Superintendent notes on returning to school campus

||| FROM ERIC WEBB, ORCAS SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT |||

Dear Students, Parents, Staff, & Community,

It has been an incredibly fast-paced and productive eight weeks of summer for OISD! Signs of the start of the new school year are everywhere! The school garden is in full bloom and the barn is being prepped for a new senior class mural.  We here at OISD are excited and ready for staff to return to campus for professional learning activities and students and families to attend annual school kick-off events! In just a few (seven) short days, we will welcome all students back to campus for the 2023-24 school year! OISD’s District Calendar can be found here, 2023-24 District Calendar.

First Day of School

The first day of school for all students will be Thursday, August 31 with a noon release for all students to allow for professional learning in the afternoon for staff.  Our bus routes consisting of two buses (we continue to look for a third driver) will run in the morning and at noon on the first day back. Breakfast will be served, however no lunch will be served due to the noon dismissal. 

Word of the Year

I am a fan of Jon Gordon’s work and have embraced his notion of selecting one word or phrase each year to guide the year. You may recall, I chose Community last year to help us remain centered and focused on what truly matters…….. creating a culture of dignity that truly accepts all students. Next, we must strive to create a cultural environment that cares and connects all of our Students’ Voices in our classrooms, our buildings, and our district. 

…………and there you have it………..Student Voice is the focus phrase that I have selected for this upcoming school year!

As part of this year’s focus on Student Voice, the School Board has selected two new Student Representatives to serve on our school board for 2023-24 and 2024-25, Isabel Guerra and Juliette McKenney! They will be sworn in and officially start their new positions during the September School Board Meeting. I have no doubt that both Isabel and Juliette will provide an amazing example of student leadership and engagement for all students in the district, and partner with us to nurture student voice in our district!  

New Faces & New Roles

For the 2022-23 school year, we will have a few new faces on our team as well as several familiar faces in new spaces and roles within the district. Please give the new folks below a warm Orcas welcome when you see them!

• Sara Wood – Kindergarten Teacher 

• Lauren Ford-Johnson – Montessori Teacher

• Terry Hughes-O’Flynn – Second Grade Teacher

• Kami McCullum – Special Education Teacher

• Debbie Bruland – Elementary Office Manager

• Sara Lucia – ParaEducator 

• Jexa Bolt – ParaEducator

• Anne Ford McGrath – OASIS K-8

• Jennifer Pietsch – OASIS K-8

• Jesse Fabrikant – Middle School Math and OASIS 9-12

• Paul Steimel – Physical Education, Health, and Athletic Director

• Zach Parkerson – High School Teacher

• Paul Peterson – Waldron Custodian 

Although we have worked hard to fill all positions prior to the start of school, we do currently have a few positions that we are looking to fill in the upcoming weeks:  ParaEducator and Bus Driver. Of course, we are always on the lookout for those who would be willing to support our students as substitutes in the roles of bus driver, certificated instructor, and classified paraeducator. More information on all of our employment opportunities can be found on our website here, Employment Opportunities.

Always Room for Improvement

We at OISD have been working diligently over the summer to further advance the district in preparation for the return of our students and staff.  Below are a few of the enhancements now in place as well as those that are underway within the district:

Kindergarten 

OISD Kindergarten numbers are looking strong this next year with 28 students currently enrolled.  To help ensure a strong foundation for our youngest students, OISD will be adding a second Kindergarten Class. Students in Kindergarten this year can expect a lot of team teaching, shared activities, and a lot of fun with both Mrs. Nigretto and Mrs. Wood.    

Behavioral Health 

The District has been awarded an additional, $124,000 in funding from the San Juan County Mental Health Grant.  This will allow the district to add an additional SAFE Advocate for the next two years to our already amazing Student Support Team to bolster our students’ mental health.

Safety 

In an continued effort to keep our students and staff safe, all secondary entrances to our buildings will remain locked.  Students, parents, and volunteers may enter our buildings through main entrances only.  This summer, we finalized phase one of a three-phase plan to replace all exterior door locks with remote locks that also have the capability of locking down the district should the need arise. In addition to the new exterior door locks, OISD upgraded its exterior camera system and added additional cameras over the summer to cover the  parking lots, covered play areas, and fields. The purchase and installation of the new lock and camera systems were made possible through the support of the Technology Levy voted upon and approved by our Orcas Community. In addition, the district continues to prioritize Crisis Management Training year round to remain current on the latest practices and research in school safety.    

Technology

This year, we continue to phase in the district’s one-to-one program for technology.  The goal is to provide each OISD student with a Chromebook to use during their time with the district. New Certified Instructional Staff Macbooks were  purchased with pandemic and federal fund grants and are being distributed along  with required training sessions to get staff set up and comfortable with their new devices. The sessions are limited to 10-15 people in an effort to keep it personalized.   

To ensure the success of the one-to-one technology program, Chris Waage will  serve OISD in his second year as the Teacher on a Special Assignment (TOSA), funded by Federal ESSER funds. Chris will continue to provide technology professional learning to students, staff, and administrators in the district.  The position also entails guiding classroom teachers and site administrators by innovatively integrating meaningful, effective, instructional technology with a focus on the individual needs of students, teachers, and administrators.  One example of such is the collaboration of Mr. Waage and Mrs. Malo who created the  student-led Weekly Announcement Videos, which can be found on the elementary school website, OIES. 

In addition to new laptops, the district upgraded its firewall for added bandwidth and security and installed a new intercom and bell system.  These were made possible through the support of the Technology Levy voted upon and approved by our Orcas Community.  

Maintenance and Construction Projects

The buildings have been deep cleaned, floors have been waxed, and the gym floors have been refinished, thanks to our amazing team.  Have you been to the track and fields recently to walk the track? If so, you have likely seen the work that has taken place with the installment of the new bleachers,  the new ticket booth, and currently-in-progress installation of an ADA swing, which will allow students with special needs to swing with their peers. 

Looking Forward

This year the School Board has identified three new action items that the district will work on during this coming year.