Connections Newsletter
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Message from the School Board President |
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Dear Northshore Community:
The Northshore School Board is excited to announce our three finalists for the 2025-26 superintendent position. Finalists were selected after an extensive public engagement process, including a broad community survey and interviews with staff, students, labor partners, community partners, and families about the desired experience and qualities of our next superintendent. Thirty-two individuals applied and 6 applicants were moved forward for first-round School Board consideration representing high-performing districts from across the nation. After completing the first-round interviews, the Board is honored to present the finalists to our students, staff and community.
The three finalists in alphabetical order are:
You can learn more about the three finalists, their experience, and education by visiting the Northshore School District’s webpage.
This week, the finalists will participate in a second interview round that includes the School Board, labor partners, staff, parent organizations, and students. Our Northshore community will also have an opportunity to hear directly from each finalist, tomorrow, May 13, at the Superintendent Finalists Town Hall. The Town Hall will be held from 6:30-8 p.m. at the Northshore Concert Hall at Inglemoor High School (15500 Simonds Road NE, Kenmore). Participants attending in-person or online will also have the opportunity to provide the School Board with their final feedback on the finalists through a survey. The survey links are available below in the Connections Newsletter. The survey will close tomorrow at 9:30 p.m.
We plan to announce the next Northshore School District superintendent on the evening of Wednesday, May 14, 2025.
Thank you to everyone who has and continues to engage in this important process. I look forward to seeing many of you tomorrow at the Superintendent Finalists Town Hall.
Sincerely,
President Amy Cast Northshore School Board |
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News and Updates |
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The Northshore School Board recently announced our three finalists for the 2025-26 superintendent position. Please see the message above from School Board President Amy Cast for additional information. Our Northshore community will have an opportunity to hear directly from each finalist on Tuesday, May 13, at the Superintendent Finalists Town Hall. The Town Hall will be held from 6:30-8 p.m. at the Northshore Concert Hall at Inglemoor High School (15500 Simonds Road NE, Kenmore). The Town Hall will be live streamed and an online feedback form will be available so anyone can provide the School Board with their input on the finalists, either in person at the event or while viewing the livestream.
Town Hall Survey Links:
The Town Hall survey will open at 5:30 p.m. prior to the Town Hall and close that same evening at 9:30 p.m. The School Board plans to announce the next Northshore School District superintendent on the evening of Wednesday, May 14, 2025. |
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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. Nexus is a common access mental health platform for all Northshore students to use 24/7. Nexus was made by Northshore youth for youth and offers a 360° view of support including online self-help resources and in-person events. Please explore these resources when it works best for you. |
We want to make you aware of a TikTok challenge currently circulating that encourages students to insert objects into USB ports (such as those on Chromebooks) in an attempt to start a fire. This behavior poses serious safety risks to students and others, and can cause significant damage to property. Please talk with your child about the dangers of participating in such online challenges. It is also important to note that intentional damage to a district device is not covered under the Device Protection Program (DPP) and families will be charged for the full cost for device replacement. Thank you for your partnership in keeping our students safe and our learning environment secure. |
The preschool years are among the most critical in a child's life to influence learning. The Northshore School District is committed to providing the support that our youngest students need to prepare them to succeed later in school. The district offers a variety of Early Childhood Programs for children ages three to five. In addition, the district contracts with Development Centers to provide services to children age birth to three who qualify for specially designed instruction. If you or someone you know is looking for free or tuition-based early learning options, please take a look at Northshore’s Early Childhood Programs, with applications open now for the 2025-26 school year. |
On Sunday, April 27, 2025 the state’s legislative session ended. Thank you to 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 Monday 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 watch the presentation online. We also encourage you to read Seattle Times’ Opinion article written by Joel Aune, Executive Director of Washington Association of School Administrators - placing Northshore’s work to balance the 2025-26 budget within a broader state context. |
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Successful Students and Schools |
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Congratulations to seniors Saanvi Subramanian (Bothell High School), Sanika Datar, Claire Meng, Monica Spassova, and Vaishnavi Subramanian (Inglemoor High School), and Jishnu Mehta (Woodinville High School) for receiving National Merit Scholarships this spring. These students were announced as scholarship winners in the corporate-sponsored National Merit Scholarship program and Merit $2,500 Scholarship program. The National Merit Scholarships are announced over time during the spring and summer, providing awards to students who qualified as National Merit Finalists. Additional scholarship winners from the finalists will be announced in June and July. The Northshore School District has 25 finalists in the Class of 2025. By the conclusion of the 2025 competition, more than 6,900 finalists will have been selected to receive scholarships totaling nearly $26 million. |
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.
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Congratulations to our Northshore musicians who competed and took top spots at the WIAA/WMEA State Solo and Ensemble Contest in Ellensburg on April 24-25. This event provides the opportunity for the finest high school music students to hear each other in a competitive situation. From 22 regional contests, the winners in each category move on to the state competition where first, second, and third places are selected. Congratulations to the following students for receiving awards at state:
View the complete list of student achievements at our regional solo and ensemble competition. Congratulations to all of these Northshore student-musicians! |
A total of 16 Northshore middle and high school students finished in either first or second place with their individual or group projects at the Washington State National History Day contest on April 25, qualifying for nationals. The following students qualified for nationals:
Learn more about these students’ projects on our website post recognizing our regional winners. In addition, special awards were given to five Northshore projects, and Bothell High School was awarded the Outstanding School – Senior Division honor for the second year in a row. Congratulations to all of these outstanding students for your achievements! |
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Last week, Jazz Band 1 from Bothell High School traveled to New York City to perform as part of the Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition & Festival, where they were one of 30 bands from around the world invited to participate. Under the direction of Matt Simmons, these outstanding musicians spent five days immersed in workshops, jam sessions, rehearsals, and performances at the “House of Swing,” Frederick P. Rose Hall, home of Jazz at Lincoln Center. Take a look at their rehearsal in NYC here. Congratulations on this remarkable achievement! |
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School Board News |
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Racial and Educational Justice |
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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. |
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Partnerships & Volunteers |
The Northshore Schools Foundation will again be supporting the Northshore School District’s 2025 Community-Supported Summer Food Program, an initiative that provides nutritious meals to Northshore students and families throughout the summer months. Learn more about the Summer Food Program at: https://bit.ly/4iMEOcg |
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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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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
May 12
May 14
May 21
May 26
May 28
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
May 1-31
May 16
May 23
May 28
May 29
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