Follow-Up on Board Discussion and TIDE Academy Staff Meeting - November 13(2 messages)

Dear TIDE Academy Staff,

I am writing to follow up on this evening's Board meeting and to invite you to a staff meeting tomorrow so that you can hear directly from me and ask questions.

At tonight's meeting on November 12, a Board Committee reported on its review of enrollment, programs, and long-term fiscal considerations related to TIDE Academy. Following that report, the Board directed me to develop a plan for how the District would discuss a possible closure of TIDE Academy. That plan is scheduled to be shared with the Board at a Board meeting on December 10.

This recommendation did not emerge overnight. For several years, the District has been examining both its structural deficit and enrollment at TIDE Academy as part of a wider look at how we use resources and how we maintain strong educational programs for students across the District.

I want to emphasize a few key points:

• The Board did not vote to close TIDE Academy tonight.
• The action the Board took was to approve a direction to develop and present a clear process for discussion and community engagement -- it is not a final decision about the school's future.

Board members spoke about their responsibility to look at how we are using limited resources across the District. One of the concerns they raised is that, because TIDE is such a small school, continuing to operate it at its current size can, over time, result in fewer classes, electives, and program options for TIDE students than we can responsibly offer when resources are better aligned across the District. At the same time, we fully recognize that TIDE is a close-knit community and that even considering the possibility of closure is deeply upsetting.

I want to be clear that no one wants to close a school, and we understand the impact that even entering into this discussion has on you and on the students and families you serve. We do not take that impact lightly. You deserve clear information and an opportunity to ask questions and share your concerns.

To support that, I am inviting all TIDE Academy staff to a meeting.

TIDE Academy Staff Meeting with the Superintendent
Date: Thursday, November 13
Time: 4:00-5:00 p.m.

Or

Date: Tuesday, November 18
Time: 2:45-3:45 p.m.

Location: TIDE Academy Cafeteria

At this meeting, I will:

• Recap the Board Committee's report.
• Explain what I have been directed to bring forward at the December 10 Board meeting.
• Share what we know now about the proposed process and timeline.
• Answer as many of your questions as I can, and identify where we will need to follow up with more information.

I strongly encourage you to attend if you are able. Your perspective as TIDE staff is critical to how we move forward and how we communicate with students and families in the weeks ahead.

In the meantime, if you have immediate questions or need support, please do not hesitate to reach out to Principal Rick-Kennel or directly to my office.

Thank you for your continued dedication to TIDE students and for all that you do every day. I know this is difficult news to hear and process, and I am committed to communicating with you as openly and promptly as I can as the Board's discussions continue.

Sincerely,

Crystal

Hello Dr. Leach,

Thank you for your email, and I'm looking forward to being able to talk through some of these questions we have as a staff later today. I feel like this is a huge faux pas emailing you, so I have some trepidation doing so. I was, however, recently called the 'pragmatic one' in front of you at the Board meeting where our English department was given recognition for our work with students at TIDE, so at least I'm able to prove the point now.

I am wondering if the Board members who are running this proposal were planning to attend today's meeting? I feel as though, again as a pragmatist, having them present would be a benefit to the conversation, while them not being there would be more of a hindrance. I've come to that conclusion as I help compile some questions that students and staff have for later this afternoon.

I'm not going to be able to vocalize this easily later, so I also wanted to stress how impactful this small school has been to me. I was so close to exiting the profession entirely, but coming to TIDE and being surrounded by such incredible staff members and students reinvigorated me. I can honestly say that I am pushed to the edge of my zone of proximal development daily here, and the students benefit; knowing that TIDE will likely close hurts more as I know we're on the cutting edge of education here. We are able to achieve the things that we do because we are small and like-minded, with every staff member being open to adapting, changing, and evolving for the sake of our student body. It's my hope that, instead of TIDE being lost to the ether, the District can use our community as an impetus for development across all our schools.

Thank you for hearing me out regarding the Board members attending today's meeting. Again, I hope this email isn't too much of a faux pas; my intentions are good--promise!

Best,

Nick McKeon

On Wed, Nov 12, 2025 at 8:10 PM Crystal Leach <cleach@seq.org> wrote:

Dear TIDE Academy Staff,

I am writing to follow up on this evening's Board meeting and to invite you to a staff meeting tomorrow so that you can hear directly from me and ask questions...

TIDE Academy Staff Meeting with the Superintendent
Date: Thursday, November 13
Time: 4:00-5:00 p.m.

Or

Date: Tuesday, November 18
Time: 2:45-3:45 p.m.

Location: TIDE Academy Cafeteria

Sincerely,

Crystal