The Kuna school board met on Tuesday, August 11, 2026
In this report,
➡️ School property taxes, rate drop
➡️ Board OK's asking voters to renew levy at same amount in November
➡️ Policy decisions
➡️ Consent agenda
➡️ Next meeting: Sept. 8, 2026
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Financial Advisor Michael Keith updated trustees on the district's property taxes past and current.
He shared that through careful planning and along with state property tax relief funds, the total taxes collected from district property owners have dropped and the rate has declined.
He highlighted that:
- The board through, a process called defeasance (paying down debt early), has saved $6,508,550 in interest costs.
- The district's outstanding debt is $13,730,000, with the final payments expected in 2032.
- State property tax relief funds have offset or replaced taxes for the bond, and also a portion of the district's supplemental levy.
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Trustees approved the district's recommendation to ask voters to renew the supplemental levy at $3,609,360 annually for two years.
The measure will appear on the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot. If approved, it will maintain funding for 40 teachers, 30 coaching stipends, and 1 school resource officer without increasing property tax amount and rate for the supplemental levy.
Superintendent Marcus Myers said in making the recommendation to the board that, maintaining the levy at the existing dollar amount, the district aims to sustain student services and high-quality classroom instruction without increasing taxes on local property owners.
To remain financially responsible amid broader cost increases, he said the district is optimizing staffing models and engaging in strategic facility planning. These growth management efforts rely on property value analyses, investment interest from state funding, and ongoing collaboration with the City of Kuna steering committee to meet local educational needs without imposing an extra financial burden on taxpayers.
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Superintendent Marcus Myers and Assistant Superintendents Jason Reddy and Brian Graves shared highlights from summer activities supporting student learning.
Excellence in Action Spotlight
- 2026 Kuna High School Alum Paige Sheppard completed an externship which brought her back to Kuna High School to observe work under way at the school. She is pursuing a construction management path at Boise State University after earning a scholarship while at KHS.
Academic Extended Learning
- The middle school summer catch-up program hosted 117 students who completed a total of 154 classes.
- High school summer catch-up enrolled 207 students, recovering 340 credits and allowing four seniors to complete graduation requirements.
- The district successfully operated its Migrant Summer Enrichment program.
Career Technical Education (CTE) & Leadership
- District students qualified for and competed in CTE national events in Nashville (BPA), Atlanta (SkillsUSA), Indianapolis (HOSA), and Washington D.C. (FCCLA and FFA).
- Student council leaders (CAST) completed their annual retreat to plan events, activities, and school year themes.
Fine Arts & Performing Arts
- Marching Band expanded to over 100 members, held summer camp, and performed in the Kuna Days parade.
- The summer Theater/Drama camp engaged more than 50 students at IPHS.
Athletics & Physical Education
- A total of 437 student-athletes across 11 programs participated in summer strength and conditioning, achieving the highest proportion of athletes with over 80% attendance in six years.
- Track and field athletes competed at the national level in pole vault, placing 10th, 6th, and earning a Junior Olympic National Champion title.
- Women’s basketball hosted 100 girls at its summer camp, and JV/Varsity teams played over 20 games, including showcase games at Gonzaga University.
- Men’s basketball concluded summer competition with an 18–8 record across five tournaments while participating in college recruiting events.
- Football recorded its highest summer attendance rate in six years, placed second in the Tri-Cities Camp, took second in the Mountain View Lineman Challenge, and hosted youth camps for over 100 local athletes.
Community Engagement & Facility Operations
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Student-athletes completed over 100 community service hours by cleaning classrooms, assisting residents with moving, volunteering with youth programs, and supporting migrant summer school field trips.
- Athletic and summer programs successfully adapted schedules to maintain operations despite campus construction, high summer temperatures, and wildfire smoke.
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The board adopts new, amends existing, and removes policies through a series of "readings."
- The first reading is typically the start of the process and can include discussions about changes.
- The second reading allows for changes to be reviewed and/or additional changes to be made.
- The third reading is typically the final step.
The public may provide feedback at every reading.
For this report, all policy decisions are reported below.
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Approved for first reading
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650.10 - Library and Resource Center Materials Procedures
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Approved for second reading
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205 - Strategic Performance Plan and Training
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404.5 - Information on Past Job Performance and Misconduct
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406 - Investigating and Reporting Suspected Child Abuse, Abandonment or Neglect
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410 - Non-Discrimination in Employment / Leaves of Absence
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440 - Employment of Certified Employees
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446 - Negotiated Agreement Terms
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449 - Release From Contract of Certificated Employees
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540.1 - Maintenance of Orderly Conduct
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559 - Food Allergies
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561 - Administering Medications
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564 - Health Records, Health Care Services and Emergency Care
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639 - Parental Rights in Education
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652 - Library and Resource Center Materials
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652.1 - Library and Resource Center Materials - Complaint Form
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297.1 - Title IX Grievance Procedure
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400 - Hiring Process
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564.1 - Blanket Consent Form for Health Services for Minor
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640 - Moment of Silence
Remove the following
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447 - Recruitment of Certificated Employees
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A consent agenda groups routine items for a single motion and vote, saving time in board meetings. It includes non-controversial items like approving minutes or standard reports. Any board member can request to pull an item for separate discussion and vote if needed.
Approved
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The Kuna School District is governed by an elected board of trustees, with each trustee representing a specific geographic area of the district, known as a Zone.
Each year, the trustees elect a chairman and vice chairman to lead the board.
In addition to board meetings, trustees may also serve on district committees.
Below is information about each trustee.
Don't know who’s your elected trustee? Look up which trustee serves your address here. |
Zone 5 Trustee Michael Thornton
Term Ends: December 2027
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Zone 2 Trustee JD Grant
Term Ends: December 2027
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Zone 1 Trustee Hillary Lowe
Term Ends: December 2027
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Zone 3 Trustee Kyrsti Bruce
Term Ends: December 2029
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Zone 4 Trustee Freddy Wheeler
Term Ends: December 2029
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