September 14, 2026 Business Board Meeting Minutes

MINUTES OF THE SCHOOL BOARD OF DISTRICT NO. 40,
YAMHILL COUNTY, McMINNVILLE, OREGON

The Board Business Meeting was held September 14, 2026, both in person and via Zoom at the McMinnville School District Office, 800 NE Lafayette Ave., McMinnville OR 97128

The link was https://msd40.zoom.us/j/215496199

Provisional Minutes-Not Board Approved

At 6:31 p.m., the Board of Directors of McMinnville School District opened the board business meeting in Regular Session. The meeting was called to order by Chair Larry Vollmer.

BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT
Chair Larry Vollmer
Vice Chair  Christine Bader
Director  Lu Ann Anderson
Director  Jason Bizon
Director Brielle Houston

BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT
Director Jasmin Juarez
Director Gerardo Partida

ADMINISTRATION
Kourtney Ferrua, Superintendent
Cherice Bowden, Board Secretary

Pledge of Allegiance
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Chris Starr.

AUDIENCE
Chris Starr, Lauren Berg, Jason Hall, Brian Crain, Kellie Clay, Hiran Amerasinghe, Barb Keeton, Vicky Brown, Erin Caldwell, Kathi Fowler, Martha Biggs, Scott Murphy, Allison Eitzen, Stephanie Murdock, Davey Altree, Lucy Bertolo, Sage Kamph, Emma Khoury, Miriam Seqovia and Rhyder Darnell. 

• 1.4  Introductions and Communications
  Superintendent Ferrua welcomed the new Student Envoys and expressed her excitement about having them attend the meeting. 

  1.5  Review of Agenda
  None

  2.0 Consent Agenda
  2.1 Gifts to the District: The Board accepted with gratitude, gifts to the District:
  First Federal donated $300.00 to MHS for Girls Soccer and $300.00 to MHS for Boys Soccer, Davison Auto Parts donated $500.00 to MHS for Cross Country, Headwater Investment Consulting donated $1000.00 to MHS for Cross Country, McKenzie, Duncan, Johns, CPS’s, LLC donated $1550.00 to Patton MS for help with student athletic participation fees, Leslie Toth donated $800.00 to MHS for ASB Leadership Fundraising and Jorge Dominguez Construction donated $500.00 to MHS for Cross Country,

  2.2 Approval of minutes of the August 10, 2026 Business Board Meeting and the August 24, 2026 Work Session Meeting approved.
  2.3 Personnel Actions approved.
  2.4  Policy Revision Project

  2.5  Policies Presented for Approval
  2.5.1 JFCEA – Gang Activity or Association
  2.5.2 JFCEA – AR – Gang Activity or Association (Delete)
  2.5.3  KL – Complaint Procedures
  2.5.4  KL – AR – Complaint Procedures
  2.5.5  KL – AR (2) – Appeal to the Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction (Delete)
  2.5.6  KNA – Immigration Enforcement on District Property

  On motion by Director Lu Ann Anderson, seconded by Vice Chair Christine Bader, the Consent Agenda was approved on a unanimous vote 5-0.  Director Lu Ann Anderson – aye, Director Brielle Houston – aye,  Chair Larry Vollmer – aye, Vice Chair Christine Bader – aye and Director Jason Bizon – aye.

  3.0 REPORTS
  The Board heard Monthly Reports.

  3.1  Student Envoy Report
  Student Envoys from McMinnville High School (MHS) presented the MHS student report, providing updates and highlighting activities taking place at the high school. The report included updates on academics, athletics, clubs and activities, student leadership, Career and Technical Education (CTE) and pathways, and Sources of Strength. 

  3.2  McEA Report
  Chris Starr, McEA President, welcomed the Board and Superintendent Ferrua back for another school year. He shared that McEA has the same “vision of hope” and believes in “high expectations, one team, purposeful learning, and everyone belonging.”  He stated that McEA is entering a year of contract bargaining and will hold high expectations that our members are well represented, that contract language is created to reduce differing interpretations, and that compensation is settled upon to address the work that all our members complete. He also stated that McEA will hold high expectations that the current language is abided by. 

  He highlighted McEA’s One Team motto and said that “work can only be completed by the collective efforts of students, families, community, staff, educators, and the district.” He shared that McEA’s goal is to engage and educate all members on the contract and that the Executive Board is looking to provide podcasts to dive into the language of the contract to ensure all of our members are well-informed. He concluded by stating, McEA has a lot of hope for this year, and looks forward to working as one team with the district and school board.

  3.3  Superintendent Report
  Superintendent Ferrua highlighted the Welcome Back event and the theme of “hope,” which stands for “High Expectations, One Team, Purposeful Learning, and Everyone Belongs.” She stated that the message centered on hope is something we actively build for students and one another through high expectations, strong relationships and belonging, intentional learning, and a commitment to finding another pathway when something’s not working.  She recognized the student, staff, and community voices featured at the event, including recent MHS graduate Perla Mendoza Morphine and community partner Amy Wolf, founder of the Don’t Give Up Move movement. She also recognized 89 employees representing more than 1,495 years of service to the McMinnville School District and thanked the staff and committee members who helped organize the event.

  She reported that as of September 3, district enrollment was 5,706 students, approximately 75 students below projection, but as of this week, only 25 students below. She noted that enrollment is a moving target as kids join and that stronger numbers will be available in October after the 10-day drop. Kindergarten enrollment was 326 students compared to a projection of 346, and the District will continue to closely monitor those numbers.

  She recognized the IT team, especially Adam Green and Christy Giddings, for the use of Synergy reports to monitor class size, course selection, and other metrics. She also shared that transition activities went well, including kindergarten camp, sixth-grade orientations at Dunaway and Patton, and ninth-grade orientation at MHS.

  Superintendent Ferrua announced the relaunch of the District Advisory Committee, aligned with Oregon Senate Bill 732. The committee will meet approximately once a month and serve as a thought partner to district leadership by reviewing data, considering how policies impact students and families, and providing insight into district-wide climate, culture, and opportunities for improvement. The District is seeking up to 20 members representing diverse voices and school communities.  

  She shared that the District is strengthening its continuous school improvement process through greater alignment between district goals, school improvement plans, and data. Each school is developing a School Improvement Plan (SIP) grounded in its student data and aligned with district priorities. She also highlighted the new data books developed for each building to help teams move beyond simply reporting the data to being able to think more deeply about it.

  She reported that fall sports and activities are off to a great start and encouraged the Board to participate in Homecoming Week, September 21–25. She also highlighted upcoming community fundraisers, including the MAC Club Crab Feed, Kiwanis Kids’ Dinner, and McMinnville Education Foundation Runtoberfest.  She concluded by highlighting upcoming back-to-school events, including MHS Grizzfest on September 16, middle school nights on September 23, and elementary school nights on September 24. She stated that these are important opportunities for our families to connect with school staff and start the year off with a strong partnership.

  3.4  Director of Fiscal Services’ Report
  Director of Finance Jason Hall reported that finalized enrollment numbers will be available October 1 following the 10-day drop and noted that enrollment continues to fluctuate. He stated that the District is monitoring enrollment compared to projections as it relates to funding.  He reported that, as of July 31, General Fund revenues were at 11% of budgeted revenues and expenditures were at 2% of budgeted expenditures. He noted that interest income is slightly lower due to current interest rates of approximately 4%, compared to rates above 5% in previous years. State funding is also expected to remain relatively flat due to the District’s projected enrollment decline.

  He noted that the beginning fund balance will be finalized following the District’s audit, which will begin the first week of October, with a final number expected by November or December. He also highlighted increased expenditures for summer repairs and maintenance and a 17% increase in insurance premiums.

  Director Hall provided an update on the pension bond analysis. An information meeting with Piper Sandler is scheduled for September 23, with additional information expected at the October Board meeting. He clarified that pursuing a pension bond remains an exploratory process and does not obligate the District to issue a bond if market conditions are not beneficial.

  3.5  School Improvement Report
  Professional Learning Communities (PLCs): Director Berg reported that the District is entering its third year of partnership with ASCD for professional learning communities. The District has established collaborative time through Wednesday late starts, created curriculum resources and common assessments, and continues to refine teacher toolkits. This year, the focus will be on “building team leadership and growing that capacity at each building,” along with coaching, professional learning, and support for using assessment data effectively.

  Instructional Improvement Core 4: Director Berg introduced the new Instructional Improvement Core 4, developed collaboratively using research-based strategies. The framework centers on “Academic Press,” described as an overarching culture of “believing in the possibilities for each and every student.” The four areas focus on classroom and school culture, teaching with intent, student reflection on learning, and strengthening collective efficacy. The goal is to provide research-based strategies, professional development, and coaching while creating “common instructional languages” and consistency for students.

  K-12 Literacy: Director Berg shared that the District is “digging deep into literacy and what it looks like, in the K-12 continuum.” She stated that “being a literate adult is a fundamental right,” and it is the District’s responsibility to help all students get there. 

  The District is expanding literacy work beyond the primary grades, including using the new social science curriculum to build literacy across content areas. K-5 teachers and specialists have been trained in Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD), or research-based writing practices, and secondary staff will receive SRSD training this fall. The goal is to focus literacy strategies across content areas and provide “common language to our students and our staff.”

  Senate Bill 141 / Coaching: In response to a Board question regarding Senate Bill 141, Director Berg shared that the TOSA team is “an exceptional resource” for providing coaching. She noted that having point people at each building allows staff to have someone who can “walk alongside them in the work that they do.” The District is also building more teacher leadership to broaden the number of educators who can partner with and coach their peers.

  District Targets: Director Berg provided an update to the district targets presented in August. She explained that the original 2024-25 baseline data for the five-year completion rate was incorrect, with the original figure of 90.9% being corrected to an actual rate of 92.3%. The end-of-2029-30 target was adjusted from 92.5% to 93%, while the gap-closing target remains 91.5%. Berg stated that the accurate numbers were submitted to ODE and the goals were approved.

  3.6  Facilities & Operations Report
  Facilities and Operations: Director Crain reported on several summer projects, including softball facility improvements, baseball dugouts, MHS special education classroom updates, playground repairs, carpet cleaning, gym floor refinishing, floor waxing, and repairs to the Patton roof drain and irrigation system.

  Softball Facility: Director Crain shared that the softball facility near the Adams campus is progressing and will include locker rooms, storage, a coach’s office, and additional hitting space for JV players. The project also included removing a wall to improve visibility and safety, installing a new communications pole, and replacing the sidewalk around the Family Resource Center to meet ADA standards. A new sidewalk was also added to provide students with a safer path to the health center.

  Baseball Dugouts: Director Crain reported that construction of the baseball dugouts is well underway. The contractor is currently building the first levels of the structures and working on sewer and water connections for the concession stand.

  Board members asked questions, which Director Crain answered.

• 4.0  Public Forum
  Miriam Segovia spoke about concerns regarding bullying and the District’s response. She shared that her daughter was bullied through elementary and middle school and that, despite multiple attempts to seek assistance, the situation escalated. She stated that she believes the District has failed to adequately protect her daughter and that students need to feel safe, secure, confident, and heard in order to be successful learners.  She also shared that she currently homeschools her three younger children and has been offered enrollment through another school district. She expressed concern that her children should not have to leave their home district because of bullying. She stated that she has made multiple complaints and attempts to contact the District without receiving responses and asked that action be taken to protect her four children.

  5.0 New Business

  5.1 Integrated Plan Annual Report
  Director Berg provided the annual update on the District’s Integrated Plan. She explained that ODE consolidated multiple programs, initiatives, and funding sources into four focus areas: Well-Rounded Education, Equity Advanced, Engaged Community, and Strengthened Systems and Capacity. The District reports quarterly to ODE on progress toward targets and metrics and completes an annual performance review.

  She reviewed the eight progress areas: wellness and safety, academic achievement, attendance and dropout prevention, family engagement, staff retention, CTE, college-level education, and early literacy. She highlighted academic achievement and expanded literacy strategies as areas showing strong progress and opportunities for continued growth.

  She also discussed attendance, sense of belonging, and connection, noting that belonging and attendance are interconnected. She reported that the District is strengthening building-wide and district-level teams to analyze attendance data more frequently, align interventions, coordinate family supports, and address barriers to attendance.

  5.2  Overnight/Out-of-=State Travel – Cross Country
  Superintendent Ferrua stated that the topic would be tabled to allow the Board an opportunity to develop decision-making tools as part of the process. She will work with Chair Vollmer and Vice Chair Bader to place the topic on a future agenda. 

  6.0  Board Directors Comments
  Director Houston stated that it was wonderful to hear from our Student Envoys.  She loved the reminder of who we are her for and she thanked the community member for sharing as a parent’s perspective.

  Director Bizon thanked McEA for the t-shirt, he appreciates the sway, and AD for the Fall Sports Pass.  He will be attending the Crab Fee next Saturday night.  He commented that he appreciates the new formatting on the agenda, and stated thank you, it is really nice.  He noted that he appreciates the new approach for the Student Envoy and is sure they will have a little more in-depth as things get going.

  Vice Chair Bader welcomed everybody.

  Director Anderson added welcome back and echoed the other Board members.

  Chair Vollmer gave a shoutout to Principal Caldwell.  He shared that on the very first day of school, he went to one of his Adopt-A-Schools and was immediately thrown out to the playground to help because staff had called in. He said it was “a great thing to experience and to see” the excitement of students coming off the bus and looking for their friends. He stated, “I do appreciate the assignment,” and that it was “such a treat” to see the youngsters come back on the first day of school. 

  7.0  Future Agenda Items
  Policies Sections AB -Governance & Administration
  Policies Section C – Administration
  Policies to be Deleted 

  8.0 Announcements
  None

  Meeting Videos

  The meeting adjourned at 7:47 p.m.