This week's Education Insider is available now. Check it out for important back to school updates:

• Important Dates 
• Elementary placement timeframe 
• Back to school forms 
• School supply lists 

Questions? Contact the District Office: (360) 503-1200 or information@asd103.org 

The Education Insider - the district's bi-monthly e-newsletter is available now. Each issue includes upcoming dates, important district updates and news, and a link to our Community Bulletin Board. 

Previous issues can be found on our website. If you would like to be added to our News Release distribution list, please contact Nicole Tesch at ntesch@asd103.org

We invite the community to visit Veterans Memorial Plaza at Anacortes High School’s Seahawk Stadium this Memorial Day, and pay tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country.

The plaza will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday, May 29. No events are planned; rather we invite the community in for reflection and tribute. The plaza is comprised of a memorial designed by local architect Brooks Middleton, with input from the Veterans Memorial Committee, as well as a display honoring two Medal of Honor recipients with local connections. Restrooms will not be open during this time. The Anacortes School District is closed on Monday, May 29 in observance of Memorial Day. 

Questions, please contact the Superintendent’s Office at (360) 503-1211. 

We want to take a moment to address an important safety concern that has been affecting schools both regionally and nationally. We have become aware of a disturbing trend called "swatting," which involves falsely reporting an emergency situation to emergency services, such as a bomb threat or an active shooter, with the intention of deceiving law enforcement into responding to the reported location.

As your trusted educational leaders, we want to assure you that our top priority is the safety of our students and staff. In the event of any reported threat at our schools, we will respond immediately and follow established safety procedures to determine the threat's credibility.

Unfortunately, earlier today, some of our students reported a threatening message that was anonymously shared via Snapchat, referring to a school shooting at "AHS." We want to clarify that this hoax is in reference to Alamogordo High School in New Mexico, not Anacortes High School.

We ask that you speak with your children about the seriousness of hoaxes like these and how they can cause trauma to their peers, as well as potentially prevent our community's first responders from responding to real emergencies. We encourage our students and school community to report anything that could constitute a threat to school safety.

Please know that the Anacortes Police Department knows this threat and will take appropriate action. Anacortes High School will continue to take all necessary precautions to ensure the safety of our students and staff by following our safety protocols. We also recognize that threats like this can create trauma for our students, and we have counselors prepared to provide support. 

If you have any questions or concerns about our district's safety procedures or Anacortes High School's safety protocols, please do not hesitate to contact Superintendent Dr. Justin Irish at jirish@asd103.org or Principal Dr. Erin Duez at eduez@asd103.org.

Thank you for your cooperation and support as we work to keep our schools and community safe.

The Anacortes School District is seeking feedback on draft updates to its facilities rental policy, procedure, and fee schedule. 

The proposed changes allow the district to collect fees that are cost neutral with the facility use, and also further clarify who has priority to use district spaces. The proposed update to the policy is intended to ensure that funds for education are not used for other purposes. 

Proposed changes include: 

• New user classification, which separates district use from other groups
• An annual registration charge for most groups, rather than a per-sport or per-event registration charge 
• Better alignment with incurred costs such as utilities, consumables, custodial, food services staff, and administrative staff as needed
• Facilities will be available one hour after end of school day

“We know that our facilities are a community-supported asset, and we want to make them available for the community to use,” said Superintendent Justin Irish. “We also need to make sure that we are not losing money, or unable to recoup costs due to facility use. These proposed changes help offset some of our budget challenges, but also provide better transparency and predictability for groups using our spaces.” 

The district is gathering feedback currently on the proposed changes. Comments and questions can be submitted to Mike Sullivan, Executive Director of Finance & Operations: (360) 503-1213 or masullivan@asd103.org. Comments must be provided by May 5, 2023. 

The proposed changes are scheduled to go to the school board on May 18th for a first reading, and final approval is scheduled for June 15. 

Questions? Mike Sullivan, Executive Director of Finance & Operations: (360) 503-1213 or masullivan@asd103.org

All incoming Kindergarten families are invited to join us for free health and academic screenings, help registering your child for Kindergarten, and more information about the 2023-24 school year.

April 26-28, 2023 

9:00 am -1:00 pm

Anacortes Lutheran Church

2100 O Ave Anacortes, WA. 98221

Registration paperwork can all be found on our New Student Enrollment page. 

Appointments required; sign up for a 1-hour time slot: Schedule a time here or call 360.503.1628 

All ASD schools are on time this morning as regularly scheduled. Buses are on regular routes, except for Sharpe Road and W. 12th.

Students on those roads only should use their adverse weather stop (https://www.asd103.org/.../32.../482-Untitled.html)

All ASD schools are on a 2-hour delay, due to snow and quickly dropping temps.  No out of district transportation/ MKV. 

Afternoon Update: All buses will be on regular routes. 

Health screenings will be taking place soon, in partnership with the Anacortes Lions Club. Students in grades K-3, 5, and 7 will be screened for hearing and vision.  If your student does not receive passing results on either screen, you will be contacted by health room staff with individual results. If your student’s screening results are within normal range you will not receive a notice home. 

Locations and Dates: 

• Mount Erie: Jan 30
• Fidalgo: Jan 31
• AMS: Feb 1
• Island View: Feb 2

Please note: This screening does not replace a professional examination. Although school based screenings can indicate many abnormalities, it is not an all-inclusive screen. If you have hearing or vision concerns for your child please contact their primary care provider for further examination.

Questions? Contact District Nurse Emily Wade, ewade@asd103.org or (360) 503-1552