March-April Board to Board 2023

board to board

News from the Board of NWESD

A Note From Our Superintendent

On behalf of the Board of Directors and staff of the Northwest Educational Service District 189 (NWESD), I am pleased to submit this annual report for the 2021-2022 school year. During this school year, districts began to slowly return to a greater sense of normalcy in instruction and operations following the darkest days of the pandemic. As your educational partner, NWESD staff embrace our role of providing comprehensive support to districts, schools, educators, students, families, and communities as they respond to the myriad challenges, loss, and opportunities created by nearly two years of disrupted learning.

The information that follows helps tell the stories of the five counties, 35 school districts, Lummi Nation School, 368 schools, over 10,000 professional educators, and 164,000 students of the NWESD region. There is great cause for celebration and pride in the accomplishments of those educators and young people. There is also much that reminds us of the remaining work ahead to provide greater opportunity, access, and outcomes for all students, families, and communities.

Those of us who work at educational service districts are fond of saying that “service” is our middle name. There has never been a time that saying has held more truth than these past several years. As we share the hope of a continued return to normalcy, let us not forget that prior to the pandemic not all students were being optimally served to unlock their potential and promise. Let us together embrace a new normal that recommits each of us to assure that every child, every educator, every family, and every community receives what they need to enjoy success and fulfillment. Please know that all of us at the NWESD maintain our deepest commitment to our educational partners and strive to provide value-added, timely, and equity-driven support through the dozens of programs and services we offer.

Larry Francois NWESD Superintendent

Remembering Claudia Buxton

We are saddened by the passing of beloved, former NWESD board member Claudia Buxton. Claudia represented the NWESD District 7 (Edmonds and Mukilteo) for seven years before retiring from the NWESD Board of Directors on September 23, 2021. Prior to her ESD service she had a 54-year career in education, serving in the roles of teacher, counselor, consultant, and director. Claudia spent much of her career in Snohomish County and everywhere Claudia worked she innovated, improved and set educational precedents. Claudia was 78 when she retired for the final time.

Shawn Woodward Monroe School District

Chris Pearson Burlington-Edison School District

Dr. Rebecca Miner Edmonds School District

Welcome New NWESD Employees

Grant to Expand School-Based Mental Health

The Northwest Educational Service District 189 (NWESD) was awarded a $11.4 million federal Department of Education (DOE) grant to expand school-based mental health services.

The NWESD is proud to announce that it has been selected as the recipient of substantial federal funding that will enable the NWESD to recruit, place, support, and retain 20 credentialed school-based mental health professionals (SBMHP+) with the requisite training and clinical supervision necessary to provide clinical behavioral health supports to K-12 students.

The DOE grant totaled $11,412,471 to provide essential mental health support to students in the region. These funds support 75% of the total project cost, with the remaining 25% ($2,853,118) non-Federal funds leveraged through local, county, and state partnerships. The total project will result in a $14,265,589 investment over the next five years.

Districts interested in having a SBMHP+ will have the opportunity to submit a Partnership Request Form. Partnership requires a commitment to integrate services and cost-sharing. We anticipate services will begin in the Spring of 2023.

The NWESD will begin the process of recruiting mental health professionals who are interested in providing school-based services that offer unique opportunities to collaborate with educators to improve academic and socialemotional outcomes for students. Interested applicants can to find more information on the NWESD website (www.nwesd.org/jobs ).

Shana Axelson Student Assistance Professional Deming/Mt. Baker

Chrstine McDonald Paraeducator Whatcom Discovery

Alexa Morrow Software Support Analyst II NWRDC

Stephen Londino Student Assistance Professional Concrete

Tabitha Stevens Administrative Assistant T&L

Vanessa Allen Instructional Technology Specialist

Miranda Shepher Software Support Analyst NWRDC

Charels Crabtree, District 1

Bellingham*, Burlington-Edison, Meridian Jack Thompson, District 2

Anacortes, Blaine, Ferndale, Lopez, Oak Harbor, Orcas, San Juan Island, Shaw

Mark Venn, District 3

Bellingham*, Conway, La Conner, Lynden, Mt. Baker, Mt. Vernon, Nooksack, Sedro-Woolley

Oscar Escalante, District 4

Coupeville, Everett*, Lakewood, Mukilteo*, South Whidbey, Stanwood

Alan Erickson, District 5 Everett*, Marysville

Educational Service Districts have served Washington State for over fifty years, providing vital services and functioning as advocates for local districts. Northwest Educational Service District 189 (NWESD) serves Whatcom, Skagit, Snohomish, Island, and San Juan counties.

NWESD’s more than fifty programs are organized into seven departments to serve you: Administration, Early Learning, Fiscal Services, Prevention Center, Special Programs and Services, Teaching and Learning, NWRDC, and Technology Services. Please visit us on our website at nwesd.org for more information on each of these departments.

Stay in touch

Send an email to communications@nwesd.org to request email updates and subscribe to our Ed Talks blog.

Cory Duskin, District 6

Arlington, Concrete, Darrington, Granite Falls, Index, Monroe, Snohomish*, Sultan

Ann McMurray, District 7 Edmonds*, Mukilteo*

Sue Phillips, District 8 Edmonds*, Mukilteo*

Merle Kirkley, District 9 Everett*, Lake Stevens, Snohomish*