Northshore board approves surplus of five portable classrooms, finds superintendent in compliance on financial monitoring

The Northshore School District Board of Directors voted unanimously Dec. 8 to declare five portable classrooms at Firwood Elementary surplus and schedule their demolition, a step staff said is necessary to keep upcoming modernization projects on schedule. Superintendent Dr. Justin Irish told the board that board policy 7251 authorizes declaring relocatable facilities surplus when aggregate value exceeds $20,000 and said the five portables —are no longer needed and should be declared surplus— because of age and condition.

—The district currently has 5 portables at Firwood Elementary that are no longer needed and should be declared surplus and demolished based on age and condition,— Irish said in his presentation. Board members noted that the removal is a product of the 2022 bond work that will move students into permanent facilities.

Later in the meeting the board reviewed Monitoring Report P12 (financial administration). Superintendent Irish certified the report as of Dec. 8, 2025 and asserted compliance with the parameter. Directors discussed the district—s minimum unassigned fund-balance target, historically 3% for districts of this size, and asked for clarification on the board—s prior decision to allow a slower rebuild after statewide funding shortfalls. Irish and board members described a documented plan to rebuild the fund balance and explained that temporary flexes below the 3% target were permitted to avoid cutting programs.

A motion to find the superintendent in compliance with Parameter 12 was moved and seconded and approved by voice vote; the board noted the compliance finding will be recorded in the superintendent evaluation materials. Both the surplus authorization and the compliance finding will be recorded in the meeting minutes and are public record.