May 18, 2026 Work Session Meeting Mintues

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

The Board Business Meeting was held May 18, 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/97721628814

Provisional Minutes-Not Board Approved

At 6:35 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 Gerardo Partida
Director  Lu Ann Anderson
Director  Christine Bader
Director  Jason Bizon
Director Jasmin Juarez
Director  Abbie Warmbier

BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT
None

ADMINISTRATION
Kourtney Ferrua, Superintendent
Cherice Bowden, Board Secretary

AUDIENCE
Jason Hall, Hiran Amerasinghe, Emily Linnertz, Brian Crain, Lauren Berg, Autumn Foster, Linda Jones, Kourtney Wessels and Starla Pointer.  

• District Advisory Committee & Task Force Updates
  Director Berg shared that the District Advisory Committee is part of the district’s continuous improvement cycle and provides an opportunity to include community voices and subject matter expertise when reviewing district initiatives, goals, and practices. The committee helps evaluate what is working well, identify ongoing needs, and provide feedback to guide future action planning.  She reviewed the work of the District Advisory Committee, which was formed this year in response to an Oregon Department of Education initiative focused on safe, welcoming, and inclusive schools. The committee included 35 participants representing various community groups, with meetings led by Director Berg and high school teacher Shane Fox. Director Bader also participated as a committee member.

  The committee initially reviewed attendance data and focused its discussions on the concept of student sense of belonging. Throughout the year, the group engaged in discussions with students and community partners regarding ways to build a more inclusive culture for students across the McMinnville and Lafayette communities.  She also shared that the committee’s final meeting will focus on developing recommendation statements and identifying key insights for the district to consider when developing goals, action plans, and future initiatives. It was also noted that the District Advisory Committee will continue next year, with possible exploration of additional topics and data areas.

  SPED Task Force Update
  Interim Special Education Director Linda Jones shared that the task force began with the goal of creating a clear vision and alignment of services across the district for students experiencing disabilities, using evidence-based best practices to guide the work. The work was led by Trace Blanco, autism specialist, with support from Linda Jones and Courtney. The task force met seven times since January and focused primarily on special programs.  Special thanks were given to board members Gerardo Partida and Lu Ann Anderson for participating in the process. Director Jones noted that Director Anderson brought extensive special education knowledge and helped ensure discussions remained compliant and student-centered.  

  Director Jones shared that instructional field trips and peer observations were a highlight of the task force’s work, allowing educators to observe programs across grade levels and better understand student transitions and program challenges. These experiences helped the task force define the goals and purpose of each program.  The task force identified a need to move from a K-5 model to grade-band programming, including K-2, 3-5, middle school, and high school groupings. Director Jones explained that the changes are not intended to segregate students, but rather to group students by similar needs to provide more targeted support, consistent educational experiences, and increased opportunities for inclusion. Placement decisions remain based on each student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP).

  When asked about changes in philosophy regarding inclusion versus grouping students separately, Director Jones clarified that there is no move toward segregation, but instead a focus on better meeting student needs through more intentional program structures. She explained that grouping students by need allows for clearer program focus and additional inclusion opportunities.

  Questions were asked regarding whether student needs referred to medical, adaptive, or academic needs. Director Jones responded that placements are determined by the specific needs identified within each student’s IEP.  Additional discussion focused on ensuring continuity of services from elementary through high school and helping educators better understand program expectations and transitions across grade levels. An explanation was given that instructional field trips allowed staff to observe how programs function at elementary, middle, and high school levels to strengthen collaboration and transition planning.

  Questions were also asked regarding school locations and staffing for the proposed grade-band programs. Director Jones explained that placements were determined based on facility availability and minimizing impacts on students. The proposed locations include:

  • K-2 Life Skills at Grand Haven and Willamette
  • K-2 LRC2 at Buell
  • 3-5 Life Skills at Memorial and Willamette
  • 3-5 LRC2 at Newby

  Clarification was provided that Life Skills classrooms serve students with more adaptive and functional needs, while LRC2 programs serve students who receive core instruction in special education classrooms but may participate in general education settings for portions of the day.

  In response to a question regarding how many students would need to attend a school outside their neighborhood school, Director Jones estimated approximately 25 students, noting that kindergarten transition numbers are still pending. It was also noted that the previous transition to neighborhood schools impacted nearly 60 students, and the current proposal was designed to minimize student disruption as much as possible.

  EL Task Force Update
  Kourtney Wessels shared that she had the opportunity to facilitate the Multilingual Task Force Committee this spring with support from Superintendent Ferrua and Director Juarez. The committee included more than 20 staff members representing multiple district buildings and met four times during the spring, with plans for continued work next year.  The purpose of the task force was to identify gaps in the district’s system for serving multilingual learners and explore opportunities to improve outcomes for this student population. She shared that the committee generated many ideas and identified two primary focus areas through subcommittee work.

  The first focus area involved developing a proficiency level toolkit. The committee emphasized the importance of all teachers seeing themselves as language teachers, regardless of subject area, and supporting students’ language development within their content areas. The group discussed the need for consistent systems and common understanding of language proficiency levels across the district. Proposed next steps include developing common proficiency rubrics, embedding supports into PLCs and data systems, and providing professional development for staff. The committee also discussed piloting tools at selected schools, including interest from Dunaway and Buell, while continuing development work over the summer.

  The second focus area centered on instructional support within classrooms. The committee discussed the need for clearer definitions of teacher and instructional assistant (IA) roles when supporting multilingual learners. Proposed strategies include creating best practice guidelines, defining shared roles and expectations, developing five high-impact instructional strategies for IAs to implement independently, and providing additional professional development and collaboration opportunities between teachers and instructional assistants.

  Budget Update
  Director Hall provided a brief budget update and reminded the Board that the second Budget Committee meeting is scheduled for Wednesday evening. He shared that staff responded to budget questions following the first meeting and will continue updating the FAQ document as additional questions are received.

  He reported that the first round of staffing reduction and hour adjustment communications was sent to staff, with additional communications anticipated later in the week following further staffing analysis.  He reviewed the district’s staffing and budget development process, explaining that staffing decisions are based on enrollment data, student needs, program requirements, legal requirements, and district staffing frameworks. Allocations are reviewed across buildings to ensure consistency, equity, and long-term sustainability.

  The district has made reductions and staffing adjustments across all grade levels to align with current enrollment and student population needs. Adjustments included discretionary budget reductions, classroom staffing changes, classified support hour adjustments, and alignment of specialist and support staff with enrollment data. Superintendent Ferrua emphasized that the reductions are not major program eliminations, but smaller adjustments across multiple areas designed to maintain long-term sustainability while protecting strategic investments and programs important to students, including the block schedule.

  Questions were asked regarding the impact on specialized elementary staff positions, such as music, PE, and intervention programs. Superintendent Ferrua responded that more detailed information would be shared after staff communications are completed and explained that staffing decisions are based on student need, number of classrooms, intervention needs, and other data points.

  Director Hall also shared district office reductions, including eliminating an administrator position through attrition, reducing discretionary budgets, improving operational efficiencies, limiting out-of-state staff travel, and increasing direct special education hiring rather than using outside contractors when possible. In response to questions, administration explained that recent staffing market changes have improved the district’s ability to directly hire specialized staff, reducing costs compared to contracted services. Clarification was also provided that travel reductions apply to staff professional development and conferences, not student clubs or athletic activities.

  Board Processes

  • Superintendent Evaluation
  • Board Self-Evaluation
  • Meeting Topic/Length
  • Construction Excise Tax

  The Board discussed several board process topics, including the superintendent evaluation process, board self-evaluation, meeting topic and length, and the use of Construction Excise Tax (CET) funds. Feedback gathered during the discussion will help guide planning for the upcoming board retreat and future board processes.

  Regarding the superintendent evaluation, board members discussed what worked well, areas for improvement, and whether outside support should be considered in future evaluations. Multiple members shared support for aligning superintendent goals with the district strategic plan and evaluating progress toward district goals rather than relying solely on generalized leadership standards. Directors also discussed the importance of clearer timelines, SMART goals, and increased stakeholder input.

  Several members referenced the value which includes broader stakeholder surveys every other year. Concerns were raised regarding how stakeholder and direct report feedback is collected, with members emphasizing the need for confidentiality and opportunities for candid feedback. Some members supported using a third-party facilitator or data collector for stakeholder surveys and anonymous feedback collection, while others felt the board could continue developing and improving its internal process without a full outside evaluation system. Board members generally agreed the current process was a “step in the right direction” and “repairable or improvable.”

  The Board also discussed its first board self-evaluation process. Members generally supported continuing annual self-evaluations and aligning board goals with the district strategic plan. Discussion included possible timeline adjustments to better align with the school year and summer retreat planning process. Suggestions for improvement included distinguishing between evaluating individual contributions and evaluating the board collectively. Most members did not support adding stakeholder feedback to the board self-evaluation process, noting that elected board members are ultimately accountable to voters and already receive public input through board meetings and elections.

  The Board then discussed the length and structure of board meetings and work sessions. Several members stated they did not have concerns about meeting length and emphasized the importance of receiving detailed information to support informed decision-making. Others expressed concern about meetings regularly extending late into the evening and the impact on staff and attendees. Suggestions included improving agenda efficiency, clarifying presentation expectations, increasing use of subcommittees, and ensuring agenda materials clearly identify the purpose of each topic and what feedback or action is being requested from the Board. Board members also noted the importance of balancing efficiency with maintaining transparency and thorough public discussion.

  Finally, the Board discussed the use of Construction Excise Tax (CET) funds and whether additional guidance or procedures should be developed regarding how the funds are used. Discussion included whether there should be a policy, administrative rule, operational guidance document, minimum reserve balance, or clearer prioritization process for CET expenditures, particularly as the district plans for future bond projects and increasing facility maintenance needs.

  Superintendent Ferrua shared that staff are already developing an internal guidance document outlining how CET decisions are prioritized, including considerations such as safety, compliance, deferred maintenance, emergencies, and bond planning. Board members discussed the importance of maintaining flexibility in how CET funds are used while also ensuring transparency and prudent financial planning. Several members noted the district has historically managed funds responsibly and emphasized that CET funds should continue supporting important capital improvement and maintenance projects rather than remaining unused solely in anticipation of future bonds. The Board expressed interest in reviewing the proposed operational guidance document once completed and continuing the conversation at a future meeting or retreat.

  Review Year-End-Events
  Superintendent Ferrua reviewed the comprehensive list of events by day for each school.  She encouraged the Board members to attend some of the events for their adopted school.

  Board Appointment Process
  The Board discussed the process and timeline for filling the upcoming board vacancy following Director Abby Warmbier’s resignation, which will become effective after the June business meeting.

  Two appointment timeline options were presented:

  • Option A: Advertise the vacancy later in June through July, conduct interviews in July, and appoint a new board member at the August business meeting.
  • Option B: Begin advertising immediately, conduct interviews during the June business meeting, and hold a special meeting in June to appoint a new board member.

  Board members generally expressed support for Option B, noting the importance of filling the vacancy sooner rather than delaying until August. Discussion included the benefit of allowing the newly appointed member to participate in the summer board retreat if timelines allowed.

  The Board also discussed scheduling challenges due to summer vacations and availability conflicts. Several members indicated they could participate remotely if needed. It was noted that July scheduling would likely be difficult due to multiple board members being unavailable for extended periods.

  The Board agreed to move forward with advertising the vacancy immediately and discussed potentially narrowing the applicant pool prior to interviews. Additional discussion focused on identifying possible dates for a special meeting to appoint the new board member before the retreat. Staff will follow up with board members regarding availability and scheduling options.

  Directors Comments
  Director Anderson thanked all the district committees for all of the hard work through the school year.

  Director Warmbier is looking forward to all of the celebration events, trying to make as many as she can.

  Upcoming dates:

  • May 20, 2026 Second Formal Budget meeting
  • Board Business meeting June 8, 2026
  • Special Board Meeting June 15, 2026
  • Summer Board Retreat June 20, 2026
  • Work Session meeting June 22, 2026

  Meeting video

  The Session adjourned at 8:07 PM.