San Juan Island School District enrollment 747 compared to last year's 768
LWVSJ Observer Corps* Notes summary of San Juan Island School District August School Board meeting
Superintendent Fred Woods reported the District had several construction projects that will be 90+% completed when school begins. The parking lot at the high school is paved. STEM building plumbing repairs and the Griffin Bay awning are complete. The Capital & Tech Levy will be on the ballot in February 2024 for a similar amount as the current one. The District signed an agreement with Grand Canyon University agreement to give staff and their spouses access to discounted education.
The District is in the early stages of considering a Transitional Kindergarten (TK) program for children, not yet age five, who have been deemed by a school district through a screening process to need additional preparation to succeed in kindergarten. No financial or space decisions have been made.
The District has budgeted for one electric bus but orders require a 15-bus minimum. They are exploring joining other small districts to put together a minimum order and exploring EPA grants to help cover the cost.
2023-24 District expected enrollment is:
Elementary: 299 down from 324.5
Middle School: 180 up from 176.98
High School. 268.5 up from 267.13
Total K-12 enrollment. 747.50 down from 768.60
School Board Directors’ Report: A very disappointing off island meeting in Anacortes scheduled to meet with three representatives, of which only Liz Lovelett attended. Orcas school district was not able to attend due to ferry issues.
Director Heller thanked Jose Domenech for managing the finances and budget through what has been a very stressful period. Many other small districts are struggling to maintain quality education in the face of severe financial strains.
Teachers and staff start back to school on August 28, students on Thursday, August 31 starts back to school for teachers and staff.
*The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan organization encourages informed participation in government. The Observer Corps attends and takes notes at government meetings to expand public understanding of public policy and decisions. The notes do not necessarily reflect the views of the League or its members.