Connections Newsletter
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Message from the Superintendent |
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August 12, 2025
Dear Northshore Community,
As the final weeks of summer unfold, Northshore staff are busily preparing for a strong start to the 2025–26 school year. Across the district, classrooms are being set up, bus routes finalized, technology checked, and finishing touches made on schools under construction. This work—much of it behind the scenes—is fueled by a shared commitment to ensuring our students are welcomed back to safe, vibrant learning environments.
One summer highlight was our Back to School Resource Fair at Pop Keeney Stadium, where hundreds of parents and students came together to learn about the wide range of services and support offered by our district and community partners. It was wonderful to meet so many of you in-person!
In just a couple weeks, I look forward to participating in Community Serve Day on Sunday, August 24, when volunteers from across the Northshore community will help prepare our schools for the first day of school. A special thank you to Northshore Community Church for coordinating this effort year after year. From weeding to mulching and everything in between, this day reflects the heart of our community and a collective dedication to our students’ success.
Finally, one of my priorities as your Superintendent is to ensure open, consistent communication. As we look ahead, I encourage you to explore the Northshore Connections Newsletter below. Starting in September, Connections will be delivered once a month on the fourth Tuesday. You can also explore my Entry Plan, which outlines how I’ll continue building relationships across the district. I have truly enjoyed meeting with many of our school leaders and administrative teams already, and I am eager to begin meeting with families and the broader community in September.
I am grateful for the partnerships that make Northshore such a special place for learning and look forward to the year ahead—one filled with collaboration, purpose, and student-centered progress.
Sincerely,
Dr. Justin Irish Superintendent Northshore School District
Follow me on Instagram [@northshoresupt] to stay connected throughout the year! |
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News and Updates |
The first day of school for the 2025-26 school year for most students is Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025. Please note, it is a full day of school, not an Early Release Wednesday.
Elementary Families
Middle and High School Families
Your specific school or program start date information will be communicated directly from your student’s school. If you have any questions, please contact your school’s main office. |
The 2025-26 Family Calendars are now available to download. The family calendar is a one-page, printable, school year calendar that is available on our website in 8 languages: Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, English, Hindi, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Ukrainian. |
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Please remind your students to locate their assigned technology device, charger, and bag before school starts if they are returning to a Northshore school and had a device checked out over the summer. For students with Chromebooks, prior to the first day of school, please ensure your student has done some basic tasks to support a smooth transition back to school:
Students who are new to Northshore or do not have a tech device will receive information from their school about getting a device for 2025-26.
Northshore offers a Device Protection Program. The Device Protection Program (DPP) covers the device (Chromebook, Macbook, or iPad) loaned to your student against accidental damage for the school year, and enrollment is now open for the 2025-26 school year in TouchBase, Northshore’s online payment system. This program does NOT cover damage resulting from misuse or loss of the device. The standard payment to enroll in the Student Device Protection Plan is $25 per year; free for students who have qualified for free or reduced-price meals and who have provided consent to share their status for fee waivers. If the assigned device is accidentally damaged, families will be charged according to a deductible schedule if enrolled in the Device Protection Program. If there is no DPP on file for a student when damage occurs and the fine is assessed, the full repair cost will be charged. Learn more about the program on our website. |
To support student learning, safety, and well-being, Northshore School District has adopted a new policy that limits student use of personal smart devices during the school day. The policy is being implemented this fall based on guidance from the state and supported by Northshore’s Mobile Devices in Schools Task Force that met during the 2024-25 school year. Students in grades PreK–8 may not use personal devices at school, and families are encouraged to keep them at home. High school students may only use personal devices during non-instructional times, such as passing breaks, lunch, and before or after school.
In all grades, devices must be stored securely when not in approved use. Exceptions to this policy will be reviewed through the IEP or 504 accommodation process. Your student’s school will share additional information about how they will implement this districtwide policy. Learn more and review our frequently asked questions on our website. |
Annually the District provides parents/guardians with notifications that must be acknowledged, including:
We ask that parents/guardians log in to ParentVUE soon to view these notices. If you have never logged into ParentVUE, you will find instructions on how to do so when you click the ParentVUE link above. Once logged in, you may be required to complete missing required information, and then you will be prompted to download, read, and take action for each of the notices listed above. Each parent/guardian must acknowledge these notices the next time they log into ParentVUE. Typically, only one parent/guardian per household will need to provide updates to the state-required information. This is required annually to ensure we have current information for each of our families. These steps are required before parents/guardians can access student grades and other information. If you need assistance, please review this step-by-step guide on the District website or contact your child’s school.
Please note: When you begin to confirm/update your family information in ParentVUE, please select “2025-26 Annual Update,” rather than the “2025-26 Student Enrollment” button. Only use the “Student Enrollment” button if you are enrolling a new student in Northshore. |
The health and safety of our students is of critical importance to the Northshore School District. Even so, accidents happen, sometimes resulting in costly medical bills. Please know the district does not carry insurance for student personal injury costs (including athletics) and therefore cannot assume responsibility for them. As a service we're providing information regarding optional student insurance administered by Myers-Stevens & Toohey, Inc. These plans are used by many school districts across Washington. |
The Wall of Honor ceremony will be held at Pop Keeney Stadium on Thursday, Aug. 14 from 6-7:30 p.m. and the community is invited to attend. The Northshore School District and a group of alumni founded the Wall of Honor and established a process that recognizes outstanding Northshore graduates and individuals associated with the District whose careers and lives have made a difference in our world. Additionally, the Wall of Honor has established a scholarship given to a recent Northshore graduate to encourage today’s students to dream big and strive to achieve their full potential. Learn more on the Wall of Honor website. |
In partnership with Northshore Community Church, Community Serve Day will take place at many of our Northshore schools on Sunday, August 24 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Volunteers will be helping our schools prepare for the new school year by tidying up the grounds and assisting our educators with classroom setup. Last year, more than 2,000 volunteers participated in Community Serve Day. For more information and to volunteer, please visit the Community Serve Day website. |
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School Board News |
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Bond and Levy Dollars at Work |
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During summer 2025, significant changes have taken place at our Northshore school campuses receiving improvements as part of the voter-approved 2022 Capital Bond. The modernization and expansion projects at the following schools are on track to be completed in fall 2025:
We look forward to hosting open houses at these schools in the fall to celebrate their completion and to share the new spaces with our community. Thank you to our Northshore voters for your generous support of these projects. To learn more, please visit our 2022 Capital Bond Projects website. |
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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
Aug. 16
Aug. 26
Sept. 3
Sept. 23-24
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
Sept. 1
Sept. 1-30
Sept. 5
Sept. 5-8
Sept. 11
Sept. 15 - Oct. 15
Sept. 17
Sept. 22
Sept. 22 - Oct. 1
Sept. 23-24
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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
Title IX Coordinator: Jerred Kelly 3330 Monte Villa Parkway Bothell, WA 98021-8972 425-408-7622 or 7604
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
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. |