The La Conner School District, board and staff, is almost the government. And, they do want to help. Superintendent Whitney Meissner and various board members championed listening and participation at neighborhood meetings Oct. 24 and 25 at the Shelter Bay clubhouse and Christianson’s Nursery schoolhouse, respectively.

Meissner, in her second year, modeled inclusiveness at the gathering, attended by three and seven parents, respectively. She drew each group in by asking them “What’s on your mind? Ask me anything. Share anything.” Especially at Shelter Bay, Meissner, Middle and High School Principal Todd Torgeson, Assistant Principal Kathy Herrera and board members Janie Beasley and Brad Smith mostly spoke.

At that meeting Torgeson highlighted rising enrollment: “being up 40 is a significant count” in a district of 600 students and Smith noted the geographical shift: “In the last five years enrollment has moved from the eastside (La Conner) to the tribal village, to here (Shelter Bay) and Pull and Be Damned. There are more retirees in La Conner and less in Shelter Bay.”

Most of the parents at Christianson’s were employed by other school districts. Board participants were directors Lynette Cram and John Thulen.

Meisner again started by asking each person to share something about school they were grateful for. Each parent had a tale of a specific teacher caring about her or his child in very specific ways.

Meissner again stressed “that idea that every single child in the school has a champion. We can call them by name. If someone is having a rough time, there is someone there to support them.” Sounding like a minister, she said the goal is “unconditional positive regard for each other and bringing in unconditional love.” Everyone means “all in for all staff.”

Board and staff members had small sympathetic audiences. That was not the goal. Thulen noted “the hardest part of my job is to get feedback.”

Meissner, as she often does, invited parents to meet with her. She said more such meetings would be planned, and suggested that they could take place in parent homes. Meissner brought up the 2019 school levy that will be on the ballot, saying that issue is another reason to be in contact with the community.