Washington’s School Board stepped back from eliminating kindergarten at Veale Elementary for the 2025-2026 school year, but established a timeline to repurpose the second oldest and most expensive building to operate on a per-pupil basis. After an open meeting on the future of Veale Elementary, the board compromised on its plans and will have kindergarten at Veale this coming school year. However, there will be no kindergarten registration at Veale for the 2026-2027 school year. The board also says as early as the 2027-2028 school year all Veale classes will be brought into Washington Primary and Washington Intermediate.
Board member Dr. Jason Omer said this is not a decision made in just a few weeks, but the issue has been discussed for 30 years. Board President Scott Arthur pointed to funding cuts by the State Legislature, saying that lack of funding by the state will force the board to make decisions they do not want to make.
A committee made up of several local residents met last year and found that the per-pupil cost to the school system for students attending Veale is significantly higher than the per-pupil cost for students attending the other five school buildings in the system.
The board also adopted a policy for students wanting to transfer into the Washington schools from other school districts. Based on projected enrollment numbers, Washington Superintendent Kevin Frank recommended that Washington cap out-of-district transfers to 20 per grade in grades K-6 and 30 per grade in grades 7-12.
The Washington School Board had a typical June meeting, seeing several personnel moves. The board approved hiring Christa Baker, Mackenzie Roark, Michelle Russell, Meagan Wright, Laura Martinez, Paytan Williams, and Jennifer Barnes as new elementary teachers; Lauren Troesch as a junior high social studies teacher; and Amber Caytan as a bus attendant. Veteran elementary teacher Mike Mercer was given a one-year contract, and WHS chorus teacher Scott Griffith received a stipend for working through his preparation period for the 2025–2026 school year. The board also approved elementary, primary, and PK apprentices Kaylee Tone, Alice Goble, Liliana Cruz, Laila Thompson, Alesha Brown, and Yahaira Quinonez. Resignations were received from elementary teachers Alexis Freeman, Tiffany Walley, Morgan Dillon, Olivia Stoll, Kristine LaFollette, and Rachel Graber, along with high school English teacher Alexis Freeman, Jr. High social studies teacher Mackenzie Price, Jr. High ENL teacher Alejandra Davila, and bus driver Kasey Ward. The board also approved a list of coaching positions for the 2025-2026 school year.
In other business, the board set the schedule for adopting the 2026 budget, approved amendments to the contracts with Sodexo for facilities maintenance and food service, gave permission for the basketball team and the dance team to take overnight trips, and gave permission for some Washington teachers and administrators to attend Andy’s presentation at the 20th Annual Masters Institute in Phoenix, Arizona, on September 17. The Washington Schools will also receive national recognition and will receive the Hope Honors Medal for its Kids at Hope Program.
The board also heard from two patrons at Thursday’s meeting. Luke Dayton appeared, asking for a process where his daughter could transfer to Veale for kindergarten. And Mike McKittrick appeared, questioning the school system’s relationship with the Power House. McKittrick said that the Power House is no longer a welcoming place for all adolescent girls and boys. He pointed to comments made by Power House Director TC Cook belittling female leadership roles. McKittrick acknowledged that as a private group, the Power House has the right to teach what it wants but questioned whether the school system should support a group that derides the public schools. McKittrick said the mission of the Power House seems to have changed from when Nathaniel Rainey was in charge of the program.
