Hello VISD Community,
Welcome to this week's issue of The Vashon Beacon. This newsletter is a source for news, updates, and stories from across the Vashon Island School District. Each issue will highlight important district initiatives, shine a spotlight on the great work happening in our schools, and share upcoming events, key information, board news, and much more.
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- March 11: McMurray New Family Orientation (online)
- March 12: VISD Board Work Session
- March 12: McMurray Spring Band Concert
- March 13: No School (Teacher in-service)
- March 13-14: VHS Theatre Presents Hadestown
- March 19: VHS Spring Band Concert
- March 19-22: VHS Theatre Presents Hadestown
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The Board of Directors approved the instructional calendar for the 2026-27 School Year. Please note: The first day of school will be Monday, August 31, 2026.
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McMurray and VHS band concerts are coming up in the next couple of weeks! There will be a bake sale to fundraise for the program at the VHS concert. All are welcome and admission is free for both events.
- McM: March 12, 6:30 p.m., McM Lunchroom
- VHS: March 19, 7:00 p.m., VHS gym
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Coming this March: VHS theatre brings Anais Mitchell's stunning folk opera. Hadestown delivers a deeply resonant and defiantly hopeful theatrical experience. Following two intertwining love stories – that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and that of immortal King Hades and lady Persephone – Hadestown invites audiences on a journey to the underworld and back.
Inspired by traditions of classic American folk music and vintage New Orleans jazz, Mitchell’s beguiling sung-through musical pits industry against nature, doubt against faith, and fear against love.
Tickets are $15 for all performances, except for March 26, which is a "pay what you will show."
- Dates: March 13-14, March 20-22, March 26-28
- Time: 7:00 p.m. (except March 22 at 2:00 p.m. and March 26 at 3:30 p.m.)
- Tickets available here
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For the second year in a row, VHS senior Lena Puz is a state champion in girls wrestling for her weight class. Puz finished the season with a 31-1 record and needed just 1:41 to earn the pin at the Mat Classic state wrestling tournament. Congratulations Lena!!! |
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VHS teacher Heather Miller was invited to the state capitol earlier this week to help celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and the United States. In her own words:
"As Washington State History Teacher of the Year, I had the opportunity to speak about the Declaration of Independence and introduce student speakers who recited the document for the Washington State Semiquincentennial Ceremony at the State Capitol in Olympia. It was an honor to meet with our Lieutenant Governor Denny Heck, representatives, other members of government, historians, and community partners involved with Washington's efforts to inclusively recognize the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and the United States."
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Friday's Family Feast was a huge success and we can't thank you enough for being such a wonderful community!
Thank you to everyone who has donated and to everyone who attended. We also want to send our sincere thanks to the Food Services team for providing a delicious dinner and to the Vashon High School Jazz Band for their amazing entertainment. Lastly, a huge thank you to VIGA for their commitment to match $3000 raised to go towards the CES Garden!
Click here for a run-down of the funds that were raised for each school's chosen requests - if you did not get a chance to donate and see a fund below that you would like to help get closer to their goal, we are still accepting donations at https://givebutter.com/cG8aqC
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A huge thank you to all of our families who attended last week's Kindergarten Information Night. If you weren't able to attend, you can view the presentation slideshow here.
If your child is turning five by the start of the 2026-27 school year or you know someone who is, don't forget to register!
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Last month, the 7th grade's Artist in Residence experience with local Seattle artist Colleen Louise Barry gave students the chance to meld art, hands-on learning, intentional collaboration, and science content knowledge. They applied their understanding of photosynthesis, the carbon cycle, the water cycle, and the nitrogen cycle by designing and building energy-flow models that were fully functioning fountains. Through the creative process, students deepened their grasp of how these biogeochemical cycles are interconnected and powerfully influence one another, and shared their work with the 6th graders through a powerful Exhibition of Learning. |
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As part of last week's Friday workshops, elementary-aged FamilyLink students took a forest hike to our ponds at Chautauqua and spent time observing the resident wildlife, including a tiny tree frog and some even tinier frog eggs! |
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On Thursday, March 12, beginning at 4:30 p.m., the VISD Board of Directors will hold a Regular Board Meeting. The meeting will be held in-person at the District Office Conference Room #302, on the third floor of Chautauqua Elementary, 9309 SW Cemetery Rd. Click here to view the agenda.
Upcoming Meetings:
- March 26: Regular Board Meeting
- April 23: Regular Board Meeting
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The Department of Social and Health Service's Mobile Office is coming to the island next week.
The DSHS Mobile Office is staffed by specialists who can determine people’s eligibility for state and federal medical, cash and food assistance programs.
- Wednesday, March 18, 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., Vashon Methodist Church (17928 Vashon Hwy SW)
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Last year, along with 12 other school districts, VISD signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Puyallup Tribe. One of the items that we agreed to partner on was to hire a regional on-time graduation specialist to work specifically with native students across our school districts. This is a shared investment between all the schools and the Puyallup Tribe.
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Are you interested in joining the VISD team and making a difference for our island's youth? The following jobs are currently open. Apply today! |
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The Vashon Island School District does not discriminate in any programs or activities based on sex, race, ethnicity, religion, creed, color, national origin, honorably-discharged veteran or military status, homelessness, immigration or citizenship status, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, marital status, the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability, neurodivergence, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability, or non-program-related RCW 49.60 Law Against Discrimination, and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts of America and any other youth group listed in Title 36 of the United States Code as a patriotic society.
The Vashon Island School District is an equal opportunity employer. Vashon Island School District is tobacco-free, drug-free and weapons-free. Appropriate fingerprint screening results are required for employment.
For specific information, contact:
- VISD Title IX, HIB Compliance Officer, and ADA/504 Coordinator, Kathryn Coleman, P.O. Box 547, Vashon, Washington 98070, (206) 463-8532, kcoleman@vashonsd.org.
- VISD Compliance Coordinator for 28A.640 and 28A.642 RCW, Amy Sassara, Human Resource Director, P.O. Box 547, Vashon, WA 98070, (206) 463-8529, asassara@vashonsd.org.
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