May 5, 2025

Dear Northshore Colleagues: 

It is Teacher Appreciation Week from May 5-9! This week we are celebrating our incredible Northshore educators. Your tireless commitment to each and every student’s success, well-being, and development does not go unnoticed. You give so much of yourselves—planning late into the night, analyzing data to meet individual needs, and crafting lessons that spark curiosity and joy. You are the heart of our Northshore schools. One extraordinary teacher can change a child’s life, uplift a family, and inspire a community—I know this personally to be true. I am grateful and proud of all that you do to support our students. Thank you. I hope you feel well celebrated this week. 

May is also Mental Health Awareness Month, and we are committed to the well-being of our staff, students, and families. Northshore provides a robust library of mental health resources on a range of topics including grief, suicide prevention, anxiety, and more. Additional mental health resources can be found below in the District Highlights including information about accessing our Employee Assistance Program and Care Solace. I encourage you to take advantage of the resources available to you as a Northshore employee. 

On Sunday, April 27, 2025 the state’s legislative session ended. I want to share my gratitude with our committed School Board Directors, labor partners and educators, students, Northshore Council PTSA, and staff for their many months of advocacy. Thank you for sharing Northshore’s story and what increased basic education funding would mean for our students. On May 12, an analysis of the Legislature’s K-12 investments will be presented to the School Board in a study session at 6 p.m. The presentation will include what state investments mean for Northshore, an overview of restorations, as well as a necessary reorganization of the Administrative Center to address the permanent reduction of central staff positions. You may also watch the presentation online. I encourage you to read the  Seattle Times’ Opinion article written by Joel Aune, Executive Director of Washington Association of School Administrators - placing our work to balance the 2025-26 budget within a broader state context. While we made progress this session, the Legislature still has work to do. 

In partnership, 

Michael Tolley
Superintendent

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.

The Northshore School Board invites the community to attend the Superintendent Finalists Town Hall on Tuesday, May 13 from 6:30-8 p.m. at the Northshore Concert Hall at Inglemoor High School, 15500 Simonds Road NE, Kenmore. The School Board expects to announce the names of the finalists before the Town Hall, as early as Friday, May 9. 

Following a months-long superintendent search process, the May 13 Town Hall will provide our community the opportunity to hear from the candidate finalists and provide feedback to the School Board as they make their final decision.  You are invited to submit questions you would like asked of candidates during the Town Hall. Please complete the feedback form by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, May 7. Your responses will be reviewed and final questions for the Town Hall selected by the superintendent search firm and Northshore School Board. The Town Hall will be live streamed and an online feedback form will be available so anyone can provide input on the finalists, either in person at the event or while viewing the livestream, with input due by 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 13. The School Board plans to announce the next Northshore School District superintendent on the evening of May 14, 2025. Please visit the Superintendent Search webpage to learn more about the engagement process and timeline.

The City of Kenmore is preparing to launch school zone photo enforcement near Inglemoor High School to enhance student safety and enforce school zone speed limits. This initiative reinforces responsible driving and our community’s efforts to ensure a safe environment for everyone. During student arrival in the morning and departure in the afternoon, you will see flashing beacons, and speeding tickets will be issued with the help of photo enforcement to drivers who violate the 20 mph school zone speed limit and the 30 mph regulatory speed limit at all other times. When the program launches in May, there will be a 60-day warning period for drivers who exceed the posted speed.

School zone enforcement near Inglemoor High School joins the following schools, which already have photo enforcement programs in place:

• Arrowhead Elementary (City of Kenmore)
• Canyon Park Middle School (City of Bothell)
• Crystal Springs Elementary (City of Bothell)
• Frank Love Elementary (City of Bothell)
• Kenmore Elementary (City of Kenmore)
• Northshore Middle School & Woodmoor Elementary (City of Bothell)
• Westhill Elementary & Sorenson Early Childhood Center (City of Bothell - please note, the photo enforcement times are expanded to account for Sorenson’s a.m. and p.m. programs)

The majority of our schools have school zones with flashing beacons to warn drivers of the reduced speed limit. However, not all school zones have cameras to issue speeding tickets – only those listed above currently. The City of Bothell and City of Kenmore provide additional details about their use of photo enforcement to issue tickets online. The City of Woodinville is considering a pilot program utilizing speed enforcement cameras in its jurisdiction as well. Thank you to the cities for your partnership and protection of our students!

Northshore continues to celebrate four inspiring Northshore individuals - Kim Broomer, Heidi Bush, Cathi Davis, and Ric Calhoun. All four were awarded the highest level of recognition for their profession in the State of Washington. Below we are sharing recognitions they have received, including several association-produced videos highlighting their work, contributions, and commitment to our students and broader community. 

• Cathi Davis, Elementary Principal of the Year, Ruby Bridges Elementary: Association of Washington School Principals video
• Kim Broomer, Teacher of the Year, Ruby Bridges Elementary: Washington Education Association video
• Ric Calhoun, Education Support Professional of the Year, Inglemoor High School: Washington Education Association video
• Heidi Bush, Secondary Teacher-Librarian of the Year, Northshore Middle School: Washington Library Association website and Northshore social media post

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and we encourage our staff, families, and students  to take time to delve into our virtual library to support your mental health journey. Resources include access to the video recordings of previous events as part of Mental Health Awareness Month. Care Solace is a complimentary and confidential service provided to students, staff, and their families by Northshore School District. Care Solace’s team is available 24/7/365 and can support you in any language. In addition, don’t forget about our Employee Assistance Program (EAP). This employee benefit is provided at no cost to you. You, your spouse/domestic partner, and any dependent children can access free and confidential access to counseling services and much more. Log in at www.firstchoiceEAP.com with the username of nsd to view the helpful tools available. Please explore these resources when it works best for you.

May is Jewish American Heritage Month! We acknowledge the contributions, histories, and experiences of Jewish Americans locally and globally. As we celebrate the Jewish American community’s contributions this month, we also honor their resilience in the face of a long and painful history of persecution. May we continue to learn about the heritage and contributions of Jewish Americans in and beyond our community.

May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month! This is a tribute to and celebration of the cultures, histories, contributions, and achievements of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders across the country and globe. This is a time, as it is always the time, to honor the rich stories and heritage that are represented among these communities and continue to learn about, value, and appreciate our own diverse Northshore community.

This spring, the expansion project at Sorenson Early Childhood Center and Westhill Elementary has made steady progress. When complete, the one-story addition will reduce the number of portables and build additional permanent classrooms at Sorenson. The project also includes improvements to existing building conditions with interior remodels and other minor upgrades at Sorenson, installation of a fully accessible and inclusive playground at both campuses, and improvements to site circulation and additional parking, which benefits both campuses. This project is anticipated to be completed in fall 2025. To learn more about the construction progress at Sorenson and Westhill, please visit our construction project website

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

May 5-9

• Teacher Appreciation Week

May 7

• Full day of school – May 7 was previously an Early Release Wednesday, but it was changed to a full day of school to make up instructional hours from previous inclement weather days.
• School Nurse Day

May 12

• School Board Regular Meeting, 4:30 p.m.
• School Board Study Session, 6 p.m.

May 14

• Early Release Wednesday
• New Northshore Superintendent announcement, evening. 

May 21

• Early Release Wednesday

May 26

• Memorial Day - No School

May 28

• Early Release Wednesday

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

May 1-31

• Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
• Jewish American Heritage Month
• Mental Health Awareness Month

May 1

• Beltane - Neo Pagan

May 5

• Buddha’s Birthday - Buddhist

May 16

• Lag BaOmer* - Jewish

May 23

• Declaration of the Bab* - Baha’i

May 28

• Ascension of Baha’u’llah* - Baha’i

May 29

• Ascension Day - Christian

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.