Darrington schools audit details minor problem areas

Published 10:36 pm Tuesday, June 15, 2010

DARRINGTON — A high school coach stopped by another teacher’s classroom during the school day to place an order for silk-screened shirts for his team. The other teacher runs a T-shirt print business out of her home, and she took the order from the coach.

The scene might sound harmless, but the exchange violated the Darrington School District’s conflict of interest policy and was noted in the annual audit recently released by the state Auditor’s Office.

The interaction of people in a small town, where people often work more than one job to provide services to the community, can easily lead to situations like the one between the two teachers, district business manager Myra Lewis said.

An auditor observed the business arrangement during a visit to Darrington public schools.

“We won’t let that sort of thing happen again,” Lewis said. “We have to call her at home after school hours to order shirts for the kids.”

In most areas, the school district complied with state laws and its own policies, state auditors noted.

The only other finding by auditors was one in which the district allowed a bus driver who also worked in the district office to file monthly time sheets incorrectly. The employee’s jobs have different funding sources. The matter was corrected immediately, Lewis said.

“Basically it was a good audit,” Lewis said. “We appreciate the help we get from the state.

“We are looking forward next year to a totally clean audit.”

Gale Fiege: 425-339-3427; gfiege@heraldnet.com.