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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