July 2, 2025 at 7:00 PM - Regular Board Business Meeting

Description: 

Kris Howatt, Chair
Holly Riegelmann, Vice-Chair
Blake Petersen, Director
Brenna Puderbaugh, Director
David Ligatich, Director
Heather Coleman-Cox, Director
Dr. Shawn Farrens, Director
Dr. Tracy Klinger, Superintendent

Description: 

We acknowledge that the land where Gresham-Barlow School District is located rests on the ancestral and unceded lands of the Multnomah, Kathlamet, Clackamas, Tualatin, Kalapuya, Molalla, bands of the Chinook, and many other Tribes who made their homes along the Columbia River. We also acknowledge the systemic policies of genocide, relocation, and assimilation that still impact many Indigenous/Native American families today. As settlers and guests on these lands we respect the work of Native Nations, leaders and families, and make ongoing efforts to center Indigenous knowledge, creativity, resilience, and resistance. We consider the many legacies of violence, displacement, migration, and settlement that bring us here today. 
   
   
Reconocemos que la tierra donde está ubicado el Distrito Escolar Gresham-Barlow descansa sobre las sierras ancestrales y no cedidas de Multnomah, Kathlamet, Clackamas, Tualatin, Kalapuya, Molalla, bandas de Chinook y muchas otras Tribus que establecieron sus hogares a lo largo del río Columbia. También reconocemos las políticas sistémicas de genocidio, reubicación y asimilación que todavía afectan a muchas familias indígenas/nativas americanas en la actualidad. Como colonos e invitados en estas tierras, respetamos el trabajo de las naciones, los líderes y las familias nativas y hacemos esfuerzos continuos para centrar el conocimiento, la creatividad, la resiliencia y la resistencia indígenas. Consideramos los numerosos legados de violencia, desplazamiento, migración y asentamiento que nos traen aquí hoy.

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Board policy requires the election of the board chair and vice-chair at the first meeting of the school year. 

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3 minutes per guest / 15 minutes total

Time has been set aside on the agenda for Citizens’ Requests of the Board. This is an opportunity for the Board to listen and learn from the community. Board members are not able to respond to public comments during the meeting, but appreciate hearing your input. Public comments can be submitted in writing before the meeting, or given in-person during the meeting. Pursuant to Oregon House Bill 2560(3)(a), the meeting of the Gresham-Barlow School Board will be presented online to allow for virtual public attendance at the meeting. If you are a member of the community and wish to provide a written public comment, please use the Citizens Comments to the Board form and email your comments to the board secretary, Sarah Avery, at avery4@gresham.k12.or.us by 4:00 p.m. the day of the meeting. If anyone in the audience wishes to address the board in-person this evening, there are yellow "Citizens' Requests of the Board" forms on the table in the back of the room; please complete a form and give it to the board secretary, Mrs. Avery. 

Public Comments Submitted Including Topic:
1. NAME - Topic

Description:  There has been no significant change in the District’s financial status since the prior month. The 2023-24 ODE SFF reconciliation did provide additional revenue realized in May, which is partially offset by additional salary and transportation expenses, but overall marginally increases the size of the District's expected General Fund ending fund balance.
 

Description: 

ORS 332.075(2)-(3), states that, "All contracts of the school district must be approved by the district school board before an order can be drawn for payment." This includes the provision of labor performed by employees of the district. In addition, Board Policy GB, General Personnel Policies, provides that, "The employment contract of candidates to fill licensed and contracted positions will be approved by the Board upon the superintendent’s recommendation."

Salary placement for licensed and administrator positions will follow the terms of the established collective bargaining agreement with the labor association and memorandum of understanding with the administrator group. These agreements are available on the District website.

Description: 

All items listed are matters considered by the board to be routine and will be enacted by one motion. The motion requires a second and a vote. There will be no separate discussion of items on the consent agenda unless a member of the board requests specific items be removed from the consent agenda and placed on the regular agenda. 

Description:  During the May 20, 2025 special election, the following individuals were elected or re-elected to serve on the Gresham-Barlow School District Board of Directors:
 

Brenna Puderbaugh	Position 3, Zone 2
Holly Riegelmann	Position 4, Zone At-Large
Blake Petersen	Position 5, Zone 4
Heather Coleman-Cox	Position 6, Zone At-Large

     
The directors named above were given their Oath of Office at the special work session prior to this meeting. They will be presented with their Certificates of Election at this time. 

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Time has been set-aside on this agenda for the superintendent to provide a brief update. District leadership members may also provide an overview of current work and upcoming events taking place in the school district.

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Time has been set-aside on this agenda for the board members to provide brief updates. 

Description:  The board will take a brief recess from the meeting. 

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A representative from the Gresham-Barlow Education Association (GBEA) will provide a report to the board. 

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A representative from the Oregon School Employees Association (OSEA) Chapter 8 employees willprovide a report to the board. 

Description:  The results of the May 20, 2025, board member election were reported by Multnomah County and Clackamas County election offices as follows:
 

Director, Position 3, Zone 2                                               (Incumbent Vacant)
	Clackamas	Multnomah	Total	%
Brenna Puderbaugh	834	6,011	6,845
Unopposed

 

Director, Position 4, At-Large                             (Incumbent Holly Riegelmann)
	Clackamas	Multnomah	Total	%
Holly Riegelmann	1,002	6,586	7,588
Unopposed

 

Director, Position 5, Zone 4                                   (Incumbent Blake Petersen)
	Clackamas	Multnomah	Total	%
Blake Petersen	918	6,332	7,250
Unopposed

 

Director, Position 6, At-Large                             (Incumbent Dr. Mayra Gómez)
	Clackamas	Multnomah	Total	%
Heather Coleman-Cox	521	4,212	4,733	50.6
Stefanie Craft	795	3,827	4,622	49.4
Total	1,316	8,039	9,355

 
Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS 255.295) provides for the district election authority to canvass the official abstract of votes cast for members of the district board and to cause the election officer to issue certificates of election to the winners. 

Description: 

State statutes, board policy, and other regulations require the board to hold a regular organizational meeting at the beginning of each school year. Accordingly, the resolutions listed below are being presented as part of the 2025-26 organizational meeting and will allow the district to transact its normal business activities. 

Some items listed in the resolutions, such as the appointment and authorization of Custodian of Funds, are required by statute, while others are submitted as a matter of practice and provide guidelines for district business.

Description: 

Policy BC/BCA requires the board to provide for the date, time and place of its regular meetings for the fiscal year in July of each year. The 2025-26 proposed calendar includes July and August for the 2026-27 school year for planning purposes. 

As part of the calendar development process, a draft schedule was developed for board discussion and feedback. At the May 21, 2025 Board Work Session, the board discussed the draft schedule.

The board's regular business meetings are typically held at the Public Safety and Schools Building, 1331 NW Eastman Parkway, Gresham, Oregon. Work sessions will be held in the Counci Chambers Conference Room (Large Conference Room) at the Public Safety and Schools Buildling. When exceptions to this practice occur, advance notifications are published. 

The proposed schedules were presented for a first reading at the June 4, 2025 board business meeting, and the possibility of changing the days of the board meetings from Wednesdays to Thursdays was discussed. The board secretary was directed to create two meeting date schedules, one for meetings held on Wednesdays and another for meetings held on Thursdays for the board to review. Both schedules are being presented for consideration and adoption this evening.

Description: 

The specialist (formerly confidential) staff bargain their employment agreements through a "meet and confer" process. This results in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that is signed by the parties. Accordingly, the district and specialist group engaged in the meet and confer process, and agreements were reached for both groups. 

The board reviewed and approved the Specialist MOU at their May Business Meeting. An amendment to that MOU is being presented for review and approval. 

The administration recommends ratification of the attached document as presented.

Description: 

At the meeting this evening, board members will be asked to provide input regarding the recommended revisions to policies from the Oregon School Boards Association (OSBA) and the district Policy Review Committee. 

Policy	Title
EFA	Local Wellness
FF	Naming of New Facilities

Description:  There has been no significant change in the District’s financial status since the prior month. The 2023-24 ODE SFF reconciliation did provide additional revenue realized in May, which is partially offset by additional salary and transportation expenses, but overall marginally increases the size of the District's expected General Fund ending fund balance.
 

Description: 

The board will review announcements. A Zoom link for virtual meeting attendance will be provided for upcoming meetings.

August 21, 2025:	Board Strategic Planning Session (Retreat) - 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
	Location TBD
	Gresham, OR
August 21, 2025:	Board Summer Social (No Meeting) - 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
	Location TBD
	Gresham, OR
September 3 or 4, 2025:	Regular Board Business Meeting - 7 p.m.
	Council Chambers
	Public Safety and Schools Building

Description:  Estimated time for adjournment: No later than 9 p.m.