Washougal School Board promises transparency after criticism

Washougal School Board members will attempt to provide more transparency during their meetings after being criticized for not publicly asking more questions of Washougal School District staff before making critical decisions, according to Washougal School Board President Angela Hancock. Hancock began her comment period during the Board’s May 14 meeting by “shedding some light on some of the processes that the board uses that may not be evident to all attendees during meetings.” “There’s a perception that we don’t discuss topics or ask questions,” she said, referring to some public comments that were made during the Board’s April 23 meeting, as well as an email she recently received. “We may not always do so in public meetings, but we address questions about agenda items well in advance. (Our process) allows us to seek clarification from the relevant employees that we need to talk to and engage in one-on-one conversations.” Washougal Association of Educators President James Bennett asked the Board during an April 23 meeting to “push back” on the WSD’s modified education plan, which eliminated 14 teaching positions, and reduced classified staff levels ahead of an expected $3 million shortfall. “At a board meeting last month, the district administration presented their proposal for budget cuts, and they honestly did a very good job,” Bennett said. “They explained their plan very well. I was surprised that there was not one question from the board. Your community, your staff, your students are counting on you to get this right. Ask the questions. Push back. You are part of the checks and balances.” Allison McGranahan, a first-grade teacher at Columbia River Gorge Elementary School, expressed similar sentiments during the Board’s April 23 meeting. “I just want to encourage the school board to ask the questions and be cautious with the cuts that we’re making,” McGranahan said. “Teachers, para(educators), administrators, we are all in the buildings stretched to our limit. Ask the questions. See if there are other ways to solve the budget crisis that is a very real part of what we are (dealing with). I know that I personally am struggling. I am committed to my students and my school. I want to know, nurture and challenge all of my students to rise, but it’s really hard to do that every day when I don’t feel known, nurtured or challenged by my district.” Hancock said Board members receive “comprehensive information” from WSD staff prior to their public meetings. “We receive so much that there’s really little room for any questions,” she said. “Budgetary matters, for instance, were extensively deliberated through various channels for many, many months. The discussions are not recent developments, but rather the accumulation of ongoing dialogue that’s now reached a critical stage.” Hancock said that Board members question WSD staff members before meetings in an effort to make the public gatherings as short as possible. “Sometimes, we’ll get texts or questions about things that come up, and we’ll go to (assistant superintendent) Aaron (Hansen) or (director of teaching and learning) Tracy (MacLachlan) or (communications and information technology director) Les (Brown) or (superintendent) Mary (Templeton) or (finance director) Kris (Grindy) before meetings and ask the questions we need to ask,” Hancock said. “This approach helps streamline our public sessions, which are typically brief due to time limits. People don’t usually show up to our meetings, and when they do, (some of them) don’t even want to (stay for the entire meeting. More questions) would maybe stretch that longer.” However, the Board might need to “take a different approach,” according to Hancock. “We will be having discussions as a board about how to effectively question, in public, the information that’s presented during board meetings,” she said. “We have to figure out, ‘If I was sitting in the audience, what would I ask?’ So even though we most likely have the answers ourselves, transparency is going to be important for those that (attend our meetings). It may result in longer meetings, but if it helps the perception that we don’t rush anything, we’re going to try and work on that.”

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