SEQUIM — Sequim School District may see a reduction in staff come Tuesday.
At Monday’s Sequim School Board meeting, Randy Hill, executive director of Human Resources, announced the district will issue non-renewal notices to provisional employees by Tuesday.
Hill said this decision was made because of “the uncertainty of educational programs” and that this is in lieu of the district’s yearly review.
“Every year the district takes a look at the programs and sees if it can offer opportunities,” he said. “We are just uncertain of what we can offer.”
Provisional employees include those who are within their first three years of employment at the district or are coming over from another district within their first three years of employment.
Hill said at this time he does not know how many employees this will affect. He said employees who are issued notices would have the option to come back and apply for their positions again in the future.
Listed in the board meeting’s consent agenda, seven certificated employees filed resignations and one filed for retirement.
Helen Haller assistant principal Allyson Cundiff was among those who submitted a resignation that will be effective on June 30.
Cundiff was hired in the fall of 2016 from a school in Bremerton where she worked with students in pre-kindergarten through third grade. Her role as an assistant principal included some instruction leadership, leading some grade level teams and evaluation of teachers.
Hill said the process of hiring another assistant principal has not been discussed yet.
In addition, Richard James, Clallam County transportation program manager, announced his department is applying for a Clallam County Safe Route to School grant from the state Department of Transportation to create 5,000 feet of sidewalk from Carlsborg Road and U.S. Highway 101 to connect to the east- and west-bound routes of the Olympic Discovery Trail.
A sidewalk also would be installed beside Smithfield Road to connect Carlsborg Road sidewalk to the existing Miller Road sidewalk.
“We’re trying to get more children to walk and bike to school,” James said. He asked the board to approve submitting a letter of support for the grant application. The process would start in 2019 and would be complete by 2021.
Samantha Troxler presented the district’s McKinney Vento/Homeless Youth program and services and stated that 166 students have identified themselves as homeless for the 2017-2018 school year.
Board directors approved:
• A policy regarding federal and/or state funded special instruction programs and parent and a policy regarding student and parent rights in administrative surveys.
• A letter of support to the Clallam County Safe Route to School Grant
The next meeting is set for 6 p.m. Monday, May 21, at Helen Haller Library, 35o W. Fir St.
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Erin Hawkins is a reporter with the Olympic Peninsula News Group, which is composed of Sound Publishing newspapers Peninsula Daily News, Sequim Gazette and Forks Forum. Reach her at ehawkins@sequimgazette.com.
