March 3, 2025: Celebrating School Breakfast, the Arts, and Our District’s Progress

Message from the Superintendent

March 3, 2025

Dear Northshore Colleagues: 

This week, we recognize National School Breakfast Week and the dedicated nutrition staff who work tirelessly to ensure our students start their day with a healthy meal. Their efforts not only fuel learning but also support student well-being and success. Thank you to our incredible Northshore Food and Nutrition team for your commitment to nourishing our students.

March is also Youth Art Month, a tradition since 1961 that highlights the importance of a comprehensive, sequential arts education and the creativity of our young artists. We are proud to celebrate our talented students and the visual arts educators who nurture their artistic expression. 

You are invited to visit the Youth Art Month Exhibition at the Northshore Administrative Center from March 6 – March 31 to view the inspiring work of our students. A special reception will be held on Monday, March 31, from 6–7 p.m. with the students, their families, and teachers. All are welcome to attend, and I hope to see you there. 

Finally, this evening, March 3, I will be presenting the State of Our Schools to the Kenmore City Council. I will provide an overview of our district’s strategic plan, progress made, and answer questions. As I have been out sharing this information with our community, the response has been really positive. Our community is so proud of all that we have accomplished together for our students and I hope you are too!

Please review the District Highlights below including tips on supporting students who may be fasting in observance of Ramadan or the Baha’i Fast.

Thank you for all that you do to support our students each and every day. Wishing you a wonderful week ahead.

In partnership, 

Michael Tolley
Superintendent

Highlights from Around the District

Have a story you would like to see shared in the "Highlights from Around the District" section of this message and on our website? Submit using this form.

As a reminder, it is possible that Northshore's practicing Muslim and Bahá’í students, families, and staff will be fasting, including no food or drink (as well as water), from dawn to dusk through the duration of Ramadan and the Bahá’í Fast. For the first time, Northshore is able to offer take-home meal packs during the month of March to students who observe a daytime fast. Any student interested in a take-home meal pack (which includes breakfast and lunch), can collect one during breakfast service each day at their school. All meals will be charged by the student’s meal eligibility category (free/reduced/paid). Additional meals purchased within the same school day will be charged at an a la carté price. Take home meals are possible because of a temporary waiver issued by USDA. These are the same meals that would be offered during the school day, but can now be provided to students including those who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch for use outside school hours. The following insights and ideas are ways that we can support our Muslim and Bahá’í students.

Northshore School District substitute bus driver Stewart O’Leary and North Creek High School varsity girls basketball Head Coach Calvin McHenry and Assistant Coach Chris Pinder were honored by the School Board during its meeting on Monday, Feb. 24. O’Leary showed incredible bravery when a piece of metal shattered his windshield and struck him in the chest—all while transporting the team on the freeway on Feb. 7. Despite his injury, O’Leary’s first priority was the safety of the students on board. Thanks to his quick thinking and the swift actions of McHenry and Pinder, the bus was safely brought to a stop, and everyone remained safe. O’Leary was taken to the hospital and released the same night—and in true hero fashion, he was back at work on Monday, Feb. 10, continuing to serve our students. The students, families, and our entire community are beyond grateful for our incredible transportation team, our dedicated coaches, and our resilient student-athletes who remained calm through it all. Join us in thanking O'Leary, McHenry, and Pinder!

Ramadan is an Islamic religious observance that began at sundown on Feb. 28 and ends on March 29 this year. Ramadan is a time for connection, celebration, deep reflection, and continued prayer. Once the sun sets, families meet for big meals and people also have a morning meal before the sun rises. For the hundreds of millions of Muslims around the world who observe Ramadan, the month is a time to focus on their faith and also perform generous acts. To learn more about Ramadan, view this message on the District’s social media from the Islamic Center of Bothell.

The Bahá’í Fast is a Bahá’í religious observance lasting nineteen days each year during which adult Bahá’ís, age 15 and older, fast from sunrise to sunset each day. This period is expected to begin at sundown on Feb. 28 and end on March 19, which is then followed by Nowruz or the Persian New Year. It is a time of prayer, meditation, and spiritual rejuvenation. The Bahá’í Fast is a reflective and solemn time focused on prayer and self-reflection and also viewed with joy and gratitude.

Ash Wednesday on Wednesday, March 5 marks the beginning of Lent, a solemn, 40-day period leading up to Easter that holds profound significance in Christianity. Starting on Ash Wednesday and concluding on Holy Thursday, it is a season of penitence and preparation. This is a time in which many Christians remember the events leading up to and including the death of Jesus Christ. Those who participate in the Lenten season engage in prayer, reflection, fasting, and helping others.

Holi is a festival of colors celebrated by Hindus around the world this year on Friday, March 14. Holi is celebrated to mark the arrival of spring, victory of good over evil, spreading friendship, peace, and joy in the community.  On the previous day, people light bonfires and dance around it. The next morning people join together on the streets, sprinkle colors on each other, and share sweets. The bonfires represent destroying bacteria in the air, and colors represent strengthening the immune system and adding beauty.

Important Dates

The following section features non-school days, Northshore School Board meetings, and religious and cultural observances, including dates listed on the Days of Highest Impact and Days of Fasting charts that are part of Northshore’s Religious and Cultural Observances Calendar. This aims to expand awareness about the multiple forms of diversity among our students and families, the days that students may not be at school due to religious observances, and the days that students may be fasting. 

*Begins at sundown of previous day/ends at sundown

March 1-31

• Women’s History Month
• Music in our Schools Month
• Youth Art Month

March 1-30

• Ramadan* - Islamic

March 1-19

• The Baha’i Fast* - Baha’i

March 3-7

• National School Breakfast Week

March 3

• School Board Special Meeting, 4 p.m. - Topic: Superintendent Search Firm Interviews

March 5 - April 17

• Lent - Christian

March 5

• Early Release Wednesday

March 7

• Elementary Schools Only - Early Dismissal for Conferences by Invite (Rescheduled from February)

March 10-14

• Education Support Professionals Week

March 10

• School Board Regular Meeting, 4:30 p.m.
• School Board Special Meeting, 6 p.m. Topic: 2026 Bond & Levy Planning, Enrollment Projections & Goal 3 (finishing due to power outage)

March 12

• Early Release Wednesday

March 14

• Holi - Hindu

The following section features additional important dates, including those listed on the Full Religious and Cultural Observances chart three, which is part of Northshore’s Religious and Cultural Observances Calendar.

*Begins at sundown of previous day/ends at sundown

March 5

• Ash Wednesday - Christian

March 8

• International Women’s Day - U.S. Culture

March 14

• Purim* - Jewish

Northshore School District is enriched by the many experiences and perspectives each individual member brings to our District and community. Therefore, our District prohibits discrimination based on age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, honorably discharged veteran or military status, or the presence of any sensory, cognitive, or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability.

Civil Rights and ADA Coordinator for Staff: 
Jerred Kelly
3330 Monte Villa Parkway
Bothell, WA 98021-8972
425-408-7622 or 7604
TitleIXOfficer@nsd.org  

Title IX Coordinator: 
Jerred Kelly
3330 Monte Villa Parkway
Bothell, WA 98021-8972
425-408-7622 or 7604
TitleIXOfficer@nsd.org 

The Northshore School District shall provide equal educational opportunity and treatment for all students in all aspects of the District’s academic, activities, or employment programs without discrimination. In addition, the District provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups in its programs and activities.

Section 504 and ADA Coordinator for Students: 
Rick Ferrell
Director of Student Services
3330 Monte Villa Parkway
Bothell, WA 98021-8972
425-408-7632
rferrell@nsd.org 

Any Northshore School District staff and community member has the right to raise concerns or make a complaint regarding discrimination under this policy without fear of retaliation. The above-listed employees have been designated to handle questions and complaints of alleged unlawful discrimination.