Public Comments, Field Project and School Safety Dominate QVSD Board Meeting
Published 1:30 am Thursday, August 6, 2026
The Quillayute Valley School District Board of Directors tackled a wide range of topics during its July 28 meeting, from plans for the Spartan athletic fields and new staff hires to school safety, curriculum, and continued public comment surrounding the Larson v. QVSD case.
The meeting opened with a presentation from Donny Jones, regional vice president for Tarkett Sports/FieldTurf, who outlined artificial turf products that could be used as part of improvements to the Spartan athletic fields. Jones said his company provides local representation and has installed approximately 600 athletic fields throughout Washington.
The board later approved the Phase One Spartan Field project contract with Interwest Construction in the amount of $4,353,000. District officials acknowledged the price reflects rising construction costs and inflation but noted Interwest Construction has successfully completed previous district projects and utilizes local workers.
Public comments focus on student safety
Much of the evening’s public comment centered on student safety and the district’s response to the Larson v. QVSD lawsuit.
Ann Simpson shared information about Team Up Washington, a statewide violence prevention initiative that uses high school athletics to help prevent sexual assault and dating violence. The program trains coaches and student leaders to promote respect, healthy relationships and positive team culture.
Wendy Larson addressed the board, saying the effects of what happened to her daughter continue every day and will impact her for the rest of her life. She urged district leaders to ensure similar situations do not happen to other students. Larson also encouraged board members and administrators to read Organizational Betrayal: How Schools Enable Sexual Misconduct and How to Stop It by educational researcher Charol Shakeshaft, which examines how school systems can overlook or enable educator misconduct.
Megan Harris expressed concerns about school safety and said she believes the superintendent has not fulfilled contractual obligations regarding transparency. She encouraged community members to consider running for school board positions when they become available.
A brief exchange occurred between board chair Bill Rohde and commenter Gabriella Damron over whether an executive session would be needed if names were mentioned during public comment. Damron ultimately spoke, becoming emotional as she described her own experiences and incidents she said she witnessed involving the coach. She said she would have testified at trial had she known about it, and urged the board to make student safety its top priority. Audience members applauded following her remarks.
Shannon Gaydeski again urged the district to thoroughly investigate allegations of sexual misconduct and hold employees accountable rather than allowing them to resign. She referenced the phrase “don’t pass the trash,” encouraging the district not to allow employees facing allegations to move on to other school districts without investigation.
Pam Gale questioned the district’s handling of the lawsuit, asking whether lying and manipulating witnesses should be tolerated and how the board could defend its integrity. She also referenced the approximately $800,000 settlement paid by taxpayers and said the board’s silence has harmed the district’s reputation.
Staffing approved
The board approved several personnel recommendations for the upcoming school year, including:
• Kelly Shaner, Forks Elementary School teacher, effective Aug. 26.
• Melody Bass, Forks Middle School English Language Arts teacher, effective Aug. 26.
• Amy Allen, Forks High School Media/Library Resource Coordinator, effective Aug. 26.
• Joseph Owens, Forks Elementary School custodian, effective Aug. 10.
• Shandra Swidecki, Forks Elementary ECEAP lead teacher, effective Aug. 11.
• Joi Adams, Forks Elementary ECEAP assistant teacher, effective Aug. 11.
• Kasey Ulin, Forks High School head boys’ basketball coach, effective Nov. 16.
• Mackenzie Johnson, Forks Elementary School Media/Library Resource Coordinator, effective Aug. 26.
Leadership report
Assistant Superintendent Brenda King presented information on the district’s partnership with Central Washington University’s College in the High School program. The partnership allows participating students to earn college credits that transfer to any four-year public college or university in Washington. The board approved the agreement.
Superintendent Diana Reaume updated the board on plans for an upcoming active shooter exercise involving multiple agencies. She said the drill will test communications, establish an incident command structure and be followed by a debriefing.
“We hate that we have to do this,” Reaume said, adding that the exercise was initiated by Forks Community Hospital and developed in response to two recent incidents.
Board reports
Board member Kevin Hinchen acknowledged community frustration over issues the board cannot publicly discuss because of legal restrictions.
“We are doing our job and so is Diana,” Hinchen said. “There are things we can’t talk about.”
Board member Shannon Dahlgren shared information on classroom cellphone use.
Bill Henderson, Maintenance & Facilities Manager, reported favorable results from recent GMAX testing of the Spartan Stadium artificial turf. The testing showed the field remains in good condition, exceeding its expected service life.
“We’ll keep up what we’re doing as far as maintenance,” Henderson said.
Curriculum discussion postponed
The board also discussed a proposed middle school history curriculum. Principal Elena Velasquez presented information on the materials, but board member Mike Reeves requested additional time to review them. The board agreed to table the curriculum decision until the next meeting.
