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Classes haven't started yet but two La Conner High School students already have homework. Emmalin Goodman and Kellie Cayou-Lockrem will be providing feedback to school board members on the district's new cell phone policy, their first task as the board's new student representatives. "We value your input," board member John Agen told the panel's student reps. "We'd like to have you be the most engaged student representatives we've ever had." Board President Susie Deyo said that rather than assig...
The annual Swinomish Back-to-School Bash, held as summer draws to a close, was again a cut above similar events held elsewhere. That was true both literally and figuratively. The three-hour Aug. 14 gathering at John K. Bob Ball Park had something for all student groups – school supplies, T-shirts and hoodies, general and specific campus and classroom information, school district calendars, snack foods, sno-cones and more. And there were free haircuts, provided by students from the Mount V...
Cell phones have their place. But starting this fall the La Conner Schools campus won’t be one of them. District administrators have rolled out a plan for the new school year that creates a cell phone free zone, a policy approved two years ago. School board members endorsed the plan – designed to assure fewer classroom distractions and greater student focus on academics – during their hour-long Aug. 12 meeting in the adminstrative building. “We’re not changing policy,” Board President Susie Deyo stressed. “We passed the policy in October of ’2...
Departing La Conner Schools Superintendent Will Nelson, who is leaving after three years to accept a teaching post at Western Washington University, was among special honorees during the year-end Swinomish Education Dinner at John K. Bob Ball Park on June 13. Nelson received a ceremonial blanket representing warmth and protection as part of a program that also honored the first-ever cohort of Swinomish-trained teachers, the tribal community’s corps of classroom student advocates, Swinomish K-12 students and college graduates, and La Conner Sch...
Most Washington K-12 students failed to meet basic math and reading proficiency standards in recent years, according to a new report. The analysis from the Annie E. Casey Foundation shows that in 2022, 66% of Washington fourth graders were not proficient in reading and 72% of eighth graders were not proficient in math. A spokesperson for the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction pointed to progress the state is making based on other measures and called into question “the methodology and the narrative being pushed by the Foundation i...
The seating chart is a tool used in school classrooms across the country. Same with the La Conner School District’s meeting room, where board members and administrators sit in order of seniority. That being the case, interim superintendent David Cram – now the district’s finance director – slid into seat formerly held by Superintendent Will Nelson during the board’s 90-minute June 10 public study session. Nelson, who officially departs the district June 30 after three years, isn’t attending this month’s board meetings and didn’t partic...
The Kiwanis Club of La Conner has announced the Students of the Month for May. La Conner High School Student of the Month for May is Kendall Lee, a junior. Her parents are Jason and Dawn Lee. Kendall's favorite classes are chemistry and trigonometry. She is a member of the Prevention Club because mental health is important. Kendall loves sports. She plays tennis and soccer. After graduation, Kendall would like to attend the University of Washington to study health sciences and become a...
Students from the La Conner area have been named to the dean’s list at the University of Washington. To qualify for the dean’s list, a student must have completed at least 12 graded credits and have a grade point average of at least 3.50 (out of 4). Students are notified that they have achieved this distinction when they receive their grades for the quarter. Autumn 2023 Quarter MacQuaid Hiller, junior Kylee Marie Navarro, junior Winter 2024 Quarter Eleanor Drews, freshman MacQuaid Hiller, junior Andre Knudson, junior Preston Miguel Rivas, jun...
La Conner Little Braves Preschool graduates broke through a tribute sign on the way to their outdoor graduation ceremony May 31. Each graduate received a diploma, gift bag and award certificate. The program is closing due to national Head Start budget cuts, perhaps to be replaced with a district transitional kindergarten next year. - Photo by Bill Reynolds...
In preparation for becoming interim superintendent of the La Conner School District, Dave Cram took the oath of office during the district’s board of directors meeting Monday and he did not stop there. The school board methodically and unanimously passed seven resolutions authorizing Cram to sign documents, invest funds, pay bills and designating him as agent and auditing officer and more. Board President Susie Deyo told Cram, “You are official. On July first, you have all the authority of the school district. Have fun.” Deyo had first recogn...
Math can be serious stuff, but it's also a great vehicle for fun and games. That was spelled out at La Conner Elementary School during the annual campus Math Night celebration May 1, when parents, students and staff geared up to experience the magic of numbers. "It's great that people can come in and see how math is fun," said Beth Clothier, La Conner School District's director of teaching and learning. "It's nice to see so many families here to do math games." The mood was festive, akin more...
The Kiwanis Club of La Conner announced its Students of the Month for April. High School Student of the Month is Samuel Williams. His parents are Carl and Naomi Williams. Samuel is a senior and his favorite class is wind ensemble. He plays trumpet in class and with the pep band. He also plays golf on the school team. Outside of school, he plays golf and does rock climbing. After graduation he would like to attend college but has not decided what he will study. Middle School Student of the Month...
Christmas came early for more than 40 La Conner Elementary School fifth graders. Rather than waiting to awaken Dec. 25 to find a new bicycle under the tree, students ended their school day May 2 with a bike of their own. They earned it – in both name and deed. The bikes were presented as part of a three-tiered, school-based Bicycle Safety Education program and its Earn-a-Bike initiative. Earn-a-Bike is an equity opportunity allowing youth to apply their new cycling skills in the real world by p...
Meet Josilynn Straathof, La Conner Soroptimists' February Student of the Month. She is the proud daughter of Brian Straathof and DeAnna Young and has attended La Conner High School since her sophomore year. She is currently senior class president and the student representative to the La Conner School Board. She said it has been interesting experiencing the workings of the board. She uses her leadership skills as class president leading the fundraising and attending the many events required. She...
The Kiwanis Club of La Conner has announced its students of the month for March. High school student of the month is Tyler Cicotte, a junior. Tyler's parents are Vince and Barb Cicotte. Tyler's favorite class is Spanish and he's excited to be going to Honduras with the Spanish class in June. He likes to play basketball, golf and video games. After graduation, he wants to attend college, but has not decided what he might study. Middle school student of the month is Annika Keith. Her parent is...
La Conner High School senior Hallie Walls has been selected as the Soroptimist International of La Conner Honored Student for the month of April. It's easy to see why when you look at all the activities she is involved in. Most recently Walls narrated the school play. She enjoys drama and participated in the play her freshman year. She just finished up her fourth year on the Knowledge Bowl team, this year as co-captain. Walls has played golf on the school team since her sophomore year. It is a...
The COVID-19 pandemic limited fundraising opportunities for La Conner High School’s Class of 2024. Santo Coyote Mexican Kitchen is helping the class make up for lost time. Santo Coyote donated 20% of its proceeds March 22 to the La Conner High School senior class, which looks forward to taking its end-of-year trip to Disneyland later this spring. Restaurant manager Cristal Perkins said that Santo Coyote’s benefit raised about $800, including what was collected in a donation jar, toward travel and lodging costs to be incurred by the class dur...
Nizhoni Slowman, a senior at La Conner High School, is the Soroptimist International of La Conner January Honored Student. She has a varied range of interests. She loves to experience the outdoors for play and to learn more about science and her environment. She is a passionate reader for pleasure and science. Her constant companion is her 19-year-old Dachshund whom she has grown up with. He is a lucky dog who gets to go everywhere in a front snuggly pack. Nizhoni's favorite subjects are biology...
Addison Wiga is January's high school student for January for the Kiwanis Club of La Conner. Her parents are Todd and Katie Wigal. Addison is a junior at La Conner High School. She was on the school volleyball team and looks forward to playing each year. She is attending the Northwest Career and Technical Academy, taking applied medical science. Outside of school she enjoys doing things with family and friends. After graduation, Addison would like to attend college and pursue a career in the...
La Conner High School seniors started their freshman year wearing masks and learning from home in front of their computers. Three years later they’re still playing catch-up from the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus the La Conner’s Class of ‘24 has lagged in fundraising, not possible with the campus closed. The class must still raise about half of the estimated $25,000 needed for its June trip to Disneyland. Senior class advisor Theresa James apprised school board members at their Jan. 22 meeting that despite the yeoman effor...
The atmosphere was electric at the Dec. 11 La Conner School board meeting. Campus solarization options lit up the room. La Conner Town Council member MaryLee Chamberlain and resident Bob Raymond, of the Skagit Valley Clean Energy Cooperative, provided an update on local solar grant projects, including a feasibility study and analysis of energy consumption at the school district. They made a pitch, eliciting a positive board reception, for the school district to convert to electric buses. The two presented data that showed cost savings and envir...
The Kiwanis Club of La Conner November High School Student of the Month is Alex Martin. Alex is a La Conner High School a senior. His favorite class is math. He enjoys playing basketball and participating in track. After graduation he would like to study to become an electrician or diesel mechanic. Alex 's parents are James Washington and Bridgette Solomon. Reese Bird is the middle school Student of the Month. She is in eighth grade. She enjoys playing volleyball and basketball on the school...
Taylor Rae Cayou, a senior at La Conner High School and a full-time Running Start student at the North West Indian College, is the Soroptimist International of La Conner Honored Student for December. Taylor started at NWIC as a junior, dividing her time between the high school and NWIC. This year she is full time at the college. When June rolls around she will graduate with her class at the high school and will have an associates degree at NWIC. Her favorite class at NWIC is cultural sovereignty...
Conway remains on the La Conner Schools radar. Faced with recent years of declining student enrollment, the driving force behind state funding of public schools, school district officials are resuming last year’s effort to recruit Conway students to the high school. Conway, 11 miles southeast of La Conner, has an elementary school whose graduates attend Mount Vernon High School but have the option of Stanwood or La Conner. “We’ll keep it going,” school board chair Susie Deyo said during board’s Nov. 13 hybrid study session of attempts...
Now it’s official. Last month it was announced that the La Conner Schools board of directors was a recipient of two performance-based statewide honors. Last week in Bellevue, during the Washington State School Directors Association fall conference, the members were formally recognized as a 2023 Board of Distinction and for being Washington’s School Board of the Year for small school districts. The five-member La Conner board – Susie Deyo, chair, and directors John Agen, Loran James, Kim Pedroza and J.J. Wilbur and student reps Taylor Rae Cayou...
