The Edmonds School District Board of Directors at its Tuesday, Feb. 14, business meeting welcomed new permanent Superintendent Dr. Rebecca Miner.

Miner was selected by the board Feb. 8 following her year as interim superintendent for the district.

“I’m absolutely thrilled to be joining the team long term and be able to serve the students and families in the community,” she said.

Her contract is expected to be approved during the next school board meeting.

The new superintendent also commended the district staff’s hard work to restore internet access to the schools – an issue that caused some turmoil the past few weeks.

“I would also like to give a shoutout to our tech department, who have worked tirelessly through the challenges we have faced in recent days,” she said. “Morning, afternoon, night, weekends, they have been here working hard and I have a tremendous appreciation for their efforts. We’re grateful to be here up and running as normal tonight.”

In other business, the board voted to approve multiple district policy changes, one of which involved a waiver for high school graduation credits. Board President Nancy Katims addressed some rumors she had noticed online about the policy before the board voted on the matter. 

“I saw some comments on social media of what seemed like a reaction to the title of this policy – that it sounded like we were just giving random waivers to any kids who we wanted to,” Katims said. “It’s not anything like that. I suggest if you’re interested, that you actually read the policies that are on our agenda that are public. But it basically has to do with students who are in specific circumstances that have made it impossible for them to meet all the 24 full credits that are required.”

Katims said the students who are given waivers are still required to meet many prerequisites in order to graduate and that the waiver is not a free pass to a diploma.

The board unanimously passed the waiver policy as well as three other policies regarding safe and orderly learning environments, the regulation of dangerous weapons on school property and nutrition, health and physical education. Director Keith Smith was absent and was unable to vote.

Katims also spoke about the district’s Affirmative Action Plan for 2021-26. Affirmative action plans outline the programs, policies and procedures for proactively recruiting, hiring, training and promoting women, minorities, people with disabilities and veterans to ensure that all individuals have equal opportunities in employment.

The board president said that from 2016 to 2022, the district’s minority staff has increased from 12.6% to 19.9% – an improvement she said the district should be proud of.

“We obviously always hire everybody who is the most competent for any position,” Katims said, “but we also really want to see our staff, at the same time, reflect our student demographics.”

The board unanimously approved the 2021-2026 Affirmative Action Plan.

–By Lauren Reichenbach