Community Statement

Community Message From School Board President Stephanie Burnett

April 2, 2026

Dear Mercer Island Community,

The Mercer Island School Board is committed to strengthening communication and transparency with our community. To support this goal, the Board has authorized occasional direct communications like this one, focused on topics we believe are of particular interest to Mercer Island families and residents.

These updates are not intended to replace the regular Board meeting recaps published by the District. Rather, they are meant to provide additional context, highlight key discussions, and foster a healthy partnership between the School Board and our community. We value your engagement and believe that open, ongoing dialogue is essential to the success of our schools.

Upcoming Community Conversation

The School Board is planning a community conversation to take place in May. This will be an opportunity for community members to engage directly with Board President Stephanie Burnett and Superintendent Fred Rundle, ask questions, and share perspectives on key issues facing the District.

We will share additional details soon, including the date, time, and format. We encourage all interested community members to participate and be part of this important dialogue.

Safety Committee Update

The MISD Safety & Wellbeing Committee continues its work focused on the key areas of Professional Boundaries, Reporting, and Training, and will be presenting recommendations to the Board in late June. The District will issue a more detailed update on the Committee's work, including recorded interviews with Board Directors Burnett and Martinez, in the coming weeks.

Bond Planning and Infrastructure Discussion

At its March 26 meeting, the Board heard from district leadership regarding concerns about the aging infrastructure at MIHS, specifically with regard to the HVAC and fire alarm systems. These systems are essential to maintaining safe, functional learning environments. While the District has taken care to maintain them, both have exceeded their expected service life and face an increasing risk of failure.

Funding to repair and replace these systems was included in the bond measure that did not pass in February 2025. In light of their urgency, district leadership has asked the Board to consider a bond measure focused specifically on addressing these needs. The Board will continue this discussion in the coming weeks and remains committed to thoughtful decision-making, including ongoing engagement with community input as we consider next steps.

Conclusion of Legislative Session

With the conclusion of the legislative session, the adopted 2026 K–12 budget reflects a constrained fiscal environment, with limited new investments in key areas such as special education, materials, supplies, and operating costs, and a setback in transportation funding through extended bus replacement timelines, delaying the cycle for updating school buses. Throughout the session, Mercer Island partnered with neighboring districts, statewide organizations, and directly engaged with our legislative delegation to advocate for these priorities. While those efforts did not result in significant changes this year, they strengthened important relationships and reinforced the value of coordinated advocacy across districts.

In addition to these broader funding challenges, while it is disappointing that this session did not result in meaningful improvements for public education, including for the Mercer Island School District, it also reflects the challenge of sustaining funding levels previously established by the Legislature within a constrained fiscal environment. Changes to programs such as Transition to Kindergarten and Running Start highlight that impacts are being felt across the full education continuum—from early learning through dual credit opportunities for high school students. Looking ahead, this work becomes even more important. Over the next two years, legislative proposals and a statewide task force reviewing the education funding model will shape the future of how schools are funded. This creates a critical window for districts like ours to remain visible, engaged, and coordinated in our advocacy, and underscores the important role that sustained civic engagement from our Island community plays in advancing this work.

For additional context, please refer to the most recent Board legislative report and the prior Board legislative update.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support of Mercer Island schools.

Stephanie Burnett

Board President
Mercer Island School District #400
stephanie.burnett@mercerislandschools.org

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