support crucial in determining student attitudes, academic interest, and success in STEM disciplines. Exploring the intersections of Career and Technical Education and STEM education may foster interest in critical rural biomedical careers beginning in elementary school. Starting early to develop career awareness may be essential and take advantage of the flexibility that rural schools can provide. Rural teachers and administrators can often be more flexible than their urban counterparts, due to more autonomy in their approach to supporting students’ STEM interests and aspirations. Research Design Practice Partnerships are intentionally organized to connect diverse forms of expertise and shift power relations in the research endeavor to ensure that all partners have a say in joint work. In these dynamic spaces, trust between partners becomes centered and when lines are blurred, trust may develop that allows partners to see each other as critical to their own success. Eleven teachers and researchers, involved for more than six years collectively, participated in the study. The makeup of the team was always an equal partnership. Everybody was as equal at the table as everything was developed. Strong relationships were formed quickly as every participant shared openly their common goal around engaging students in STEM. Because of open communication, teachers were willing to push back to ensure that the context of the project was respected when the researchers misunderstood the realities of the teaching environment specific to the area. Researchers conducted pre and post surveys of 200 fifth grade students of the Atomic Circus Shows. During the pre-survey study, students liked the material and believed they could be successful in STEM, but they may have already had their mind set on one career. After the Atomic Circus Shows, the evaluation of content knowledge showed a clear improvement in participants’ understanding of key scientific concepts. Many of the students involved in the initial years of the grant are nearing graduation and have said that seeing their first atomic circus in fifth grade got them excited to go to college and learn science. Chair Black explained that the Board will move into executive session at 4:00 p.m. for one hour and that no action will be taken following the executive session. The public portion of the meeting concluded for the day at 3:45 p.m. EXECUTIVE SESSION Chair Black convened the Executive Session at 4:00 p.m. and announced that the session was expected to last approximately one hour. The meeting room was cleared, other than board members and designated Executive Leadership Team members. The purpose of the executive session was to review the performance of a public employee, as allowed by RCW 42.30.110 (1)(g). The executive session ended at 5:00 p.m., and no action was taken following the executive session.
MAY 16, 2025 BOARD MEETING Trustees Present:
12 Board of Trustees Minutes May 15-16, 2025
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