Latest / The Recess-An Inside Look at the Auburn School District / Episode #20-Tracy Arnold & Arlista Holman, ASD School Board Members

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Episode #20-Tracy Arnold & Arlista Holman, ASD School Board Members · The Recess-An Inside Look at the Auburn School District

• 0:14
  SPEAKER_00: Hello and welcome to the Recess Podcast.
• 0:16
  SPEAKER_00: I'm Dr.
• 0:17
  SPEAKER_00: Alan Spicci, the proud superintendent of the district, and I'm happy to be here sharing the stories of the people and the programs of the Auburn School District to kind of take you behind the scenes and get to meet people or uh hear about some great things going on in the district that I get to see as a superintendent, and not everybody does.
• 0:39
  SPEAKER_00: My guests today are from our Auburn School Board, and I'll introduce them in a minute.
• 0:46
  SPEAKER_00: But uh we the school board plays a really important role in the district, providing oversight and representing the community in our uh administration of the schools.
• 0:58
  SPEAKER_00: Just a little bit of background information before we get started.
• 1:02
  SPEAKER_00: The district has five board members, like uh almost every district in Washington state.
• 1:07
  SPEAKER_00: They represent geographical areas of the district.
• 1:11
  SPEAKER_00: So uh we have board members who live on Leahill and in Lakeland Hills and in uh the center of Auburn in the valley and all you know throughout town, but they're elected uh by the voters district-wide.
• 1:26
  SPEAKER_00: They they are um appointed to four-year terms.
• 1:31
  SPEAKER_00: Uh some of them choose to run again, and uh we've had some some board members who have really provided a great stability for the district by being with us for quite some time.
• 1:43
  SPEAKER_00: And I think the Auburn School District has a reputation for having a great stable board, and it has helped this district uh be stable and grow and do some of the amazing things that we get to do.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_00: So today you're going to hear a little bit more about the role of the board and some of the things that board members do.
• 2:01
  SPEAKER_00: The five board members work together as one voice in our community.
• 2:06
  SPEAKER_00: You're about to meet two of them, but I'd like to just acknowledge uh all five make a really important contribution to our school district.
• 2:14
  SPEAKER_00: So uh thanks to directors Laura Timer, Valerie Gonzalez, and Shaley McLaughlin.
• 2:20
  SPEAKER_00: Um, today we're going to meet directors Tracy Arnold and Arlista Holman.
• 2:26
  SPEAKER_00: Tracy is the president of the board currently, uh, and director Holman has also been the president.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_00: Tracy and Arlista, welcome.
• 2:35
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you for having us.
• 2:37
  SPEAKER_02: Thanks for having us.
• 2:39
  SPEAKER_00: So this is uh really a pleasure for me.
• 2:43
  SPEAKER_00: And actually, I'm gonna tell a story before we get to my first question.
• 2:47
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, that part of the reason we have this podcast, a large reason, is that a couple of board members found out that another superintendent in another state uh has a successful podcast, and they said we really should have one of these for the Auburn School District, and uh took us a little while to figure out how to do it, and then we started doing it last year, and I think it's it's been a a really nice way to add to our storytelling about the district.
• 3:14
  SPEAKER_00: And I always say that as a superintendent, I get to share about the district, I get into schools, I see behind the scenes, I'm at transportation or nutrition service.
• 3:26
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, people don't get to have that access and they don't see some of the wonderful things that I do.
• 3:31
  SPEAKER_00: So I'd like to thank uh particularly Director Holman, who has been a champion of the podcast, uh, but really the whole board in encouraging and supporting me to do this.
• 3:44
  SPEAKER_00: So we uh start with a question for all of our guests, and I want to hear from both of you on this one.
• 3:52
  SPEAKER_00: Tell us about your favorite teacher.
• 3:56
  SPEAKER_02: Well, I had a lot of favorite teachers, but two uh actually I have two that come to mind that affect me every single day.
• 4:04
  SPEAKER_02: And one of them is uh elementary school teacher, Miss Lynn Fuller.
• 4:08
  SPEAKER_02: She was at Dearborn Park in Seattle, and I was uh born left-handed and back in the day, not aging myself, but back then they didn't allow you to write with your left hand.
• 4:22
  SPEAKER_02: So my uh penmanship was atrocious.
• 4:27
  SPEAKER_02: And Miss Fuller spent quite a bit of time with me in fourth grade during recess and helped me so my penmanship is what it is today.
• 4:37
  SPEAKER_02: And uh that I sent her a letter when she retired from the Seattle School District as a principal that uh thanking her because of her my penmanship, and it just affected my whole total confidence and the time that she took, including her spare time during recess, which was you know relaxed time for or planning time for teachers, and uh I really appreciated, uh really, really appreciated that.
• 5:04
  SPEAKER_02: And then the other teacher was Miss Uh Gaylor in my at junior high, uh, Mercer Middle School, or now it's called Mercer Middle School.
• 5:12
  SPEAKER_02: She was our language arts teacher, and while I didn't always enjoy her there with at her class, but there were a few things she did that um taught us empathy and looking at people uh in a different way.
• 5:27
  SPEAKER_02: Oh what she back then, aging myself again, was when roots came out and she made it mandatory for us to watch the entire thing.
• 5:37
  SPEAKER_02: And back then you couldn't record it, so you watched it and you watched it with your family.
• 5:41
  SPEAKER_02: She wanted us to talk with our family and uh taught us all about redlining and so many different things uh that stick with me every day.
• 5:51
  SPEAKER_00: That is really powerful.
• 5:53
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you.
• 5:54
  SPEAKER_00: And my mom listens to the podcast, she's a proud left-hander, so she'll enjoy your first story as well.
• 6:00
  SPEAKER_00: Arista, tell us your your favorite teacher.
• 6:04
  SPEAKER_01: Well, I'm gonna take you way back to 1959, Cheyenne, Wyoming, Pioneer Park Elementary.
• 6:11
  SPEAKER_01: My favorite teacher was my second grade teacher, Mrs.
• 6:14
  SPEAKER_01: Nelson.
• 6:15
  SPEAKER_01: And one of the things that she did that impacts me today is every day that we left her classroom, we lined up and she gave us a hug, and she'd say, See you tomorrow.
• 6:27
  SPEAKER_01: If it was a Friday, she'd say, Have a good weekend, see you Monday.
• 6:32
  SPEAKER_01: That hug, that constant welcoming hug, even though it was a goodbye one.
• 6:37
  SPEAKER_01: But you know, I mean it's just the idea that um every day we got a hug from our teacher and it made us feel like we were uh seen and appreciated and liked, and I to this day know the power of a hug.
• 6:52
  SPEAKER_00: I love that answer, and I and I am always amazed as people tell these stories about like the the consistency of what matters in schools and that relationship and affirmation and you know even a like an appropriate physical touch, uh it it makes a difference, and you'll see teachers today fist bumping or high-fiving or just finding ways to connect with kids and making them feel like they're a part of things, feel included.
• 7:22
  SPEAKER_00: Um and that, you know, it it it stands the test of time.
• 7:29
  SPEAKER_00: What is the role of the school board?
• 7:32
  SPEAKER_00: What do you do?
• 7:33
  SPEAKER_00: Uh and what is your role in supporting the school district?
• 7:37
  SPEAKER_01: Well, I'll start.
• 7:39
  SPEAKER_01: Um we do so many things that um I think that we'll equally be able to uh name some things that we think are very important.
• 7:47
  SPEAKER_01: Um I like to think of us as um the voice of the community, um, and we are accountable to the community.
• 7:55
  SPEAKER_01: But um when we're approached and um and you know given some ideas or concerns, um we relay that because um it's important to uh share even with the community the results of um of the schools.
• 8:11
  SPEAKER_01: And the other thing that we do that I think is really important is that we evaluate uh you, Dr.
• 8:17
  SPEAKER_01: Spacati, uh, as the superintendent.
• 8:19
  SPEAKER_01: You lay out your goals for the year and uh as a board we um go over those um and uh note your accomplishments and uh successes and uh and that's a big part of um our success uh in I think in this district.
• 8:36
  SPEAKER_00: Tracy, do you have anything to add to that?
• 8:38
  SPEAKER_02: We also review and approve policies and approve the budget, which is very important.
• 8:43
  SPEAKER_02: Uh all five of the directors are very different.
• 8:47
  SPEAKER_02: We come from different backgrounds, different uh I'd say angles, but um we all complement each other on our differences and we may not always agree, but we always work it out.
• 9:00
  SPEAKER_02: And uh I couldn't have asked for a better group of people to work with.
• 9:04
  SPEAKER_02: And um, of course, Dr.
• 9:06
  SPEAKER_02: Spochati and his cabinet make it very easy for us to do our job.
• 9:12
  SPEAKER_00: Director Tracy Arnold, I referred to you as the president of the board.
• 9:16
  SPEAKER_00: How did you get to be president?
• 9:18
  SPEAKER_00: And just talk about the offices we have.
• 9:22
  SPEAKER_02: So uh every year we rotate the president so there isn't one person who will continue to be president for however long, or uh so this year I'm president.
• 9:33
  SPEAKER_00: Great.
• 9:34
  SPEAKER_00: So we have five board members, a president and a vice president, and they actually are elected so in in by the among the five board members.
• 9:44
  SPEAKER_00: So the public votes for the board uh members on a four-year term, they elect their own president and vice president.
• 9:51
  SPEAKER_00: I've always felt really supported.
• 9:53
  SPEAKER_00: The the board is my boss, and uh i it's true that I have five bosses, um, but on day-to-day things, the president is a person I'll pick up the phone and call if we have something happening where I need advice, or I just want to let a board member know what's going on, and then if it's something really big, then I'll let every board member know.
• 10:14
  SPEAKER_00: But we don't want to bother everybody all the time with that.
• 10:18
  SPEAKER_00: All right.
• 10:19
  SPEAKER_00: That's that's really helpful.
• 10:20
  SPEAKER_00: I think you uh the audience is going to hear more about the role as we go through some of the other questions.
• 10:26
  SPEAKER_00: So let's go ahead and uh move on to the next piece.
• 10:32
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm gonna direct this first to President Arnold.
• 10:36
  SPEAKER_00: What is your background in Auburn and as a part of the Auburn School District?
• 10:41
  SPEAKER_02: Well, Dr.
• 10:42
  SPEAKER_02: Spacotti heard this, and Director Holman heard this in my interview.
• 10:47
  SPEAKER_02: Um, I was tricked into moving to Auburn by my husband.
• 10:50
  SPEAKER_02: I'll I admit that often.
• 10:52
  SPEAKER_02: Uh thank you, Jim.
• 10:55
  SPEAKER_02: So we um but what kept me was the school district.
• 10:58
  SPEAKER_02: My um oldest son started at Lee Hill.
• 11:01
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, Donna Walker was an amazing principal.
• 11:04
  SPEAKER_02: We had great teachers.
• 11:06
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and of course, I joined the PTA and anything the school wanted or needed.
• 11:12
  SPEAKER_02: Uh I brought it to them and enjoyed it working full-time at the same time.
• 11:18
  SPEAKER_02: Uh I learned how to use resources at Boeing to be able to help the school district.
• 11:23
  SPEAKER_02: And that carried on to Rainier PTA.
• 11:26
  SPEAKER_02: And then at Auburn Mountain View, I became the Booster Club president and uh enjoyed parent rep for water polo swim.
• 11:35
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, I I I spent so much time at Auburn Mountain View and taking photographs that my son's friends used to joke that I was more popular than my son's at their high school.
• 11:48
  SPEAKER_02: So that's how we got started and um the going onto the board was just the natural progression of where I should go.
• 11:58
  SPEAKER_00: How about you, Arlista?
• 12:00
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you.
• 12:02
  SPEAKER_01: I would say that um PTA is a pretty good stepping stone to uh get to know your schools, and I I I started out um as well as a representative of in the PTA.
• 12:16
  SPEAKER_01: And uh of course my husband went to Auburn schools, and uh both of my children uh went through the school district, and uh my grandchildren.
• 12:28
  SPEAKER_01: But when my kids were uh in school full-time, I decided to apply for a job with the school district, and I started out as a bus driver, and uh, and then I uh went on to be a secretary in uh alternative junior high, Rainier Middle School, Olympic Middle School, and then I retired um in 2019 from Auburn High School.
• 12:51
  SPEAKER_01: So I've I've had a lot of history with the Auburn School District.
• 12:56
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I feel like both of you had such a deep involvement in the district in different ways.
• 13:01
  SPEAKER_00: I know Tracy is a master of fundraising, and even after her kids graduated, stayed with the Auburn Mountain View Boosters.
• 13:10
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, Arlista's a 30-year employee, as well as having great family connections to the district.
• 13:16
  SPEAKER_00: Um, Arlista, you've also served on the board of Green River College, right?
• 13:22
  SPEAKER_00: And and another-related board.
• 13:25
  SPEAKER_00: So just really deep backgrounds, and uh I uh not every board member has that same background, and that's a wonderful thing.
• 13:33
  SPEAKER_00: It's been a help to me as a superintendent to have different perspectives and experiences.
• 13:39
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, I wouldn't want the five of you to have the exact same background.
• 13:43
  SPEAKER_00: So there really is no cookie cutter other than you know a real commitment to the community, a commitment to our kids, and I think it's most helpful if you're all in for all kids uh and all programs, because that's that's the role.
• 14:00
  SPEAKER_00: I've seen not an Auburn, but in the past I've I've had experiences of the board member who comes in like as a single issue person, uh, and and we joke about for Tracy it's to build another swimming pool, so we all acknowledge that.
• 14:16
  SPEAKER_00: But you quickly find out there's a big picture, right?
• 14:19
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, we have a limited budget.
• 14:21
  SPEAKER_00: Uh we have to be just as good to the music program as we are, to the football team, as we are to the English class and early childhood, and uh our our folks who are just genuinely in it for the right reasons, and I feel like our board is is exactly that right now.
• 14:39
  SPEAKER_00: So uh thanks to both of you for what you do for our our uh Auburn community and uh for helping myself and all the staff in the district do our job and support our kids is it's wonderful.
• 14:55
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so you you talked about your development and at some point you switched from being a community member, volunteer, to uh moving on to the school board.
• 15:08
  SPEAKER_00: So uh let me start with with Arlista, because you've been on the board for longer.
• 15:13
  SPEAKER_00: Uh how did you come to be on the board?
• 15:17
  SPEAKER_01: Well, it was really interesting.
• 15:18
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I had put in my letter um of retirement um a couple of months before my uh retirement date, and I received a phone call.
• 15:29
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, someone said, Arlista, uh, there's gonna be a school board position open and it's in your district.
• 15:37
  SPEAKER_01: And I thought, oh, well, I'm retiring, but um I I said I'll think about it.
• 15:44
  SPEAKER_01: And uh and then uh uh right or that same week I got another phone call from this person saying the deadline to file is Friday.
• 15:52
  SPEAKER_01: And so I I had a conversation with my husband, and I thought for a moment there, I knew I was retiring from the district, but I wasn't ready to just not be involved in anything, so I gave it some consideration, and Thursday night I filed to um run for the district, and I was very, very nervous.
• 16:16
  SPEAKER_01: Um but it was the best thing I ever did.
• 16:19
  SPEAKER_01: I'm so glad that I did it, and I just love being on the school board and still being connected to the school district.
• 16:26
  SPEAKER_00: So Director Holman uh ran for office, and Tracy, uh, we know that you filled an appointment when we had a board member move out of town.
• 16:37
  SPEAKER_00: Uh what was that like for you?
• 16:40
  SPEAKER_02: Well, I remember it very clearly.
• 16:42
  SPEAKER_02: It was during COVID, so we were all home, and I remember seeing a post on Facebook from the district.
• 16:50
  SPEAKER_02: Um, Vicky Alonso had posted that there was an opening and uh with a deadline, and I looked at my husband and said, Should I consider running for school board?
• 17:01
  SPEAKER_02: And he's he said, I wouldn't expect you to do anything other than run for school board.
• 17:06
  SPEAKER_02: So it was kind of a it was a no-brainer for our family.
• 17:11
  SPEAKER_02: And so I um contacted a few people and they said, Of course you should do it.
• 17:17
  SPEAKER_02: We want you to apply.
• 17:20
  SPEAKER_02: And so here I am.
• 17:23
  SPEAKER_00: So we talked about the role of the board, uh, and we're gonna talk about another thing that the board does, which is approve a resolution to put a measure on the ballot, uh, whether it be a levy which supports our learning or a bond which builds buildings in Auburn.
• 17:41
  SPEAKER_00: Um we just finished a wonderful bond program building eight schools on time and on budget, and yet we have more needs in our community.
• 17:49
  SPEAKER_00: We as board members, how did you make the decision to put a bond on the ballot this November?
• 17:56
  SPEAKER_01: Well, I will start.
• 17:57
  SPEAKER_01: As you know, um I'm a big believer in civic um engagement.
• 18:04
  SPEAKER_01: And one of the things that I think is most important is that local issues and elections are probably the most important vote that we would make because it directly impacts you and the community that you live in.
• 18:22
  SPEAKER_01: And our schools are a valued asset in our community, not only for education, uh for learning and teaching, but for community events, for recreational activities and uh and though I hope it would never happen, um emergency shelters uh in case of a crisis.
• 18:48
  SPEAKER_01: Our schools are in the community uh for to serve that way.
• 18:52
  SPEAKER_01: And the other thing is Dr.
• 18:53
  SPEAKER_01: Speciati, like you said, when we have these schools, they are going to be in our community for generations.
• 19:00
  SPEAKER_01: And I think it's important to have good schools in our in our communities.
• 19:05
  unknown: Right.
• 19:06
  SPEAKER_00: So Tracy, our our bond that that the board decided to put on the November 5th ballot will build a fifth middle school, replace Cascade Middle School and Alpac Elementary, and provide safety, security, and systems upgrades at 16 schools and six support facilities.
• 19:26
  SPEAKER_00: Can you let the audience know why the board is asking the community to support this bond?
• 19:33
  SPEAKER_02: Well, as you know, and many people are aware, a lot of people are moving into Auburn, and we're one of the school districts in the state that has increased attendance as opposed to losing students and having to shut schools.
• 19:48
  SPEAKER_02: Our middle schools are overcrowded.
• 19:50
  SPEAKER_02: And I remember years ago when Auburn High School was in that same situation and they had to bill the Auburn Mountain View, and it took a while to pass that bond.
• 20:00
  SPEAKER_02: And it made a huge difference to families who decided to stay in the in the district because of the they knew their their kids were gonna be in another school or it was not gonna be as crowded.
• 20:13
  SPEAKER_02: But also it um the safety part is important to all our students and we need to have those measures put into all of our schools.
• 20:25
  SPEAKER_02: And I think with the responsibility that we saw the with the previous bond, you know, on time and on budget or under budget for a lot of the schools, we made the decision to put this measure on the ballot because the district has proved that they're responsible with the money and the importance of building schools for our students.
• 20:52
  SPEAKER_00: I couldn't have said it better myself.
• 20:54
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, and I'm so I'm so appreciative of the community's support.
• 20:59
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, as a person who works in schools, to have a community that is reliably behind our district, uh, meeting the needs of the students, prioritizing schools.
• 21:10
  SPEAKER_00: It's it's just a really amazing part of the Auburn community, and it's so great for our kids.
• 21:17
  SPEAKER_00: And uh I I agree with what Director Arnold just said that we value our role as being good stewards of the community's money and bringing in those projects on time and delivering on our promises, and uh we just have needs now.
• 21:33
  SPEAKER_00: Uh so the board stepped up and um we're gonna see what the community thinks uh on November 5th.
• 21:41
  SPEAKER_00: So we're really excited about that.
• 21:43
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, I'm gonna shift gears a little bit and get you out of the boardroom and talk about your presence in our school district community.
• 21:53
  SPEAKER_00: So um maybe I'll start with our lista on this one.
• 21:56
  SPEAKER_00: In addition to board meetings, what events do board members attend?
• 22:01
  SPEAKER_01: Well, we always welcome invitations from the schools when they're having any kind of presentation or activity.
• 22:08
  SPEAKER_01: One of the our favorites, or one of my favorites, is open house because it usually centers around the very beginning of school, and we get to see the excitement on the students and the parents and actually go through the school and and just just see the one warm, welcoming environment that's being presented, and everyone's excited to see their teacher.
• 22:36
  SPEAKER_01: And then the second week when our our uh of school, when our kindergartners and our preschool students arrive, that is just pure joy.
• 22:46
  SPEAKER_01: And so those are that's one of my favorite times uh um to visit the schools.
• 22:52
  SPEAKER_01: And then one of the other things that we get to do is um meet with um the staff at our schools, and um we have a years of service award that we give our uh our teachers and administrators who have served in education uh in five-year increments.
• 23:11
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and that's always a fun time to say thank you for uh your service to students, and so that's a great time of the year.
• 23:20
  SPEAKER_00: I know our staff really appreciate that program.
• 23:22
  SPEAKER_00: You go anywhere in the district, literally any any building, classroom, office, you will see those uh years of service plaques people take pride in it, and I hear over and over again from like from new educators, which is another thing that you do.
• 23:40
  SPEAKER_00: Um in Auburn, every uh new certificated staff member meets a board member, every administrat meets a board member.
• 23:49
  SPEAKER_00: Um and time after time they'll pull me aside and say, like if they had worked in another district, maybe they hadn't even met their board member, or that's just not something that happened.
• 24:00
  SPEAKER_00: It takes time, um but it's an amazing commitment.
• 24:04
  SPEAKER_00: So I saved the fun one for you, Tracy.
• 24:07
  SPEAKER_00: Uh what's that thing we do in June that the board's a big part of?
• 24:12
  SPEAKER_02: We get to be at all of the graduations, and so we spend uh the day as the Saturday, the third Saturday of June normally, and we get to shake the hands and congratulate every single graduate, rain or shine, because we've got the uh pleasure of using uh I was gonna say Troy Field, the memorial stadium.
• 24:38
  SPEAKER_02: And uh even though, you know, during the rain, the kids make the best of it, the families make the best of it, and I think we've got the the advantage of being able to invite a lot of people from the and make it a community event and um meeting with the parents and the families afterwards out on in front of the stadium, and it's it's probably one of the most exciting days, and I try not to cry, even though I cry a lot, uh it is a tearjerker.
• 25:10
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so you've given us some idea what the board does in its official capacity, making policy, uh evaluating the superintendent, approving the budget, putting things on the ballot, uh monitoring programs, you know, holding staff accountable to goals, um, helping to set those goals, proving the strategic plan, uh, and on and on.
• 25:36
  SPEAKER_00: And then you get out of the boardroom and you're in schools at open houses and celebrating years of service by staff and graduation, and uh as they said, uh they love getting invited to events and will go to performances and sporting events and meetings in the community or in the school.
• 25:56
  SPEAKER_00: Um there's another role that the board plays that most people don't know about, and that's advocating for public education.
• 26:04
  SPEAKER_00: And this is something that uh Director Holman has been very involved with.
• 26:10
  SPEAKER_00: Board members across the state get together to come up with a platform and they elevate certain things as as the most important.
• 26:19
  SPEAKER_00: Um and then we'll often go to Olympia and just share that.
• 26:23
  SPEAKER_00: Uh do you want to share that experience talking with legislatures, uh legislators either here in Auburn or uh in Olympia?
• 26:32
  SPEAKER_01: So you are right, we do prioritize them, and um we actually every board picks their top ten um proposals.
• 26:43
  SPEAKER_01: And then uh once before we get to legislative assembly, those are compiled.
• 26:48
  SPEAKER_01: And the top ten as they accumulate those uh are the ones that we actually go and advocate for with our legislators.
• 26:57
  SPEAKER_00: Sounds like a David Letterman bit.
• 27:01
  SPEAKER_00: Can we get a drum roll pree?
• 27:04
  SPEAKER_01: Very good.
• 27:04
  SPEAKER_01: Top ten.
• 27:06
  SPEAKER_01: Uh and then um you're right, we go to uh Olympia and uh we have a meeting and then we hit the hill and talk with our uh representatives and uh advocate for those needs and then we wait for the budget.
• 27:23
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah from the So board members um they represent the community.
• 27:28
  SPEAKER_00: Uh you are elected officials, and I think that that brings a certain respect uh from other elected officials, our uh legislators in Olympia or even in Washington, D.C., uh, which occasionally we'll get an opportunity to interact with them as well.
• 27:46
  SPEAKER_00: And we need to s speak up.
• 27:49
  SPEAKER_00: There are a lot of needs in the state, obviously, uh important things around public safety and roads and on and on and on, but we feel like K-12 education provides such a solid foundation for society and investments early are going to reduce some of the needs to uh kind of patch holes in society later.
• 28:13
  SPEAKER_00: So we we really talk about what our kids need and what our teachers need to be successful, and uh that's something I think you've really committed yourself to our lista.
• 28:23
  SPEAKER_00: Shlia McLaughlin is very active in meeting with our local uh and state legislators, and it's an ongoing process.
• 28:33
  SPEAKER_00: Right now, uh I can tell you we're gearing up for the legislative session and uh a few big things is the state really has not done their job fully funding special education, and uh it creates a a big budget pressure for school districts all across the state.
• 28:51
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and then we're dealing with increased costs just like every every home is, every household, uh you know, the the price of fuel, things like insurance, which you really don't think about in the school district budget, that has more than doubled in the last five years.
• 29:09
  SPEAKER_00: Um so these are expenses that put a lot of pressure on us, and then just having competitive salaries that that keep up with inflation in recent years.
• 29:19
  SPEAKER_00: Uh so we're advocating with our our uh delegation in Olympia.
• 29:27
  SPEAKER_00: All right, so that was heavy.
• 29:30
  SPEAKER_00: We're gonna lighten things up with the question uh I saved for the end with all of my guests.
• 29:36
  SPEAKER_00: Tracy, we'll let you go first this time.
• 29:38
  SPEAKER_00: What was your favorite thing to do at recess?
• 29:42
  SPEAKER_02: Uh well, of course it was hopscotch and foursquare.
• 29:46
  SPEAKER_02: And funny thing is, I went to a concert a few weeks ago in eastern Washington and ran into a woman who uh 50 years ago, let's not age myself again, but we used to play Foursquare at Deerworn Park in Seattle, and we were we talked about that, and it's like brought back a lot of good memories, and and I I would love to play Foursquare again.
• 30:11
  SPEAKER_02: I need I think I need to go visit one of the schools and play.
• 30:14
  SPEAKER_00: You do.
• 30:14
  SPEAKER_00: So it's funny you mentioned that in the first week of school.
• 30:18
  SPEAKER_00: I went out to Alpac Elementary and it was during lunch recess, and I went out, the principal was doing some supervision, and uh I could not take my eyes off of the Foursquare court, and the kids were into it.
• 30:31
  SPEAKER_00: It was really fun, and uh I always kind of joke, you know, you should go back and do that.
• 30:37
  SPEAKER_00: So this we could make happen.
• 30:39
  SPEAKER_00: Uh so we'll have to get you out to an elementary school.
• 30:42
  SPEAKER_00: Arlista, what was your favorite thing to do at recess?
• 30:46
  SPEAKER_01: Swings.
• 30:47
  SPEAKER_01: And I had to race to the swing because that was one of the favorites on the playground.
• 30:53
  SPEAKER_01: And when that door opened and we ran out to the playground, it was a race to the swings, and there was a lineup always.
• 31:02
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I was a slow runner, so that's why I never made it to the swings.
• 31:06
  SPEAKER_00: So there we go.
• 31:08
  SPEAKER_00: I I love I love just watching the expression on guests' faces as they recall these memories because it's just pure joy.
• 31:16
  SPEAKER_00: And uh always encourage them, it's not too late.
• 31:19
  SPEAKER_00: There's no reason you can't go play kickball or play tag or whatever.
• 31:23
  SPEAKER_00: Just carefully, don't hurt yourself.
• 31:26
  SPEAKER_00: Well, you guys have been great guests and just shared a little bit about a really important role that I think if if you're not involved in it, you might not know about it.
• 31:36
  SPEAKER_00: But um the board members were volunteers and they don't receive a salary uh for the work they do for the district, but they're elected officials who represent our community and do a really important role in the district.
• 31:50
  SPEAKER_00: So I'd like to thank both uh Tracy Arnold and Arlista Holman for being here and for encouraging me to do this recess podcast, it's uh turned out a lot better than I ever thought.
• 32:02
  SPEAKER_00: And they really held the vision uh and and prodded me a little bit until we got this off the ground.
• 32:08
  SPEAKER_00: So thank you both for being my guest today.
• 32:10
  unknown: Thank you.
• 32:11
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you.
• 32:12
  SPEAKER_00: And that has been the Recess Podcast, which is a production of the Auburn School District.
• 32:17
  SPEAKER_00: If you enjoyed what you heard, if uh you know a school board director or somebody who maybe should be one in their future, uh or you just want to share some great stories about the Auburn School District, please uh like and share and subscribe and do all the podcast stuff they tell you to do.
• 32:34
  SPEAKER_00: Until next time, it's been the Recess Podcast.
• 32:37
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you for listening.