MARYSVILLE – The good, the bad and the ugly of social media was evident at the Marysville School Board meeting Monday night.

The good is that the district will use social media and its website to share the truth about ongoing discussions about how various school buildings will be used in the future. The bad is rumors are spreading saying that certain schools will be used for certain things. Those are completely inaccurate as the district is just starting to collect information.

The ugly was when some emotional parents came to the meeting, some angry about the rumors on what would take place at Marysville Getchell High School.

“There’s no truth to the rumors,” board president Pete Lundberg said. “We’re not yet to step one.”

Four in the audience spoke about their support for MG remaining a high school. The rumor they had read was that MG would become a school for eighth- and ninth-graders, and all in grades 10-12 would attend Marysville-Pilchuck.

“2500 students is the wrong choice,” Debby Ford said. “I voted for a second high school. To consolidate high schools is not the right path.”

Susan Walter said her student would “slip through the cracks” at a large high school. “He felt so welcome here. We don’t want to lose that.”

Amy Hill said students and parents fought so hard for the second high school. If the community went back to one huge high school, half the kids would no longer get to play sports. “Now they are active, not running around on the streets,” she said, adding that so many alumni would come back and “fill this room” to protest if a change was made at MG.

John Paul Kunselman said many students have thrived in the small learning communities at MG. He said criticisms of the MG campus – such as no library, small cafeteria and undersized gym – are not really issues since the school population is kept small. He said the logical answer to concerns such as transportation is to have geographical boundaries for the two high schools.

Kunselman said many will “leave the district if this goes through.”

Superintendent Becky Berg explained that this year the district will be studying what to do with all of its secondary schools. It plans to have in-depth phone interviews with anyone who wants to be involved. It will then have in-depth meetings. It will then share the information with the public. Then there will be community meetings in March, with a recommendation going to the school board by May. “What’s the best way for our schools to be configured to get the best student results” will be the goal, she added.

Lundberg agreed: “Hang with us. Watch the process. Do what’s best for kids.”

Later in the meeting it was announced that Berg’s contract has been extended through June 30, 2020, with a base pay of $193,706 a year.

In its resolution the board says the pay is comparable with other superintendents in nearby districts. It also says Berg:

•developed an annual work plan that includes engaging with all stakeholders and improving student learning;

•works with staff around implementation of district goals and strategic directions, including the North Star Indicators, the adoption of appropriate instructional materials, budget adoption, including budget practices, and fiscal responsibility, and continued efforts around the Common Core State Standards, the Teacher and Principal Evaluation Program, and Professional Learning Communities;

•is staying informed on current changes, challenges and trends in learning and teaching and educational policy.

“The job is a little challenging,” Lundberg said. “The rumor mills are always out there running. You saw that from the community tonight.”

He added that Berg and the district will keep working until everyone is on the same page.

“There’s a lot of angst, conflicting information,” he said.

Salary schedules also were adopted for the 1,500 district employees. Berg said the schedules were set so Marysville’s pay is in the 75th percentile of districts of similar size along I-5. Also at the meeting, the board passed a resolution reaffirming that all students are welcome in Marysville.

The resolution, in part, says the district will not ask for, or record, student immigration status. It also offers safe, welcoming and inclusive schools for all students without regard to race, religion, national origin or immigration status. Student harassment and higher levels of student anxiety have increased due to the current national political climate. All schools must be safe and free from the targeting, discrimination, harassment or bullying of students. All children are legally entitled to equal access to a free public education. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), absent a lawful exception, enforcement actions will not occur at schools.

Berg said because of the national discussion on immigration: “We’ve got some scared kids. They’re worried when they go home their parents won’t be there.”