond recognition and announcements.
