Submitted by Rene Carroll
Les Brown, Washougal School District Communications and Technology Director, was recognized earlier this year as a leader in modern governance. The Diligent Corporation announced the honorees of the Inaugural Modern Governance 100 Community Boards, a program dedicated to the recognition of community governance leaders who are committed to driving positive organizational change.
“Les has been a steward of modern governance for the Washougal School District, directly supporting its work in a variety of roles for more than 15 years” said WSD Superintendent Mary Templeton. “He consistently goes above and beyond to help facilitate efficient board meetings and effective governance practices.”
Brown’s work is integral to keeping students, families, and staff aware of changes to the learning environment due to the pandemic and shaping the public information campaign around WSD closure and phased reopening plans. “He tracks local health data, trends in other districts, and supports administrative and board decision making as we navigate the complexities of balancing safety with student learning,” said Templeton. “He has conducted surveys on behalf of the district to gather perceptions and feedback and presented information to the board to ensure community voices are shaping our public policy.”
“I’m very proud of the work I do supporting our citizen school board, and the thoughtful way they approach the work of governing our district,” said Brown. “Our board and leadership are focused on our mission of knowing, nurturing and challenging all students to rise, and I am fortunate to get to work directly with them as they lead our community of learners.”
Brown also has an amazing understanding and recollection of State and Local rules and holds the institutional knowledge of the district. “He has been involved in at least two major rewrites of the more than 200 policies and 200 procedures,” said Templeton. “His vast knowledge, understanding and recollection of state laws help guide the board to successfully navigate the layer of compliance and avoid conflicts when creating their own local and district rules.
WSD leadership has been able to increase citizen and student participation in the work of the school board through Brown’s efforts. He has worked to increase opportunities for public comment, bring student representation to the school board, and facilitate use of technology tools to enable participation by more patrons in board meetings. “Our school board is committed to listening to our community, and we use a mix of technology tools and in-person participation to ensure all voices are heard as we inform critical decisions,” said Brown. “Our board’s goal on equity recognizes that not all learners are equally successful, and the imperative to disrupt systems that are perpetuating systemic racism.”
“We congratulate Les on this well-deserved honor and appreciate all he does for our district to know, nurture and challenge all of our students to rise,” said Templeton.
