Five community members elected in May to serve on the Board of Directors for Bend-La Pine Schools took the oath of office Tuesday evening at the board’s monthly business meeting.
They include Jenn Lynch, newly elected to represent Zone 1, and Ross Tomlin, who was appointed to the Zone 6 at-large seat last November. Also taking the oath were re-elected Directors Marcus LeGrand (Zone 2), Shirley Olson (Zone 4) and Kina Chadwick (Zone 7).
Lynch succeeds Carrie McPherson Douglass, who served two terms on the school board and decided not to seek re-election this year. Superintendent Steven Cook and board members paid tribute to McPherson Douglass at Tuesday’s meeting and thanked her for her service, including serving as board chair during the Covid pandemic.
Reflecting on her eight years on the board, McPherson Douglass said, “Student voice is the most important voice in the room, always. … I really hope students will keep showing up. There’s a few here tonight to speak. And I really hope that the board continues to find really meaningful ways to listen to them.”
The board voted Tuesday to approve the district’s 2025-26 operating budget as well as updated bargaining agreements with unions representing certified and classified employees. The agreements include compensation adjustments for the next two fiscal years. Details are available at https://bls.fyi/meetings through the BoardBook agenda for June 17, 2025.
At its July 8 business meeting the board will elect its chair and vice chair for the 2025-26 term. Business meetings are held the second Tuesday of the month.
