SEQUIM — Sequim School District hopes to add a new face to its administration on July 1.
Superintendent Gary Neal recommended the School Board hire Jennifer Maughan as the district’s new assistant superintendent. The board unanimously approved — with Heather Short absent — the offer on Monday.
Neal said the district and Maughan had not discussed a contract, but he expected that once a contract is established she will start July 1.
“We are excited for Jennifer to join our team and the Sequim Community,” Neal said. “Her skill set and experience will be a great fit for our district.”
Neal said Interim Assistant Superintendent Stephanie Parker would finish her part-time contract on June 30 and return to retirement. Parker was hired as a part-time interim assistant superintendent on Oct. 31.
Maughan was at the board meeting Monday night and talked about her experience as a science and English teacher, dean of students, and assistant principal at Seattle Public Schools. She served as principal at Highline Public Schools starting in 2010.
She earned the 2016 South Puget Sound Principal of the Year Award.
The board also approved a change in Randy Hill’s contract to make him permanent director of human resources.
Hill was approved as interim director of human resources in December. He previously was serving as Sequim High School’s assistant principal, which was then filled as a split position of interim assistant principal by Tom Anderson and Mary Ann Unger.
Ballot boxes
Craig Stevenson and Dave Shreffler, Representatives of Sequim Family Advocates, a nonprofit group serving as a political voice and advocate for children and families in Sequim and Eastern Clallam County, presented to the board and district administration asking for approval of two ballot boxes to be put at Greywolf Elementary School and Sequim High School’s parking lot.
Representatives said they were requesting the board to pass a motion to put ballot boxes at these two locations in Sequim School District.
They said if the district allowed this, it would “better the general vicinity” by increasing voter participation in the area and that “Sequim is barely in compliance with one ballot box,” located at 651 W. Washington St.
Stevenson said this would be of no cost to the district to install the ballot boxes and that was the role of Sequim Family Advocates.
The board gave permission to allow two ballot boxes on Sequim School District property after hearing from Craig Stevenson and Dave Shreffler, representatives of Sequim Family Advocates.
The board specified that the district has the discretion to decide the best locations for these ballot boxes.
“We would tell the county auditor that we have some locations we’re willing to put (ballot boxes) to help the auditor make a decision on where they actually go,” Neal said.
However, Neal said the county auditor has the final call on whether or not the ballot boxes will be implemented on school property.
School security
Sequim Parents for Safe Schools member Tracy Swanson thanked the board for its interest in what the group is trying to accomplish.
Member Jerry Mote recommended that the board create a safety task force, set up a public information forum on safety within the district, improve door locks at the schools, add safety buckets in classrooms and use Security Services Northwest, Inc. Shepherd Shield app. He offered the district threat awareness training for free.
Board member Jim Stoffer said the board must follows OSPI’s safety protocols and procedures and wants to make sure everyone is on the same page as far as safety goes.
“We have to follow what the State Board of Education puts out by the laws,” he said. “Yes, we’re elected but we have to follow those policies.”
Stoffer, director Brain Kuh and Neal all have attended a few of Sequim Parents for Safe Schools’ meetings. Neal said the district will continue to communicate with Sequim Parents for Safe Schools and invite them to the table when it comes to school safety.
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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.
