[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6590746,"mediaKeyId","5671840-db49eb65119605851269a8275a6b4a9a","parentId",5671840,"title","Parents, staff and a retired teacher urge Battle Ground board to adopt Wayfinder SEL program","audioSeconds",446,"startMs",1572000,"endMs",2018000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5671840-db49eb65119605851269a8275a6b4a9a&start=1572&end=2018","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5671840-db49eb65119605851269a8275a6b4a9a/thumbnail_1572000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6590746/Washington/Parents-staff-and-a-retired-teacher-urge-Battle-Ground-board-to-adopt-Wayfinder-SEL-program","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6590746-210ec573c8227dbcf74da04dc08dbdd1/orig.mp4?Expires=1770412616&Signature=mNXXZD5mjcy~VK1Ekq2aLApETNIP8jc5QZm3NoV3X5Y0PXEwLpjyiKwQowfBpnwP8UzYlvte55LEmzI~XvThMJ3lLpPjkO2YWAfCJan0tjYG42VePRiTAHcQH8uk1W1qbjgRRyw0mx9PRAWIbbcdYnUxa4SFe96OgnHFcnwo9zhDSYOlYGVU64cJGSdbVtqgZEUyAPFAKTrEWtSVM~DsQMCy8vdeSlcR3F~ltFG30fAN25LccytpK4r0n0uWRiKVOtnrHnrC9CDbNvmYuLDjb0Z-r7-tCr03UXzUX-myxKaR6beRaSW7Ucx-oC7mX629Jo~~0npQvFmOo7qSxTqA~g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Battle Ground School District","date","2025-08-25T00:00:00Z","article","Three public commenters told the board they support adopting the Wayfinder social‑emotional learning (SEL) program when the board returns to the item in September.

Eunice Ingermansen, who said she works directly with students as a paraeducator and unpaid mentor, described classroom observations and told the board she has seen Wayfinder help students with emotion regulation, decision making and goal planning. \"The need for SEL cannot be overstated,\" Ingermansen said during citizens comments, and she asked the board to respect the adoption committee’s recommendation when Wayfinder comes back for a final vote.

Retired educator Laurie Sidley, who said she served the district 32 years, told the board she found the program \"politically neutral\" and emphasized practical classroom benefits: collaboration, problem solving, attendance improvement and a separate financial education component she described as broadly useful. Sidley said students who piloted the material responded positively and urged the board to approve the program at the next vote.

Both speakers referenced the adoption process and committee work. Ingermansen specifically asked the board to consider the adoption committee and classroom pilots in their upcoming second and third readings, which the district has scheduled for future meetings. Board members had earlier tabled the high‑school SEL item and clarified in the minutes that the tabled item should return when a full board is present.

What the board has not yet decided
The district has not taken a final vote on Wayfinder. At the Aug. 11 meeting the board tabled the high‑school SEL item; directors discussed bringing it to a full board meeting when attendance allows. Public commenters requested the board avoid letting personal preferences override the adoption committee’s recommendation.

Speakers who spoke in favor of Wayfinder at the Aug. 25 meeting included Eunice Ingermansen (paraeducator/mentor), Laurie Sidley (recently retired educator) and others who referenced students’ positive reactions to pilot lessons. The board did not act on Wayfinder at the Aug. 25 meeting; the item is expected to return for further consideration at a future full board meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Battle Ground School District - Board of Directors","oneSentenceSummary","Multiple public commenters at the Aug. 25 Battle Ground School District meeting urged the board to approve the Wayfinder social‑emotional learning curriculum at its next reading. Speakers said classroom pilots and staff endorsements showed positive student engagement and recommended the board base its vote on the adoption committee’s work.","taxTitle","Battle Ground School District, School Districts, Washington","taxId",13034,"location","Washington","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6590751,"Battle Ground schools begin year amid data migration, HVAC issues and new construction‑trades planning",269,712000,981000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5671840-db49eb65119605851269a8275a6b4a9a&start=712&end=981","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5671840-db49eb65119605851269a8275a6b4a9a/thumbnail_712000.jpg","/articles/6590751/Washington/Battle-Ground-schools-begin-year-amid-data-migration-HVAC-issues-and-new-constructiontrades-planning","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6590751-78d4e06fa8ab4220ddf8d4166fe310b6/orig.mp4?Expires=1770412616&Signature=bky3k2B29AUotsskpD960ynFARAnRqcyBb9OUIw7HQX6eMWxSey7-mbKM47A7UjeVGa9NCYDQ~J9SO1kKYHbyur3LHSTKJIcvNCb9uZVgXfV9cYXIcQ095NoDPdDd6twbZqMJrawem3Z-w1dYv84VX1S5YHkHrAEKH5yEMhzF2-hwOLaKSRndDDbsUxnb8KM67f5KHvciz8el5UuBtSpwj2YRMTnPDRP3LRDz3BvWTWFPKGPKsGjbEog1hLvLmdLo4Lfl9eTD4r4WAE4nYhEnov0RkvYw9VKmGOQefZ4tTWhbmpxSfUTruiiqj-MQ~XCcpKokJnY8InpwKzqHLCpGA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","School leaders told the Battle Ground School District Board on Aug. 25 that the district will open schools on schedule despite several operational challenges tied to a month‑end migration to the Skyward system and isolated building issues.

Superintendent Shelly and staff described the Skyward migration as a major background task that limited staff access during the final summer weeks and left several third‑party integrations (attendance reporting, payroll encumbrances and other modules) still under validation. \"We had two weeks where we really didn't have access to our data… until we actually do it, we're the largest district in Southwest Washington that has rolled all components of Skyward into the new cumulative system,\" said Michelle Lee, staff member (finance). IS staff member Michael Clark was singled out for extra work to reestablish connections with third‑party vendors.

Practical impacts and mitigations
- Attendance reporting: staff cited an integration with the district’s attendance tool (referred to in the meeting as Thrillshare) and recommended parents use the First Student FirstView app to check bus times because GPS data from First Student may be more reliable during the first days of school.
- HVAC: Yackel Primary’s HVAC was expected to operate at roughly 75% capacity on opening day; the district planned early‑morning cleaning, window airing and use of fans until replacement parts restore full capacity.
- Cascadia Tech/Evergreen: Nearby Evergreen Public Schools delayed its start by a week. The district said this could affect students who attend Cascadia Tech and that any impact on instructional minutes will be tracked; short absences under a week can sometimes be covered by waiver if instructional minutes meet requirements.

Enrollment and staffing
Staff reported an enrollment increase (an estimated 160–170 students above budgeted projections) concentrated in primary grades, with some increases in middle school and uncertain counts at the high‑school level due to running start and Cascadia Tech mixes. To manage roster uncertainty, the district said it built shadow classrooms into master schedules to allow quick adjustments once counts stabilize.

Construction trades program
Superintendent and staff noted that an engineering contract with Robert Feit’s Engineering Company for a construction‑trades program phase 1 appears on the consent agenda and will proceed following administrative approvals. The district said the work is funded by the capital levy and will start at Battle Ground High School.

Staff changes and new hires
Teaching and learning staff introduced Nadia Bush as the new director of programs and compliance; the board approved program approvals on the consent agenda. HR reported the district is close to filling most vacancies but still has two staff on the reduction‑in‑force recall list and has posted K–8 elementary positions to meet certification needs.

What happens next
District staff said they will continue to monitor integrations, deployment and staffing during the first week of classes and will report operational updates at future board meetings.

Speakers who addressed operational topics included Superintendent Shelly; Michelle Lee, staff member (finance); IS staff member Michael Clark (mentioned); Lanelle (teaching and learning staff); and Nadia Bush (new director of programs and compliance).","District staff told the board start‑of‑school operations face technical and facility hiccups after a Skyward data migration, reported increased enrollment at primary grades, and announced an engineering contract to launch a construction‑trades program phase 1.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6590756,"Battle Ground School District adopts 2025–26 budget; officials warn bigger cuts if levy fails",0,2218000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5671840-db49eb65119605851269a8275a6b4a9a&start=2218&end=2218","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5671840-db49eb65119605851269a8275a6b4a9a/thumbnail_2218000.jpg","/articles/6590756/Washington/Battle-Ground-School-District-adopts-202526-budget-officials-warn-bigger-cuts-if-levy-fails","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6590756-470fe7bf9d6472983d3b8cca2d8c278a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770412616&Signature=L0Q8TgRgEGPjj3qsUzJdbD4Dm35-YnC51Tz6JeiGoFP5~NFf6x2dd8C~g6Ig3LX~A-8yGaHZdq1xjDjN2hv1B19naQZvodsnirTFo9TjC73hmiy6iQCwQf9nBmhqDgq1qv8Zy01HRY-~ofja2u~j6VQ8aJBgBFXRJlgeuvJc05kbG46v5EJuRqunhpm3v5Cy-8twyDdbwGwklv7Y-MIjYP170KUsW9b-wDHxF8PqnTT42CGf0vndkTkbseH1Awi4WkQ~~HeG7cY4GcV6Nqcq-x726ifXtli~1Ty9CWvyL9S-DowdQ13JkKhHh3UGUECwMDA1jV0-zW3Nn6pQ6ppfsA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Battle Ground School District Board of Directors approved Resolution J-25 adopting the 2025–26 budget at its Aug. 25 meeting, voting 4–0 to adopt the plan after a public budget hearing. The board’s vote came after district staff outlined a multi-million-dollar funding gap and the steps the district has taken to cover it.

District finance staff told the board the 2025–26 budget shows total revenues of $224,437,769 and total expenditures of $239,163,259, producing a projected shortfall of $14,875,490 that will be covered with assigned fund balance. \"We are looking at expenditures exceeding revenue by $14,875,490,\" said Michelle Lee, staff member (finance). She presented the budget and the four‑year projections during the hearing.

Board members and staff said that shortfall stems largely from the nonrenewal of the district’s local levy, which required roughly $14 million in program and staffing reductions carried into the current budget cycle. Staff warned the district cannot sustain another levy loss without severe additional cuts: \"If levy funding is not approved for 2027, the district will need to make an additional $20,000,000 in student program reductions to balance the budget,\" Michelle Lee said.

Why this matters: the district said state funding now provides about 83% of revenue and local levy revenue fell from about 13% in 2024–25 to roughly 6.6% in the adopted budget. District leaders described remaining reserves as low and noted the district’s projected four‑year financial health score would fall to levels that could trigger state monitoring if another levy fails.

Key fiscal details and risks
- Revenues: $224,437,769 (state funding ~83%).
- Expenditures: $239,163,259; 77% of spending is salaries and benefits.
- Budgeted shortfall (to be covered by fund balance): $14,875,490.
- Special education: staff reported a continuing shortfall of about $5,000,000 that is not covered by current state allocations.
- Materials/operating costs: an estimated $4,600,000 of unfunded costs tied to inflation and rising operating expenses.
- One‑time state allocation: $50 per student for 2024–25 was cited as a one‑time offset; the district received a projected 5.3% operating increase for 2025–26 (about $750,000) that largely covered insurance and utilities increases.

Board and staff discussion emphasized constraints on local authority and the long timeline to restore programs. \"If funding is approved the district will not be able to restore student programs until 2027–28,\" Michelle Lee said. Superintendent Shelly (superintendent) said district leaders are coordinating with other superintendents and statewide associations to seek legislative changes and additional resources. \"There's no two ways about it. If we don't pass the levy, it's pretty certain that we will be here very, very shortly,\" she said.

Program and staffing impacts
District staff listed the categories affected by the levy loss and reductions: principals and assistant principals, instructional coaches, teacher‑librarians, classroom teachers, special education coordinators, district office support, custodial and operations staff, LPNs and family‑community resource personnel. Middle‑school sports stipends were eliminated (not counted as FTE). The district also noted curriculum adoptions have been deferred and custodial and maintenance hours reduced.

Fund balance and projections
Staff described how the district will use assigned and other fund balance categories to cover the shortfall. Projected ending general fund balances: a projected ending balance for fiscal year 2024–25 was shown as $5,750,000, with a projected 2025–26 ending balance of $4,778,753 (about 2% of the budget). The assigned fund balance category used for curriculum and capital reserves will decline to approximately $251,757 after covering the current deficit. Without new local revenue, projections show the district would enter negative ending balances by 2026–27, which staff said could force further cuts and bring the district into state financial oversight.

Monitoring, audits and transparency
The board was told the district maintains monthly budget status reports, enrollment monitoring and internal audits and undergoes the annual state audit. Finance staff said the most recent audit work billed about 340 auditor hours (roughly 42 days) and that auditors will need extra time during the Skyward data migration review.

Public comment and next steps
No new public commenters signed up specifically for the budget hearing at the meeting, though staff said they had received at least one community inquiry. The board adopted the budget by Resolution J‑25 as presented and the motion passed 4–0.

Votes at a glance
- Motion to excuse prearranged absences (Director Johnson; student representative Itzel Contreras Montiel): passed 4–0.
- Motion to approve the agenda as presented: passed 4–0.
- Motion to approve the consent agenda with a correction to minutes (clarifying that Director Terry Tate made the motion to table the high‑school SEL item until the next full board meeting): passed 4–0.
- Resolution J‑25, adoption of the 2025–26 budget: passed 4–0.

The board will continue monthly budget monitoring and staff said they will present options and a detailed plan should the district need to pursue additional reductions next year. The board adjourned after noting upcoming meetings and committee events.","After a public budget hearing, the Battle Ground School District Board of Directors approved the 2025–26 budget on Aug. 25 by a 4–0 vote. District staff said the budget uses reserves to cover a gap created by a local levy nonrenewal and warned that failure to pass future levies would require far deeper program reductions.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Parents, staff and a retired teacher urge Battle Ground board to adopt Wayfinder SEL program

Battle Ground schools begin year amid data migration, HVAC issues and new construction‑trades planning

Battle Ground School District adopts 2025–26 budget; officials warn bigger cuts if levy fails