Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Board Votes topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
School board approves corrective action plan, authorizes COSA superintendent search and several personnel items
Summary
At its March meeting the St. Helens School District Board approved a corrective action plan and a set of policy and personnel motions, authorized a superintendent search with COSA and appointed a citizen to the budget committee. A separation agreement was accepted with one abstention.
The St. Helens School District Board of Directors voted on multiple policy and personnel items at its March regular meeting, approving a corrective action plan and authorizing the district to begin a superintendent search with the Coalition of Oregon School Administrators (COSA). The board also adopted policy updates, accepted a separation agreement and appointed a new budget committee member.
Board members voted to accept the district's corrective action plan as presented; the motion passed after board discussion and a second. The board also voted to authorize Superintendent Gray to work with COSA to begin a superintendent search immediately and to authorize the superintendent to work with a real estate agent to sell district property. Policy updates to standards for educator performance and to reporting policies on suspected contact with students were adopted. The consent agenda was approved earlier in the meeting, and licensed and administrative contract renewals for 2025–26 were added to and approved on the amended agenda.
The board accepted a separation agreement in open session. The motion carried with three votes in favor and one abstention. The board appointed Reed (Reid) York to fill Budget Committee Position 2 after interviewing him during the meeting.
Why this matters: The corrective action plan and the superintendent search set the district's near-term administrative priorities. Authorizing property sale, adopting policy updates and approving staffing items could affect district budgeting and operating plans going into the next fiscal cycle.
Votes and formal actions - Modify agenda to add licensed and administrative contract renewals after the budget committee item — motion made and seconded; motion passed. - Approve modified agenda — motion passed. - Approve consent agenda — motion passed. - Adopt policy update GCAA (standards for competent and ethical performance of Oregon educators) — motion passed. - Adopt policy updates GBNAA / JHFF (suspected contact with students reporting requirements) — motion passed. - Accept or reject corrective action plan as indicated — board voted to approve the corrective action plan; motion passed. - Accept separation agreement as presented — motion passed; tally 3 yes, 0 no, 1 abstain (motion passes). - Authorize superintendent to begin a superintendent search with COSA, starting 2025-03-17 — motion passed. - Authorize superintendent to work with a real estate agent to sell district property — motion passed. - Approve licensed and administrative contract renewals for 2025–26 (added to agenda) — motion passed. - Budget committee: appoint Reed (Reid) York to Budget Committee Position 2 — motion passed; York accepted and will serve on the budget committee.
What the record shows - The board moved and seconded the agenda change to add contract renewals; the vote was recorded as passing. (Transcript excerpt: “I move that we modify the agenda to add an action item after the budget committee. Please add licensed and administrative contract renewals…” followed by a second and “Motion passes.”) - The board discussed and approved the corrective action plan and other policy motions in open session. (Transcript excerpt: “I move to approve …” followed by “All those in favor? Aye. Motion passes.”) - The separation agreement vote included one abstention; the chair acknowledged the abstention on the record. (Transcript excerpt: “I'm gonna abstain on that one because I have an ongoing working relationship… That's understandable. 3 votes for yes, 1 vote abstain, motion passes.”)
Next steps - Superintendent Gray will coordinate with COSA to begin the search process and will work with district staff to implement the corrective action plan as approved by the board. - The newly appointed budget committee member will be added to meeting notices and materials for the next budget-review cycle.
Ending note: The board conducted a mix of administrative business and policy votes in a single meeting; multiple items approved at the session will be reflected in district planning and budget work over the coming weeks.
