End of Year Update
A message for our San Juan Island School District Community
Thank you for a fantastic 2023-2024 school year!
We are just a day away from closing the book on another successful school year. Excitement is in the air. On June 8th, over 70 graduates from both Griffin Bay School (GBS) and Friday Harbor High School (FHHS) were celebrated.
In addition to graduation, end-of-year activities abound at all levels. Band concerts, field trips, and promotions have all been enjoyable parts of the rush to the last day. Amid all this, staff are planning in earnest for the 24-25 school year. Before looking toward the future, however, it is important to reflect on this past year. Please enjoy this glimpse at some of the happenings from this school year. We wish everyone a wonderful summer vacation and look forward to the return in the fall when school begins on August 29th.
Griffin Bay School 2024 Graduates
Friday Harbor High School 2024 Graduates
Just a Few FHES Highlights
READBowl
3rd, 4th, and 5th grade classes at FHES participated in READBowl, a nationwide reading competition. Ms. deGavre's third graders were crowned the Washington state champions and placed in the top 50 ranked teams nationally for four consecutive weeks!
Developmental Pre-K
We were excited to have our very first Developmental Pre-K (DPK) class at the elementary school. Thanks to generous grant funding from the Stocker Foundation, we can continue this program next school year. Along with DPK we will have our first Transition to Kindergarten (TtK) class at the elementary school starting in August. We love watching these young students learn.
Choir
The Friday Harbor Elementary School choir brought beautiful music to many events in the fall. Our school board enjoyed their songs and choreography at the December regular board meeting.
Walking Club
FHES students from all grades had the exciting opportunity to join a walking club. K-5 students enjoyed exercise and camaraderie while earning mileage marker tokens for every mile they completed. In May, a friendly competition was held, with our first graders proudly winning the award for the most miles completed in a month.
Our Garden
Spring has sprung! Students have planted carrots, lettuce, nasturtiums, and radishes for tasting by the end of the year. We are hoping to start the fall with an abundance of produce!
Kickball
The 5th graders were victorious in the annual 5th grade vs. staff kickball game. The rest of the school cheered their colleagues and peers on.
FHMS Offered Some Great Opportunities To Students
Homeroom
La Chispa
Leadership Camp
National History Day Award
This year's 8th grade class completed the 50th National History Day Turning Points in History project. Three 8th graders competed in the regional contest at Sky Valley Education Center in Monroe. Kate Douglas and Flora Compton each created historical documentaries about the women's suffrage movement, and Isabel Bashaw's documentary about the New Deal won her a place at the State Competition at Lake Washington High School.
MS Track
It was a great year to be on the FHMS track team with students showing huge improvements. At the district finals many athletes beat their own personal bests.
AVID
AVID has continued to be a valuable addition to the middle school. All students are learning AVID strategies to improve their learning. Students in our AVID class have taken trips this year including the trip pictured which was to explore college opportunities.
FHHS Students Shined Nationally and Closer to Home
Army Educational Outreach Program's Veterans Appreciation Challenge
Two out of the ten nationwide high school finalists in the Army Educational Outreach Program's Veterans Appreciation Challenge were students from Friday Harbor High School! Congratulations Megan Mellinger and Kira Clark!
NASA Techrise Challenge
A FHHS student team was one of 60 winning teams in the nationwide NASA Techrise Challenge winning the chance to have their project proposal launched on a high-altitude balloon. (Photo from The Journal of the San Juan Islands)
Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Competition
The FHHS Eco-Club was named one of 300 State Finalists in the 14th annual Samsung Solve for Tomorrow competition.
State Thespian Competition
FHHS thespians earned the Superior Performance award at State, qualifying them for Nationals!
State Thespian Officer
FHHS sophomore, Alison Power, was selected to serve as State Thespian Officer for the 2024-2025 school year.
Orca Bowl
FHHS students placed fourth in the Washington regional chapter of the National Ocean Sciences Bowl aka the "Orca Bowl."
Performances by Our Band and Thespians Were Fantastic
Band
The dedication, experience, and skill of our new band teacher, Greg Schuh, has invigorated our band program. The jazz band and concert bands have performed in a variety of concerts this year and the pep band brought energy and excitement to our school sports events. We look forward to even more great music next year!
FHMS Thespians
The FHMS thespians impressed everyone with their production of 'Women Who Weave.'
FHHS Thespians
Our incredible FHHS thespians entertained with their production of 'The Lightning Thief.'
Winter and Spring Sports Update
Wrestling
Wrestling worked through some injury and adversity this season. Several of the wrestlers competed at the district level and advanced to the regionals representing Friday Harbor well.
Varsity Boys Basketball
Boys basketball had a difficult non-league schedule and some tough games. They grew together and improved as a program. This was evident in the big road win against league rival Orcas Island.
JV Boys Basketball
Varsity Girls Basketball
The girls basketball program took another huge step forward this season. Beginning with great league wins against Orcas and Coupeville, the girls continued on and fought through districts, beating Auburn Adventist a second time to earn a trip to the state regionals in Wenatchee.
JV Girls Basketball
Cheer
Boys and Girls Golf
Boys and girls golf had a tremendous season. 5 boys and 3 girls qualified for the bi-district tournament at Battle Creek Golf Course and represented Friday Harbor well, with Jack Hess, Akira Tokunaga, and Morgan Douglass advancing to the state tournament at Tumwater Valley Golf Course. Jack Hess and Akira Tokunaga placed in the state competition.
Girls Tennis
Girl’s tennis had a tremendous season. Our girls competed well and beat Coupeville, our league rivals, to place first in the league. Our top 2 singles and doubles teams traveled to Seattle for bi-districts and had a great experience, taking home the bi-district championship, with our top doubles team, Megan Mellinger and Kira Clark, advancing to the state playoffs in Yakima.
Baseball
Boys and Girls Track
Track and field grew in number and had a fantastic season. Several boys and girls qualified for the district tournament in Coupeville. From that tournament, an impressive 9 boys and 11 girls qualified for the state tournament at Eisenhower High School in Yakima.
Softball
Girls’ softball, with a strong 7-3 conference record, finished second in league, narrowly missing out on advancing to the bi-district state play in game.
Thank you!
Thanks to Our Generous Community
Science Room Remodel
Public Schools Foundation
The San Juan Public Schools Foundation donated over $62,000 to our schools this year towards much-appreciated curriculum, supplies, and enrichment opportunities at all of our schools. Thank you for your donations!
Scholarships for Grads
Our local organizations and donors provided over $500,000 of scholarships to our class of 2024! That number is truly staggering! Clearly we live in a community that cares deeply about our students.
CTE Grant
The FHHS CTE Program received an $84,000 grant for a STEM electric Vehicle course.
Stocker Foundation
The Stocker Foundation provided $75,000 towards the 2024-2025 developmental preschool program.
Statement of Non-discrimination
San Juan 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 San Juan Island School District offers classes in many career and technical education program areas such as Culinary Arts, Career Prep, STEM and Computer Science under its open admissions policy. For more information about CTE course offerings and admissions criteria, contact CTE Directors, Liz Varvaro, elizabethvarvaro@sjisd.org, PO Box 458, FH, WA, (360) 378-4133. Lack of English language proficiency will not be a barrier to admission and participation in career and technical education programs.
The following people have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies:
Faith Knight, Civil Rights Compliance Coordinator, Title IX Officer
PO Box 458, Friday Harbor, WA 98250
(360) 378-4133
Becky Bell, Special Services Director, 504 Officer, ADA Coordinator, Gender-Inclusive Schools Coordinator
PO Box 458, Friday Harbor, WA 98250
(360) 378-4133
Fred Woods, Superintendent, Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying (HIB) Coordinator
PO Box 458, Friday Harbor, WA 98250
(360) 378-7905