Zac Fabian resigns Dayton School Board

DAYTON – The Dayton School Board met in the high school library at 6:30 p.m. on December 18, 2024. Superintendent Jeremy Wheatley, Business Manager Jana Eaton, and Student Representative Lila Hutchens were present. Board Chair Jeffrey McCowen and board members Aneesha Dieu, Grant Griffin, and Ryan Paulson were present; Paulson attended using Zoom. Zac Fabian was not present.  

The board passed the consent agenda, which included surplus items and approval of a $1,000 grant from NW Grain Growers for a new baseball/softball scoreboard.

An ASB representative recapped recent and upcoming student activities, including a trip to Bluewood on January 25 and to the Quake family fun center in Kennewick.

Dayton students who attended the FAA convention in Indiana reported on their experience, which was very positive. It appeared the students who attended had a great time, saying it was “a really cool experience.”

School staff Jami Rushing and Wendy Richards gave an in-depth briefing on the Title 1 process and programs. Title I, Part A: Closing Educational Achievement Gaps is a federal program designed to provide customized instruction and curricula that help students meet academic standards. Sarah Reser also briefed the Board on the process and intervention to ensure students are on a graduation pathway.

Amy Cox, the K-12 principal, said there was overcrowding in classrooms, particularly in second and fifth grades, with 28 students to one teacher. The established standard is no more than 26 students to one teacher. It was decided that the two affected teachers should be given additional pay to cover the extra administrative time.

Cox said Horizon and Elevate sponsor a S.T.E.A.M (Science Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) club for middle school students. Elementary teacher Amber Olson and Food Services Director Allicia Stapleton provide guidance for the club. Currently, the club has about ten members.

Wheatley addressed the closure of the district’s schools on Friday, December 13. He said school absences of ten percent and over must be reported to the Columbia County Public Health Department. On Thursday, they exceeded seventeen percent, and the county health department closed the schools. Students will probably make up the day in March.

Eaton said an elevator had been funded and installed to provide disabled access to the second-floor auditorium. It will be in service after the state inspectors certify it.

The board had two action items on the agenda, both approved. The first was approving the resignation of Zac Fabian from the school board for unstated reasons. A search for a new board member will begin soon.

The second decision concerned changing the meeting schedule for January 2025. The scheduled workshop on January 1 was moved to January 9. The regular meeting was rescheduled to January 22, 2025.

The regular meeting was suspended at 8:22 p.m. so that the board could enter an executive session. The stated reason for the session was to review a complaint against an employee or official in the district. The regular meeting was resumed at 9 p.m. after the executive session ended. The meeting adjourned without further discussion or action.