board to board
September-October 2020
News from the Board of NWESD
A Note from Our Superintendent It is Friday, August 21, as I sit down to compose this message. Sharing the date I’m writing this seems important because if I’ve learned anything since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s that today’s realities can shift dramatically in a matter of days or weeks. I hope my words remain relevant by the time you’re reading this. But if not, try to transport yourself back in time to the context of August 21, 2020! Districts and schools in the NWESD 189 region will begin the 2020-21 school year over the coming weeks. Up until mid-July, most districts were planning towards some level of hybrid or rotational instructional model that would have students attending school in-person at least part of the week and participating in remote learning the rest of the time. Increasing infection rates in our state and nationally along with strong recommendations from local, state, and national health authorities to reopen schools remotely quickly unraveled those plans. I don’t envy the dilemma school boards and superintendents find themselves in, and I certainly don’t speak for you. In my ongoing discussions with educators and non-educators, though, many have questioned why districts have opted for continued remote learning given all the valid reasons why in-person instruction is clearly preferable for the vast majority of students. I suspect that for most decision-makers, it comes down to the inability to provide a satisfactory answer to this question – namely, “What is an acceptable level of risk of death for the students and staff we serve?” As of today, over 174,000 Americans have died of COVID-19. It is a tragic statistic. But that number is much more than a statistic. Each of those fatalities was someone’s grandparent, spouse, child, or friend. For those personally impacted by a COVID-19 death, the pandemic is not an abstraction, an intellectual exercise, or a cost/ benefit analysis. It is real and painful and permanent. In prior messages over the past few years, I’ve proudly bragged on my granddaughter. She turned five last May and is scheduled to start kindergarten this fall. She is so ready, and I’m so disappointed for how her K-12 experience will start. But balanced against the risk of her getting sick or spreading the virus to someone I love dearly, I can’t fault her district for being cautious. That said, I also know that this is her one shot at kindergarten, just like this is other students’ one shot at third grade or seventh grade or senior year. But I take comfort in knowing that district leaders, teachers, principals, and support staff across our region and state are working harder than ever and as quickly as they can to make sure that students have the best possible school experience this year. As educators, we must all rise to the level of the challenge we face. The children and families who rely upon us deserve nothing less than our very best efforts in this moment. The 2020-21 school year promises to be one unlike any of us have ever experienced. And yet I remain hopeful and inspired by the dedication and commitment I see. Together We Can and must meet the greatest challenge public education will hopefully ever face. I wish you safety, health, grace, and resilience in the year ahead.
Larry Francois
NWESD Superintendent
Skagit STEM Network News The Skagit STEM network was originally formed in 2015 through the Sedro-Woolley School District and the City of Sedro-Woolley with the goal of aligning K-12 education, higher education, community, and business partners to support STEM and Career Connected Learning opportunities in Skagit County. This summer, the Skagit STEM network is expanding STEM education and Career Connected Learning in Skagit, Island, Whatcom, and San Juan counties to the NW Washington STEM Network. The NWESD will be providing support for this growth by serving as the new backbone agency. “We are excited to host and support the NW Washington STEM Network,” said Larry Francois, Superintendent, Northwest Educational Service District 189. “We see this as a natural and beneficial extension of our existing career connected learning and professional development work with school districts and community and business partners across Skagit, Whatcom, Island, and San Juan counties.”
Welcome La Conner Interim Superintendent
Rich Stewart La Conner SD
NWESD Special Programs & Services
“This new structure will also help to build even stronger partnerships with local and regional organizations whose missions are aligned with ours, such as Futures NW that helps prepare students from high school through their transition into their college or training programs,”said Michelle Judson, NW Washington STEM Director. The current Skagit STEM Network will continue under the NW Washington STEM organizational umbrella with its own Advisory Board comprised of Skagit business, education and government leaders.
Andrea Downs
Assistant Director Special Programs & Services
NWESD Regional Teacher of the Year - Ben Ballew Ben Ballew is a National Board Certified English Language Arts (ELA) teacher and an Associated Student Body (ASB) Advisor at Arlington High School who has been with the Arlington SD for 13 years. Ben’s TOY platform focuses on social and racial justice and equity, and his efforts in the classroom include helping students connect to their family, culture, and community. He has dedicated his English 12: Literature of Social Justice course to developing racial literacy and empowering students to be anti-racist advocates in their community. As a result of the course, he says that his students have begun difficult – and necessary – conversations with their families about topics of culture, race, and privilege; moreover, they are taking their initial steps in authentic advocacy for their marginalized peers and community members. Contact: bballew@asd.wednet.edu
Promising Practices During Long-term School Closure Our goal is to highlight teaching methods that provide equitable access and student/teacher successes in our region during the COVID-19 disruption. Check out the full stories: www.nwesd.org/category/news/communications-news
Recorded Stories with Themes
Self-grading Google Forms
“I recorded three stories every week for students to watch whenever they could. I treated this just like storytime in my classroom. I would ask questions, expect the students to make predictions, turn and talk to a partner (even if it was a stuffed animal, toy, or blanket).”
“When I discovered self-grading Google Forms, it was a HUGE time saver for me and I was able to focus the time I would have been spending grading in other areas.”
Michelle Kiehn, Kindergarten
Kayla Joplin,
NWESD Early Learning Fellow, Mount Vernon SD
Clear, Consistent, Frequent Communication “Each Sunday evening we sent out an email to parents about what we had planned for the week. In this email, we would highlight important information, assignments, and expectations for the week. If there was a concept that needed a little explanation we would include a small statement here. ” Kellie Georgio
Elementary Teacher, Sedro-Woolley SD
Elementary Teacher, Sedro-Woolley SD
Shift of Priority “A whole new shift of priority has awakened in me as a teacher. Heart and soul first. Text and curriculum next, with the best we can do under these circumstances to mix them in.” Laura Dahlstron
Summer Science Kit Project ELL Teacher, Marysville SD
Charles Crabtree, District 1 Bellingham, Meridian
Dr. Jack Thompson, District 2 Blaine, Ferndale, Lopez Island, Lynden, Mount Baker, Nooksack Valley, Orcas Island, San Juan Island, Shaw Island Mark Venn, District 3 Anacortes, Burlington-Edison, Concrete, Conway, Darrington, La Conner, Mount Vernon, Sedro-Woolley Claudia Talmadge, District 4 Coupeville, Lakewood, Mukilteo, Oak Harbor, South Whidbey, Stanwood-Camano Dr. Alan Erickson, District 5 Everett
Cindy Garrison at cgarrison@nwesd.org or call (360) 299-4057
School won’t be remote forever
Cory Duskin, District 6 Arlington, Granite Falls, Index, Marysville, Sultan Claudia Buxton, District 7 Edmonds, Mukilteo
Sue Phillips, District 8 Edmonds, Mukilteo
Merle Kirkley, District 9 Lake Stevens, Monroe, Snohomish
Students who stay connected to their local district’s distance learning program will be ready for a seamless transition back to the classroom when it’s safe to return. https://bit.ly/reopeningWAschools
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