Washoe trustees unanimously reaffirm balanced governance, add "in service to our students and community"

The Washoe County School District Board of Trustees voted unanimously on Feb. 10 to reaffirm its commitment to the district's balanced governance model and the 9,000‑series board policies.

President Mayberry introduced the item as a formal affirmation of the board’s governance approach. Trustee Smith moved the resolution and asked that the motion conclude "in service to our students and community," a change that Trustee Westlake and others supported. Vice President Woodley seconded the amended motion. After brief discussion the board voted “aye” and the motion carried unanimously.

The motion reasserts the board’s role in practicing informed oversight while recognizing that day‑to‑day operations are delegated to the superintendent under the district’s governance policies. Consultant Dr. Alsbury, who joined by Zoom, told trustees the resolution used appropriate balanced‑governance language and urged periodic external evaluation: "I would encourage the board... to come back and do a board evaluation that includes an external evaluation piece to it as well," he said.

Trustees emphasized that the affirmation is meant to reassure the community and preserve institutional practice even as district training budgets have been trimmed. Trustee Smith said balanced governance “is not about the eight of us that sit at this dais... [it is] in service to our students and community.” Trustee Westlake said she supported balanced governance but asked that the resolution not be read as an unnecessary reiteration of existing Policy 9085.

The vote closed a discussion that included concerns over earlier budget cuts to training contracts and the board’s desire to demonstrate a collective commitment to the model. The board invited Dr. Alsbury to return for future conversations and noted his suggestion that external review components be included in future evaluations.