Feb 21, 2023 Board of Directors Special Meeting

[00:00:02]

WE'RE GOOD. WELL, WELCOME TO THIS SPECIAL MEETING, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21ST, 2023.

[1. Call to Order]

BEGIN.

ALL RIGHT. NEXT, WE HAVE OUR ROLL CALL MADAM PRESIDENT, WE HAVE A QUORUM.

THANK YOU. NEXT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR AGENDA APPROVAL.

[4. Agenda Approval]

WE WILL THEN EVALUATE THOSE CANDIDATES UNDER A EXECUTIVE SESSION AND THEN WITH POSSIBLE ACTION AND THEN POTENTIALLY HAVE AN APPOINTMENT OF A DIRECTOR FOR DISTRICT NUMBER TWO.

IS THERE ANYTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE UPDATED, ADDED OR REMOVED FROM THAT AGENDA? TO TAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THAT AGENDA AS PRESENTED.

I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED TO US.

WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I.

I. MOTION PASSES.

420. AND THAT WILL MOVE US RIGHT ALONG TO

[5. Interviews for Director of District No. 2]

JOINING US FIRST, WE HAVE BEVERLY KELBY.

I'D LIKE TO SAY WELCOME TO THE PROCESS, THE EVENING THIS EVENING.

YOU MAY JOIN US UP HERE AT THE FRONT DESK.

AND WE WILL BE DOING OUR INTERVIEW PROCESS TONIGHT.

YOU CAN COME RIGHT UP, BEVERLY, RIGHT HERE IN THE MIDDLE.

OH, RIGHT HERE. RIGHT HERE.

YES, SORRY.

WE WILL BE DOING A ROUND ROBIN STYLE OF INTERVIEW.

EACH OF US WILL BE ASKING YOU A QUESTION, AND THEN A COUPLE OF US WILL BE ASKING YOU TWO QUESTIONS.

WE HAVE 11 QUESTIONS TO ASK TONIGHT.

AND THEN THOSE QUESTIONS ARE IN FRONT OF YOU AS WELL.

SO THAT JUST IN CASE WE'RE NOT AS CLEAR AS WE HOPE TO BE, YOU WILL.

OR THAT THE QUESTIONS ARE A LITTLE BIT LONGER, YOU WILL HAVE SOMETHING TO REFER BACK TO.

SO DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR US BEFORE WE GET STARTED ON THE PROCESS? NO. ALL RIGHT, GREAT.

FROM THE BOARD. DID I MISS ANYTHING BEFORE WE GET STARTED? LET'S CHECK IN. ALL RIGHT.

BEVERLY, IF YOU CAN JUST TRY TO DO YOUR BEST AND SPEAK INTO THE MICROPHONE.

SURE. JUST GET CLOSER.

YEAH, THAT SHOULD BE FINE.

WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO PICK YOU UP. AND IF WE'RE NOT PICKING YOU UP, LISA, WE'LL LET YOU KNOW.

BUT THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. WONDERFUL.

AND WITH THAT, WE'LL GET STARTED.

RICARDO, WOULD YOU LIKE TO START WITH OUR FIRST QUESTION? YEAH. PLEASE TELL US WHY YOU DECIDED TO APPLY FOR THIS POSITION.

AND WHAT STRENGTHS DO YOU BRING TO THE BOARD? WELL, I HAVE VOLUNTEERED FOR QUITE A FEW YEARS FOR VARIOUS DIFFERENT PLACES, AND I SAW I WAS ALSO ON THE SALARY COMMISSION BOARD HERE.

SO I THOUGHT WHEN I SAW THIS, I THOUGHT, WELL, I REALLY IT WOULD BE VERY INTERESTING AND I WOULD LIKE TO DO IT.

AND I'VE HAD OTHER VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCES TUTORING WITH SCHOOLS, PRIVATE SCHOOLS, I DON'T KNOW, PRIVATE SCHOOLS AND ALSO PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU READ MY RESUME, BUT I ALSO WAS WITH THE SONOMA COUNTY CIVIL GRAND JURY FOR A YEAR, WHICH IS VERY EXTENSIVE.

AND I KNOW THEY DON'T BELIEVE THEY HAVE ONE HERE.

AND THEN THE NEXT QUESTION HAS TWO PARTS.

BUT THE FIRST PART IS WHAT EXPERIENCES HAVE YOU HAD ON OTHER BOARDS OR IN MANAGEMENT OR OTHER LEADERSHIP POSITIONS? AND WHAT ARE THE THREE MOST IMPORTANT ATTRIBUTES FOR A SCHOOL BOARD DIRECTOR TO POSSESS? OKAY, THANKS. THE LAST ONE FIRST.

[00:05:02]

AND I HAVEN'T EVER BEEN ON A BOARD BEFORE, BUT I'VE BEEN IN OTHER, LIKE I SAID, VOLUNTEER POSITIONS IN MY JOB WHEN I WAS WORKING WAS AND I SUPERVISORY POSITIONS.

THE NEXT QUESTION IS WHAT DO YOU FEEL ARE TWO THINGS THE DISTRICT DOES WELL AND TWO AREAS THE DISTRICT COULD IMPROVE UPON? YOU KNOW, I CAN'T I DON'T HAVE A REALLY GOOD ANSWER FOR THAT.

WE I MOVED UP HERE TWO YEARS AGO, AND SO I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE THE SCHOOL BOARD HERE.

I HAVE DONE A LITTLE BIT OF READING ABOUT IT, BUT I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ISSUES ARE THAT ARE TO BE ADDRESSED HERE. WHAT GOALS WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE THE BOARD? WHAT GOALS WOULD YOU LIKE THE BOARD TO SET? YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I THINK TO MAKE EVERY CHILD BE A SUCCESS IS PROBABLY THE FOREMOST GOAL I THOUGHT I WOULD TRY TO WORK AT.

THANK YOU. GIVING HIM TIME TO WRITE.

JUST IN CASE. APPRECIATE THAT.

YEAH.

OKAY. QUESTION NUMBER FIVE WHAT IS YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE TIME COMMITMENT TO SERVE ON THE SCHOOL BOARD AND WHAT IS YOUR AVAILABILITY TO SERVE ? THE TIME LIMIT THAT, I UNDERSTAND, IS FROM NOW UNTIL NOVEMBER, AND MY TIME, I'M RETIRED, SO MY TIME IS IS PRETTY CLEAR.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR INTERACTIONS WITH THE BATTLE GROUND PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND SHARE WITH US ANY PERCEIVED OR REAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST? WELL, I HAVE NO CONFLICT OF INTEREST, AND I'M NOT REALLY FAMILIAR WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD HERE.

I WAS I WAS HOPING THAT I COULD BE ON AN ON A COMMITTEE WHICH SOLVES PROBLEMS AND ITEMS AS THEY COME UP.

AND SO I DON'T HAVE ANY LONG TERM GOALS EXCEPT THE ONE I STATED ABOUT HOW THE SCHOOL IS TO BE RUN.

AND I HAVE NO AGENDA AND I HAVE NO.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

BEVERLY, DO YOU BELIEVE THAT ONCE THE SCHOOL BOARD HAS MADE A DECISION THAT ALL BOARD MEMBERS SHOULD SUPPORT THE WILL OF THE MAJORITY? WHY OR WHY NOT? YES. WHEN THE BOARD MAKES A DECISION OR ANY GROUP OR A COMMITTEE MAKES A DECISION, YES, I BELIEVE THAT THAT DECISION SHOULD BE FOR THE MAJORITY WOULD BE THE RULE.

ARE THERE ANY PARTICULAR COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS YOU HAVE TO CONSTITUENCIES YOU WOULD REPRESENT AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER? NO, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT EXACTLY YOU MEAN BY THAT.

IT'S KIND OF LIKE, WELL, HERE, LET'S READ IT.

JUST READ IT AGAIN.

I THINK THERE WAS A STUMBLE THERE WITH.

ARE THERE PARTICULAR SITUATIONS? ARE THERE PARTICULAR COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS YOU HAVE OR CONSTITUENCIES THAT YOU WOULD REPRESENT?

[00:10:04]

IF I AM I AND I AM QUALIFIED, THEN I PROBABLY WOULD TRY TO RUN.

BEVERLY, BATTLE GROUND PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS CURRENTLY CONSIDERING RUNNING A BOND IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT MOVING FORWARD IN THIS DIRECTION? WHAT KIND OF A BOND CAPITAL PROJECTS BOND FOR A SCHOOL OR SCHOOL? FOR SCHOOL BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES.

OR FACILITIES? SO THAT'S A HARD QUESTION TO ANSWER BECAUSE I REALLY NEED TO INVESTIGATE WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE AND WHAT WE NEED.

AND IT'S NOT AN EASY.

QUESTION TO ANSWER.

BUT I CERTAINLY THINK THAT THAT THERE SHOULD BE ENOUGH FACILITIES FOR AND GOOD CARE FOR CHILDREN.

THANK YOU.

I HAVE THE LAST QUESTION FOR THE EVENING.

THANK YOU FOR GETTING THROUGH THAT WITH US.

AND DO YOU AND THE QUESTION IS THIS DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS YOU WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE BOARD OR IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE ABOUT YOU THAT WE SHOULD KNOW IN ORDER TO BETTER CONSIDER YOUR CANDIDACY? OKAY. I GUESS SHE'S A COUPLE THERE.

I THINK THAT I WORK WELL WITH OTHER PEOPLE, AND I'M ON THE COMMITTEE.

I TRY TO INVESTIGATE THINGS AND BRING CERTAIN THINGS TO POINT.

NOT ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, BUT WILL LISTEN TO OTHER PEOPLE ALSO.

AND I FORGOT THE FIRST PART OF YOUR QUESTION.

JUST IF YOU. OH, THERE YOU GO.

YEAH. AND SO I THINK THAT THAT'S MAINLY, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS TO ASK ME, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER.

NO, I THINK WE COVERED OUR.

I'VE WORKED ON OTHER COMMITTEES AND OTHER AND HAVE ALWAYS BEEN YOU KNOW, THE YEAR THAT I WORKED WITH ON THE GRAND JURY, THAT WAS A VERY INTENSIVE YEAR AND WE INVESTIGATED.

THERE WAS A THERE WAS A GROUP OF 19 PEOPLE, AND WE WERE IN SMALL GROUPS AND WE WENT OUT TO TALK TO.

WHATEVER. LET'S SEE.

LET'S START THIS OVER.

WE HAD CERTAIN IDEAS THAT PEOPLE WANTED TO INVESTIGATE IN THE COMMUNITY.

ONE WAS THE GARBAGE, AND EVERY YEAR THEY INVESTIGATE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE JUVENILE FACILITIES.

AND I HAPPENED TO BE ON THAT COMMITTEE.

AND SO WE WENT OUT AND INVESTED AND TALKED TO POLICE CHIEFS AND INVESTIGATED THE JAIL TO SEE THAT ALL THE FACILITIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO. I THINK I BRING THAT TO THE TABLE, WHICH IS AND THEN WE WROTE A REPORT ON IT AND IT WAS PUBLISHED AND AS IT IS EACH YEAR, AND THAT WAS MY MOST EXTENSIVE.

ANYTHING ELSE? I THINK THAT CONCLUDES.

THANK YOU, BEVERLY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

OH, I KNOW IT.

THAT'S PRETTY GOOD. SO AFTER WE'RE DONE HERE, WE'LL MEET FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION, AND THEN WE'LL MAKE A DECISION TONIGHT.

AND THEN ONE OF US WILL CALL YOU TO LET YOU KNOW THE DECISION THAT WAS MADE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, BEVERLY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

SURE. I'M A ROOKIE.

[00:15:01]

THAT WAS RIGHT. THAT WAS.

YEAH. I APPRECIATE YOUR.

MINE'S NOT DONE.

MICS ARE LIVE. WELCOME TO DISTRICT TWO INTERVIEW.

OUR INTERVIEW FOR POSITION FOUR, DISTRICT TWO.

I'M SUCH A ROOKIE, SO THIS WILL GO REALLY WELL, AND I'LL FUMBLE RIGHT THROUGH IT.

I AM THE BOARD PRESIDENT, JACKIE MADDOX.

WE'RE JUST GOING TO DO SOME QUICK INTRODUCTIONS AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO ASK YOU 11 QUESTIONS THROUGH THIS ROUND ROBIN STYLE.

SO WE'RE GOING TO KIND OF GO AROUND THE ROOM AND THEN WE WILL WRAP UP.

BUT AFTER WE'RE DONE WITH OUR PROCESS, THE WE WILL FINISH UP OUR INTERVIEWS TONIGHT.

WE WILL EXCUSE OURSELVES TO EXECUTIVE SESSION.

WHEN WE'RE DONE WITH THAT, WE'LL MAKE A DECISION.

ONE OF US WILL BE CALLING YOU LATER THIS EVENING TO LET YOU KNOW THE DECISION THAT WE MADE.

AND THEN WE WILL BE SELECTING OUR NEW DISTRICT TWO REPRESENTATIVE.

GREAT. ALL RIGHT, GREAT.

SO AGAIN, I'M THE BOARD PRESIDENT, JACKIE MADDOX, MARK WATRIN, DISTRICT FOUR, VICE PRESIDENT.

TED CHAMPINE, DISTRICT THREE.

DENNY WATERS, SUPERINTENDENT.

RICARDO MARTINS DEL CAMPO, STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE.

ALSO STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE, MY NAME SORA TOLLEY.

MARY SNITILY DIRECTOR, DISTRICT ONE.

SO WELCOME, JONATHAN.

THANK YOU AGAIN FOR APPLYING FOR THIS POSITION.

AND WE WILL GET STARTED WITH RICARDO.

ALL RIGHTY. PLEASE TELL US WHY YOU DECIDED TO APPLY FOR THIS POSITION AND WHAT STRENGTHS WOULD YOU BRING TO THE BOARD? YEAH. SO NICE TO MEET YOU ALL, FIRST OF ALL.

AND REALLY EXCITED TO BE HERE AND GET A CHANCE TO TALK WITH YOU ALL.

AND THANKS FOR SELECTING ME FOR THIS INTERVIEW.

AS FOR ABOUT MYSELF, I JUST MOVED DOWN TO THE AREA IN NOVEMBER, SO A RECENT TRANSPLANT TO BATTLE GROUND.

I WAS LIVING IN OLYMPIA.

I WORKED FOR THE STATE OF WASHINGTON ON THE STATE'S ELECTRIFICATION EFFORTS.

SO WE'RE RIGHT NOW TRYING TO GET ELECTRIC VEHICLES FOR THE WASHINGTON STATE FLEET AND IN CHARGE AND INSTALL THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR CHARGING THOSE VEHICLES TO MAKE SURE THE STATE IS READY FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF DECADES.

AS FOR WHY I WAS INTERESTED IN THIS POSITION, I'D HOPE TO BE INVOLVED IN THE SCHOOL BOARD AT SOME POINT IN MY TIME DOWN HERE, AND IT JUST SO HAPPENED THAT I SAW THE NEWS ARTICLE ABOUT THIS POSITION BEING VACANT AND IT'S IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT I JUST MOVED INTO.

SO VERY FORTUNATE STRING OF EVENTS THAT I GET A CHANCE TO APPLY FOR THIS POSITION.

AS FOR WHY I'M INTERESTED IN BEING PART OF THE SCHOOL BOARD, I THINK LOCAL ACTION IS A VERY IMPORTANT THING THAT WE CAN DO AS CITIZENS TO HELP MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR COMMUNITIES. A LITTLE BIT MORE SELFISHLY, I HAVE A ONE YEAR OLD THAT'S GOING TO BE STARTING IN THE BATTLE GROUND SCHOOL SYSTEM SOON, AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO ME THAT HE RECEIVES THE BEST EDUCATION POSSIBLE.

AND INSTEAD OF JUST HOPING THAT THAT HAPPENS, I'D LIKE TO BE A PART OF MAKING IT THE BEST EDUCATION IN THE STATE OF WASHINGTON RIGHT HERE IN BATTLE GROUND.

[00:20:08]

THANK YOU. AND THIS SECOND QUESTION HAS TWO PARTS TO IT.

BUT WHAT EXPERIENCES HAVE YOU HAD IN OTHER BOARDS OR IN MANAGEMENT OR OTHER LEADERSHIP POSITIONS? AND WHAT ARE THE THREE MOST IMPORTANT ATTRIBUTES FOR A SCHOOL BOARD DIRECTOR TO POSSESS? SO I HAVEN'T SERVED ON A BOARD SPECIFICALLY.

I'M INVOLVED IN A COUPLE OF COUNCILS FOR THE STATE THAT ARE LOOKING AT THE OVERALL ELECTRIFICATION PROCESS.

SO WE DO A LOT OF ADMINISTRATIVE WORK IN TERMS OF TAKING FEEDBACK, WE HAVE ADVISORY COUNCILS, EXECUTIVE COUNCILS DOWN THE LIST, NOT VERY EXCITING ON THE ADMINISTRATIVE SIDE.

BUT WHAT THAT MEANS IS WE TAKE A LOT OF FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY.

WE'RE MAKING SURE WE'RE ANSWERING QUESTIONS TO A DIVERSE, BROAD AUDIENCE ACROSS THE STATE.

WE WANT TO HAVE INPUT FROM ALL OF THE DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS ACROSS THE STATE, SO THAT'S DIFFERENT REGIONS.

WE HAVE LABOR UNIONS INVOLVED.

WE HAVE INDUSTRY EXPERTS, PEOPLE THAT ARE SELLING CARS, MAKING CARS JUST SO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THE FULL PICTURE AND ARE DOING THE STATE ELECTRIFICATION EFFORTS IN THE SMARTEST WAY POSSIBLE.

IN TERMS OF LEADERSHIP, I DID SEVEN YEARS IN THE NAVY AS AN OFFICER.

I SERVED ON SUBMARINES FROM 2015 THROUGH 2022, SO I JUST GOT OUT LAST MAY.

IN THAT ROLE, I'VE SERVED BOTH AS A DIVISION LEADER AND A DEPARTMENT HEAD, SO I LED TEAMS OF UP TO 50 PEOPLE OPERATING A SUBMARINE AT SEA FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME.

SO I CAN'T TALK A WHOLE LOT ABOUT IT.

COOLEST JOB YOU CAN'T TELL ANYONE ABOUT, BUT THAT'S WHERE, SO I'VE HAD KIND OF PROGRESSIVE LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE OVER THE LAST EIGHT YEARS, AND NOW I LEAD A TEAM OF JUST A FEW PEOPLE, BUT A LARGE BUDGET RESPONSIBILITY FOR GETTING ALL THAT CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE INSTALLED, AS WELL AS ACQUIRING VEHICLES TO REPLACE OLD VEHICLES THAT ARE BEING PHASED OUT.

THREE MOST IMPORTANT ATTRIBUTES FOR SCHOOL BOARD DIRECTOR TO POSSESS.

I THINK BEING A GOOD LISTENER IS THE MOST IMPORTANT.

THE BOARD SHOULD BE RESPONSIVE TO THE COMMUNITY, AND SO TAKING THE FEEDBACK OF THE COMMUNITY AND APPLYING THAT TO THE SCHOOLS I THINK IS THE MOST IMPORTANT.

I'D SAY SECOND MOST IMPORTANT WOULD BE IDENTIFYING PROBLEMS. SO ONE OF THE THINGS ON THE SUBMARINE THAT I THINK SUBMARINE OFFICERS ARE MAYBE THE BEST IN THE WORLD AT IS WHAT WE CALL ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS WE WOULD DO ON THE SUBMARINE WHAT WAS CALLED A CRITIQUE, WHICH IS WHERE WE SIT AROUND.

WE GET ALL THE PEOPLE THAT WERE INVOLVED IN AN EVOLUTION THAT DIDN'T GO EXACTLY AS WE EXPECTED, AND WE'D SIT DOWN AND WE FIGURE OUT WHY THAT HAPPENED.

AND WE GET DOWN TO NOT ONLY LIKE, WHY DID THIS ONE THING HAPPEN, BUT HOW CAN WE PUT PROCESSES AND GUARDRAILS IN PLACE GOING FORWARD TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS SORT OF THING DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN? SO THAT'S SOMETHING I HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE DOING, NOT JUST LOOKING AT, HEY, WE HAD ONE THING GO WRONG, BUT IDENTIFYING THE TRENDS AND CURRENTS THAT RUN UNDERNEATH THAT TO HELP PREVENT THOSE THINGS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN IN THE FUTURE.

AND FINALLY I'D SAY THAT THE THIRD MOST IMPORTANT ATTRIBUTE IS JUST PUTTING THE COMMUNITY FIRST.

SO BEING SELFLESS AND REMEMBERING THAT THIS IS ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT KIDS HERE GET THE BEST EDUCATION, IT'S NOT ABOUT WHAT I WANT TO DO OR WHAT I WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN.

IT'S ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT THE KIDS HAVE THE BEST TOOLS TO SUCCEED IN LIFE WHEN THEY'RE DONE WITH THEIR EDUCATION AND BATTLE GROUND.

SO, JONATHAN, WHAT DO YOU FEEL ARE TWO THINGS THE DISTRICT DOES WELL AND TWO AREAS THE DISTRICT COULD IMPROVE UPON.

SO I AM LIKE I MENTIONED, I AM NEW HERE.

I WOULD SAY A BIG THING WHEN I WAS RESEARCHING THIS POSITION, IF I CAN COUNT IT AS TWO THINGS, I'D SAY MATH AND SCIENCE.

IT SEEMED LIKE THE TEST SCORES WERE PRETTY BELOW AVERAGE ON THOSE.

SO I WOULD SAY THAT THAT'S AN IMPORTANT THING, ESPECIALLY IN MODERN ERA, TO IMPROVE THOSE SCORES AS OPENS A LOT OF DOORS HAVING A GOOD KNOWLEDGE OF MATH AND SCIENCE. SO TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE STUDENTS HAVE THE BEST OPPORTUNITIES TO OPERATIONALIZE THAT MATH AND SCIENCE KNOWLEDGE.

I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE YOUNG STRUGGLE WITH SEEING WHY MATH OR SCIENCE MATTERS TO THEIR DAILY LIFE, BUT IT DOES APPLY IN SO MANY WAYS THAT ARE PRACTICAL.

AND SO TRYING TO HELP THE STUDENTS SEE THAT, WILL MAKE THE, WILL MAKE THOSE LESSONS SO MUCH MORE REAL, I THINK.

IN TERMS OF DOING WELL, IT SEEMED LIKE THE INFORMATION AS I WAS DOING MY RESEARCH WAS VERY WELL CATERED TO.

I REALLY APPRECIATED BEING ABLE TO GO THROUGH PREVIOUS BOARD DIRECTOR MEETING NOTES AND BEING ABLE TO GET THE INFORMATION ON THE SCHOOLS THAT MY SON IS GOING TO BE ATTENDED IN

[00:25:05]

I THOUGHT THAT INFORMATION WAS REALLY RELAYED ON WELL.

I ALSO THINK THAT COMMUNICATION PERSONALLY, JUST GOING THROUGH THIS IN THIS INTERVIEW PROCESS HAS BEEN EXCEPTIONAL, AND I REALLY HAVE APPRECIATED THAT.

JUST GIVING EVERYBODY A SECOND.

BEFORE I ASK MY QUESTION, JUST FIRST, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

THANK YOU. WHAT GOALS WOULD YOU LIKE THE BOARD TO SET? I WOULD LIKE TO SET A GOAL OF AT LEAST GETTING THE MATH AND SCIENCE TEST RESULTS FOR THE DISTRICT UP TO AVERAGE IN THE STATE WITH HOPEFULLY THE ABILITY TO EXCEED THAT IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS.

THANK YOU.

WAIT FOR THE PENCIL. ABSOLUTELY.

KEEP CLOSE. I CAN TRY AND BE MORE EFFICIENT, TOO.

I'M A TALKER. OKAY.

QUESTION NUMBER FIVE, WHAT IS YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE TIME COMMITMENT TO SERVE ON THE SCHOOL BOARD AND WHAT IS YOUR AVAILABILITY TO SERVE? SO MY UNDERSTANDING JUST COMES FROM THE POSTING ITSELF ABOUT 10 HOURS A WEEK.

I DEFINITELY HAVE THE AVAILABILITY TO SUPPORT THAT AS WELL AS A BIT MORE.

I'M VERY FORTUNATE IN THAT I WORK AT I WORK FROM HOME JOB AND I HAVE A FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE AND MY SUPERVISOR IS PRETTY UNDERSTANDING IF I NEED TO SHIFT MY HOURS AROUND A LITTLE BIT TO ACCOMMODATE THE OTHER THINGS I'M DOING IN LIFE.

SO I'M AVAILABLE DURING THE DAY AS NECESSARY, AS LONG AS I CAN KIND OF PLAN OUT A COUPLE OF DAYS IN ADVANCE TO ATTEND EVENTS AT SCHOOLS AND BE INVOLVED IN THAT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. OKAY.

THANK YOU.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR INTERACTIONS WITH BATTLE GROUND PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND SHARE WITH US ANY PERCEIVED OR REAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.

NO PERSONAL INTERACTIONS WITH BATTLE GROUND PUBLIC SCHOOLS, ONLY PERCEIVED POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST, MY WIFE WORKS FOR A LAW FIRM THAT'S PREVIOUSLY DONE REAL ESTATE WORK WITH BATTLE GROUND PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

AND THAT LAW SCHOOL IS MILLER NASH IN VANCOUVER.

YEAH. GOOD.

JONATHAN, DO YOU BELIEVE THAT ONCE THE SCHOOL BOARD HAS MADE A DECISION THAT ALL BOARD MEMBERS SHOULD SUPPORT THE WILL OF THE MAJORITY? AND IF YOU WOULD, PLEASE EXPLAIN WHY OR WHY NOT.

YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT. I GUESS THAT'S A VERY DIFFICULT QUESTION.

I'D SAY THAT IT DEPENDS.

IT'S COMPLICATED, I THINK TO SEPARATE LOUD MINORITY FROM THE WILL OF THE MAJORITY.

AS THESE ARE ELECTED POSITIONS, WE DO NEED TO RESPOND TO THE CONSTITUENTS THAT ELECTED US AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE REPRESENTING THE WILL OF THOSE OF THAT MAJORITY. I DO THINK THAT THE BOARD SHOULD HAVE THE LATITUDE BASED ON STATISTICS AND BEST PRACTICES TO POTENTIALLY DEVIATE FROM SHORT TERM, YOU KNOW, LOUD VOICES TO TAKE A MORE LONG TERM PERSPECTIVE.

AND YOU HAVE TO BE READY TO ANSWER TO THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE IF THEY DON'T AGREE WITH THAT DECISION.

IT'S GOING TO WAIT FOR A LITTLE BIT.

ALL RIGHT. ARE THERE ANY OR ARE THERE PARTICULAR COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS YOU HAVE OR CONSTITUENCIES YOU WOULD REPRESENT AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER? NOT YET, I JUST MOVED TO THIS, JUST MOVED TO THIS AREA.

SO I'M STILL PUTTING MY ROOTS DOWN AND GETTING TO KNOW ALL THE GREAT PEOPLE THAT LIVE HERE IN BATTLE GROUND.

[00:30:20]

I THINK THE ANSWER IS YES, BUT I'D SAY PROBABLY YES.

BUT LIFE HAPPENS FAST SOMETIMES.

BUT IF I WERE APPOINTED, I WOULD PLAN TO RUN AGAIN THIS FALL, ESPECIALLY WITH A LITTLE BIT MORE EXPERIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING.

I THINK I COULD HAVE A STRONGER CANDIDACY THIS FALL THAN IF I WERE TO JUST LEARN WITHOUT THAT.

BATTLE GROUND PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS CURRENTLY CONSIDERING RUNNING A BOND IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT MOVING FORWARD IN THIS DIRECTION? I THINK THAT I.

I WOULD NEED TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE EXACT DETAILS OF THE BOND.

AGAIN, NEW TO THE AREA.

SO STILL LEARNING THE INS AND OUTS.

LOCALLY, BACK WHERE I MOVED FROM, WE HAD AN EFFECTIVE BOND CAMPAIGN THAT HELPED RAISE SOME MONEY FOR THE LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL AND I THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS REALLY BENEFICIAL.

AND SO ASSUMING THAT, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING MAKES SENSE TO ME AND I GOT A CHANCE TO REVIEW KIND OF WHAT EVERYTHING WOULD WOULD ENTAIL, WHERE THAT'S ALL GOING, WHERE THE MONEY IS COMING FROM.

I WOULD BE HAPPY TO SUPPORT IT IN ANY WAY THAT I COULD.

THANK YOU.

AND THEN OUR LAST QUESTION OF THE EVENING.

DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE BOARD OR IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE ABOUT YOU THAT WE SHOULD KNOW IN ORDER TO BETTER CONSIDER YOUR CANDIDACY? MY QUESTION WOULD BE JUST KIND OF THE EARLIER CONVERSATION.

YOU KNOW, THE 10 HOURS A WEEK, WHAT IS THE DAY TO DAY OF BEING A MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS LOOK LIKE? OH, THEY'RE ALL LOOKING AT ME.

OH, FANTASTIC.

[INAUDIBLE] WHEN THE TIME COMES.

YEAH. GOSH, I THINK IT PROBABLY LOOKS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT FOR ALL OF US.

SO FOR ME, IT MIGHT BE WORKING WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT OR COORDINATING MEETINGS WITH SANDY OR JUST RESPONDING TO EMAILS THAT WE MIGHT GET FROM OUR CITIZENS OR PARENTS WORKING ON JUST VARIOUS DIFFERENT PROJECTS.

I MIGHT PUT IN TIME RESEARCHING THINGS I DON'T KNOW ABOUT BECAUSE I SURELY DON'T KNOW A LOT.

SO WHETHER IT MIGHT BE BUDGETS OR RECENTLY, I'M JUST TRYING TO THINK OF ALL, YOU KNOW, JUST TOPICS THAT OUR CITIZENS BRING UP DURING THE MEETINGS.

I JOT DOWN NOTES.

I MAKE MYSELF NOTES AND I'M LIKE, REVIEW THIS.

AND SO AND I CIRCLE BACK AND REVIEW ON THOSE THINGS.

SO A LOT OF MY TIME IS SPENT IN RESEARCH.

I WOULD SAY THE FUN THINGS I GET TO DO, OR MAYBE A SCHOOL TOUR OR I GO TO A CITIZEN'S ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING.

LAST WEEK I ATTENDED THE INDUSTRY FAIR AND WE GET TO SEE SOME OF THE NEAT THINGS OUR SCHOOLS ARE DOING SO THAT SOME OF THE STUFF THAT I'VE BEEN DOING RECENTLY.

BUT THAT'S A VERY SMALL SNIP OF ALL OF THE GREAT THINGS WE GET TO DO.

WE ALSO GENERALLY, EACH ONE OF US IS ON SOME COMMITTEE WITH INTERESTS OF THE SCHOOLS I'M ON TO.

I THINK MOST EVERYONE'S ON ONE OR TWO AT A MINIMUM, AND THOSE CAN SOMETIMES BE TIME CONSUMING.

I'M ON ONE, FOR EXAMPLE, ONCE A MONTH I HAVE TO DRIVE TO CHEHALIS AND I SPEND ABOUT 6 HOURS IN A MEETING AND THEN IT'S LIKE AN HOUR, AN HOUR AND A HALF LONG DRIVE EACH WAY.

SO BUT AGAIN, THAT'S ONLY ONCE A MONTH, YOU KNOW, SO IT'S NOT THAT BIG OF A DEAL.

ONCE A YEAR, WE GENERALLY GO TO THE SCHOOL BOARD DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION ANNUAL MEETING.

[00:35:02]

AND THEN, LIKE JACKIE SAID, THERE'S A LOT OF TIME SPENT DOING RESEARCH.

A GOOD ONE IS CURRICULUM ADOPTION.

THERE'S A LOT OF MATERIAL THAT YOU HAVE TO REVIEW ON OCCASION AND SOMETIMES A LOT OF READING.

WE JUST DID ONE FOR A LITERATURE CLASS AND IT REQUIRED US TO DO A LOT OF READING IN A TEXTBOOK, WHICH IS FULL OF STORIES.

SO WE EACH READ THE BOOK.

SO THERE'S THINGS LIKE THAT THAT CAN END UP TAKING TIME, NOT NECESSARILY HERE IN THE MEETING, BUT IT AFFORDS YOU THE ABILITY TO BE FLEXIBLE ABOUT HOW YOU MANAGE THAT TIME.

GREAT. THANKS FOR THAT INFORMATION.

AND I WOULD CHIME IN WITH THAT AND JUST SAY THAT THE 10 HOURS A WEEK IS PROBABLY PRETTY ACCURATE, BUT YOU CERTAINLY CAN PUT IN MORE IF YOU WANT TO BE ON EXTRA COMMITTEES OR GO TO EXTRA EVENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO THERE'S A RANGE IN THERE AND PEOPLE GIVE WHAT TIME THEY CAN.

GREAT. THANKS. AND I THINK IT VARIES DEPENDING ON THE TIME OF YEAR AND WHAT ARE WE'RE WORKING ON AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME.

AND WE ARE BLESSED TO BE ABLE TO ATTEND EVERY SINGLE GRADUATION.

AND SO THAT'S FIVE GRADUATIONS, RIGHT? RIGHT. WHICH MEANS GOING TO GRADUATION EVERY DAY FOR THOSE FIVE DAYS.

AND OTHER EVENTS SUCH AS THAT, THAT WE ATTEND AS SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS.

SO GREAT. THANKS FOR ALL THAT.

I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.

ANYTHING ELSE? ALL RIGHT, THEN.

I THINK THAT CONCLUDES OUR INTERVIEW.

THANKS SO MUCH. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

PLEASURE. NICE TO MEET YOU.

THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU.

[00:45:39]

[00:45:58]

WE ARE INTERVIEWING FOR OUR OPEN POSITION FOR THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, DISTRICT NUMBER TWO.

I AM THE BOARD PRESIDENT, JACKIE MADDOX.

WE WILL DO SOME INTRODUCTIONS.

WE WILL DO A ROUND ROBIN STYLE INTERVIEW.

AND WE HAVE 11 QUESTIONS FOR YOU TODAY.

AFTER WE'RE DONE WITH THOSE QUESTIONS AND WE DO OUR FINAL ROUND OF INTERVIEWS, THE BOARD WILL BE GOING TO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO EVALUATE THE CANDIDACIES.

AND THEN WE WILL BE MAKING A DECISION TONIGHT, AND THEN WE WILL BE LETTING THE CANDIDATES KNOW WHO WE CHOSE FOR THE POSITION.

SO YOU'LL BE HEARING FROM US LATER THIS EVENING.

GREAT. THANK YOU.

SO THE QUESTIONS ARE.

YES, I NOTICED THAT. THANK YOU.

YES, GREAT.

YEAH, SHE SAID 11. I SAID, ARE THERE 11 ON HERE? AND THEY'RE ALL RIGHT.

NICE TO MEET YOU. NICE TO MEET YOU.

AND I'M DISTRICT FIVE. I DIDN'T SAY THAT.

AND WE'RE GOING TO START WITH RICARDO WITH YOUR FIRST QUESTION.

GREAT. ALL RIGHT.

PLEASE LET US OR PLEASE TELL US WHY YOU DECIDED TO APPLY FOR THIS POSITION AND WHAT STRENGTHS WOULD YOU BRING TO THE BOARD? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION, RICARDO.

SO FIRST OF ALL, I AND YOU SAW THIS FROM THE APPLICATION MATERIALS AND FROM MY RESUME, I'M AN ATTORNEY.

AND SO SPECIFICALLY I DO A LOT OF CRIMINAL DEFENSE WORK AFTER HAVING DONE PROSECUTION FOR A WHILE.

AND I'VE SEEN FIRSTHAND THE BENEFITS IN MY OWN LIFE, BUT ALSO THE EXTREME DISADVANTAGES OF THOSE WHO LACK A PROPER EDUCATION.

AND I SEE IT EVERY DAY IN MY OFFICE.

AND AS A RESULT OF THAT AND REALIZING THE ADVANTAGES THAT I WAS GIVEN WITH MY OWN EDUCATION, IT'S REALLY GIVEN ME A COMMITMENT TO EDUCATION THAT MY WIFE SHARES.

AND WE ARE COMMITTED TO EDUCATING OUR SEVEN CHILDREN AS WELL AS WE CAN.

AND SO REALLY IT'S IT'S A LIFELONG COMMITMENT TO EDUCATION.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF SEEING THE GREAT BENEFITS THAT HAVE BEEN BESTOWED UPON ME BECAUSE AS A RESULT OF THAT EDUCATION, BUT ALSO, UNFORTUNATELY, BECAUSE OF THE DISADVANTAGES.

SO AND THAT KIND OF DOVETAILS ALONG WITH THE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES AS WELL, OR RATHER STRENGTHS.

THERE ARE NO WEAKNESSES, NOT IN THE QUESTION.

SO THE STRENGTHS, I THINK, AS LAWYERS WE'RE TAUGHT TO, FIRST OF ALL, TO READ EXTENSIVELY, TO REALLY DIG DOWN INTO THE TEXT, DO THE RESEARCH, AND THEN WE'VE GOT TO TRANSFER ALL OF THAT ANALYTICAL KIND OF IN YOUR OWN MIND MATERIAL INTO A VERBAL PRESENTATION THAT NOT ONLY ENCOMPASSES YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF IT, BUT ALSO AN UNDERSTANDING OF OPPOSING VIEWPOINTS.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S HUGE IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION.

I MEAN, I HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT EVERY DAY.

THERE ARE EVERY DAY I TALK TO PEOPLE WHO DON'T JUST WHO DON'T AGREE WITH ME, AND THEN I LEAVE THE HOUSE AND GO TO WORK.

NO, BUT IT'S TRUE.

MY KIDS ARE 17 DOWN TO THREE MONTHS.

AND SO IT'S THE HARDEST DISAGREEMENT SOMETIMES ARE THE ONES AT HOME.

BUT THAT BEING SAID, I DO BELIEVE THAT LEGAL TRAINING OF BEING ABLE TO LISTEN TO SOMEONE WITH WHOM YOU DON'T AGREE, TAKE A STEP BACK, LISTEN TO WHAT THEY'RE SAYING, AND THEN REPHRASE THEIR ARGUMENT IN FRONT OF THEM SO THAT THEY CAN SEE MAYBE, OKAY, WELL, HERE'S WHERE I TAKE ISSUE WITH POINT THIS, THIS AND THIS ONE.

AND BUT THE WHOLE TIME, DOING IT IN A VERY KIND OF DISPASSIONATE, A VERY REASONABLE AND LOGICAL WAY, I THINK THAT'S

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AND THE SECOND QUESTION HAS TWO PARTS AS WELL.

BUT WHAT EXPERIENCES HAVE YOU HAD ON OTHER BOARDS OR IN MANAGEMENT OR OTHER LEADERSHIP POSITIONS? AND WHAT ARE THE THREE MOST IMPORTANT ATTRIBUTES FOR A SCHOOL BOARD DIRECTOR TO POSSESS? WELL, I'M CURRENTLY THE PRESIDENT OF A, A NOT OF A OF THE BOARD OF A NONPROFIT.

AND IT'S A MENTORING CENTER FOR CHILDREN AND FOR FAMILIES IN CLASSICAL EDUCATION.

AND I'VE BEEN ON THAT BOARD FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS, AND I REALLY BELIEVE IN THEIR MISSION.

AND IT REALLY CAUSED BEING ON THE PRESIDENT OF THAT BOARD HAS CAUSED ME TO DO KIND OF A DEEP DIVE IN INTO THE IDEAS THAT MY WIFE AND I HAVE ABOUT EDUCATION AND HOW TO EDUCATE OUR CHILDREN.

AND SO THAT'S BEEN THAT'S BEEN WONDERFUL.

IN TERMS OF MANAGEMENT OR LEADERSHIP POSITIONS.

MY ROLE AT THE FIRM, NOW THAT I'VE BEEN THERE FOR QUITE A WHILE, HAS NOW TURNED TO SUPERVISORY OF THE ASSOCIATE ATTORNEYS.

AND SO I TEND TO WORK WITH THOSE YOUNGER ATTORNEYS A LOT.

THE JOKE WHEN WE WENT BACK TO THE OFFICE AFTER WORKING MOSTLY REMOTELY FOR A WHILE THERE, I THINK, AS MOST PEOPLE DID, WAS THAT I WOULD GET MUCH MORE DONE AT HOME THAN I WOULD AT THE OFFICE BECAUSE JUNIOR STAFF ATTORNEYS AND ASSOCIATE ATTORNEYS ARE ALWAYS INTERRUPTING ME, ASKING ME QUESTIONS WHEN I'M AT THE OFFICE.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, WITH ALL THE KIDS AT HOME, IT'S ACTUALLY I WAS GETTING MORE DONE.

THAT'S ALL JOKES ASIDE, THOUGH.

I MEAN, I REALLY DO SEE MY ROLE IN THE FIRM AS A SUPERVISORY AND AN ADVISORY ROLE, AND I REALLY ENJOY THAT.

I THINK THAT THE FIRST MOST IMPORTANT ATTRIBUTE AND THIS IS I'VE GOT A MENTOR, IS HE WAS A PRESIDENT OF THE [INAUDIBLE] SCHOOL BOARD FOR A LONG TIME, AND HE'S A RETIRED JUDGE, JUDGE HIGGINSON.

AND HE TOLD ME THAT THE BIGGEST THING THAT CAME OUT OF HIS EXPERIENCE IN THE SCHOOL BOARD AND HE WAS IN THE SCHOOL BOARD FOR, I THINK, LIKE 15 YEARS OR SOMETHING.

IT WAS A LONG TIME. AND HE SAID THAT ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT HE WAS ON THE SCHOOL BOARD WITH, THEY WERE ALL FRIENDS AND THEY STILL, YOU KNOW, GO OUT TO DINNER, YOU KNOW, ONCE ONCE I THINK HE SAID ONCE A YEAR.

AND THERE WAS A RETREAT THAT THEY WOULD GO ON ONCE A YEAR AND THEY WERE ALL VERY, VERY CLOSE.

AND HE SAID, BUT THAT'S NOT THE EXTRAORDINARY PART.

BUT THE EXTRAORDINARY PART IS THEY WOULD HAVE VERY DIFFERENT OPINIONS ABOUT THINGS OFTEN, AND THERE WOULD BE VERY HEATED DISAGREEMENTS.

YET DESPITE THOSE DISAGREEMENTS, THEY WERE ABLE TO REACH A MAJORITY DECISION AND MOVE ON.

IT'S JUST LIKE WHEN YOU'RE A LAWYER AND YOU'RE IN THE COURTHOUSE AND YOU'RE IN A VERY KIND OF LITIGIOUS OR DIFFICULT MOTION, HEARING AND OPPOSING COUNSEL IS REALLY KIND OF BREATHING DOWN YOUR NECK AND YOU'RE GETTING KIND OF HEATED BECAUSE YOU WANT TO WIN THE ARGUMENT.

BUT AS SOON AS IT'S DONE, YOU LEAVE IT IN THE COURTROOM.

YOU DON'T TAKE THAT OUT INTO THE HALLWAY.

YOU DON'T TAKE THAT TO ANOTHER CASE.

AND I THINK THAT THAT'S WHAT JUDGE HIGGINSON MEANT WHEN HE TALKED ABOUT THE COLLEGIALITY THAT A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER IS SUPPOSED TO POSSESS.

AND I ASPIRE TO THAT COLLEGIALITY.

THAT WAS ONLY ONE ATTRIBUTE.

I THINK THAT ACTIVE LISTENING IS HUGE AND A HUGE ATTRIBUTE.

AND I THINK THAT'S BECAUSE NOT ONLY ARE IS THE SCHOOL BOARD GOING TO BE CONFRONTED WITH CONFRONTED ISN'T THE RIGHT WORD, BUT MET WITH CITIZENRY WHO SOMETIMES ARE ASKING SOMETHING MAYBE THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD DOESN'T PARTICULARLY WANT TO DO, OR MAYBE IT'S BEYOND THEIR PURVIEW, RIGHT? MAYBE IT'S NOT EVEN SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN DO.

BUT BEING ABLE TO LISTEN TO THEIR CONCERNS TAKE A MINUTE AND STOP AND THEN SAY, WELL, OKAY, ESPECIALLY ACTUALLY.

AND THIS THIS REMINDS ME WHEN THE BOARD GOES INTO AN EXECUTIVE SESSION, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT A SITUATION WHERE THEY'RE GETTING AN ANSWER RIGHT AWAY.

AND THAT'S BEAUTIFUL BECAUSE YOU NEED TO HAVE TIME TO REFLECT AND YOU NEED TO HAVE TIME TO CONFER AMONGST ONE ANOTHER.

SO IT'S I THINK MAYBE SOMETIMES CITIZENS MAY FEEL LIKE, OH, GOSH, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT REALLY THEY'RE NOT REALLY ANSWERING ME.

THEY'RE NOT SAYING ANYTHING WHILE I'M YOU KNOW, WHILE I'M TALKING TO THEM.

BUT THERE'S A REASON FOR THAT.

IT'S BECAUSE THEY'RE TAKING THINGS UNDER ADVISEMENT.

SO I THINK LISTENING AND TAKING THINGS UNDER ADVISEMENT, I THINK THAT'S BUILT INTO THE PROCESS.

BUT I ALSO THINK IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT ATTRIBUTE.

I THINK THE THIRD ATTRIBUTE THIS IS THIS IS LONG ANSWER, BUT IT WAS A LONG QUESTION.

IN FAIRNESS, I THINK THE THIRD ATTRIBUTE IS UNDERSTANDING THE COMMUNITY THAT WE

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I THINK THAT THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE.

SO MY WIFE AND OUR CHILDREN AND I HAVE ONLY LIVED IN BATTLE GROUND FOR JUST OVER A YEAR AND.

WE JUST LOVE THIS COMMUNITY AND WE LOVE THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE OF THE FAMILY VALUES THAT ARE SO APPARENT HERE.

AND I THINK THAT, A, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER TO REALIZE THAT THOSE ARE THE COMMUNITY VALUES THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD IS HERE TO PROTECT AND TO GUARD.

AND I THINK THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT ROLE.

AND I THINK JUST REMEMBERING KIND OF WHERE THE CITIZENS ARE AT AND HOW IMPORTANT FAMILY VALUES ARE TO THESE TO THESE PEOPLE IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.

I THINK THAT WAS ALL THREE.

ANDREW WHAT DO YOU FEEL ARE TWO THINGS THAT THE DISTRICT DOES WELL AND TWO AREAS THE DISTRICT COULD IMPROVE UPON? SO I'M AT A UNIQUE DISADVANTAGE BECAUSE I HAVE ONLY LIVED HERE JUST OVER A YEAR.

SO MY, MY ANSWER IS GOING TO BE MOSTLY BASED ON PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OF MY CHILDREN IN THE DISTRICT, AND THEY GO TO TUKES VALLEY.

THE EXPERIENCES THAT WE HAVE HAD AT TUKES VALLEY AND WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT BY EXTENSION.

GRANTED, IT'S ONLY A SMALL SAMPLE SIZE HAVE BEEN ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL, AND I CAN CHARACTERIZE THAT MOST OF ALL BY AN UNDERSTANDING THAT THE PARENTS ARE THE PRIMARY EDUCATORS OF CHILDREN.

AND THIS DISTRICT REALIZES THAT AND GIVES THE PARENTS EQUIPS THE PARENTS WITH THE TOOLS THAT THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THE INSTRUCTION AT HOME.

THAT'S WHAT I'VE NOTICED FROM TUKES, AT LEAST THE TEACHERS THAT WE'VE HAD THERE ARE EXEMPLARY.

THE COMMUNICATION WITH THE STAFF HAS BEEN EXEMPLARY.

SO AS I SAY, IT'S A VERY IT'S IT'S PROBABLY JUST A VERY SMALL SAMPLE SIZE BECAUSE I'VE ONLY BEEN HERE A SO LONG, BUT WE'VE BEEN REALLY, REALLY IMPRESSED. I'M GOING I'M GOING TO CHEAT ON THE SECOND PART OF THIS QUESTION BECAUSE I DID WATCH ONE OF THE PREVIOUS INTERVIEWS BECAUSE THEY WERE LIVESTREAMED.

AND I WILL SAY THAT I HAVE TO AGREE WITH ONE OF MY PREVIOUS CANDIDATES THAT THE MATH AND SCIENCE SCORES DO SEEM SLIGHTLY LOW IN TERMS OF I HAVE A LOT TO LEARN IN TERMS OF HOW WE ACTUALLY BRING THOSE UP AND ALL SORTS I MEAN, THERE'S ALL SORTS OF SO I ALMOST HESITATE TO BRING IT UP BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE A SOLUTION FOR IT.

BUT IF I HAD TO SAY SOMETHING IN ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION, I WOULD I WOULD HAVE TO SAY THAT.

THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. WHAT GOALS WOULD YOU LIKE THE BOARD TO SET? YOU KNOW, I THINK IN HUMILITY, I DON'T KNOW THAT I CAN COME UP WITH AN APPROPRIATE ANSWER TO THAT AT THIS JUNCTURE.

I KNOW WHAT I THINK THE MISSION OF THE BOARD IS.

AND I THINK IT'S IT'S SECURING THE BEST EDUCATION FOR OUR CHILDREN THAT WE CAN.

I ALSO THINK THAT IT'S AS I AS I SAID BEFORE, KIND OF A GUARDIAN OF COMMUNITY VALUES AND REPRESENTING THOSE COMMUNITY VALUES IN TERMS OF SPECIFIC GOALS.

HONESTLY, I CAN'T TELL YOU BEYOND THOSE KIND OF MACRO THINGS, BUT WHAT THOSE REALLY SHOULD BE.

I DON'T I DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT IT YET.

ASK AGAIN IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS AND I MIGHT HAVE BETTER ANSWERS FOR YOU.

THANK YOU.

GIVE ME TIME TO WRITE.

OH, SURE. YOU'RE PROBABLY STILL WRITING THE ANSWER TO THAT SECOND QUESTION.

MAYBE.

OKAY. QUESTION NUMBER FIVE, WHAT'S YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE TIME COMMITMENT TO SERVE ON THE SCHOOL BOARD AND WHAT IS YOUR AVAILABILITY TO SERVE? SURE. SO IN THE MATERIALS, IT INDICATED ABOUT 10 HOURS A WEEK.

AND SO THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING.

I AM AVAILABLE.

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AND MY WIFE IS EXTREMELY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS.

AND SO I DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEMS MEETING THAT TIME EXPECTATION AND SO THAT THIS SHOULDN'T BE A PROBLEM, ESPECIALLY IN TERMS OF REVIEWING INFORMATION AND BEING PREPARED FOR MEETINGS.

I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY THE BULK I WOULD BET OF THE OTHER THAN I GUESS THE 10 HOURS WOULD INCLUDE THE MEETINGS THEMSELVES.

SO I WOULD SAY PROBABLY THE MEETINGS AND THEN REVIEWING MATERIALS BEFOREHAND SO THAT YOU'RE ADEQUATELY PREPARED.

THAT'S I'VE GOT TIME FOR THAT.

YEAH.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR INTERACTIONS WITH BATTLE GROUND PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND SHARE WITH US ANY PERCEIVED OR REAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.

GREAT. WELL, AS A LAWYER, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST ALWAYS GETS THE HAIRS ON THE BACK OF YOUR HEAD STANDING UP A LITTLE BIT, YOU KNOW? SO AS I INDICATED IN A PREVIOUS ANSWER, MY EXPERIENCE WITH BATTLE GROUND PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS PRETTY LIMITED, AND IT'S JUST LIMITED TO TUKES VALLEY, AND THEY'VE JUST BEEN WONDERFUL EXPERIENCES. I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT THAT WONDERFUL SCHOOL AND THE ADMINISTRATION AND ALL THE TEACHERS.

IN TERMS OF CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, I CAN'T THINK OF A SINGLE ONE, AND THAT'S BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T LIVED HERE TOO TERRIBLY LONG AND BECAUSE MY PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE HAS NOT IN ANY WAY INVOLVED SCHOOL DISTRICTS OR THIS BATTLE GROUND SCHOOL DISTRICT AT ALL.

INTERESTING WHEN I THINK ABOUT THIS QUESTION.

YEAH. NO, I REALLY CAN'T THINK OF A SINGLE CASE.

EVEN CIVIL CASES THAT I'VE HANDLED OR ANYTHING THAT WOULD HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH BATTLE GROUND SCHOOL DISTRICT.

SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I HAD A THOROUGH ANSWER.

QUESTION NUMBER SEVEN, AND YOU'VE KIND OF ANSWERED THIS ONE IN YOUR FIRST QUESTION THAT YOU ANSWERED, BUT YOU CAN JUST EXPAND.

THIS IS AN IMPORTANT ONE. RESTATE.

DO YOU BELIEVE THAT ONCE THE SCHOOL BOARD HAS MADE A DECISION THAT ALL BOARD MEMBERS SHOULD SUPPORT THE WILL OF THE MAJORITY? WHY OR WHY NOT? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

NOT ONLY BECAUSE THIS BOARD HAS TO ACT AS A BODY, A SINGLE BODY, BUT ALSO BECAUSE IT MEANS THAT YOU HAVE FULLY AND FAIRLY DISCUSSED THE ISSUES.

IN ORDER FOR SOMEONE TO ACCEPT THE MAJORITY, THEY HAVE TO FEEL AS IF THEY WERE HEARD FULLY.

AND I BELIEVE THAT THIS PROCESS IS PRECISELY AIMED AT DOING THAT.

AND SO ONCE YOU'VE REACHED A MAJORITY, IT ABSOLUTELY HAS TO BE ACCEPTED.

AND YOU ALSO HAVE TO BE ABLE TO TO MOVE ON AND SAY, OKAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, DIDN'T DIDN'T GET THAT ONE AND KIND OF UPSET ABOUT THAT DECISION.

BUT, YOU KNOW, IT IS WHAT IT IS.

LET'S MOVE ON TO THE NEXT THING, BECAUSE THE PROBLEMS, NOT MAYBE NOT PROBLEMS, BUT THE DECISIONS, THEY DON'T STOP.

DON'T STOP COMING. YOU DON'T HAVE TIME TO DWELL.

YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE ONE OF MY CASES, RIGHT? IF I GET A TERRIBLE RESULT OF THE PROSECUTOR JUST DOESN'T GIVE US WHAT WE WANTED OR WE LOSE A TRIAL.

LIKE, I CAN'T SPEND MY WHOLE LIFE ON THIS ONE CASE TAKING APPEALS ALL THE WAY UP.

YOU KNOW, I'VE GOT OTHER CLIENTS THAT I'VE GOT TO DEAL WITH, AND SO YOU'VE GOT TO LEAVE IT IN THE COURTROOM.

YOU GOT TO LEAVE IT IN THE SCHOOL BOARD HEARING ROOM AND AND MOVE ON.

THANK YOU.

ARE THERE PARTICULAR COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS YOU HAVE OR CONSTITUENCIES YOU WOULD REPRESENT AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER? YOU KNOW, I WE'VE ONLY LIVED HERE A RELATIVELY SHORT TIME, UNFORTUNATELY.

AND SO I REALLY DON'T I DON'T THINK THAT THERE ARE PARTICULAR COMMUNITIES THAT HERE THAT I WOULD REPRESENT.

I MEAN, MY I'M A LIKE ETHNICALLY RIGHT.

MY MOTHER'S VIETNAMESE AND FRENCH AND MY DAD'S IRISH.

AND SO I SUPPOSE THAT I'M LIKE, MISS TOLLY, YOU KNOW, PART ASIAN, RIGHT? SO THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY A CONSTITUENCY THAT I THINK NEEDS REPRESENTATION IN BATTLE GROUND.

BUT I MAY BE WRONG. I DON'T KNOW.

SO YEAH, I DON'T I CAN'T OTHER THAN THE CONSTITUENCIES TO WHICH I MAY HAPPEN TO BELONG, I CAN'T THINK OF ANY BEYOND THAT.

AND QUESTION NINE IF YOU ARE NOT APPOINTED, DO YOU PLAN TO RUN FOR THIS POSITION IN THE NOVEMBER 2023 SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION?

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DID YOU DRAFT THAT QUESTION? YOU NEED TO ASK THIS ONE.

THAT'S A VERY TOUGH QUESTION.

IT'S TOUGH BECAUSE SEEKING AN APPOINTMENT IS A LOT DIFFERENT THAN RUNNING AN ELECTION.

AND SO, FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD HAVE TO SAY AND YOU ALWAYS HAVE THE COMPOUND QUESTIONS, TOO, WHICH IS INTERESTING.

SO IN MY LINE OF WORK, COMPOUND QUESTIONS GET YOU IN BIG TROUBLE BECAUSE THEY'LL ANSWER WHATEVER.

SO DO I PLAN TO RUN FOR AGAINST BASICALLY WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS, DO I PLAN TO UNSEAT THE INCUMBENT IN NOVEMBER? RIGHT. I WOULD DEFINITELY HAVE TO HAVE A LONG CONVERSATION WITH MY WIFE BEFORE I RAN AN ELECTION AGAINST A SEATED OPPONENT.

ELECTIONS ARE COSTLY, ELECTIONS ARE TIME CONSUMING AND ELECTIONS ARE SPECULATIVE.

AND I DON'T THINK ANY OF THOSE THREE THINGS MY WIFE WILL APPROVE OF UNDERTAKING.

NOW, THAT BEING SAID, I DON'T KNOW.

I CAN'T SAY FOR SURE.

I CAN'T RULE THAT OUT.

BUT AT THIS JUNCTURE, I IT'S A LONG WAYS AWAY.

NOVEMBER IS A LONG WAYS AWAY.

I HOPE THAT'S ENOUGH OF AN ANSWER.

I THINK THERE WAS A SECOND PART.

OH, YES, YES. THANK YOU FOR THE SECOND QUESTION.

I DON'T KNOW, BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH THAT I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE SCHOOL BOARD.

I JUST HOW COULD I POSSIBLY MAKE THAT DECISION NOW WITHOUT EVEN GETTING BOOTS ON THE GROUND AND SEEING IF I'M USEFUL TO THE BOARD IN ANY WAY? RIGHT. AND SEEING WHERE I FIT, WHAT SUBCOMMITTEES I FIT INTO AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO, YEAH, I THINK IT'S I THINK IT'S DEFINITELY TOO SOON FOR BOTH OF YOUR QUESTIONS.

I'M SORRY.

OK, BATTLE GROUND PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS CURRENTLY CONSIDERING RUNNING A BOND IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT MOVING FORWARD IN THIS DIRECTION? WELL, MY FIRST THOUGHT IS THAT I WOULD DEFINITELY HAVE TO READ AND DISCUSS A LOT, LOT MORE BEFORE I CAN COME UP WITH A POSITION. LAWYERS REALLY HATE HYPOTHETICAL QUESTIONS LIKE THIS BECAUSE THEY KNOW WE THE FIRST THING WE DO IS DEFINE TERMS. WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT EXACTLY WHAT THINGS MEAN AND THEN WE CAN PARSE OUT BASED ON THAT A COURSE OF ACTION.

AND I DON'T KNOW NEARLY ENOUGH ABOUT THE BOND, WHAT THE BOND WOULD ENCOMPASS, HOW EXPENSIVE THE BOND WOULD BE, WHETHER THE CITIZENRY WOULD SUPPORT A BOND TO WHAT AMOUNT.

I MEAN, I JUST THERE'S WAY TOO MUCH INFORMATION THAT I DON'T HAVE.

AND HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, IN TIME I WILL HAVE THAT INFORMATION AND THEN I CAN GIVE YOU A MUCH BETTER ANSWER.

THANK YOU. OF COURSE.

SO OUR LAST QUESTION OF THE EVENING, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS YOU WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE BOARD OR IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE ABOUT YOU THAT WE SHOULD KNOW IN ORDER TO BETTER CONSIDER YOUR CANDIDACY? I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS TO ASK THE BOARD AND I THINK THEY'LL BE TIME ENOUGH, GOD WILLING, IN THE FUTURE TO ASK THOSE QUESTIONS.

AT THIS TIME, JUST IN TERMS OF THE PROCESS ITSELF, I DON'T, BUT I HAVE SO MANY MORE QUESTIONS I WANT SOMEONE TO EXPLAIN TO ME THE FINANCING PART. JUDGE HIGGINSON SAID THAT IN PARTICULAR, YES, SHE'S SITTING RIGHT BEHIND, JUDGE HIGGINSON SAID, IN PARTICULAR, HE SAID, YOU KNOW, ANDREW, ALL THE YEARS I WAS ON THE BOARD, I NEVER REALLY DID FIGURE THAT PART OUT.

[INAUDIBLE] I WOULD THINK WOULD BE A GOOD ADJECTIVE FOR IT.

ANYBODY CAN TEACH YOU.

YES. OH, GOOD, GOOD, EXCELLENT.

SO, NO, I MEAN, SO MANY QUESTIONS, BUT BUT NOTHING, I THINK, AT THIS TIME IN THE PROCESS.

THANK YOU. BUT I FULLY EXPECT THAT EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM WILL BE VERY SICK OF ANSWERING MY QUESTIONS BEFORE NOT TOO LONG, BECAUSE I HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS.

SO ANYTHING ELSE WE SHOULD KNOW? SO THIS IS KIND OF A SUMMATION, I THINK THAT, IN CONCLUSION, THE STRENGTHS OF MY LEGAL EDUCATION AND MY EXPERIENCE AS A LAWYER, THE ABILITY TO DO EXTENSIVE RESEARCH TO

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AS THE THE BOOK SAYS US, THE BOOK TITLE SAYS, I THINK ALL OF THOSE WOULD MAKE ME AN IDEAL CANDIDATE FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD AND I HOPE THAT YOU AGREE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, ANDREW.

OKAY. GOOD NIGHT.

GOOD NIGHT. GOOD.

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AND WE WILL BE, WE HAVE A SET OF 11 QUESTIONS FOR THE EVENING.

WE WILL BE DOING THIS ROUND ROBIN STYLE.

SO EACH OF US WILL BE GOING AROUND THE ROOM AND ASKING YOU A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS AND WE WILL DO SOME INTRODUCTIONS FIRST, I AM THE BOARD PRESIDENT.

SO WITH THAT, WE'LL GET STARTED WITH OUR FIRST QUESTION, AND RICARDO WILL BE LEADING WITH THAT.

PLEASE TELL US WHY YOU DECIDED TO APPLY FOR THIS POSITION AND WHAT STRENGTHS WOULD YOU BRING TO THE BOARD? I THINK THAT PRIMARILY I DECIDED TO APPLY, I'VE HAD SOME INTERACTIONS WITH DENNY THROUGHOUT THE LAST FEW YEARS, I WOULD SAY.

I WAS BORN JUST UP BY THE [INAUDIBLE] WELL I WASN'T BORN BY THE [INAUDIBLE] BRIDGE, BUT I WAS BORN IN VANCOUVER, HE LIVED BY THE [INAUDIBLE] BRIDGE FOR MY ENTIRE CHILDHOOD, WENT TO SCHOOL AT OLD CHIEF LEWISVILLE WHEN IT WAS HERE BATTLE GROUND HIGH SCHOOL.

AND SO MY ROOTS ARE HERE AND I HAVE A LOT OF COMMUNITY CONNECTIVITY.

I'VE BEEN A. ATHLETICS COACH FOR BASEBALL, FOOTBALL.

MY FOUR CHILDREN, ALL THREE OF THEM GRADUATED AT BATTLE GROUND HIGH SCHOOL.

I HAVE ONE THAT ATTENDS THERE NOW.

HE IS AN ATHLETE THERE, AND SO I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY I'VE GROWN UP HERE.

AND SO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME TO SEE THE SUCCESS THAT BATTLE GROUND IS BROUGHT TO MY FAMILY IS IMPORTANT, BUT ALSO THAT NEEDS TO TRANSLATE TO AS MANY STUDENTS AS POSSIBLE.

SO I DECIDED TO GET INVOLVED PRIMARILY JUST TO TO BE INVOLVED WITH THREE KIDS BEING OUT OF THE HOUSE.

I'VE GOT JUST MY ONE SON AT HOME NOW, AND I HAVE PEOPLE ASK ME ALL THE TIME, WHY ARE YOU WHY AREN'T YOU MORE INVOLVED IN THIS? WHY ARE YOU MORE INVOLVED IN THAT? WELL, BECAUSE I WAS TOO BUSY COACHING AND, YOU KNOW, TAKING CARE OF MY FAMILY.

AND I'M TO A POINT NOW WHERE I FEEL LIKE THAT I CAN TAKE SOME OF THE SKILLS THAT THAT I HAVE, WHICH INCLUDE INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS, THE ABILITY TO STAND FIRM ON THE THINGS THAT I BELIEVE IN WHILE STILL LISTENING TO OTHER FOLKS ON THEIR BELIEFS.

I FEEL LIKE THAT'S A HUGE CRISIS RIGHT NOW.

YOU KNOW, NATIONWIDE IT'S MY WAY OR YOUR WAY.

WELL, THAT'S NOT THE WAY IT IS, RIGHT? WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO HEAR EACH OTHER.

WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO GROW TOGETHER.

WE ALL HAVE SO MUCH MORE IN COMMON THAN WE HAVE DIFFERENCES.

AND SO SOMETIMES IT'S FINDING THAT COMMON GROUND TO PUT THE CHIP IN THE ROCK THAT HOPEFULLY CAN CRUMBLE DOWN TO A GOOD PROCESS OF COMMUNICATION. THANK YOU.

THE SECOND QUESTION HAS TWO PARTS.

WHAT EXPERIENCES HAVE YOU HAD ON OTHER BOARDS OR IN MANAGEMENT OR OTHER LEADERSHIP POSITIONS? AND WHAT ARE THE THREE MOST IMPORTANT ATTRIBUTES FOR A SCHOOL BOARD DIRECTOR TO POSSESS? ON YOUR FIRST PART. I'VE DONE A LOT OF THINGS IN MY LIFE FROM SALES TO MANAGEMENT TO SCHOOL TO COACHING.

I THINK ALL OF THOSE THINGS REQUIRE QUITE A BIT OF COMMUNICATION AND THE ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND DIFFERENT FOLKS.

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AND YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO TO READ AND UNDERSTAND A ROOM WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH THOSE THINGS.

AND I APOLOGIZE. THE SECOND THREE PART QUESTION, YOU HAVE THEM IN FRONT OF YOU.

I THINK YOU SHOULD.

YEAH, YOU DO.

AND I APOLOGIZE. I SHOULD. OH, THAT'S OKAY.

SO AS FAR AS THE MOST IMPORTANT ATTRIBUTES FOR A SCHOOL BOARD DIRECTOR TO POSSESS, I THINK INTEGRITY'S NUMBER ONE.

TRANSPARENCY IS PROBABLY THE SECOND MOST IMPORTANT THING IN OUR INTERPERSONAL AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS.

THE ABILITY TO SPEAK EFFECTIVELY, UNDERSTAND OTHER FOLKS, WHAT THEIR OPINIONS ARE, AND BE ABLE TO TALK THROUGH THOSE.

NOT EVERYBODY IS GOING TO AGREE ON EVERYTHING, AND NOT EVERYBODY IS GOING TO ALWAYS GET THEIR WAY.

BUT FINDING A COMPROMISE AND CONSENSUS IN THAT AND BEING ABLE TO POSSESS THE SKILLS TO COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY BACK AND FORTH, TO FIND A COMMON RESOLUTION THAT MAYBE BOTH SIDES ARE A LITTLE BIT UNHAPPY WITH.

BOTH SIDES ARE A LITTLE BIT HAPPY WITH ULTIMATELY IS WHAT WE ALL HOPE FOR.

SO, TODD, WHAT DO YOU FEEL ARE TWO THINGS THE DISTRICT DOES WELL AND TWO AREAS THE DISTRICT COULD IMPROVE UPON.

WELL, OUR GRADUATION RATES ARE PRETTY UP THERE.

AND I THINK THAT SHOULD BE THE PRIMARY GOAL IS HOW CAN WE EFFECTIVELY TEACH THESE YOUNG CHILDREN TO BE YOUNG ADULTS, THESE YOUNG ADULTS TO THEN BECOME ADULTS AND BE ABLE TO GO OUT INTO SOCIETY? I FEEL LIKE THE SCHOOL DOES A PRETTY GOOD JOB THE SCHOOL DISTRICT DOES AT EFFECTIVELY DOING THAT.

I MEAN, DO I FEEL LIKE 88% IS PERFECT? NO, I FEEL LIKE 95% IS BETTER THAN 88%.

100% WOULD BE THE PERFECT SCENARIO FOR EVERYBODY.

SO I THINK AS LONG AS WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS IMPROVING THE ABILITY TO GET EVERY STUDENT TO THAT LEVEL, I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD ALWAYS TRY TO ACHIEVE.

YOU KNOW, 100% IS SOME PEOPLE MAY SEE IT AS UNREALISTIC, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU GO, WELL, YOU KNOW, WE'LL SETTLE FOR 95.

IT MEANS YOUR GOAL IS 100% RIGHT AND YOU DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN IN YOUR POWER.

AND YOU KNOW, GOOD THINGS HAPPEN.

AS FAR AS TWO AREAS OF THE DISTRICT COULD IMPROVE.

I MEAN, OUR FACILITIES CERTAINLY.

IT BREAKS MY HEART TO KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT LIKE LOWER AND MIDDLE SCHOOL LAUREN OR SORRY GLENWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND KNOWING THAT WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL 25 YEARS AGO THAT THE BUILDINGS PRETTY MUCH THE SAME AS IT WAS THEN, THAT'S DISHEARTENING BECAUSE THE BUILDING WAS OLDER AND DILAPIDATED BACK THEN.

SO SCHOOL IMPROVEMENTS I THINK IS ALWAYS SOMETHING, BUT THAT COMES BACK TO THE TRANSPARENCY.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO PASS BONDS AND LEVIES, BUT THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO FULLY TRUST AND UNDERSTAND THE COMPLEXITY OF WHAT GOES INTO THAT.

AND I KNOW THAT PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE AND GET INFORMATION FROM BOARD MEMBERS AS NECESSARY.

BUT I FEEL LIKE SOMETIMES THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SOMETIMES FAILS A LITTLE BIT IN ANSWERING QUESTIONS THAT THE PUBLIC BRINGS UP EFFECTIVELY.

SO THAT'S PROBABLY THE MAIN AREA THAT I WOULD SAY THAT THAT I'VE SEEN.

THANK YOU.

JUST WAITING FOR EVERYBODY TO STOP WRITING.

WHAT GOALS WOULD YOU LIKE THE BOARD TO SET? I THINK THAT YOU GUYS DO A GOOD JOB AT SETTING GOALS.

YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT DURING THE LAST LEVY, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT WAS GOING ON, I WAS VERY VOCAL ABOUT THE THINGS BASED ON WHAT I WAS HEARING THAT PEOPLE WANTED TO HEAR.

I WAS ABLE TO SIT DOWN WITH CHRIS CARGILL.

HE MESSAGED ME ON FACEBOOK AND SAID, HEY, LET ME EXPLAIN WHAT'S GOING ON.

AND SO I SAT DOWN AND I HAD PROBABLY A TWO HOUR CONVERSATION WITH HIM AT THE COFFEE SHOP IN TOWN.

AND ULTIMATELY, GRADUATION SUCCESS RATES, MOST IMPORTANT.

[01:50:01]

WE'RE IN A SUPER DIVERSE COMMUNITY, BOTH RELIGIOUSLY, AND WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, VARIOUS ETHNICITIES, DIFFERENT COUNTRY OF ORIGIN FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE.

AND SO IF I WAS TO SAY THAT WE NEEDED TO SET GOALS, I WOULD SAY PRIMARILY IT WOULD BE TO FOCUS ON MAKING SURE THAT THE POLICIES THAT WE PUT IN PLACE BENEFIT AS MANY OF THE STUDENTS AS POSSIBLE AND IN AREAS THAT WE MIGHT BE FAILING, WHICH WE MIGHT NOT KNOW INITIALLY.

SOMETIMES YOU COME UP WITH A GREAT IDEA AND IT SEEMS LIKE A GREAT IDEA, AND THEN YOU LOOK AT IT AND YOU GO, MAN, THIS DIDN'T WORK OUT THE WAY WE WANT THAT IT NEEDS TO BE REEVALUATED AND LOOKED AT MORE WAYS TO MAKE MORE PEOPLE SUCCESSFUL.

SOMETIMES YOU MAKE THE PERFECT DECISION AND EVERYTHING GOES RIGHT, AND SOMETIMES YOU DON'T MAKE THE PERFECT DECISION.

AND IN THOSE SITUATIONS, THEN YOU HAVE TO REGROUP AND LOOK AT WHAT ELSE CAN BE DONE TO INCREASE THE GRADUATION RATES AND THE HAPPINESS OF THE STUDENTS, PRIMARILY WHO WE SERVE.

I'M UP NEXT. READY? OKAY. QUESTION NUMBER FIVE.

WHAT'S YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE TIME COMMITMENT TO SERVE ON THE SCHOOL BOARD AND WHAT'S YOUR AVAILABILITY OF THAT TIME TO SERVE.

I'LL START WITH AVAILABILITY.

FIRST OF ALL, I'M SALARIED AT WORK, SO THAT'S COOL BECAUSE I HAVE INCREDIBLE FLEXIBILITY IN MY SCHEDULE.

SO I KNOW THAT WE HAVE A COUPLE OF MEETINGS A MONTH, RIGHT? BUT ALSO I KNOW THAT IT'S NOT AS SIMPLE AS JUST SHOWING UP TO A MEETING.

THERE'S GOING TO BE EMAILS THAT YOU GET THAT YOU NEED TO EVALUATE THINGS TO PREP FOR THE MEETING.

THERE'S GOING TO BE PARENTS WHO KNOW THAT YOU'RE THEIR REPRESENTATIVE FOR THEIR AREA THAT ARE GOING TO REACH OUT TO YOU DIRECTLY AND HAVE QUESTIONS.

BUT ULTIMATELY, I HAVE NOTHING BUT TIME.

I'M NOT COACH ANYMORE.

MY YOUNGEST SON, WHO I COACHED FOR ABOUT TIME HE WAS EIGHT TILL LAST YEAR WAS THE LAST YEAR, IS NOW GETTING TO A POINT WHERE I'M NOT INVOLVED WITH HIS SPORTS.

HE'S DOING HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS.

HE DOES SOME SUMMER BASEBALL, BUT I'M NOT INVOLVED WITH THE COACHING ON THAT.

AND SO THAT KIND OF ROUND ROBIN GOES BACK TO WHAT I TALKED TO YOU ABOUT AT THE BEGINNING.

I'M ALMOST LOOKING FOR THINGS TO FILL MY TIME NOW BECAUSE MINUS HIS HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS.

YOU KNOW, I, I TRY TRY TO BE AS INVOLVED IN POSSIBLE AND EVERYTHING THAT I CAN, BUT I FIND MYSELF TOO OFTEN JUST KIND OF SITTING ON THE LA-Z-BOY ON MY PHONE, TROLLING FACEBOOK OR WATCHING TV OR WHATEVER.

SO AS FAR AS THE TIME COMMITMENT GOES, I DON'T KNOW SPECIFICALLY.

I IMAGINE IT'S A LOT MORE THAN JUST TWO MEETINGS A WEEK, BUT I'M OPEN TO BEING AVAILABLE WHEN NECESSARY.

OKAY. THERE'S TIME AT THE END FOR YOU TO ASK MORE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, AND WE'LL DO THE BEST WE CAN TO ANSWER IT.

ALL RIGHT.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR INTERACTIONS WITH BATTLE GROUND PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND SHARE WITH US ANY PERCEIVED OR REAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.

AS FAR AS MY OWN CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT LIKE HISTORICALLY, HAVE I HAD ISSUES WITH BATTLE GROUND SCHOOL DISTRICT? WOULD BE ANY LIKE ANY BUSINESS DEALING THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE THAT WOULD? I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY CONFLICT OF INTEREST.

THAT'S NOT AN ISSUE AT ALL.

AS FAR AS INTERACTIONS, I WOULD SAY 90% POSITIVE.

YOU KNOW, I'M ALWAYS GOING TO BE A PARENT FIRST.

SO THERE'S TIMES WHERE MAYBE I MIGHT DISAGREE WITH THE DECISION RELATED TO SOMETHING THAT'S GOING ON IN THE SCHOOL WITH THE CHILD OF MINE.

AND I'M THE TYPE OF PERSON THAT WHEN THAT COMES UP, I'M NOT AFRAID TO ADDRESS IT DIRECTLY, YOU KNOW, AND I'M ALWAYS WILLING TO CALL A SPADE A SPADE, BUT I'M ALSO WILLING TO UNDERSTAND THAT WHAT THE WAY I SEE IT, THE WAY I MIGHT INTERPRET IT SOMETIMES YOU'RE HEARING IT'S IMPORTANT TO HEAR TWO SIDES OF THE STORY. FOR EXAMPLE, IF A STUDENT'S HAVING A HARD TIME WITH THE TEACHER, WHICH I'VE DEALT WITH, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, YOU HEAR, OH, THIS TEACHER IS HORRIBLE FOR THIS REASON, AND I GOT IN TROUBLE FOR THIS.

WELL, THEN YOU GO TO THE TEACHER AND THEY SAY, NO, THAT'S NOT HOW I HAPPEN TO HAPPEN LIKE THIS.

WELL, TRUTH GENERALLY LIES SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN, RIGHT? BUT I THINK THE ONLY CONFLICT I'VE EVER HAD WITH THE DISTRICT DIRECTLY IS JUST IN SITUATIONS OF, YOU KNOW, PERSONAL RESPONSE RELATED TO

[01:55:04]

I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY ABOUT IT.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. QUESTION NUMBER SEVEN, DO YOU BELIEVE THAT ONCE THE SCHOOL BOARD HAS MADE A DECISION THAT ALL BOARD MEMBERS SHOULD SUPPORT THE WILL OF THE MAJORITY? WHY OR WHY NOT? YES. ONCE THE VOTE TAKES PLACE.

SO I DON'T THINK ANYBODY SHOULD JUST RIDE COATTAILS AND GO, WELL, I THINK I KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO VOTE THIS WAY, SO I'M JUST GOING TO VOTE THIS WAY.

THAT'S A HORRIBLE APPROACH.

I TALKED ABOUT THE DIVERSITY OF OUR COMMUNITY HAVING GROWN UP HERE, AND WE OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT IS SO LARGE, RIGHT AS FAR AS SQUARE MILES GOES. SO WHAT'S RIGHT FOR WHAT'S IN BATTLE GROUND MAY NOT BE WHAT THE PARENTS ARE FEELING IS RIGHT IN NORTH CLARK COUNTY, OLD AMBOY.

IT MAY NOT BE WHAT THE FOLKS THAT ARE IN, YOU KNOW, AROUND LORNE AND GLENWOOD FEEL.

AND SO ONCE THE VOTE TAKES PLACE, THE DECISION IS MADE.

AND SO YOU NEED TO STEP IN LINE.

YOU GET TO YOU GET TO REPRESENT THE BATTLE IN DEBATE AND CONVERSATION.

RIGHT. BUT ULTIMATELY, ONCE THE BATTLE IS OVER, THEN THE DECISION IS MADE.

YOU NEED TO REPRESENT THE DISTRICT AT THAT POINT.

ARE THERE PARTICULAR COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS YOU HAVE OR CONSTITUENCIES YOU WOULD REPRESENT AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER? EVERYONE.

IF YOU ARE NOT APPOINTED, DO YOU PLAN TO RUN FOR THIS POSITION IN THE NOVEMBER 2023 SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION? AND LIKEWISE, IF YOU ARE APPOINTED, DO YOU PLAN TO RUN FOR THIS POSITION IN THE NOVEMBER 2023 SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION? ABSOLUTELY ON BOTH.

TODD, BATTLE GROUND PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS CURRENTLY CONSIDERING RUNNING A BOND IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT MOVING FORWARD IN THIS DIRECTION? WE'VE GOT TO BE TRANSPARENT IF IT HAPPENS, WHETHER I'M A MEMBER OF THE BOARD OR NOT.

TRANSPARENCY IS THE KEY ON THIS.

I THINK OUR LAST BOND THAT WE PASSED WAS THAT WAS SIGNIFICANT WAS TUKES VALLEY AND DAYBREAK.

AND BEYOND THAT, I THINK THERE'S BEEN A COUPLE OF BONDS SINCE THAT HAVEN'T PASSED BY A SLIM MAJORITY.

I THINK PART OF THAT AND THIS IS NOT ANYBODY ON THIS BOARD'S FAULT, BUT I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE MIGHT HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH WITH PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS.

AND THEY'RE HAVING A HARD TIME GETTING PAST THAT.

I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO PASS BONDS.

WE HAVE TO DO SO EFFECTIVELY AND AS FAR AS AN UPCOMING BOND, THE ONLY THING I REALLY KNOW ABOUT IT IS THAT THEY'RE POTENTIALLY LOOKING AT A COUPLE OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. I KNOW THAT OUR STUDENTS STRUGGLE IN CLASSROOM SIZE. I THINK IN ADDITION THAT HOPEFULLY AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE A BOND WOULD INCLUDE A THIRD HIGH SCHOOL.

I THINK THAT WE HAVE TOO MANY KIDS THAT RIDE THE BUS FOR TOO LONG EVERY DAY TO GET TO BATTLE GROUND HIGH SCHOOL AS THEIR ONLY CHOICE. AND I THINK THAT OUR ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT IS AFFECTED DIRECTLY, SOMETIMES JUST BASED ON THE SIZE OF OUR WE'RE A FOUR A SCHOOL HERE JUST LOOKING AT BATTLE GROUND HIGH SCHOOL AND NOT NECESSARILY SO MUCH PRAIRIE, BUT WE HAVE A STUDENT BODY OF A 4A SCHOOL, BUT WE'RE NOT ABSOLUTELY ABLE TO DRAW FROM THE SAME STUDENT BODY AS USC IS WHAT I CALL THEM UNION SKYVIEW AND [INAUDIBLE].

AND SO THAT THAT HURTS US A LITTLE BIT IN ATHLETICS.

SO I THINK I THINK BONDS ARE IMPORTANT, RIGHT? NO SCHOOL DISTRICT CAN SURVIVE WITHOUT BONDS AND LEVIES, BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SPENDING IS ARTICULATED TO THE PUBLIC, THAT THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS WHAT THE PLAN IS AND THAT WE LISTEN TO THE PUBLIC AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE IN DETERMINING WHAT ROUTE TO GO WITH WITH THE BOND.

[02:00:06]

YOU KNOW, THE PUBLIC IS ONLY GOING TO AGREE TO ADD MORE TO THEIR PROPERTY TAXES IF IT LOOKS EFFECTIVE.

AND YOU'RE NOT EVER GOING TO GET EVERYBODY ON BOARD.

BUT I FIND THAT MOST PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THE MIDDLE ARE GENERALLY THE FOLKS THAT ARE WILLING TO LISTEN AS LONG AS THEY'RE BEING LISTENED TO.

THANK YOU. DID YOU JUST THROW PICKLES AT A WINDOW? YEAH. SORRY. NO, I'VE JUST NEVER HEARD IT BEFORE.

ALL RIGHT, SO THE LAST QUESTION FOR THE NIGHT.

DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS YOU WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE BOARD, OR IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE SHOULD KNOW IN ORDER TO BETTER CONSIDER YOUR CANDIDACY? I DON'T THINK SO. I MEAN, I HAVE A HUGE COMMUNITY REACH JUST BECAUSE I'VE BEEN HERE SO LONG.

I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE.

I KNOW A LOT OF I'VE BEEN THROUGH THE GRIND MYSELF.

YOU KNOW, I WAS IN THIS VERY BUILDING WHEN THE LEVY DIDN'T PASS.

AND WHAT WHAT WAS IT, 92.

AND I LOST SHOP CLASS IN THE NEXT BUILDING OVER.

SO I KNOW THE HURT THAT THE STUDENTS FEEL WHEN THAT STUFF DOESN'T GO THROUGH BECAUSE IT HAPPENED TO ME, YOU KNOW, AND SO BEING ABLE TO TO, TO GET THROUGH THOSE THINGS IS SOMETHING THAT THAT'S THAT I CHERISH AND WOULD LOVE TO BE A PART OF HELPING CREATE IF IT'S DONE SO IN THE RIGHT WAY.

I REALIZE THAT I'M JUST ONE VOICE OF MANY VOICES.

I'M HOPING TO BE ABLE TO RECEIVE MORE VOICES AND BE A SPOKESPERSON TO UNDERSTAND AND AN OUTLET FOR THEM TO REACH OUT AND BE ABLE TO RECEIVE THE TRANSPARENCY THAT I WOULD HOPE TO HAVE AS A BOARD MEMBER OR AS A PARENT WHO WASN'T A BOARD MEMBER REACHING OUT TO WHOEVER MY REPRESENTATIVE WAS.

THANK YOU. I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.

ANYTHING ELSE? THE BOARD.

ALL RIGHT. WELL, THAT CONCLUDES OUR INTERVIEW.

[6. Executive Session]

ONCE WE'RE DONE WITH THAT.

AND WE WILL MAKE A DECISION ON OUR CANDIDATE AND WE WILL COME OUT AND LET OUR CANDIDATE KNOW.

AWESOME. I KNOW YOU'LL BE CALLING.

I WILL BE CALLING. AND THEN WE'LL COME OUT AND ANNOUNCE THE CANDIDATE.

YES. I'M SUCH A ROOKIE.

I'M SO SORRY. I APPRECIATE ALL YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU, GUYS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, GOD.

ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT.

[7. Appointment of Director of District No. 2]

IT WAS A VERY TOUGH DELIBERATION.

VERY QUALIFIED CANDIDATES.

AND I BELIEVE WE ARE PREPARED TO MAKE A NOMINATION FOR DIRECTOR OF DISTRICT TWO.

YES, I WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE ANDREW LAWHON FOR THE DIRECTOR TWO POSITION OF THE BATTLE GROUND SCHOOL BOARD.

ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A NOMINATION ON THE FLOOR FOR THE DIRECTOR DISTRICT OF DISTRICT TWO.

ANDREW LAWHON HAS BEEN NOMINATED TO BE APPOINTED TO THE BATTLE GROUND PUBLIC SCHOOLS BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

THE APPOINTMENT IS FOR APPROXIMATELY EIGHT MONTHS AS THE POSITION WILL BE UP FOR ELECTION IN THE 2023 PRIMARY AND GENERAL ELECTIONS.

ARE THERE ANY MORE NOMINATIONS AT THIS TIME? ALL RIGHT. WELL, THE NOMINATIONS WILL BE A ROLL CALL VOTE.

SO IF THERE ARE NO OTHER NOMINATIONS, WE WILL START OUR ROLL CALL VOTE AT THIS TIME.

ANDREW LAWHON HAS BEEN APPOINTED AS DIRECTOR OF DISTRICT TWO.

THANK YOU ALL. THAT'S GREAT.

THANK YOU BOARD. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. AND THAT CONCLUDES OUR MEETING.

THE SPECIAL SESSION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21ST, AT 8:15.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.