Connections Newsletter
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Message from the Superintendent |
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Dear Northshore Community:
I hope everyone - our dedicated staff, students, and families - had a wonderful Spring Break. I spent part of the break with my brother, who was visiting from South Carolina. It was exactly what I needed, and I feel rejuvenated and ready for the last few months of school. I hope you are too.
Last Friday, we learned from the state’s Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) that our inclement weather waiver was approved. Northshore’s last day of school will now be June 20. The waiver request was for the two days we closed schools in November 2024. I want to thank our operations staff for pursuing this option for Northshore staff, students, and families. Please review additional details about the approved waiver requirements in the Connections Newsletter below.
Next week, April 20-26, is Volunteer Appreciation Week. In Northshore, we currently have just under 11,000 active volunteers who serve our students in many roles. Athletic volunteers, Art Docents, PTA volunteers, field trip chaperones, camp volunteers, parent leaders and thousands of other volunteers, including community organizations, invest in our students and schools daily. We are so thankful for these outstanding individuals and their dedication to our community's children, our schools, and district. Thank you. If you want to celebrate and honor a specific volunteer that has made a difference, you can by adding information to our Northshore Volunteer Celebration padlet here.
I continue to present the 2025 State of Our Schools to our broad community. This week I will present this information to University of Washington, Bothell staff and the Bothell City Council. Information includes progress towards the District’s Strategic Plan Goals, updates on our construction projects, and improvements to family engagement and partnerships. For those interested, you can watch a recording of the 2025 State of Our Schools presentation. It will also be archived on the State of Our Schools webpage.
Finally, as I have shared previously, this current Legislative session is critically important to public education. It is the paramount duty of the state to amply fund public education. Unfortunately, state funding hasn’t kept pace with the true cost of educating our over 22,000 students. The Northshore Board of Directors and Northshore Council PTSA were in Olympia again on March 20, 2025 advocating on behalf of our students, staff, and broader community. They met with the majority of our local delegation and expressed support for Senate Bills 5263 and 5192. Passage of these bills would result in a needed increase in funding next year for Northshore.
To learn more about state funding, please visit the Board’s webpage. You can also learn more by visiting the 2025-26 Northshore Budget Development webpage. We will continue to share Northshore’s perspective with our elected officials and the impacts that underfunding education has on our students. |
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I encourage you to read this week’s Connections Newsletter below. It highlights, among other things, the upcoming Conversations with the Board on April 21, Family Symposium on April 24, and important observances and holidays celebrated by our diverse community including Passover, which began on Saturday, April 12, Vaisakhi and Puthandu/Vishu New Year on April 13, Good Friday and Orthodox Good Friday on April 18, and Easter and Orthodox Easter, which will take place on Sunday, April 20. You can learn more about Passover from Rabbi Yohanna Kinberg in this special message.
In partnership,
Michael Tolley Superintendent |
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News and Updates |
Last week, the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction informed Northshore that our requested waiver for two inclement weather days was approved. Northshore's updated last day of school for K-11th grade students is Friday, June 20, which will be a partial day. Tuesday, June 17 and Wednesday, June 18 will be full days of school. As a reminder, June 19 is a holiday (Juneteenth), and schools are closed. Dismissal times for the last day of school, June 20, are listed on Start and Dismissal Times webpage.
Because Northshore schools were closed for weather-related issues for a number of days this winter, we have not met our state-required instructional hours. This means that instructional hours will need to be made up on two Wednesdays that were previously scheduled to be Early Release Wednesdays: April 30 and May 7. These two days – April 30 and May 7 – are now full days of school. Thank you to our labor partners for their support in finalizing these changes to our school year calendar. Revised one-page family calendars will be posted to the district website by Friday, April 18. These updated calendars will be available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Ukrainian, Hindi, Chinese - simplified, and Chinese - traditional. |
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. 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. The Town Hall will be live streamed and an online, translated feedback form will be available so anyone can provide input on the finalists, either in person at the event or after viewing the livestream. If you would like to attend and need interpretation or an accommodation, please submit your request using this form. The School Board plans to announce the next Northshore School District superintendent by mid-May 2025. Please visit the Superintendent Search webpage to learn more about the engagement process and timeline. |
As a reminder, enrollment is now open for all Northshore School District choice schools and programs, including Innovation Lab High School (ILHS). All families and students who would like to learn more about Northshore’s small high school focused on project-based learning are welcome to attend Innovation Lab’s Pancakes with the Principal on Thursday, April 17 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Bring your friends and family for fun, games, dinner, and info. Take the opportunity to tour the building, talk to current students and parents, make ILHS swag, and learn about Innovation Lab’s unique programs and project-based learning. Please RSVP here. |
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Earlier this month, the Teaching & Learning Department presented a virtual community viewing of the Algebra, Geometry, Algebra 2, and Algebra 2-Trigonometry instructional materials that have been recommended for adoption in Northshore. If you were unable to attend the session, a recording is available to watch along with a feedback survey on our mathematics website. The survey will close on Friday, April 18. Thank you for your participation in this important process. |
The Northshore School District is looking for parent/guardian volunteers to participate in the District Reunification Drill on Wednesday, April 23. During the drill event on April 23, volunteers will be contacted by the District to come pick up a cardboard gingerbread person representing their child at a specific non-school site between 2 and 3:30 p.m. Please only volunteer if you are available during this time. Volunteers need to register in advance using this link. Thank you for your consideration. |
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Successful Students and Schools |
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Congratulations to both the Bothell High School and Woodinville High School robotics teams for qualifying for the FIRST Robotics World Championship competition in Houston, Texas, April 16-19. The teams performed well at the Pacific Northwest Championships last week, earning them invitations to Worlds. Woodinville placed 4th overall and made it to the finals. Bothell placed 26th at this highly competitive event and received the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) Rookie All-Star Award, which recognizes first-year teams that demonstrate outstanding potential for future success. Congratulations to both teams for earning this opportunity! |
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Bond and Levy Dollars at Work |
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The expansion project at Crystal Springs is adding a two-story building to the campus to reduce the number of portables on site by adding permanent educational spaces - 7 new classrooms, instructional support and office space, a gym, a new commons, an accessible playground, and more. The project’s anticipated completion date is fall 2025. Construction of this new building at Crystal Springs Elementary is progressing, with interior drywall, electrical, HVAC, and security cameras being installed at this time, as well as exterior weather-proofing. In addition, there will be work along 9th Avenue SE in front of the school that will result in traffic revisions for vehicles and pedestrians from May 12 to June 14. Please use extra caution and be patient with one another and our construction team if driving past Crystal Springs during construction hours at this time. This project is funded by the 2022 Capital Bond, which was generously supported by Northshore voters. To learn more about the temporary traffic revisions and the construction progress at Crystal Springs, please visit our construction project website. |
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School Board News |
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Racial and Educational Justice |
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Students gathered to focus on storytelling and celebrating in community with one another at the fourth annual Northshore School District Student Justice Conference on Friday, March 28 at Cascadia College. Nearly 200 high school students from across Northshore gathered for the opportunity to build community and connect, gain advocacy skills, celebrate and affirm their intersectional identities, share their knowledge and ideas with community members and educators, and learn about higher education opportunities. |
Passover, or “Pesach” in Hebrew, is an eight-day celebration that began Saturday evening, April 12, commemorating the Jewish people's escape from slavery in ancient Egypt. It is a celebration spent with loved ones and friends, and is a time for reflection and giving thanks for new beginnings. The day is celebrated with a special meal called Seder with a combination of tastes, sounds, sensations, and smells that have been with the Jewish people for millennia. During Passover, dietary restrictions include the avoidance of grains such as wheat, barley, oats, spelt, and rye that can ferment and become leavened. Happy Passover to all who celebrate! |
Puthandu/Vishu is a new year festival celebrated by Hindus in the southern Indian states of Tamilnadu and Kerala, and some northern states like Assam, West Bengal, Orissa, and Himachal Pradesh on Sunday, April 13 and Monday, April 14, 2024. The festival is celebrated to mark the beginning of the new year as per the solar calendar. On this day families celebrate the festival by decorating homes with flowers, mango leaves, kolams, and other decorations. Families conduct prayers at home and in the temples seeking God’s blessings for a happy and prosperous year. We wish a happy Puthandu and Vishu to all who celebrate! |
Vaisakhi is one of the most important dates in the Sikh calendar. For Sikhs, Vaisakhi or Baisakhi is the day commemoration of Khalsa, specific practices of Sikhism. Also, it is the agricultural festival of prosperity and happiness. Sikhism was born as a collective faith in 1699. To celebrate Vaisakhi/New Year on Sunday, April 13, Sikhs often visit places of worship called Gurdwaras, which are especially decorated for the occasion. Celebrations traditionally include singing, music, reading scriptures out loud, and chanting hymns. We wish a happy Vaisakhi to all who celebrate! |
Good Friday (Christian) and Orthodox Good Friday (Orthodox Christian) is a holy day observing the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary. Christians and Orthodox Christians follow different calendars, the Gregorian and Julian calendars, respectively, and so it is not common that they are celebrated the same day. However, in 2025, the calendars align and all observers will celebrate the same day, April 18. Good Friday and Orthodox Good Friday are observed with fasting and church services. Commemorating Jesus' crucifixion, Good Friday and Orthodox Good Friday are a solemn day of reflection. |
Easter (Christian) and Orthodox Easter (Orthodox Christian) is one of the principal holidays of Christianity. It marks the resurrection of Jesus three days after his crucifixion. For many Christian churches, Easter is the joyful end to the Lenten season of fasting and penitence. In 2025, Easter will be celebrated on Sunday, April 20 by both Christians and Orthodox Christians. We wish a happy Easter and Orthodox Easter to our students, families, community members, and staff who celebrate! |
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E-Flyers |
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Below are links to community E-flyers that were recently approved for sharing with District families. These activities are not sponsored nor endorsed by the Northshore School District or any of its schools.
The District assumes no responsibility for the conduct during or the safety of the activities. Northshore School District shall be held harmless from any cause of action, claim, or petition filed in any court or administrative tribunal arising out of the distribution of these materials including attorney's fees and judgment or awards. |
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Partnerships & Volunteers |
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Washington Telugu Samithi (WATS) celebrated the Telugu New Year, Ugadi, and Sri Rama Navami on Sunday, April 6 in the Northshore Performing Arts Center, and representatives from the Northshore School Board and the Northshore Schools Foundation joined many Northshore families in attendance. Children of all ages who learn Telugu during weekend classes showcased their language skills with dances, skits, and other performances. Northshore School Board President Amy Cast, Director Jacqueline McGourty, Northshore Schools Foundation Executive Director Cara Anderson-Ahrens, and Foundation Co-President Patsy Treece were honored with a shawl at the event in appreciation of their service to the Northshore families. Guests were served a meal on a banana leaf that included more than 20 varieties of traditional food items, unique to the Telugu culture. The event was attended by more than 1,500 community members. |
As a reminder, the District will be hosting the Spring Art Docent training on Friday, April 25 in the Admin Center board room (3330 Monte Villa Pkwy, Bothell, WA 98021) from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Art Docent trainer Quinn Wyatt will be expanding on clay training, and the District will provide all materials, so no need to bring anything. No registration required. |
The Foundation proudly celebrated its 30th Anniversary on March 29, raising $84,000, for Northshore students. Thank you to the Foundation Board and the 120 guests in attendance. Special appreciation for educators Heather, Deborah, Alex, and SAS principal Bryan Stutz for speaking about support they have received from the Foundation. Additional thanks to the stars of our video highlighting three North Creek students using Foundation grant funds to bring mental health solutions to Aspire students. This milestone year brings energy to the Foundation to continue Removing Barriers to Education, funding Classroom and District Grants, and Building Life Skills for all Northshore students!
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