LISD School Newsletter

Dear LISD Families,

I hope you will join our community at the LISD Town Hall on Thursday, February 1 at the Lopez Community Center for the Arts. You'll find some information below on the Town Hall, including a financial FAQ and a link to submit questions. The Town Hall will be held for the purpose of providing important information about the financial reality of our school district, answer questions from the community, and give community members an opportunity to share ideas and insights.

This event has been planned by the Advocacy Working Group, formed by County Councilwoman, Jane Fuller, last June. The group includes school administration, union leadership, and board members. We are united in our presentation of this information and our commitment to transparency and a financially healthy future for our district.

It's really important for everyone in our community to have accurate information about our school district. We serve and have served many many Lopez families, we offer our facilities as a gathering place for a variety of organizations and events, and we continue to be the largest employer on the island. A free public school district on Lopez Island makes it possible for this to be a multi-generational community. The future of our district IS the future of our island. Please come to the Town Hall. Bring your friends and neighbors, your curiosity, your ideas.

I hope you all have a lovely weekend.

All my best,

Martha

Dear Lopez Island Community Member,

(Si desea leer esto en español, consulte a continuación)

I hope this letter finds you well. As a valued member of our community, we would like to invite you to participate in an upcoming LISD School Budget Town Hall meeting regarding the financial status of the Lopez Island School District. Your input and engagement are crucial in shaping the future of our school district.

To provide additional insight and address common questions, we have prepared a comprehensive Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document linked here:

LISD School Budget Town Hall FAQ

We kindly request that you take the time to review the FAQ, which will be distributed to all community members. Your feedback and questions are essential in ensuring that the LISD School Budget Town Hall meeting addresses the concerns and interests of our community.

In order to make the LISD School Budget Town Hall meeting as informative and inclusive as possible, we encourage you to submit any questions or topics that you would like to see covered during the event. Your questions will help guide the discussion and ensure that we address the most pressing issues facing our school district. Questions can be submitted via this link:

Invitation and Community Questions Form

The LISD School Budget Town Hall meeting will be held on Thursday, February 1, 2024 at 5:00pm at the Community Center.

During this meeting, key members of the Lopez Island School District will provide an overview of the current budget status, explain how we arrived at this point, and discuss potential strategies for moving forward. Your presence and active participation will be greatly appreciated as we collectively work towards finding a sustainable way forward.

We believe that by coming together as a community, we can find innovative solutions and make informed decisions that will positively impact the future of our school district. Your voice matters, and we look forward to your valuable input during the town hall meeting.

Please mark your calendar and plan to attend this important event. We also encourage you to invite other community members who may have an interest in the financial well-being of our school district. If you have any questions or require further information, please do not hesitate to contact Superintendent Brady Smith at bsmith@lopezislandschool.org.

Thank you for your continued support and commitment to the success of the Lopez Island School District.

Sincerely,

LISD School Board and LISD Superintendent Brady Smith

Lola Woodington (8th grade) served as a page last week in the Washington State House of Representatives.

Sponsored by State Rep. Debra Lekanoff, D-Anacortes, Lola spent last week down in Olympia getting a first-hand look at our State Legislature in action. Pages assume a wide variety of responsibilities, from presenting the flags to distributing amendments on the House floor. Pages support the efficient operation of the Legislature while also receiving daily civics instruction, drafting their own bills, and participating in mock committee hearings. Lola had a great experience and highly recommends it to any student who is interested!

Students aged 14 - 16 can be a page in either the WA State House of Representatives or in the House Senate. More info about the programs are here:

WA State Senate Page Program

WA State House Page Program

We have started our planning for the LIFE Garden’s annual Mother’s Day weekend plant sale. We need your help! We are collecting garden pots to start seedlings in. We also are asking gardeners to plant a few extra seedlings or divide your perennials to donate to our sale. If you would like to volunteer at the sale, please contact Sara Jones (sjones@lopezislandschool.org).

Check us out on Instagram @lifeonlopez where you can see some of the SAP students’ current projects.

Brady Smith, Superintendent

Martha Martin, K-12 Principal

The Lopez Island School District does not discriminate in any programs or activities on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following employee(s) has been designated to handle questions and complaints of alleged discrimination: Civil Rights Compliance Coordinator, and Title IX Coordinator Brady Smith, HR Specialist Beth Stanford; Section 504, Mary Fordham. OR contact by phone, 360-468-2202, OR mail to 86 School Rd, Lopez Island, WA 98261.