MISD Board Meeting Recap – August 28, 2025
MISD Board Meeting Recap – August 28, 2025
MISD Communications
Two staff members from Strategies 360 speak to the board about the post-bond survey they will be conducting in late September.
Mercer Island, WA, August 29, 2025 – The Mercer Island School District School Board held a Regular Meeting on Thursday, August 28 at the District's Administration Building.
This Board meeting started at 5pm in the District Administration Building with the Board taking up four items on the Partial Governance Process Monitoring agenda.
1. Board Policy 1800 OE-9: Communication and Support to the Board - Strategies 360 | Discussion on Post-Bond Community Survey
Superintendent Dr. Fred Rundle presented information on the District's new partnership with Strategies 360, who has been engaged to perform some post-bond work. Strategies 360 intends to conduct a survey and community outreach over the six-week period following Labor Day, and it is anticipated that they will share their findings with the Board at a regular meeting in late October or November. At the meeting on August 14, Superintendent Rundle offered the Board some initial observations following a meeting he and other District representatives had with Strategies 360 earlier in the month as follows:
- Phase 1 - Demographic Analysis of Precinct Voting in April 2025 compared to previous elections was conducted. The Strategies 360 team did not find any statistical correlations which would indicate the electorate as a whole changed.
- Phase 2 - Perceptions of voters becomes the important inquiry during the survey phase now that we know demographics were not the key variable to explain why the bond did not pass. Strategies 360 will present to the Board an overview of the themes they will ask questions around to help better understand why the bond did not reach 60% and why it was not as favorable as recent levies.
Two staff members from Strategies 360 joined the Board to share more details about their findings to date and survey plans in September.
Board Discussion, Action, and/or Recommendations
The Board asked questions of the two representatives from Strategies 360. No action was taken by the Board.
2. Board Policy 1800 OE-6: Budgeting/Financial Planning - Update on 2024-2025 Financial Dashboard and July 2025 Budget Status Report
District staff presented the financial dashboard for the fiscal year beginning September 1, 2024, through July 31, 2025, as well as the July 2025 financial report.
Notes to the Financial Dashboard - Finances through July 31, 2025
- We’re through July, or 91.6% of the (fiscal/school) year.
- Expenditures are at 91.4%; right on-track.
- Revenues are at 87.9%, this is slightly lower than the 91.6% measure, as we will be receiving 10% of our state apportionment in August.
Expenditures
- Federal – increase due to National Board Certification stipends being paid for thirty-seven teachers.
- Other Instructional –increase due to six-month payment to OCA (Olympic Cascade Aquatics) for team’s use of the pool.
- Support & Community Services – increase due to Chartwells (Food Service) payment for May and June.
Revenues
- Local (EP&O Levy – Student Fees) – decrease due to the EP&O levy collected/received in April, some in May
- State Apportionment - increase due to apportionment payment of 12.5% in July and then we’ll receive 10% in August.
- Other – Increase due to the transfer of Cap/Tech revenue to the General Fund.
Monthly Fund Balance / Cash-on-Hand
- We are in the positive with our fund balance at $22,170.83. This is a positive increase year-over-year of +$1,477,167.75, which is a very positive indicator for the growth of our fund balance.
- We still estimate a year-end fund balance of roughly $3.6MM and/or 4.5%.
Board Discussion, Action, and/or Recommendations
The Board asked questions of district staff making the presentation. No action was taken by the Board.
3. Board Policy 1008: Annual Agenda Planning - Annual Agenda Planning Calendar for 2025-2026 (1008 P, 2nd rdg)
The Board heard a first reading of the Board Agenda Planning Calendar for 2025-2026 (1008 P) on August 14. Directors were asked to review the calendar and come prepared to discuss any known conflicts at this meeting. Some minor updates which did not impact proposed meeting dates were made since the first reading.
Board Discussion, Action, and/or Recommendations
The Board voted 5-0 and the Student Representative voted 1-0 to remove the September 25, 2025, Board Meeting from the 2025-26 meeting schedule. The Board then voted 5-0 and the Student Representative voted 1-0 to approve the amended draft agenda planning calendar for the 2025-26 school year.
4. Board Policy 1430: Public Attendance and Comment at Board Meetings - Revisions to Public Input Script (1st rdg)
At each regular meeting of the Board and special meetings, when included on the agenda, the Board schedules time for community members to provide input to and feedback on the work of the Board and the District. At the March 13 board meeting, the Board agreed by consensus to adopt a new public input script, which is read aloud prior to the Board hearing public comment from community members. At their meeting on August 14, the Board voted to approve revisions to Board Policy 1430: Public Participation at Board Meetings to incorporate the new language.
At that time, directors expressed an interest in condensing and streamlining the public input script language. The Board agreed by consensus that President Maggie Tai Tucker would make revisions to present to the Board at this meeting. The Board reviewed the proposed changes.
Board Discussion, Action, and/or Recommendations
The Board agreed by consensus to the revised Public Input script.
After Partial Governance Process Monitoring the meeting took up two of the three agenda items on the Full Governance Process Monitoring agenda.
1. Board Policy 1008: Annual Agenda Planning (L-1)
The Board monitored Board Policy 1008 Annual Agenda Planning.
Board Discussion, Action, and/or Recommendations
The Board voted 5-0 and the Student Representative voted 1-0 that they were in compliance with Board Policy 1008: Annual Agenda Planning.
2. Board Policy 1800 OE-1: Fundamental 3 - Social/Emotional Learning (L-2)
This is the annual monitoring of Board Policy 1800, OE-1: Fundamental 3 - Social/Emotional Learning. Fundamental 3 states, in part, that the District will strive to [d]evelop self-awareness, empathy, emotional/social intelligence, responsible decision-making and citizenship in its students.
The monitoring report and data describe the work in District schools to meet Fundamental 3. The instructional team considered the revised Superintendent’s Interpretation of Fundamental 3 approved by the Board on March 11, 2021.
Board Discussion, Action, and/or Recommendations
The Board asked questions of district staff that presented the monitoring report and made suggestions on what they would like to see in future monitoring reports. The Board voted 5-0 and the Student Representative voted 1-0 that the Superintendent was in compliance with Board Policy 1800, OE-1: Fundamental 3.
After the two items on the Full Governance Process Monitoring agenda the meeting transitioned to Recognitions and Public Input.
Recognitions
Superintendent Rundle recognized MIHS French teacher Sabine Friedman, IMS associate principal Katie Gallagher and IMS registrar Marcy Berejka for their excellent work on the launch of a new before school French language program for 5th through 8th graders at IMS that have had previous exposure to the French language. There are currently 11 students enrolled in this new program, which takes place on Tuesdays and Fridays each week for an hour before IMS starts.
Superintendent Runde also recognized Suicide Prevention Month, Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, Labor Day, and the recent shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis.
Public Input
Three community members gave Public Input at this meeting. Community members giving Public Input were:
Todd White
Sarah Karim
John Hamer
To find out how you can give Public Input at a future Board meeting visit our Public Input page.
After Public Input the Board discussed the final item on the Full Governance Process agenda.
3. Board Policy 1800 OE-1: Fundamental 4 – Analytical/Critical Thinking for Global Awareness (L-1)
The Board conducted its annual monitoring of Board Policy 1800, OE-1: Fundamental 4 - Analytical/Critical Thinking for Global Awareness. Fundamental 4 states, in part, that the District will strive to [e]ngage students in analytical and critical thinking in order to identify and address global concerns. Monitoring is based on the indicators approved by the Board at its meeting on April 22, 2021, with reference to the monitoring report.
The report describes the work in District schools to quantitatively and qualitatively meet the goals of Fundamental 4. Instructional staff also considered the revised Superintendent's Interpretation, which was approved by the Board on March 11, 2021.
Board Discussion, Action, and/or Recommendations
The Board asked questions of district staff that presented the monitoring report and made suggestions on what they would like to see in future monitoring reports. The Board voted 4-0 (Absent: Director Tucker) and the Student Representative voted 1-0 that the Superintendent was in compliance with Board Policy 1800, OE-1: Fundamental 3.
The last four items on the agenda for the meeting were the Consent Agenda, Superintendent Report and Announcements, Legislative Report, and Board Announcements, Inquires & Reports.
Consent Agenda – The Consent Agenda was passed 4-0 by the Board (Absent: Director Tucker) and 1-0 by the Student Representative.
Superintendent Announcements – Superintendent Rundle thanked families and staff for all the work they undertook to prepare for the 2025-26 school year and attended a MIHS new student welcome.
Legislative Report – There was no update from Directors on legislative issues or initiatives.
Board Announcements, Inquiries, and Reports – Student Representative Elect Brody spoke about a educational Student Representative seminar he recently attended.
Direct Lurie had comments about the recent school shooting in Minneapolis.
Director Martinez talked about the tragedy in Minneapolis and firearms in the United States.
Direct Glowitz read a prepared statement about safety.
Director Lee spoke about the Board showing up at the district’s Instructional Tech Day to serve lunch to teachers and staff and what a fun experience it was.
The meeting was adjourned at 6:59pm.
We encourage community members to watch the YouTube recording of the August 28 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.
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