May 20, 2024: Mental Health Action Day, Student Leadership, and More

MESSAGE FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT

May 20, 2024

Dear Northshore Colleagues: 

As we close out Mental Health Month, I would like to again celebrate one of our Northshore students for actively working to ensure her peers get the support and services they need. Last year, I shared a little about Taanvi Arekapudi, now a 9th grade student at Inglemoor High School. At that time, she was leading a number of mental health initiatives at her school and had recently published a book on youth mental health. 

Last Thursday, May 16, was Mental Health Action Day and in response Taanvi launched Nexus, a mental health platform for youth. Nexus offers a 360° view of student mental health support including online self-help resources and regularly scheduled in-person events. I encourage our staff to learn more about this unique resource by watching the Nexus launch video and share with our secondary students. I am grateful to Taanvi and proud of all of her efforts to improve students’ mental health by providing easy, coordinated resource access. Thank you also to the many Northshore students, including members of the Superintendent Student Advisory Board, for providing feedback on the Nexus platform. 

Speaking of the Superintendent Student Advisory Board, last week we had our last meeting for the 2023-24 school year. I am so grateful to this dedicated group of student leaders. They provided guidance and feedback on a number of critical issues this year including: 

• The 2024-25 Budget Development Process and recommendations
• Revisions to the Athletic Code of Conduct
• Student communication and StudentSquare
• Social media threats, reposting, and preventative measures, and 
• Portrait of a Graduate

Their thoughtful and candid feedback helped me and my staff make better decisions on behalf of our Northshore students. A number of our graduating seniors have agreed to come back and let me know how they are doing so we can continue to improve our practices and support. We will relaunch the Student Advisory Board next October. Please consider recommending a student for the opportunity. The application and referral information will become available in the fall. The Superintendent Student Advisory Board is a powerful way for our students to influence and improve the district. 

As I have shared many times before, my favorite part of the Superintendent job is being out in classrooms with our students and educators. Last week, my visit to Arrowhead Elementary School was especially joyful. In one second grade class, a student enthusiastically shared his knowledge about spiders. I must admit, I was just as excited about the information he is learning. Hopefully you all know that spiders are arachnids not insects! As a former Biology teacher, he made my week. 

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.

C.P. and Dorothy Johnson Humanitarian Awards

Tomorrow, May 21, we will celebrate the C.P. and Dorothy Johnson Humanitarian Award recipients. The award was established in honor of two Northshore educators who dedicated their lives to improving the lives of all children in our community. As part of this honor, we recognize two students from each school or program who display the characteristics of a humanitarian in their school and community.

This award program looks for three traits in a student:

• Acceptance – students who accept and celebrate each other - including differences. 
• Community – students working to build community, to make sure everyone is included in the Northshore family; and 
• Advocacy – students working toward what is just and right for everyone. 

I encourage you to visit the C.P. and Dorothy Johnson Humanitarian Award webpage to watch the event live streamed at 6 p.m. 

Conversations with the Board, May 29

The Board and staff have been and continue to be committed to transparency as we work to address our $26 million budget shortfall. More than 100 internal and external budget learning sessions have been completed or are scheduled to take place. This has been a challenging process, and our Northshore community has demonstrated care and compassion for each other, our students, and those impacted. Thank you. 

On May 29, 2024 you are invited to Conversations with the Board from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Inglemoor High School Library to continue our 2024-25 budget conversation and look toward the future. You will have the opportunity to: 

• Receive an update on the 2024-25 budget development process;
• Begin looking ahead to next year and provide feedback on how we can best support our schools and students; 
• Identify key areas we can collaborate as a community. 

Retired Educator Donna Tyo Inducted into WIAA Hall of Fame

Donna Tyo served as an educator in the Northshore School District for 37 years, including 22 years at Bothell High School before serving as principal at Secondary Academy for Success up until her retirement in 2023. This month, she was inducted into the Washington Interscholastic Athletic Association’s Hall of Fame for her dedication to student achievement. While at BHS, her passion for athletics allowed so many student athletes to thrive within their sport, but her advocacy for athletics has also laid a foundation for many young women to see themselves in athletic spaces. Donna continues to serve as one of three WIAA State Hearing Officers. Learn more about her accomplishments on the WIAA Hall of Fame website.

Mental Health Awareness Month Virtual Seminars continue

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and Northshore School District’s Student Services Department is offering a range of virtual seminars to support families and students. The next sessions offered are both on Thursday, May 23 from 6-8 p.m. and one is about “Smile Club/Taanvi Arekapudi: NSD Youth Presenters on Anxiety” and the other session is “Anxiety and Elementary Students.” The final session offered is on Thursday, May 30 from 6:30-8 p.m. on “Eating Recovery Center: Disordered Eating.” For a complete calendar of events, description of each virtual seminar, and the Zoom link to join the seminar, visit the Mental Health website.

Racial & Educational Justice Virtual Community Panel

As we recognize and honor different cultural months throughout the school year, the Racial and Educational Justice Department will pay tribute to each month’s celebration through a week of engagement and quarterly virtual panels. Our main goal is to ensure that culturally relevant conversations, teaching, and learning are reaching all of our students throughout the year. That means that we hope to reach the point of having these conversations every day rather than just within these weeks of engagement, but we feel that these weeks are a great way to continue to build. 

This quarter’s virtual community panel is on Arab American Heritage Month, Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Jewish American Heritage Month, and Pride Month. This panel will be pre-recorded and will be available on the Racial and Educational Justice website on Wednesday, May 29.

IMPORTANT DATES

Calendar

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

Additional Religious and Cultural Observances

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

Nondiscrimination

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.