MISD Board Meeting Recap – September 24, 2026

The MIHS girls tennis team and coaches with the Board. 

Mercer Island, WA, September 25, 2026 – The Mercer Island School District School Board held both a Study Session and Regular Meeting on Thursday, September 24 at the District's Administration Building.

The Study Session was from 9am-11am and was focused on technology use in the District. The Board heard from District staff about technology use by students in the District and had a robust discussion.

The Regular Board meeting started at 5pm with three items on the Partial Governance Process Monitoring agenda. Director Cristina Martinez was not able to attend the Regular Meeting. The Board Meeting was unable to be livestreamed due to an internet outage in the District. The meeting was recorded and is available to watch on YouTube below.

View Regular Meeting Agenda

1. Board Policy 1800 OE-11: Facilities and Capital Assets - Capital Projects and Annual Review of Long Range Facilities Plan & Discussion and Direction to Superintendent to Develop Bond Resolution

Pursuant to Board Policy 1800 OE-11: Facilities and Capital Assets, the Board will hear an annual update for 2026-27 from Owner's Representative Brandy Fox of CPM-Seattle on the 2023-24 Long Range Facilities Plan (LRFP). The update will include a review of capital projects, including facilities improvements and maintenance, performed across the District and at the Mary Wayte Pool in 2025-26 as well as projects planned for the summers of 2027 and 2028. Additionally, the update will include information on enrollment and building capacity/ utilization.

The Board was also presented the LRFP annual updates for 2024-25, 2025-26, and 2026-27.

The Board also held discussion on a potential February 2027 bond measure. Preliminary discussions were held at the March 26, 2026, May 28, 2026, and June 11, 2026, board meetings. The proposed initiative includes partial replacement of the HVAC and fire alarm systems at MIHS to keep the building operational as well as ADA improvements to the 300/400 hall intersection at MIHS. Additional bond measures planned for 2029, 2035, 2039, and 2043 will also be discussed.

Board Discussion, Action, and/or Recommendations

District staff presented the annual required update of the District’s Long Range Facility Plan. District staff highlighted updates and repairs done to District facilities and buildings in the last year. The discussion highlighted current enrollment and demographic studies done previously by the District.

District staff also spoke to the Board about a potential bond and priority updates and upgrades needed at MIHS.  

The Board asked questions of staff. The Board took no action.

2. Board Policy 1800 OE-9: Communication and Support to the Board - Proposed Revisions to Board Policy 3205: Sexual Harassment of Students Prohibited (1st rdg)

The Board approved revisions to Board Policy 3205: Sexual Harassment of Students Prohibited at the September 10, 2026, regular meeting to align the current policy with WSSDA model policy and reflect applicable state and federal requirements, including changes made to Washington's nondiscrimination regulations in August. Recommendations from the Student Safety and Well-Being Committee were also incorporated, where appropriate, while more detailed implementation provisions shall be addressed in Procedure 3205, training, and student and family communications.

The Board previously expressed some concerns around the definition of "hostile environment" and directed the Superintendent to review. The Board was presented markup and clean copies of the revised policy addressing these concerns.

Note that, under Board Policy 1800 OE-9: Communication and Support to the Board, this policy requires review annually. Recommendations for any further revisions pursuant to this review will be included in the OE-9 annual monitoring report scheduled to be reviewed by the Board in December.

The Board may take action on this policy following any discussion or may elect to place this item on the consent agenda for a second reading and formal action at the next regular meeting.

Board Discussion, Action, and/or Recommendations

The Board held a discussion on the revisions to Board Policy 3205 and asked questions of District staff. The Board voted 5-0 and the Student Representatives voted 2-0 to approve the revisions to Board Policy 3205.

After the Partial Governance Process Monitoring agenda, the Board took up Public Input.

Public Input

One community member gave Public Input at this meeting. The community member was Matt Augustine.

To find out how you can give Public Input at a future Board meeting visit our Public Input page.

After Public Input the Board took up the third item on the Partial Governance Process Monitoring agenda.

3. Board Policy 1005: Board Officer and Board Member Duties - Discussion on HB 2266 - Encouraging Permanent Supportive Housing, Transitional Housing, Indoor Emergency Housing, and Indoor Emergency Shelters

The Board discussed HB 2266 - Encouraging Permanent Supportive Housing, Transitional Housing, Indoor Emergency Housing, and Indoor Emergency Shelters and implications it may have regarding school safety. Currently, this is not part of the Board's legislative priorities for 2027, but the Board has received input from constituents asking for the Board's involvement

Board Discussion, Action, and/or Recommendations

The Board held a discussion of HB 2266. The Board took no action.

After the Partial Governance Process Monitoring Agenda, the meeting transitioned to Recognitions.

Recognitions
 

MIHS Girls Tennis – Superintendent Rundle recognized the MIHS girls tennis team for winning their fourth consecutive 3A State Championship this past spring. The team finished with 23 points, three points ahead of Bellarmine Prep. The doubles team of Mia Kinner and Jayne Tintle took first place in state with the doubles team of Kara Hillberg and Sarah Gorton taking second place. The student athletes and their coaches spoke to the Board about the team’s performance and winning the state championship.

KMIH Broadcast Media Students – Superintendent Rundle recognized six KMIH broadcast media students who have been recognized recently in podcast contests.

Sophomore Makayla Cheung is one of seven winners of the America 250 Prize in this year's National Public Radio (NPR) Student Podcast Challenge. The America 250 Prize is a new category in the NPR Student Podcast Challenge created to mark the 250^th anniversary of the founding of the United States.

The NPR judges listened for stories that looked back at historical events, took them to historic places, or explored what it means to be an American. Makayla’s winning podcast is titled, The American Dream, and is a story about the true meaning of what "The American Dream" means through her father Raymond’s eyes. Makayla’s podcast focuses on how sports gave Raymond an opportunity to come to the U.S. and how his experience shaped his view of success and happiness in America. NPR received more than 700 entries and Makayla was one of seven winners of the America 250 Prize from around the country.

Five MIHS broadcast media students have received top honors in the 9^th annual New York Times Student Podcast Contest. The New York Times Podcast Contest challenges students to craft an original five-minute podcast about almost anything. This international competition received 1,400 submissions from around the world with eight being selected as winners, six being selected as runners-up, and 13 receiving honorable mention recognition. Two KMIH students were selected as two of the eight winners of the contest. Sophomore Delaney Kinsella won for her podcast “Rough and Tumble: Our Home For Women’s Sports” which told the story of the Rough and Tumble pubs, one in Ballard and one in Columbia City, which are sports bars built around the community of women's sports.  Sophomore Shannon Hillberg was named a winner for her podcast, Looking Up, which tells the story of the estimated 14,000 people—including NASA scientists Amber Turner and Nathan Eller—whose collective efforts helped launch the four Artemis II astronauts on a historic mission that carried humans farther from

Earth than ever before. Seniors Audrey and Jayne Tintle received Runners-Up honors for their story, Head On Ice, which follows the extraordinary journey of Brooke Taylor, a world-renowned Seattle attorney whose life was shattered by a fatal head-on collision with an emergency vehicle. Sophomore Aria Lele received an Honorable Mention for her podcast “Am I Enough”, which is a firsthand account of the isolation girls face in male-dominated fields. 

Superintendent Rundle recognized our custodial grounds crew and. National Walk and Roll to School Day on October 7

Rundle also recognized two former staff members who recently passed away. MJ Hillstrom, a counselor at MIHS from 2004 to 2017, passed away this week. Former longtime bus driver Bill Harris, who spent 24 years in the District, passed away on Tuesday.

After Recognitions the Board had one item on the Full Governance Process Monitoring Agenda.

4. Board Policy 1800 OE-4: Staff Compensation (L-1)

This is the annual monitoring of Board Policy 1800, Operational Expectations 4: Staff Compensation. The Administrative Report of Compliance was presented for Board review and determination of compliance.

Board Policy 1800, OE-4, states as follows:

The Superintendent will:

1. Develop compensation and benefit plans that attract and maintain the highest quality staff and reward employees consistent with the applicable marketplace, with organizations of comparable size and type and within available resources.
2. Provide information regarding staff compensation and benefit plans on an annual basis to the Board. 
3. Ensure district funds are allocated to support staff who apply for National Board Teacher Certification.
4. Comply with all provisions of the Federal Labor Standards Act, Washington Revised Code (RCW) Chapter 41.58, and Board Policy 5415.

Board Discussion, Action, and/or Recommendations

District staff gave an annual presentation to the Board on staff compensation in MISD. The Board voted 5-0 and the Student Representatives voted 2-0 to find the Superintendent in compliance with Board Policy 1800, OE-4.

The Board took up the Consent Agenda, Superintendent Report, Board Director Announcements, Inquiries and Reports and the Legislative Report after the one item on the Full Governance Process Agenda.

Consent Agenda – The Consent Agenda was passed 5-0 by the Board.

Superintendent Report – Superintendent Rundle updated the Board on the catching up of Policy 3242, which indicates how many credits high schoolers must take to credit. The policy had not been updated since 2012 and the state made change to graduation requirements in 2019. Superintendent Rundle spoke to the Board about their next Study Session on October 15, which will take place at MIHS.

Board Announcements, Inquiries, and Reports

Director Burnett – Director Stephanie Burnett attended the IMS Curriculum Night. She highlighted the discussion in the Study Session on technology in the District. Burnett spoke to the Board about helping to respond to community members email by sending her thoughts they might have and

Director Lee – Director Jody Lee went to a Youth and Family Services donor event at MIHS and appreciated our community members who support MIYFS. She also spoke to community members who told her MIHS looked really polished and well kept up.

Director Bradley – Director Julian Bradley attended MIHS Curriculum Night and IMS Curriculum Night. He also spoke about a conversation he had with a community member about the MIHS logo.

Director Tucker – Director Maggie Tai Tucker spoke about attending IMS Curriculum Night.

Legislative Report – Director Bradley spoke about attending the WSSDA session in Issaquah on Saturday and spoke about members not happy about decisions that are made in Olympia.

The meeting adjourned at 7:21pm.

We encourage community members to watch the YouTube recording of the September 24 Board Meeting to learn more about what was discussed by Board Directors. 

To see when the next Board Meeting is visit the Meeting Calendar and Agendas page.

To learn more about MISD’s School Board Directors visit our School Board Information page.