The Quillayute Valley School District Board of Directors will hold its next regular meeting on Tuesday, running from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Forks High School Library and Media Center. This session marks the first standard board gathering since the district settled a significant legal judgment and since a recent special meeting held behind closed doors without public explanation.
Standard board meetings feature a designated public comment period where residents can sign in, identify themselves, and speak for three minutes. This procedural element was absent from the July 15 special session. Consequently, Tuesday offers Forks residents their first in-person chance to address the board since two recent developments occurred.
On July 2, a Satisfaction of Judgment was filed in U.S. District Court in Tacoma, verifying that the district remitted $765,834.77 to Kari Larson, a former assistant cross-country coach. This total covered the original jury award, plus associated attorney fees, costs, and interest.
Following that settlement, the board met at noon on July 15 in the same high school library. They spent approximately 80 minutes in executive session before returning to open session to announce that no decisions had been reached and none would be made that day.
According to Washington’s Open Public Meetings Act, any final action resulting from those closed-door discussions must occur during an open session. Tuesday represents the next scheduled instance for the board to potentially take such action.
The proceedings follow an April 8 verdict that serves as the backdrop for recent events. A federal jury in Tacoma determined that the district was liable for creating a hostile work environment for Larson under the Washington Law Against Discrimination, resulting in a $250,000 award.
The same jury did not find the district or a former head coach liable for retaliation. Additionally, the athletic director and Title IX coordinator were cleared of claims regarding negligent supervision and retention.
Since the verdict, residents have utilized public comment periods at consecutive board meetings to demand greater transparency. They have questioned the administration’s oversight of coaches and staff, repeatedly calling for the establishment of a citizen advisory group focused on student safety.