26 08 26 Business Meeting Video

At its August 27, 2026 business meeting, the South Whidbey School District Board appointed Jeff Natter to fill a board vacancy and approved several procurement-related items. By vote, the board approved Memorandum 2526-42, an interlocal agreement with Northwest Educational Service District to provide specialized services for students who are visually impaired or blind, including Braille access and orientation and mobility instruction. The district said the shared-service arrangement supports fewer than five students and is more practical than hiring for a very small staffing need; no contract amount was stated. The board also approved Memorandum 2526-44, a cooperative purchasing agreement with Battleground School District that allows South Whidbey to obtain finished U.S. commodity food products from its provider weekly while using its commodity funds. The district said it would buy the products regardless, with no revenue impact.

The superintendent reported on ongoing bond-funded construction at district schools, including work at the elementary entrance and at the middle/high school, but no new construction award or spending authorization was presented. The board approved updates to energy-management and energy-conservation policies; discussion noted a $2 million threshold for certain lifecycle-cost analyses requiring an outside entity under state requirements, with lower-cost analysis handled internally. The district also plans to assess strategic-planning support options during the fall, including WASDA facilitation available at cost, to prepare for next year’s strategic plan; no consultant was selected. Other approved items included updates to emergency and tobacco/nicotine policies and formal recognition of the middle school’s name.