Dayton School Board settles into new positions

DAYTON-The Dayton School Board moved to allocate representative positions for each member, informed of the $6,000 Robotics Club award and updates on the behavioral programs.

Representative positions were determined for the Board members. Aneesha Deiu is the Legislative Representative to be informed about State legislation that affects schools and to meet with elected officials to voice the position of the Board.

Zac Fabian will serve as a Representative for both the Washington Interscholastic Athletic Association and DW Combine. He will also serve as a Facilities Representatives with Grant Griffen to manage the long-term plan for maintenance, upkeep and replacement.

Korinda Wallace will be the Curriculum Representative and will join committees reviewing possible new curriculum. Budget and Finance is assigned to Wallace and Griffin and work with the administration on financial planning for the district, use of funds, fund balances and overall long-range planning and goals for the district and be the liaison between school administration and the board in planning, reviewing and adopting the budget.

Community Outreach and Public Relations will be Jeff McCowen and Fabian and act as a liaison between the Board and community keeping the public informed of the district plans and accomplishments, as well as plan community outreach events. Fabian is responsible for Custodial Negotiations and will attend any meetings about agreements between the District and the Union. McGowen will also be responsible for Classified Negotiations with the bargaining group and the district.

Griffen and Dieu will handle Certified Negotiations between the District and the Teacher’s Union.

Robotics Club Advisor Jeanne Walter provided information the club is a joint venture between the school and the local 4-H. They have been to three competitions and participated in a community service project cleaning yards including at the American Legion and around town. The team was awarded a $6000 grant and also won an innovation award.

School attorney Rockie Hanson attended the meeting by Zoom and told the Board that she is available to provide legal support and input about the functions of the School Board. McCowen questioned about what powers the local school boards have in regards to the State. Hanson answered that the State has given certain power and controls to the local boards, but it is limited by the law.

Both the elementary and secondary school principals, Amy Cox and Kristina Brown provided updates on professional development, the implementation of the behavioral plan, and the current work of the added behavioral health staff.

Cox reported that all district staff is working with Mary Kirby from ESD 123 on Teacher Clarity to learn to clearly relay the learning targets to the students in a way that is purposeful. The district administration, counselors and a few other staff are also meeting with Lori Scott from ESD 123 to discuss the book Powerless to Powerful by Charles Salina which provides ways to empower school staff and students.

Additionally, Elementary school staff is meeting to discuss the book Better than Carrots or Sticks by Dominique Smith which “works right along with our new behavior plan teaching about restorative practices,” said Cox.

This is being led by Hannalee Farrell. Brown said the secondary school leadership team is meeting to review the feedback from students and staff about the current discipline practices which will focus on effective discipline and youth behavioral health in creating an action plan.

Cox stated that Counselor Caitlin Patterson has a full schedule meeting with various students and is building “relational trust.” Brown said for the secondary school, she is meeting in “friendship groups” to help students learn to problem solve and get along providing social and emotional learning tools.

Intervention and Prevention Specialist Kristy Korslund is working to build positive relationships with students and is creating peer group meetings and is meeting with individual students.

The Behavior Specialist Angie Whaley has been assisting students in difficult situations and teaching staff de-escalation strategies based on the social and emotional learning tools.

Brown reported on recent projects in the science classes including on “fuels of the future,” forensic science and photosynthesis. She also indicated that 15 of the 28 FFA members have started the process of earning their personalized FFA jacket by writing an essay. Two students have already earned their jackets.

The board met for a postponed regular meeting on January 26. The original meeting was scheduled for the January 19 but was delayed because of the increase in COVID cases in the schools and community. By the following week of the new meeting date of January 26, cases were up even higher which affected staffing resulting in the secondary school being closed for four school days for remote learning with the plan to review the situation the following Monday on whether they would go back to in-person learning or not.

Also, affected was the boy’s basketball team because of positive cases at both the Dayton and Waitsburg schools. Waitsburg schools also went to remote learning, and no practices were held for any DW teams for the remainder of the week. Over the weekend cases went down, and the school went back to in-person learning Tuesday, January 31.

Sports’ practices resumed that Monday which meant the boys basketball team could play its scheduled game Tuesday and finish the season. If cases weren’t down, then the boy’s basketball season would have been over, according to Athletic Director Sam Korslund.