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Overview

Vashon Island SD School Board

Our school board is dedicated to fostering an environment where every student can achieve academic excellence and personal growth in a safe and supportive setting.

As elected representatives of our community, we are committed to making informed decisions that shape the future of our schools. Our responsibilities include:

  • Policy Development: Crafting and implementing policies that promote high educational standards and equity.
  • Budget Oversight: Ensuring that financial resources are allocated efficiently and effectively to support student learning and well-being.
  • Superintendent Supervision: Collaborating with and providing oversight for the Superintendent to ensure the district's strategic goals are met.
  • Curriculum and Instruction: Evaluating and approving curricula that meet the diverse needs of our students and prepare them for future success.
  • Facilities Management: Overseeing the maintenance and improvement of school facilities to provide a safe and conducive learning environment.
  • Community Engagement: Encouraging active participation from parents, students, teachers, and community members to foster a collaborative educational community.

Our mission is to support every student in reaching their full potential by prioritizing safety, equity, and excellence in all our decisions. We invite you to explore our initiatives, participate in our meetings, and join us in our dedication to student success and safety.

The Vashon Island School Board of Directors is made up of five volunteers who have been elected by the community to guide and direct the school district. The school board provides leadership and strategic direction regarding policies that support the programs of Vashon Island School District.

Regular board meetings are held on most second and fourth Thursdays of the month at 6:00 pm. Meetings occur in-person in Room 302 of Chautauqua Elementary School, 9309 SW Cemetery Rd, and are broadcast live/recorded on YouTube.

Information

2024-25 Board Meeting Dates

Board meetings are typically held the second and fourth Thursday of every month.

Time: 6:00 pm
Location: Room 302, Chautauqua Elementary School
(unless otherwise noted)

July 25, 2024
August 8, 2024 (Work Session)
August 12, 2024 (Work Session)
August 20, 2024 (Work Session)
August 27, 2024
September 4, 2024 (Work Session)
September 12, 2024 (Work Session)
Septembr 26, 2024
October 9, 2024 (Work Session)
October 10, 2024 (Work Session)
October 23, 2024 (Work Session)
October 24, 2024
November 7, 2024 (Work Session)
November 14, 2024
December 11, 2024 (Special Meeting)
December 13, 2024 (Special Meeting)
December 17, 2024 (Special Meeting)
December 19, 2024
January 9, 2025 (Work Session)
January 23, 2025
February 13, 2025
February 27, 2025 (Special Meeting)
March 4, 2025 (Special Meeting)
March 10, 2025 (Special Meeting)
March 13, 2025
March 19, 2025 (Special Meeting)
March 27, 2025
April 8, 2025 (Work Session)
April 10, 2025
April 17, 2025 (Work Session)
April 22, 2025 (Work Session)
April 24, 2025
May 1, 2025 (Special Meeting)
May 8, 2025
May 21, 2025 (Special Meeting)
May 22, 2025
June 12, 2025 (Special Meeting)
June 26, 2025
July 24, 2025
August 14, 2025 
August 28, 2025 (Work Session)

The Role of School Board Members

School directors work together to oversee the school district. As a board, the primary responsibilities are:

  • Hire, supervise and evaluate the superintendent
  • Set the vision, mission and strategic goals for the district
  • Review, revise and adopt policies
  • Establish and oversee the budget
  • Serve as community representatives
  • Monitor the district’s progress towards its goals

Student Advisory Board (SAB)

The Superintendent’s Student Advisory Board will provide student voices, advice, and perspectives and will meet with the superintendent throughout the school year. SAB provides input on ways to improve communication with students and obtain input on school system initiatives. The goal will be to help ensure the implementation of the district’s mission: “Every student is welcomed, known, and treasured, and graduates confident and competent to thrive in a future they imagine.” 

Communicating with School Board Members

There are multiple ways to communicate with the VISD Board of Directors, via email or in-person at public comment during a meeting. Email addresses of the board members are listed above. You may also email the entire board, the board secretary (the superintendent), and the board recording secretary (the executive assistant to the superintendent) at vashonschoolboard@vashonsd.org.

The VISD Board of Directors recognizes the value of public comment on educational issues. We are pleased to provide the opportunity for addressing the board during regular board meetings. Public comment is not taken during board work sessions. The agenda limits the public comment period to 15 minutes. Community members who wish to make a public comment must complete the sign-in sheet upon arrival and will be called to speak for the allotted three minutes in the order they sign in. Consistent with our equity policy, there is no mechanism whereby a speaker can donate some or all of their time to another speaker. As a matter of practice, the Board will listen to all comments, however, will not respond to comments or engage in dialogue at the meeting.

In accordance with the Open Public Meeting Act, any individual who has difficulty attending an in-person meeting by reason of disability, limited mobility, or for any other reason that makes physical attendance at a meeting difficult, may request an opportunity to provide verbal comment remotely. Please fill out this form if you would like to provide comment remotely. Remote requests must be submitted by 12:00 pm, the day of the board meeting.

Operating Protocol

The members of the Vashon Island School District Board of Directors agree to operate as follows: 

  • Each year, we will identify the vital few objectives, and deliverables for those objectives, that are the top priority for the Board to accomplish that year. With the Superintendent, we also will identify key, measurable objectives for the Superintendent to accomplish that year. We will refrain from pursuing our individual objectives if they would distract or interfere with accomplishment of the top priorities identified by the Board.

  • Each year, we will perform an assessment of our performance as a group and as individual Board members.

  • We will come to Board meetings on time. We will come prepared to address the issues on the agenda, having reviewed the materials provided in advance of the meeting.

  • The Board Chair and Superintendent will set the agenda for each scheduled Board meeting. Individual board members should work with the Board Chair and the Superintendent to place an issue/concern on the agenda. The Board Chair will follow up with the Board member if there are any follow-up questions regarding the issue/concern. The Board Chair will communicate the request to the entire Board. If there are three members who wish to place the issue/concern on the agenda, it will be placed on the agenda in a subsequent meeting.

  • We will give each other, the Superintendent, staff, and members of the public the benefit of the doubt that they intend what is best for our school district. We will treat everyone with fairness, trust, and respect and we will engage in civil debate of issues. Personal attacks will not be tolerated.

  • We will not surprise each other with issues that are not on the agenda. We will not surprise staff with requests for information.

  • The Board is the last stop, not the first, for addressing administrative matters. We will direct complaints, criticisms, and suggestions to the Superintendent. We will inform the Superintendent immediately of complaints regarding personnel.

  • We will direct requests for information or staff work to the Superintendent, in coordination with the Board Chair.

  • We will encourage members of the public to present their own issues and proposals rather than carrying the ball for them.

  • We will treat the public as a partner in our deliberations. We will make information on issues we are considering readily available to the public in a form that is easily understood. We will provide opportunities for public input at several stages in our study and development of major programs, policies, and plans.