La Conner school board honored twice at statewide conference

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 and Josi Straathof – was chosen for the latter award based on its commitment to math acceleration, which was identified as the area with the largest opportunity gap for students.

The board has overseen district investment in a new K-12 math curricula and embraced Professional Learning Committees, Universal Design for Learning and Mastery-Based Learning initiatives, all intended to promote student achievement and development of higher order critical thinking skills.

WSSDA officials cited the board’s monthly reviews of math data and endorsement of teacher support strategies as factors leading to significant student growth in math over the past year.

The board was also lauded for “exceptional governance” in applying Washington School Board Standards.

“The board’s commitment to ongoing professional development, addressing opportunity gaps and adherence to the Washington School Board Standards during the 2022-23 school year have provided exemplary evidence for this award,” stated a release shared Sunday by La Conner Schools Executive Assistant Cherri Kahns.

Wilbur praised his board colleagues (plus former panelists Amanda Bourgeois and Lynette Cram, who were on the board in 2022-23), Superintendent of Schools Will Nelson and the district’s staff for the twin state award selections.

The real beneficiaries, reminded Wilbur, are the nearly 500 K-12 students.

“It’s all about the students,” Wilbur stressed Saturday night from the Bellevue Hyatt Regency, site of the conference, which included a joint workshop presentation by Nelson and Swinomish Education Department Director Michael Vendiola.

The La Conner, Kelso and Sumner-Bonney Lake school boards were the three of 34 state boards of distinction tabbed as boards of the year for their respective district enrollment levels.

“This top honor recognizes a board that has shown significant vision and leadership that clearly resulted in positive and measurable student success,” said WSSDA Communications Officer Sean Duke. “All three boards demonstrated creativity and resourcefulness within their roles to support the success of their students and staff while serving their communities. Also, each board significantly narrowed or closed opportunity gaps among students.”