March 18, 2023
Dear Sequim Families and Staff,
As many of you are aware, our school district is facing a significant budget shortfall for the next school year 2023-2024. A community forum was held last Monday evening outlining the reasons for the budget gap of $3.6M and introducing possible remedies to the problem. Another budget forum is planned for this Monday evening, March 20th at 5:00 p.m. in the Sequim High School library and by Zoom.
Three of the proposed solutions are shared below as we feel it is important for all to be aware of the details and discussions surrounding these ideas.
1. Elementary School Reconfiguration: Moving from two K-5 elementary buildings to a PreK-Grade 2 school based at Greywolf and a Grades 3-5 school based at Helen Haller Elementary.
2. Increase to Olympic Peninsula Academy: The current waitlist at OPA will be addressed to a greater degree.
3. Reduction in Virtual School Services at Dungeness Virtual School: K-5 online schooling services at DVS will be eliminated.
In addition, several staff members have announced retirements and those positions will not be replaced at the secondary level (Grades 6-12). District Office departments are also facing proposed reductions in excess of $1M.
There are challenging times ahead for Sequim School District, but we will pull together and make sure these challenges bring positive outcomes for our students. The decisions that will give our district financial stability bring with them a silver lining. Creative thinking about programmatic solutions and academic opportunities have emerged and given us an opportunity to reevaluate research-based ideas that have been considered by our district in the past. One such idea is the reconfiguration of our elementary program.
This potential reconfiguration compliments my vision for our future which includes uniquely designed centers of learning dedicated to the developmental needs of students during critical childhood development spans. I picture a future in which a PK-2 Early Learning Center provides support and learning experiences; specially designed for 5–7-year-olds, who learn through play and early literacy experiences. I see a Learning Foundations Focus for Grades 3-5 in which basic academic foundations are not only built, but practiced, including reading, writing, math, communication, and social skills. These two reconfigured schools will prepare our students for an eventual middle school experience built on a strong foundation of learning basics and behavioral and social skill development. In addition to the positive academic and behavioral outcomes for our elementary students, the idea will save our district between $875,000-$1.2M as I will discuss further at the meeting on Monday.
Concerns have been raised about logistics and are being heard. People are curious about where this path might lead us. Logistical questions about transportation, moving programs, building maps, and communication efforts must still be answered. The district is working on a Frequently Asked Questions tab on our website which will be available soon so that families and staff can find answers and we will continue to reach out and be as transparent as possible through the process.
Sincerely,
Regan Nickels
Superintendent
Sequim School District