October 27, 2025 Work Session Meeting Minutes

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

The Work Session was held October 27, 2025 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

At 6:30 p.m. the Board of Directors of McMinnville School District opened the work session meeting.  The meeting was called to order by Chair Larry Vollmer.  Roll call indicated the following:

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, Interim Superintendent
Cherice Bowden, Board Secretary

AUDIENCE
Brian Crain, Jason Hall, Lauren Berg, Hiran Amerasinghe, Shelly Simonyi Emily Linnertz, Davey Altree and Jared Larson.  See atttached.

• HR Director Introduction
  Superintendent Ferrua was excited to introduce Emily Linnertz, the new HR Director and she invited her to come up to the podium and introduce herself.  

  Director Linnertz introduced herself.  She has lived in McMinnville for 8 years.  She has two school aged children who go to Memorial ES.  Her spouse also works at the high school as a counselor.  Prior to this work she worked at Portland Public Schools for 5 years in HR and here in the hospital.  She has a lot of nonprofit experience and she states that it feels like the roads are leading home, she is thrilled to be here.

  MHS Pattern Science
  Director Berg introduced the two science teachers from the high school. Megan Martins and Jessica Gordon. 

  Megan Martins and Jessica Gordon shared that over the past few years, the high school’s science department has undergone significant changes, including a re-sequencing of courses and the adoption of a new science curriculum.  They shared how this process unfolded and what motivated the change.

  In 2022, the department examined who their science program was serving well and where improvements were needed. They identified a key issue: ninth-grade students were being tracked into different science pathways too early, based on course forecasting before teachers or students fully understood their academic strengths. This early decision often limited students’ access to advanced science courses later in high school. Data showed that only about one in ten students who began in Physical Science went on to earn credit in advanced science classes.

  To address this, the department focused on two goals:

  1. Removing barriers to make advanced science courses more accessible to all students.

  2. Ensuring equitable representation of the school’s student demographics within advanced science classes.
     

  The department spent about a year researching the impact of course sequencing, studying local data, consulting other schools, and exploring new curriculum options. Through partnerships with the Salem Metro STEM Hub and Portland Metro STEM Hub, they secured funding and support to implement a new curriculum and course sequence known as the Patterns sequence. This change aims to create a more inclusive, equitable, and flexible science pathway for all students at the high school.

  Two years ago, the high school fully re-sequenced its science program, aligning the change with similar shifts happening in other Oregon schools. Currently, about one-third of Oregon students use the Patterns science curriculum in some form.  The new sequence eliminated student tracking. Now, all freshmen take Physics, followed by Chemistry in their sophomore year. After completing Chemistry, every student has access to advanced and college-level science courses—opportunities that were previously limited to those who chose specific prerequisites early in high school.

  Early data show significant improvement: the number of students enrolling in college-credit Biology has doubled or even tripled under the new sequence. This structure also allows students to build on foundational Physics and Chemistry knowledge before taking Biology, resulting in deeper engagement with advanced science standards.

  They introduced a student, Nancy, who shared her personal experience with the new sequence and her success in college-level Biology via video.  They highlighted the statewide impact of the Patterns curriculum and the continued collaboration with local and regional STEM Hubs. Throughout the resequencing and adoption process, the science team received extensive professional development through the STEM WRAP grant, including annual summer institutes, statewide professional learning communities, and regular curriculum training.

  These partnerships have provided ongoing teacher support, access to updated curriculum resources, and connections to a statewide network of science educators that have strengthened instruction and kept the program aligned with current science practices.  The department continues to evaluate student outcomes, refine junior and senior-year course offerings, expand access to college-credit opportunities, and review curriculum updates each year. They are inspired to continue to improve and they are really encouraged by the support that they find in the statewide network.

  The Board asked clarifying questions, which Megan and Jessica addressed.

  ELPA Results/EL Program
  Director Berg provided an overview of the English Language Proficiency Assessment (ELPA), the annual state test for English Language Learners (ELLs) that measures progress in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The assessment helps determine instructional needs and whether students are ready to exit language support programs. She explained that the McMinnville School District has English Language Development (ELD) staff in all nine schools, providing both small-group and classroom-based support. The district has also aligned English language proficiency standards with Common Core and trained over 30 teachers in Constructing Meaning, a program that helps educators explicitly teach academic language and structures to support ELL students’ success in both oral and written communication.

  Director Berg shared 2024–25 ELPA data, showing that McMinnville students performed at or above the state average in most grade levels for both progressing and proficient categories. Seven of the district’s nine schools scored at level 3 or above on the state’s On-Track to English Language Proficiency indicator, demonstrating strong growth. She also outlined next steps, including continued collaboration through professional learning communities (PLCs), focused alignment of ELD and core content standards, regular data reviews to monitor student progress, and ongoing professional development to strengthen instructional practices. These efforts aim to ensure that English learners continue to make steady progress and receive consistent, high-quality language support across all schools.

  The Board had several questions, and Director Berg provided answers.

  Budget Process
  Superintendent Ferrua shared an updated and more proactive approach to the district’s annual budget process. While the formal budgeting period will remain in the traditional April–June timeframe, the district is beginning discussions much earlier starting in October through December to engage administrators, staff, and stakeholders in identifying key values, goals, and priorities that will guide financial decisions. Early engagement efforts include gathering input through tools such as the YouthTruth Survey and potentially forming focused work groups to explore specific topics like schedules or program structures.

  She also emphasized the importance of flexibility and preparation given the uncertainty of Oregon’s state funding timelines. The district plans to develop three budget scenarios based on varying funding projections to remain adaptable as new information emerges. She reaffirmed the district’s commitment to a transparent, collaborative process, working closely with union partners and other stakeholder groups to ensure that communication remains open and that budget planning reflects the community’s priorities even amid fiscal uncertainty.

  CET Project Updates
  Director Crain provided an update on several Construction Excise Tax (CET) projects across the district. The Bogan intercom system was completed in August, and the Grandhaven chiller has been shipped, with plans to disconnect the old unit around November 4 for a smooth installation of the new system. The JV softball team room project has been released for bid, with proposals scheduled for review on November 6, and a contractor recommendation expected for Board approval in December, as the contract will exceed $100,000. The project team has consulted with Coach Ryan McIrvin to ensure the design meets the program’s needs.

  Director Crain also discussed plans for new baseball dugouts to address safety and accessibility concerns, including low clearance and growing cracks in the existing structures. Working with John Abel and Cornerstone Management, the district is preparing to go out for bids. Based on a recent project in St. Helens, similar dugouts cost approximately $75,000 each, suggesting a total estimated cost of $150,000 for two dugouts at the baseball field, with final pricing to be determined through the bid process.

  MSD Properties
  Director Crain updated the Board on the district’s six rental properties, which generate about $7,700 per month after management expenses. He highlighted several key properties: the Irvine house near Wartman Stadium, which could support pathway classes or future athletic facilities; a home near Memorial Elementary, which could allow for expanded parking or modulars; and four properties near the high school and Evans Street Learning Center, which could facilitate future high school expansion. He noted that a neighboring property has recently been put up for sale, with the owner asking $550,000, though Zillow estimates it at $433,000.

  He explained the district’s typical approach to property acquisition: relying on professional appraisals and offering the appraised value without extended negotiation. He outlined potential funding options, including a lump-sum payment, financing via mortgage with rental income, or selling another property to offset costs. He said he would bring the opportunity to the Board at a work session meeting for guidance before responding to the homeowner.

  Board Self-Evaluation
  Chair Vollmer explained that he had drafted a 2–3 page worksheet or scoring guide as a starting point for the board’s self-evaluation process. He explained that this was not a final version, but rather a discussion draft to help the board begin evaluating its own effectiveness and compliance with existing policy.

  He states that the board has a policy requiring an annual self-evaluation, but it hasn’t been completed in several years; in fact, not at all since he has been on the board. 

  He stated that Mike Scott contacted other districts with similar policies and found that most of those boards also were not conducting self-evaluations, so they didn’t have multiple models to draw from.

  He suggested developing a basic scoring rubric that board members could complete independently and review annually or semiannually during a retreat or work session. The rubric would be tied to the board’s goals, superintendent’s goals, and district goals, assessing how well the board supports students, staff, and overall district performance.  He then opened the discussion to the group, inviting feedback, suggestions, and edits, and stated that this was only an initial idea meant to spark discussion about how to conduct meaningful self-evaluation and improve board performance.

  The Board continued the discussion and asked additional clarification questions.

  Directors Comments
  Director Bader shared that the Advisory Committee had its first meeting a week ago and states that it was amazing and super inspiring. It was exciting to see so many community members hungry to dive into data, learn about what’s happening in the district, and be able to participate in informed conversations about how to better support our kids. She gave a huge thanks to Kourtney Ferrua, Lauren Berg, and Shane Fox for their work in structuring the session, and also thanked the community members who attended. It was a wonderfully diverse group, with everyone super engaged and hungry for more.  She thinks we are gonna see great things coming out of that committee.

  Director Juarez thanked the presenters, was thankful for the tour and to everyone she has met.

  Director Anderson kudoed Director Berg for being named Workforce Partner of the Year by the McMinnville Economic Development Partnership, and she thanked the McMinnville Education Foundation for supporting valuable learning opportunities, stating that their contributions make science experiments and similar activities possible for students.

  Director Warmbier acknowledged the hard work of teachers, staff, and translators during parent-teacher conferences, thanking everyone for their efforts to welcome families and maintain strong community connections. She mentioned attending the Memorial Art Show with Director Anderson as another great way to engage the community. She also shared that Tuesday is election day for the city bond measure the board supported and said she is hopeful it will pass to bring new recreation centers and opportunities for students.

  Chair Vollmer shared that Friday is Halloween, and K-8 students will enjoy the Halloween version of wiener wraps. He also thanked everyone for their time and contributions on various documents, noting that the group has made positive progress and is starting important conversations to continue improving the district.

  Upcoming dates:

  • Board Business meeting November 10, 2025 and December 8, 2025
  • Work Session meeting November 24, 2025, No Work Session meeting in December

  Meeting video

  The Session adjourned at 8:01 PM.