September 8, 2025 Business Board Meeting Minutes

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

The Board Business Meeting was held September 8, 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/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 Gerardo Partida
Director  Lu Ann Anderson
Director  Christine Bader
Director  Jason Bizon
Director  Doris Towery – via Zoom
Director  Abbie Warmbier

BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT
None

ADMINISTRATION
Kourtney Ferrua , Interim Superintendent
Cherice Bowden, Board Secretary

AUDIENCE
Martha Biggs, Jason Hall, Hiran Amerasinghe, Lauren Berg, Kimberly Harmon, Brian Crain, Stephanie Murdock, Erin Caldwell, Chris Starr, Lisa Jordan-Zornow, Vicky Brown, Allison Eitzen, Scott Murphy, Taire Thomason, Dave Furman, Kim Price and Kathi Fowler.  

• 1.1  Pledge of Allegiance
  The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Erin Caldwell.

  1.4  Introductions and Communications
  There were no introductions or communications.

  1.7  Review of Agenda
  There were no changes to the agenda.

  2.0 Consent Agenda
  2.2 Approval of minutes of the August 11, 2025 Business Board Meeting,  the August 23, 2025 Summer Board Retreat and the August 25, 2025 Work Session Meeting approved. 

  2.3 Personnel Actions approved.

  Chair Vollmer explained that for those who may not know, the consent agenda is a summary that includes the approval of past meeting minutes, recent personnel changes made by the district in the last 30 days, and occasionally, some pre-agreed upon topics that need board action without a lot of fanfare. 

  On motion by Director Lu Ann Anderson, seconded by Vice Chair Gerardo Partida, the Consent Agenda was approved on a unanimous vote 7-0.  Director Lu Ann Anderson – aye, Director Christine Bader – aye, Director Abbie Warmbier – aye,  Chair Larry Vollmer – aye,   Vice-Chair Gerardo Partida – aye, Director Doris Towery – aye -via Zoom, and Director Jason Bizon – aye.

  3.0 REPORTS
  The Board heard Monthly Reports.

  3.1 McEA
  Taire Thomson, president of the McMinnville Education Association (McEA), began by introducing the new executive board members and explaining their assigned roles, which are divided by school level to ensure more focused support. She noted that there haven’t been any school shout-outs yet due to the short time since the school year started, but positive feedback has already been coming in. She shared that the first week went well, with many teachers appreciating the chance to reconnect with students. She highlighted how some schools held supply drop-off nights, which were well-received and could be worth exploring as a district-wide initiative in the future.

  She met with interim Superintendent Ferrua and former HR Director Turner, saying they helped establish strong initial connections. She also shared that the McEA executive board created a SMART goal for the year focused on improving behavior support systems as outlined in Article 18 of their contract. She welcomed new hires to the district and emphasized the importance of supporting them. Additionally, she mentioned the union’s efforts to improve communication through updated social media and website content. She expressed hope for a transparent and inclusive hiring process for the new HR Director, emphasizing the importance of staff having a voice in selecting someone for this critical role.

  Director Anderson said it was nice to meet Taire Thomson, mentioned they hadn’t met before, and welcomed her to her new position.

  Vice Chair Partida said it was nice to meet Taire Thomson for the first time. He suggested that if there’s an opportunity, Taire could email the board about school events like book drop-offs or tours. He expressed interest in participating, saying board members might be able to donate books or get involved if they receive a reminder or more information by email.

  3.2  Superintendent Report
  Interim Superintendent Ferrua shared that the start of the school year has been exciting and successful. The district’s annual welcome-back event featured inspiring staff speakers and lively performances by the high school band, Ballet Folklorico, and Danza Azteca, creating great energy and community spirit. She thanked many staff members and administrators for their hard work in organizing and transforming the event space. On the first day of school, 6,182 students were enrolled, close to the projected 6,200. This year also marked the full launch of the Synergy system, which will help the district manage resources more efficiently. Enrollment is being monitored closely, with a usual slight drop expected by October, so no new staffing changes are planned at this time.

  Transition activities for students went smoothly, with well-attended kindergarten camps and orientation sessions for 6th and 9th graders. The district also received positive attention when KPTV News visited Grandhaven and the Family Resource Center to highlight various programs like nutrition services and community partnerships. Superintendent Ferrua announced that the HR Director, Brian Turner, unexpectedly relocated, creating a vacancy. The district has posted the position and is aiming to hire a permanent replacement rather than using an interim. She thanked colleagues who have stepped up during this transition to keep things running smoothly.

  Fall sports and activities are underway, including soccer, cross country, volleyball, and football, with auditions for the fall musical in progress. She encouraged everyone to attend upcoming events like Homecoming in late September and back-to-school nights for all school levels. Superintendent Ferrua also mentioned ongoing partnerships with local organizations and expressed excitement about the collaborative work ahead. She invited the community to support McMinnville schools by participating in upcoming fundraisers like Runtoberfest and the Mac Club Crab Feed on October 4th.

  3.3  Director of Fiscal Services’ Report
  Director Hall reported that as of September 2nd, the district had 6,182 students enrolled, which is about 20 students fewer than the projected 6,202 for October 1st. He noted that it’s normal to see about a 1% drop in enrollment between the first day of school and October 1st, so they are closely monitoring these numbers as they can change daily with students moving in or out of the district.

  He mentioned that the enrollment is currently just slightly below projection, about a third of a percent and the district will get a clearer picture after the 10-day drop period on September 16th, which is when they finalize the official enrollment count for the year. The cabinet meets weekly to keep an eye on these changes.

  The board asked additional clarifying questions to better understand the student enrollment numbers.

  He shared that the board received an update on the district’s finances for Period 1, which ended July 31st. The report was about a month behind because it takes time for the finance team to close each fiscal month.  September’s meeting covers July’s numbers. July is typically the district’s lowest activity month since schools are out, meaning expenses are low, but revenue is high due to the state’s double payment from the school fund to help with cash flow at the start of the year.  The financial status shows the district is well within its budget limits so far.

  He provided further updates. The Oregon Revenue Forecast released on August 27th showed a significant drop in expected state revenues about $888 million less due to federal legislation (HR1). This shift has changed the state’s outlook from a $473 million surplus to a projected $373 million deficit for the 2025-27 budget period. The impact on school funding is still unclear, so the district will continue to monitor the situation. The state is poised to handle this a little better than it was in previous economic downturns as the state reserves are in a much healthier place than they were when this occurred during the recession in 2008-2009.  

  The district’s final audit work is scheduled to begin the week of September 22nd. The finance team is currently focused on closing out the fiscal year and preparing all necessary documents to ensure a smooth audit process.

  4.0  Public Forum
  We did not receive any public comments.

• 5.0 New Business

  5.1  Director Crain  presented the following policies for first reading. 

  5.1.1 JFCEB G1 – Personal Electronic Devices
  5.1.2 JOA D1 – Student Directory Information

  These policies will return for second reading at the next Board Business meeting.

  5.2  Board Working Agreements
  Chair Vollmer stated that the documents presented to the Board is a draft that reflects the board’s shared principles and agreements regarding how the board will work together, set its goals, and evaluate the interim superintendent. The evaluation process should be tailored specifically to the interim role, recognizing it will differ from a standard contractual superintendent evaluation.  The Board reviewed and discussed the Board Working Agreement.  

  Director Warmbier said that the document effectively captures the work and discussions from the retreat.  She sees it as a flexible, working document that can be revised over time, especially as new board members join. While it may not be highly detailed and closely resembles what OSBA provides, it offers a meaningful way to express the board’s principles in their own words. Importantly, it’s not a formal policy, so it can be updated as needed without a vote.

  Director Bizon stated that the Board Working Agreement is a strong starting point for clarifying the roles and partnership between the board and the superintendent. He emphasized the importance of following Policy BK, which calls for a self-appraisal of the board’s performance and adherence to the working agreement.

  Chair Vollmer acknowledged Director Bizon’s point and confirmed that board self-evaluation will be addressed in an upcoming work session. He noted that the policy referenced is brief and lacks detail on how the evaluation should be conducted. Chair Vollmer emphasized the importance of the process and said the board will work together to define what it looks like. He also highlighted that the policy calls for reviewing the board’s goals, objectives, and working agreement as part of the annual evaluation.

  The Board engaged in further discussion about the Board Working Agreement.

  5.3  Board Goals
  Chair Vollmer explained that aligning the Board’s goals with the superintendent’s goals for staff, students, and the district is a new approach for the Board. He emphasized the importance of clearly defining the Board’s responsibilities alongside the superintendent’s. He encouraged members to review the working agreement and evaluation documents after the session and provide any edits or suggestions. He clarified that the documents aren’t final and should reflect shared understanding, aiming to finalize them soon so the Board can focus on other priorities for the school year.

  Director Bader shared that while the content of the board goals is solid, the presentation could be improved. She suggested combining the superintendent’s and board’s goals into a single document organized by the five key areas previously discussed. This format would provide better context, clearly show shared goals, and highlight alignment and collaboration. The intent is not to change the content but to improve clarity and coherence by linking district goals with corresponding superintendent and board actions.

  The Board discussed the importance of reviewing and updating the goals on an annual basis, potentially during the Summer Retreat.

  5.4  Superintendent Evaluation
  Chair Vollmer introduced the draft outline for the interim superintendent evaluation, noting that while the document is lengthy, most of it covers scoring methods and timelines. The core content focused on five goal areas: continuous school improvement, fiscal responsibility, positive climate and culture, family and community partnerships, and leadership—spans only about a page. He asked board members to review both the goals and the proposed evaluation calendar, which includes a mid-year self-assessment and discussion. Chair Vollmer welcomed any feedback, suggestions, or adjustments to the goals or timeline.

  Director Bader suggested that the superintendent evaluation process in April if the board would want to reserve the right, if not make a commitment to include stakeholder feedback, not just input from direct reports. 

  The Board continued discussing the criteria for the superintendent’s evaluation process. 

  6.0  Board Directors Comments
  Director Warmbier welcomed everyone back and expressed appreciation for the board’s prior work on the personal electronic devices policy, which allowed for early implementation this year ahead of other districts. She acknowledged the challenges with students and families and noted that having the groundwork already in place made the transition smoother. She also mentioned that once the policy is officially approved, staff can point to the board as the reason students are required to put their phones away.

  Director Anderson welcomed everyone back and shared how enjoyable it was to be with students on the first day of school. She expressed appreciation for the energy, hard work, and the impactful welcome-back event for staff, thanking the team for their efforts. She wished everyone a great rest of the week.

  Vice Chair Partida welcomed everyone back and shared appreciation for the positive energy and smiling faces at the start of the school year. He praised the high school’s welcome-back event, calling it beautiful and well-organized; he heard nothing but praise.  He thanked the leadership team and the superintendent for putting it together.

  Director Bader echoed gratitude to everyone for a strong and positive start to the school year.

  Director Towery expressed gratitude for the inspiring start to the school year and praised the welcome-back efforts, sharing positive feedback from parents and teachers. She then announced, with a heavy heart, her resignation from the school board effective September 30th, as her family is moving out of the district. She reflected on the honor of serving the community, acknowledged both the challenges and growth she experienced, and expressed deep appreciation for the board, staff, and families. She shared confidence in Dr. Ferrua’s leadership and pride in having contributed to the district, even in a small way.

  Chair Vollmer thanked Director Towery for her service to the district, students, and staff, and expressed appreciation for her contributions. He encouraged her to take time before her departure on September 30th to visit the district and say goodbye to folks that she would like to do that with.

  Chair Vollmer announced that, following Director Towery’s resignation, there is now an open board position. He noted that a timeline for filling the vacancy will be shared with Starla and posted on the website within a few days. The goal is to appoint a new board member within 30 to 45 days. He also thanked Director Towery again for her service.

  8.0 Announcements
  None

  Meeting Videos

  The meeting adjourned at 7:50 p.m.