School board president addresses community conversation plans, safety committee and more
Published 3:30 pm Tuesday, April 7, 2026
Mercer Island School District (MISD) Board President Stephanie Burnett sent a letter to the community on April 2 that addressed plans for an upcoming community conversation, the safety committee update, bond planning and infrastructure discussion and the conclusion of the legislative session.
“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,” Burnett said in the letter.
In May, Burnett said the board is planning to hold a community conversation for Islanders to engage directly with Burnett and MISD Superintendent Fred Rundle, ask questions and share perspectives on key issues facing the district. MISD will share complete details soon.
On the MISD Safety and Well-Being Committee front, the group continues to focus on the key areas of professional boundaries, reporting and training and will be presenting recommendations to the board in late June.
District leadership has asked the board to consider a bond measure focused specifically on addressing funding to repair and replace the aging infrastructure at Mercer Island High School in the HVAC and fire alarm systems realms.
Regarding the conclusion of the legislative session, Burnett said, in part: “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.”
