Friday Family Message
Hello Families
As we approach Memorial Day — a time to remember and honor those who sacrificed for our nation — I want to take this opportunity to reflect on the profound impact these brave men and women have had on our lives.
Many of our staff, students, and community members have family members who have served or are serving our country. On behalf of our school district, I extend our deepest gratitude.
Thank you also to our middle school leadership students who cleaned headstones and placed flags for veterans at Anderson Cemetery in Stanwood. It’s a Memorial Day tradition that goes back more than 25 years organized by the Von Moos family.
On Monday, the Stanwood Area Historical Society will host events, starting with a service at 11 a.m. at Anderson Cemetery, where the Stanwood High School Band will perform.
Please enjoy a reflective and meaningful Memorial Day weekend.
2024-25 School Calendar
For next year, the first day of school is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 3 — the day after Labor Day — and the last day is scheduled for June 13 — pending impacts from wintery weather.
Those dates bookend the upcoming school year calendar, which you can now find on our Calendar website here: www.stanwood.wednet.edu/about/calendar
While we don't anticipate changes to this calendar, it is currently under review and pending final approval by district officials and our labor partners. The district will communicate when the calendar receives official approval.
And a reminder that this school year's calendar (2023-24) was updated throughout the year to reflect the impact from school days canceled due to inclement wintry weather. Please note these important upcoming dates:
- Monday, June 17, will be using a normal Wednesday late-start schedule
- Tuesday, June 18, is the last day of school
Elger Bay principal search update
Thank you to everyone who attended our community forum Thursday in the Elger Bay Elementary gym to meet three applicants to become the school's next principal. If you missed it, you can watch it online HERE.
After analyzing community feedback, interview committee input, and more, we anticipate announcing the new principal next week.
Read more about these staffing changes on our district website.
Water Quality update
As we communicated to families, staff, and the community last week, the Stanwood-Camano School District took advantage of state funding and volunteered to participate in a new state water testing program well before a 2026 deadline.
The state has already announced results for Cedarhome, Twin City, and Elger Bay elementary schools. Those results — as well as more information — is available on our Water Quality webpage at www.stanwood.wednet.edu/about/water_quality
On Thursday, the state released results for Stanwood Elementary and Utsalady Elementary.
Please read about the initial test results, find link to each school's results as we receive them from the state, and see the district's next steps on our Water Quality webpage.
School Board update
Three students earned Shining Star awards at the regular Stanwood-Camano School Board meeting on May 21.
The board heard an annual report from Utsalady Elementary principal Dr. Michael Hanna on the school’s Annual Action Plans.
Dr. Hanna then awarded his school’s Shining Star to Silver Barnett.
Stanwood Middle School principal Tod Klundt awarded Easton Stunz the school’s Shining Star, and Elger Bay Elementary principal Tim Dickinson announced Olivia Hill as the school’s Shining Star award winner.
Congratulations to all of our Shining Star recipients from this school year!
The School Board also honored its student advisors — Bee Hartell from Lincoln Hill High and Grace Pacheco from Stanwood High — for their service this school year.
The board then read a proclamation declaring May as School Library Recognition month and received a report from Superintendent Dr. Deborah Rumbaugh and district librarians.
Ruth Floyd, Executive Director of Business Services, provided an update on the district’s April financials and spoke about two district vehicles being declared surplus.
The school board then accepted four donations — thank you to the community for supporting our schools:
$796.04 from the Utsalady Elementary School Booster Club to cover field trip transportation costs for students at Utsalady Elementary School.
$12,000 from the Washington State FFA Foundation to purchase a cargo trailer for the Stanwood High School FFA program.
Donation of equipment from the Camano Stanwood Pickleball Association to support pickleball in the PE program at Stanwood High School, valued at $338
Anonymous donation of equipment to be used for students with special needs, valued at $10,298.42.
Six citizens spoke during public comment. For more information about the meeting, see the agenda or watch a video recording of the meeting.
The school board will hold its next regular meeting at 1 p.m. on June 4. Meetings are in the boardroom at the Stanwood-Camano School District Administration & Resource Center, 26920 Pioneer Highway, in Stanwood. You can sign up for public comment HERE.
For more about the School Board, click HERE.