KSD Together Meeting Minutes
The KSD Together committee provides a collaborative space to share ideas, address concerns, and develop strategies that support our commitment to equity, excellence, and community, ensuring that, together, we successfully prepare all students for their futures.
The committee met on November 17, 2025, for a 72-minute session focused on facilities modernization, water quality projects, voter engagement trends, and the future structure of the committee itself. The meeting brought together district staff, community members, and volunteers, including Dave Bussard, Gordon Cook, Brett Scribner, Kyal Olson, Faith Sisley, Andy Torres, Kaeden Chow, Steve Goliff, Leslie Hamada, Michelle McCormick, and Patricia Weiler.
FMX Rollout: District-Wide Facilities Data Underway
The committee received an extensive update on the district’s ongoing implementation of FMX, a comprehensive facilities management platform now supporting work orders, facility use scheduling, and soon, capital planning.
Work Orders and Facility Use
FMX is currently used to process site-submitted work orders, track maintenance history across the district, and centrally manage reservations for classrooms, libraries, athletic fields, and other shared spaces. All facility-use requests continue to be manually reviewed by the Athletics and Activities office.
Facility Condition Assessment (FCA)
A major focus of the meeting was the ongoing FCA, an 82-building data collection effort expected to take 6–8 weeks. FMX teams are inspecting and tagging every asset with QR codes, photos, model and serial details, replacement cost, and estimated life span. The resulting interactive maps will provide view-only links to contractors while protecting sensitive systems through restricted permissions.
Capital Planning Outlook
After the FCA concludes, Facilities and Capital Projects staff will review the data and prioritize needs based on four criteria: Clean, Safe, Operational, and Appropriate. Members discussed long-term decision-making scenarios, such as whether to invest $40 million in major repairs at an aging elementary school or plan for new construction projected at $60–$70 million by 2028.
A draft FMX database is expected in January, with district-wide review planned for February and March.
Water Quality Work Continues, Supported by OSPI Grant
The committee received updates on ongoing water safety improvements across the district:
The district has secured a $300,000 OSPI grant, but contractor bids came in unexpectedly high. As a result, Facilities teams will complete fixture replacements in-house.
Each replaced fixture undergoes a multi-step process: installation, 48–72 hours of flushing, lab testing, and final approval.
The district reports safe water available systemwide, with fixtures testing 5–15 ppb requiring a 30-second daily flush.
Most major work is scheduled for the upcoming summer, with winter break projects possible depending on lab processing times.
Missing fixture labels at Jenkins Creek were flagged for follow-up by Gordon Cook.
Elections and Engagement: Low Turnout, High Expectations
The committee reviewed data from recent elections and community surveys:
Voter turnout remains low—general elections significantly outperform special elections.
Community satisfaction stands at 56%, down five points from 2019.
Survey respondents identified safety and security upgrades, and HVAC and facility improvements as top priorities.
Tax sensitivity is high, with 56% of respondents reporting that taxes feel too high.
The district’s 2023 levy failed by just 643 votes, largely attributed to low turnout.
Members emphasized that personal invitations and direct engagement continue to outperform broad outreach campaigns.
Reimagining Committee Participation and Structure
Attendance remains far below historical levels—only a handful of participants now compared to more than 30 in 2023. To increase community representation and accessibility, participants discussed shifting KSD Together toward a community-led model with district support.
Key elements of the proposal include:
Hosting meetings in community spaces rather than the District Office
Incorporating open houses to broaden engagement
Encouraging volunteer-managed Zoom access and recordings
Allowing food donations to support participation (no district budget available)
Ensuring Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) compliance—district employees can provide information but may not advocate for ballot measures
The ideal committee size remains around 30 members but with room for flexible expansion.
Next Steps and Action Items
Meeting Schedule
The December meeting is canceled, and the committee may pause future meetings until a restructured model is finalized.
Assigned Tasks
Leslie Hamada will draft a community-led structure proposal for review by Dave Bussard, Faith Sisley, and Patricia Weiler.
Steve Goliff will meet with Leslie and Michelle McCormick next week to refine the framework and plan recruitment.
Michelle McCormick will explore volunteer-run Zoom or recording options and identify possible community venues.
Dave Bussard and Faith Sisley will brief Wade and Israel about the proposed direction and Board process.
FMX Timeline
FCA fieldwork: Ongoing for the next 6–8 weeks
Draft FMX database: Expected in January
System-wide review: February–March
For more information about KSD Together, please visit:
https://www.kent.k12.wa.us/page/ksd-together