Superintendent: preschool full and charter program growing; board moves to executive session

At the Nov. 10 meeting the superintendent reported that the district's preschool program is full and that preschool participation is producing better social readiness for kindergarten. The superintendent said the program has about 30 preschoolers and projected increased elementary enrollment as many preschoolers advance.

The superintendent described academic and social benefits of preschool attendance and noted some preschool attendees who have moved into first grade. Additional staffing was added to meet student needs. The superintendent also reported that the district's charter program has expanded to 27 students in its early year of operation; the district has denied entry to applicants with persistent academic or attendance problems to preserve program standards. The superintendent said the charter program’s year-2 goal is near 100 but that the contract must be consulted for exact targets.

The superintendent reviewed the district's integrated plan, explaining three spending buckets — early intervention, high-school success, and SIA — and noted adjustments in allocations between biennia. The presentation underscored staff and program spending as the primary uses of the buy-in allocations.

Near the end of the public portion, the chair announced the board would enter executive session under ORS 192.660 to review and evaluate the superintendent's performance and survey results; the statute excludes the news media from the executive-session portion. The chair paused the public meeting and closed the public record for the session.

The board did not disclose details of the evaluation in the public session.

Next steps: the executive session will be followed by adjournment when the board returns to open session.