NWESD Facts
2020 was a year full of unprecedented challenges and change. However, there were also positive notes in our work as well. The following include some of the highlights from this past year:
Zoom
Principal for the Day
La Conner School District March 2020
The kids were a highlight! I truly appreciated being asked to participate, and I’m now so much more informed about the La Conner School District than I was before. In particular, I have a much deeper appreciation for the partnership between the District and the Swinomish Tribe. And of course, the opportunity to join in with the choir was a ton of fun!
– Larry Francois, Superintendent NWESD
Annual Report 2019-20
NWESD Equity, Inclusion, & Diversity work
Notable Awards in our region
46 schools in the NWESD region were recognized by the WA State Board of Education.
The State Board of Education, the Educational Opportunity Gap Oversight and Accountability Committee (EOGOAC), and the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction have identified 391 schools statewide to receive recognition.
Schools in Washington stand out for closing gaps, showing growth, and demonstrating achievement according to new data released by the state. Washington school recognition has been reimagined to honor schools that have received support and are thriving and to highlight positive school system changes happening all over the state. 391 schools were recognized statewide.
WSSDA’s 2020 Boards of Distinction award recipients in the NWESD region:
25 Superintendents to Watch
Dr. Ian Saltzman, Superintendent Everett Public Schools, was named by the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) in the top 25 “Superintendents to Watch.” Honorees are school district leaders who have fewer than five years of experience as a superintendent and who demonstrate dynamic, fast-paced leadership with strong communication at its core. They use communication technology in innovative and effective ways to engage and inform their school communities and to expand two-way communication and outreach efforts.
NSPRA’s 35 Under 35 Program
Every other year, the NSPRA 35 Under 35 program recognizes young professional members who are making a difference for their school districts or education-related employers. In fall 2020, NSPRA announced its fifth class of 35 Under 35. This group of emerging leaders is proving that strategic communication is timeless, extending easily to our next generation of school public relations professionals.
- Conor Laffey, Oak Harbor (Wash.) Public Schools
- Celina Rodriguez, Mount Vernon (Wash.) School District
Public Relations Campaigns
The WSPRA Communication Awards program recognizes creative and effective work in communications. The awards program also provides valuable feedback from other communications professionals.
2020 Award of Excellence: ESD School Communications Collaborative
Bond Levy Toolkit: The Seeds of Funding Education
Award winners and honorable mentions in our region include:
- Lake Stevens School District
- Bellingham Public Schools
- Oak Harbor Public Schools
- Mount Vernon School District
- Arlington Public Schools
Burlington-Edison School Nurse Tessa McIlraith, MS, BSN, RN was named 2020 Washington State Nurse of the Year by the School Nurse Association of Washington (SNOW).
Ben Ballew, Arlington High School teacher, was named 2021 Regional Teacher of the Year by the Northwest Educational Service District 189 (NWESD).
Erin Wood, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Behavioral Health Specialist in the Monroe School District, has been named 2020 Regional Classified School Employee of the Year by the NWESD.
Kara Moore, School District Business Services Manager, was awarded a WASBO Rising Leaders Scholarship for demonstrating exemplary ambition and leadership in the school business profession.
Each spring the NWESD hosts a Regional High School Art Show with submissions from schools around our region.
The finalists from the regional ESD shows are invited to participate in the Superintendent’s High School Art Show, an annual event co-hosted by OSPI and the Washington Art Education Association (WAEA). High school students from all nine of the state’s educational service districts (ESDs) participate in this artistic celebration each year.
Katie Leigh Place, “Wave of Turmoil” | OSPI Jurors’ Choice Award
Friday Harbor High School (Teacher: Andrew Anderson)
Peyton S Wood, “Pothos” | OSPI Jurors’ Choice Award
Oak Harbor High School (Teacher: Kit Christopherson)