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Cascade School Board approves hires, curriculum, sports and SIA agreement; raises construction excise tax
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Summary
At its Jan. 12 meeting the Cascade School District Board approved a slate of resolutions: a temporary music hire, a new K–12 health curriculum, adding boys volleyball as an OSAA sport, an out‑of‑state DECA trip, selection in an OSBA runoff, the SIA grant agreement, and a modest construction excise tax increase effective July 1, 2026.
The Cascade School District Board of Directors approved seven resolutions at its Jan. 12 regular meeting, endorsing personnel moves, curriculum changes, new athletics, travel and grant agreements and a small increase to the local construction excise tax.
Be it resolved language read aloud at the meeting formally approved the hiring of Jean Marie Van Bronkhorst for a temporary music assignment through the end of the school year. The board also voted to adopt K–5 health materials from The Great Body Shop and LiveWell for grades 6–12, a change administrators said will be phased in with teacher preparation and partial use this year ahead of full implementation next school year.
Principal Rasmussen asked the board to add boys volleyball as an OSAA‑sanctioned spring sport after three years of a volunteer club; board members approved the request and noted an estimated first‑year district cost around $10,000 with some potential overlap with other spring sports. The board also approved a request from the DECA advisor to send four students and a chaperone to the National DECA Convention in Orlando from Jan. 28–Feb. 1, 2026.
On regional governance, the board selected Karina Guzman Ortiz as Cascade’s choice in the OSBA Marion Region runoff election for position 11, aligning the district’s endorsement with Salem‑Keizer’s earlier selection.
Administrators presented and the board approved the Student Investment Account (SIA) grant agreement. Director Dyer summarized the district’s four outcome goals tied to the SIA funds, which include targets for early reading, third‑grade math, graduation rates and reductions in high‑risk behaviors; at the meeting Dyer said the grant stream associated with the integrated plan totals roughly $5,400,000 across the plan period.
Finally, the board voted to adopt the recommended construction excise tax (CET) rate change recommended by the state. The new CET rates will take effect July 1, 2026: $1.70 per square foot for residential construction and $0.85 per square foot for nonresidential construction, with a nonresidential maximum of $42,400. Board members described the change as a small adjustment to keep local rates aligned with State guidance.
All resolutions were approved by voice vote during the meeting; no roll‑call tallies were recorded in the minutes. The board adjourned after completing the agenda.
