The Anacortes School District is launching a new transportation system this year. This new system will help us better serve our families. If your student(s) will need district transportation, please login to Skyward Family Access to submit a Transportation Request Form for each student. Each student rider must have a Transportation Request Form completed. Please complete this form as soon as possible. If you don’t yet know your elementary building assignment, please complete this as soon as you receive your building assignment (on or around August 26th). 

If your student needs bus transportation, please do the following (if not, no action is required):

• Navigate to the Skyward Family Access login screen

• Enter your login credentials. Your login ID is typically firstname.lastname. If you do not know your credentials, please select “Forgot your Login/Password?” An account/password reset link will be sent to your email address on file with the district.

• Once in, you will be at the Family Access home screen where you can access all students in your family by selecting the dropdown arrow at the top left.

• To access the form, please navigate to the “Online Forms” on the left side of the screen

• Select Step 1) 2022-2023 Transportation Request

• Fill out the form and click “Complete Step 1”

• Complete Step 2) by clicking “Submit 2022-2023 Transportation Request”

We look forward to seeing you in September! 

Screenshot instructions are available here as well. 

Questions? Contact the Transportation Office: (360) 503-1155 or kgarrison@asd103.org 

Walks in the forestlands, trips to Rosario Beach and Deception Pass and dance moves with Fidalgo Danceworks are all a part of the Impact summer learning program that is taking place throughout July. 

“We are so excited to be bringing back field trips, which were on hold during the pandemic,” said Assistant Superintendent Becky Clifford.

The goal of Impact is to support students in academic and social-emotional learning through the summer to keep them engaged and ready to return to school. Each day consists of core instruction (reading and math) connected to enrichment activities like movement or nature talks at Washington Park. The district is partnering with Fidalgo Danceworks, Denise Crowe from the Samish Nation, Joy Kacoroski from Deception Pass State Park, and Friends of the Forest.

The 120 kindergarten through fifth grade students have attended five days a week, three hours each day. In collaboration with teachers, the multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) facilitators referred students to the program. Incoming kindergarten students were referred by ASD early learning partners through a similar process, based on WaKids data. 

The program includes 12 classroom teachers, 12 paraeducators, one principal, one nurse and one office assistant. Impact Principal Kelly Cox has been leading the team. 

“I am excited for the opportunity to support students and staff this summer,” she said.

Funding for Impact is provided by Anacortes Schools Foundation and an anonymous donor. In addition to staffing and curriculum, it covers transportation and lunches. For more information, please email rclifford@asd103.org.

Our community bulletin board is updated throughout the summer with community events, summer camps, and more. Check it out here: https://www.smore.com/76mc8

If you would like to have an item included, please contact Torhil Ramsay in the Superintendent's Office: 360-503-1211 or tramsay@asd103.org 

The latest issue of the Anacortes Pride, the district's quarterly newsletter, is out now. The Pride is mailed to every Anacortes household. Check out this issue for graduation highlights, senior profiles, district retirees, and much more! 

If you would like additional copies, or have any questions or feedback, please contact the Superintendent's Office at information@asd103.org

The Anacortes School District has launched a new website (www.asd103.org). The new platform was selected by a committee of district staff and parents. The new site offers better compliance with ADA requirements and is easier for staff to update and maintain. The new site has also been designed to be more compatible with mobile devices. 

We will continue to update and refine content over the summer. Please reach out if you find errors, or typos, or have any questions: information@asd103.org We welcome your feedback on the new site! 

Questions? Contact the Superintendent’s Office: information@asd103.org

Each summer, our principals assign all newly enrolled elementary students into one of our three elementary schools. Anacortes is a non-boundary district, so students are assigned to an elementary school based on a number of factors, including class size, sibling placement, parent preference, and transportation needs. 

Students who attended an ASD elementary school this past school year will attend that same school next year, unless you have requested a transfer. 

Placement timelines: 

• June 30: First round of building placement emails will be sent for anyone with a completed registration by June 22. 

• August 5: Second round of building placement emails will be sent for anyone with a completed registration by August 1. 

• August 26: Teacher placement emails will be sent to all families; any final building placement emails will be sent as well. 

We encourage families to register early to help with our placement assignment process. Student registration paperwork can be found here: https://anacortessd.cyberschool.com/files/user/2/file/Online_Enrollment_Parent_Instructions.pdf

Elementary school supplies are the same across all schools. The list of supplies can be found here: https://anacortessd.cyberschool.com/District/130-School-Supplies.html

Questions and appeals? Contact Anne Berard in the Teaching & Learning Department: aberard@asd103.org or (360) 503-1212

Heather Paddock has been hired as the district’s next Teaching & Learning Director, effective July 1, 2022. Paddock currently serves as a principal with Everett Public Schools. She has previously served as assistant principal, instructional coach, and middle school teacher. Paddock will take over the position from Angie Miller, who has chosen to return to a classroom teacher position for the next school year.  

“Heather’s background will make her an excellent leader for our Teaching & Learning Department,” said Superintendent Justin Irish. “With her experiences in the classroom, instructional coaching, and serving as principal, she deeply understands the throughline between the classroom and the district office. She also has the strong ability to connect with others, building positive relationships with students, staff, families, and community members.” 

The Teaching & Learning Director is responsible for overseeing the district’s curriculum implementation and adoption, professional development programs for teachers, and ensuring student achievement across all grade levels. 

“I am excited to get to know the Anacortes School District and community,” said Paddock. “My experience in a wide range of schools has provided me the perspective to understand the unique needs of students, staff, and families. I approach this role with a love of teaching and learning for both students and staff.” 

Questions? Superintendent Justin Irish (360) 503-1211 or jirish@asd103.org 

The Anacortes School District is proactively reviewing its budget projections for future years and making adjustments based on student and staff needs in light of future federal funding reductions and a drop in student enrollment. For the 2022-23 projected annual budget, the Anacortes School District would face a $2.4 million shortfall. However, because of its proactive and conservative budgeting process and strong community support for passing school levies, the district will not need major budgetary adjustments for the 2022-23 school year. The district’s projected budget for 2022-23 and is currently estimated at $45,104,207.

The district anticipates continued declining enrollment rates in future years, due to various factors including declining birth rates and housing availability. The district’s student enrollment has dropped by almost 250 students over the past two school years due to COVID. School districts across the country have seen similar declining enrollment rates due to the pandemic. The district received federal and state COVID relief funding for the 2020-21 and 2021-2022 school years to support enrollment reductions and the costs associated with its response to COVID. Those funds will be exhausted during this next budget cycle.  

Next school year’s deficit will be made up through attrition, staff reassignment, continued use of COVID relief funds, while also using some of the district’s reserve fund. 

“We are working creatively to make budget adjustments, with our primary focus on serving students in the classroom. We are not reducing staff at this time. Some staff are being reassigned to other positions, and we will consider not filling other positions as they become vacant,” said Irish. 

The district has made the following reductions for the 2022-23 school year: 

• Did not fill the Executive Director of Technology, Food, and Transportation. These duties have been reassigned to the Executive Director of Finance and Operations.
• Reduced deans at Island View Elementary and Anacortes High School
• Reduced materials, supplies, and operating expenditures   
• Eliminated all positions funded by COVID-related grants 

COVID relief funds will end in 2022-2023, so the district is making long-term plans to ensure continued effective fiscal management. The district will continue to invest in long-term, proactive budget planning and filter all decisions through the district’s strategic five-year plan and annual operating plan.

“We commit to being transparent and taking a strategic approach to our budgeting process for next year to ensure high academic, social, and emotional student success,” said Irish. “We look forward to engaging stakeholders in our strategic planning and budget processes next year and beyond.” 

The school board will review the draft budget on August 11, 2022, and vote on the final budget on August 25, 2022. 

Questions? Superintendent Justin Irish (360) 503-1211 or jirish@asd103.org 

We are deeply saddened by the news of a school shooting in Texas yesterday. Although we may be many miles away from Uvalde, Texas, we all feel the impact of violence that touches a school. We offer our deepest condolences to the families, students, staff and community that are grieving such a profound loss. 

Student & staff safety is our utmost priority. We have systems and plans in place to keep us as safe as possible, and are further refining our current safety plans. 

Our current safety measures include: 

• Secure entrances at all buildings 
• Regular drills with students to help them know how to respond in emergency situations
• Established safety plans. We are also reviewing and revising these plans to make them even more effective. 
• A School Resource Officer assigned to middle and high schools. 
• Collaborative partnerships with the Anacortes Police and Fire Departments. 
• Mental Health support at all schools. 

We know that these tragedies hit close to home, and can cause you and your children to have questions. Make time to talk and listen to your children’s concerns. Keep explanations developmentally appropriate. Reassure your children that their teachers, principals, and all school staff will do everything they can to keep them safe at school. 

Here are some additional resources for families: 

• Talking to Children About Violence: Tips for Parents and Teachers (nasponline.org)
• How to talk to kids after 14 children, teacher killed in Texas school shooting - ABC News (go.com)
• How to talk to children about shootings: An age-by-age guide (today.com)
• How to Talk to Kids About School Shootings | Common Sense Media
• Guidelines-Talking-to-Kids-About-Attacks-Two-Sided-Onesheet-Format.pdf (schoolcrisiscenter.org) 

Questions? Contact Superintendent Justin Irish, jirish@asd103.org, (360) 503-1211

We are deeply saddened by the news of a school shooting in Texas yesterday. Although we may be many miles away from Uvalde, Texas, we all feel the impact of violence that touches a school. We offer our deepest condolences to the families, students, staff and community that are grieving such a profound loss. 

Student & staff safety is our utmost priority. We have systems and plans in place to keep us as safe as possible, and are further refining our current safety plans. 

Our current safety measures include: 

• Secure entrances at all buildings 
• Regular drills with students to help them know how to respond in emergency situations
• Established safety plans. We are also reviewing and revising these plans to make them even more effective. 
• A School Resource Officer assigned to middle and high schools. 
• Collaborative partnerships with the Anacortes Police and Fire Departments. 
• Mental Health support at all schools. 

We know that these tragedies hit close to home, and can cause you and your children to have questions. Make time to talk and listen to your children’s concerns. Keep explanations developmentally appropriate. Reassure your children that their teachers, principals, and all school staff will do everything they can to keep them safe at school. 

Here are some additional resources for families: 

• Talking to Children About Violence: Tips for Parents and Teachers (nasponline.org)
• How to talk to kids after 14 children, teacher killed in Texas school shooting - ABC News (go.com)
• How to talk to children about shootings: An age-by-age guide (today.com)
• How to Talk to Kids About School Shootings | Common Sense Media
• Guidelines-Talking-to-Kids-About-Attacks-Two-Sided-Onesheet-Format.pdf (schoolcrisiscenter.org) 

Questions? Contact Superintendent Justin Irish, jirish@asd103.org, (360) 503-1211

Annette Woolsey will receive the 2022 Brodniak Award for Cultural Arts Education for her decades of advocacy, funding, and support of the arts both in the schools and the greater community.

Woolsey was director of Anacortes Youth Arts from 1992 through 1997, a board member of the Anacortes Arts Festival, a member of the ASD Cultural Education Committee and the Education Committee at the Museum of Northwest Art (MoNA). She also sat on the board of ArtsEd WA, formerly known as Washington Alliance for Arts Education, for 10 years. She was a board member and active participant in Fidalgo DanceWorks for 15 years and has helped fund special arts projects in the school district and projects that link ASD students with Syrian refugees through poetry and art. In addition, Woosley serves on the jazz committee funded by the Manieri Endowment to the City of Anacortes.

In her nomination of Woolsey, retired Fidalgo teacher and former recipient of the Brodniak Award Sherry Chavers lauds Woolsey for her staunch support of youth arts and her tireless advocacy for the arts in all forms: dance, music, cross-cultural connections through poetry and art. 

“She has a passionate belief that children need art to be fully realized and to express themselves creatively,” said Chavers. “She believes that art is for ALL children and that it offers a ‘safe space’ to thrive. She deserves this because of her fierce and long-lasting commitment to the arts and the youth of Anacortes School District.” 

Woolsey found out about the award at a Manierei jazz committee meeting and was completely floored. She gives credit to the teachers and artists who have linked students to the many values the arts teach: achievement, suppleness of mind, cooperation, understanding of technology and the value of content, diversity and equity.

“I’m deeply honored that my work in the community has made a meaningful contribution to the school district,” Woolsey said. “It’s been a joy to see young people in our community, often students who are struggling in other areas, blossom and grow through the arts.”

The Walter A. Brodniak Cultural Education Award was created in 1977, upon Mr. Brodniak's retirement as Superintendent of the Anacortes School District, "to foster growth of the cultural arts in the District." The award is given each spring to a student, faculty member, administrator, school director, community member or community organization that has made an outstanding contribution to the cultural arts in the Anacortes School District during the current school year.

Woolsey will be recognized on May 19th at the school board meeting to be held at AHS library at 6:15 p.m. 

Questions? Contact the Superintendent’s Office: 360-503-1211 or tramsay@asd103.org