Five Acre School offers former director teaching position after mediation

Published 3:30 am Wednesday, June 10, 2026

Changes and healing continue to be underway at Five Acre School in Dungeness after a series of staffing and board member changes last month, including firings, a rehiring, and resignations.

One major change was the dismissal of Program Director Sarah Bones on May 5 followed by mediation sessions that led to her being rehired as the school’s Explorer Class lead teacher (fourth-sixth grade) in the fall.

In an email interview, Bones wrote that she had been the school’s director for nearly three years and a teacher since 2013, and she was not given an explanation for her firing nor did she receive any prior warning about consideration to end her employment.

Bones said that she was called into a meeting during the school day on May 5 and was offered a severance agreement to release claims against the then-board members. She was then escorted off campus in front of students and staff, which Bones said was “upsetting and destabilizing for students and staff alike.”

In an email to families obtained by the Gazette, new board members, now at a capacity of nine, apologized to Bones and the community for the manner in which Bones was removed from her position as director on May 5.

“We recognize that this action caused significant pain and was profoundly disrespectful given her 13 years of faithful service to Five Acre School. In addition, it created chaos and confusion for staff and families,” wrote Shahida Shahrir, the school’s vice-chair board director.

In another email Shahrir wrote that Bones’ employment was not terminated for any illegal, unethical, or unsafe conduct, but rather due to leadership decisions and differences in vision.

Asked about how she feels about the changes, Bones said she’s glad to be moving forward.

“I am excited to be returning this fall as the Explorer Class lead teacher,” she wrote. “In many ways, this is a full-circle transition for me. I was first hired in 2013 as the Explorer Class teacher, and returning to the Explorer classroom feels deeply grounding.

“I look forward to being back in our community in a role I am passionate about and one that helps facilitate healing in our community.”

Along with returning to teach, Bones said she’ll be supporting the school at year’s end this week and supporting a Closing Ceremony for fifth and sixth graders.

Director position open

Autumn Piontek-Walsh, former owner of Five Acre School from 2013-2019 before it became a 501(c)3 nonprofit, is one of nine new board members and the interim executive director of the school effective late May through the end of this week, the last week of school.

In an interview, Piontek-Walsh said Five Acre is still in the middle of a leadership transition.

“The goal is to move forward for the sustainability of the school,” she said.

“The new board is dedicated to making sure that they are transparent and that they make good decisions about who the next executive director will be and then that person’s job is to sort of do the rest.”

The executive director position was posted on the school’s website last week and has already received applications from a previous posting. Piontek-Walsh said they hope to make a hire by July 1.

Following mediation, it was mutually determined Bones would not be reinstated as director. Bones confirmed she will not apply for the open director position.

Earlier this year, interim development director Merissa Koller with Mission Consulting, LLC. was brought on to oversee campaign strategy and long-term development efforts to in part help the school purchase its site. However, Piontek-Walsh said she resigned from the role on May 20 after submitting a strategic plan to the school. Koller could not be reached for comment. Teacher Audrey Gipson, who briefly served as interim director for the school after Bones’ firing, also resigned.

Piontek-Walsh said board members serving prior to the current nine also resigned, including Susan Craig the day before Bones’ firing, Serena Williams and Lindsay Hood in mid-May, and Julie Novak, who onboarded Piontek-Walsh.

Six of the current nine board members are parents, and Piontek-Walsh said they’d like to diversify the board more as the current members largely represent a call to action to help bring stability.

As of the Gazette’s deadline, the board members are Muir Petersen, Theresa Churchill, Shahrir, Nick Batcheller, Sneha Couvillion, Piontek-Walsh, Emily Perkins, Kristin Smith, and Irie Brown.

Lease and purchase

This month, Five Acre School’s leadership was originally planning to wrap up a capital campaign to purchase the Five Acre site from owner Juanita Ramsey-Jevne and her son Will Jevne.

Piontek-Walsh said that project will be postponed as they focus on hiring a new director and getting a lease for the new school year.

In a statement from the Jevne’s Five Acre Enterprises, they write, “The sale of the Five Acre School property is paused for now. We hope to resume sale discussions in future. We are supportive of the continuation of the Five Acre School program and are working with the Board towards renewing the lease for the next school year.”

Piontek-Walsh said the school secured a lease through the end of August and they’re working on another for the next school year.

Five Acre School was established in 1996 by William “Bill” Jevne and Ramsey-Jevne with a dedication to foster curiosity, resilience, and a love of learning in children through a whole-child approach. Bill died in 2017 after fighting prostate cancer.

Data, finances and trust

An email was sent to families about a data breach that Piontek-Walsh said remains alleged and is currently under investigation. It’s estimated to be about two-thirds complete by an IT consultant.

As for the school’s finances, Piontek-Walsh said they’re operating within the current school year’s budget and anticipate having a budget by the end of the week so they can offer teachers positions.

Tuition was previously due on May 15, but it was extended to May 31. A consultant just received those totals and will input them to estimate the school’s staffing model.

Piontek-Walsh said they’d lost some families due to the recent turnover, but the enrollment still looks good with a number of people taking a wait and see approach to see what the staffing model will look like. The board is also considering raises for staff.

Through the changes, the board is trying to be transparent, Piontek-Walsh said, including more emails to families and open meetings.

A staff mediation will be offered on June 12, which Piontek-Walsh said is meant to be a healing group experience.

In a June 4 email to families, board members expressed their intent for healing “to refocus on what unites us: our shared commitment to the students, families, teachers, and staff who make Five Acre such a special place. Differences of opinion do not diminish our shared commitment to the well-being of our children and the future of this school; they allow us to practice compassion and support each other’s unique perspectives.”

For more about the school, visit fiveacreschool.org.