Community Message From School Board President Stephanie Burnett – May 15, 2026

Dear Mercer Island Community,

On Monday evening, our community showed up, and I am genuinely grateful for it.

The Board and district leadership held this Community Conversation because families told us they wanted more transparency, more access, and more honest conversation. We had a modest but engaged group, and the feedback they offered was candid, at times poignant, and entirely valuable. That is exactly what this kind of forum is for. A community that speaks this directly is one that cares deeply about its schools, and that is a foundation we can build on.

I want to express my appreciation to Dr. Rundle for his willingness to join me up on stage, to listen to our community members with kindness and empathy, and for his willingness to share information openly and directly. I also want to acknowledge the key themes we heard Monday evening and speak to each of them briefly.

Enrollment and Program Value

A meaningful number of school-age children on the island are educated outside MISD. We don't take that lightly. When families make that choice, it's a signal worth examining. We heard questions about whether our programs, particularly in math, meet the aspirations families have for their children. While our academic programs are rigorous and our achievement levels are high, we hear the valid concerns of families, and the Board looks forward to learning more about the district's work to shore up areas needing improvement, including its progress with the Math Pathways committee.

As MISD looks for ways to tighten its budget during these trying financial times, we have difficult choices ahead. We heard a concrete example of what's at stake from a student who wishes to take Calculus BC their junior year and is facing the potential of not having that option due to mandatory class size limitations and budget constraints. I was pleased to hear Dr. Rundle say that the district is actively looking at options for this student and others in a similar position. And we heard loud and clear the need to do better at communicating course pathways and availability in time for families to make informed decisions, not after those options have closed.

Ensuring Support for Students at all Levels

We heard a thoughtful question about whether every student, regardless of where they fall on any spectrum of need or achievement, is receiving the support they deserve to grow and thrive. Every student in our district deserves to feel seen and well-served, and this is a conversation we need to keep having.

Student Safety and Restoring Trust

This topic generated some of the most important dialogue of the evening. I was moved by the student member of the Safety and Well-Being Committee, on which I also serve, who spoke to the real, substantive work being done to honor student voice and to rebuild trust. At the same time, the work of ensuring that MISD students feel fully safe, heard, and confident that concerns will lead to action is of the utmost importance and must continue.

We had the opportunity to speak to the other important work being performed by the Safety and Well-Being Committee, particularly with regard to strengthening district policies and practices around professional boundaries, the protocols for reporting concerns, and providing meaningful training for teachers and staff, and just as critically, educating students so they feel empowered to enforce their own personal boundaries and speak up if those boundaries are violated. The Board looks forward to sharing the Committee’s full recommendations once they are finalized and presented to the Board in late June.

On matters currently subject to legal proceedings, the district faces real constraints on what can be said publicly. We know how frustrating that can feel for students and families who are looking for answers. We are committed to communicating as fully as possible under the circumstances.

School Counselors and College Advising

Our counseling and college advising staff do important, dedicated work in support of students every day. At the same time, we heard from a family who feels that current capacity and the timing of support don't fully meet the needs of all students, and that some families are filling that gap by paying out of pocket for private college counseling. This is an equity issue. Families with more resources can supplement district-provided guidance; families without that option rely entirely on what the district provides. I want to be honest: in the current budget environment, meaningful expansion of college counseling services is not something we can promise in the near term. But the concern is valid and worth continued attention as we make decisions about where resources go.

Communication

The common thread running through almost every topic Monday evening was communication. Families need timely, clear information so they can make good decisions for their children. Whether it's course availability, program changes, or how to navigate a concern, we heard you.

Where We Go from Here

This Community Conversation was not the end of a discussion - it was the beginning of one. What I hope follows is not simply more conversation, but meaningful discourse about our priorities as a district and community. I believe that our schools are capable of extraordinary things when we focus our time, energy, and resources intentionally, and that being thoughtful about where we direct that energy is how we honor the trust this community has placed in its schools. I look forward to thoughtful and collaborative conversations in the weeks and months ahead as Board members and district leadership work together to sustain the programs that make MI schools exceptional, strengthen areas that need support, and navigate an increasingly difficult financial landscape responsibly.

If you attended on Monday, thank you. If you were not able to join us but would still like to share your thoughts, I welcome hearing from you.

Stephanie Burnett
Board President, Mercer Island School District