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Juniors Minsuh Daniel Kim and William Andrew Welch and sophomores Jackson Robert Marshall Hart and Patrick Steven Keough have been named to the dean’s list at the University of Washington for winter 2023 quarter. Each completed at least 12 graded credits and has a grade point average of at least 3.50 out of 4.0. Source: University of Washington...
La Conner School Board President Susie Deyo called the panel’s annual six-hour retreat last Wednesday an opportunity for reflection. It was also a time to look ahead. And while the view going forward can be murky at best, board members and school officials – like their peers in districts across the state – anticipate seeing an upcoming academic year fraught with tough fiscal challenges. Finance Director David Cram, just four months into his second tour with the district, outlined a proposed budget designed to salvage a $110,000 fund balance in...
Lori Buher retired in June after 27 years with La Conner Schools and even longer as a La Conner School parent. Her long career can be divided into three chapters. In Chapter 1, she joined the La Conner Co-op Preschool when Eric and Anne enrolled in 1987, serving until 1992. By 1989, she was also on the board of the La Conner Elementary PTA. Soon she was helping lead the school’s Cub Scouts and Girl Scouts. “It was a lot of fun, and I had great support from other parents, but I was def...
Retired La Conner High School championship volleyball coach Suzanne Marble has netted some impressive awards including induction into the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association Hall of Fame and national coach of the year recognition. One more honor awaits this summer. Marble will be feted at the annual Skagit County Pioneer Association Picnic in La Conner Aug. 3 as the organization’s 2023 Pioneer Spirit Award winner. The Pioneer Picnic, held annually on the first Thursday in August, has been a La Conner summer tradition for more t...
While budget woes have gotten much attention at La Conner Schools lately, those concerns were balanced by a long list of district celebrations cited at the school board’s summer retreat last Wednesday. Second-year superintendent Will Nelson cited key achievements realized during 2022-2023. He noted that the district piloted a secondary level mastery-based learning program, saw middle school science instructor Maddie Huscher named regional teacher of the year, began implementing the research-based Universal Design for Learning framework that a...
La Conner School board members did something Monday night that they haven't done in a very long time: They approved hiring a new counselor for the middle and high school campus. Eric Crinklaw, most recently with Bonney Lake High School in the Sumner School District, will succeed Lori Buher, who is retiring after 27 years. The decision took place during a 75-minute hybrid session ahead of its annual retreat scheduled from 2-8 p.m. today. "It's an honor to be here," said Crinklaw, who has ties to the Concrete and Friday Harbor school districts....
A major sports website has confirmed what La Conner fans have known for months. That being Ellie Marble, who just graduated from La Conner High School and will attend Central Washington University on a volleyball scholarship in the fall, was the best girls' 2B senior athlete in the state this past year. Marble, who played in a combined six volleyball and basketball state tournaments – it likely would have been eight had it not been for the COVID-19 pandemic – has been named the SBLive WaFd Ban...
After 20 years, Juli Olson is finally graduating from middle school. The La Conner middle and high school administrative assistant retires at the end of June after working under six principals and through a school remodel and a pandemic. Besides keeping attendance and other critical records, she has helped plan the 8th grade promotion and filled in as school nurse, lunch lady and field trip chaperone. Driving the school bus is the only job she hasn’t tackled. Not all of her records have been official. During the years when middle school c...
The Kiwanis Club of La Conner May High School Student of the Month is Hadley Shears. She graduated in June and is the daughter of Cory and Jen Shears. Hadley has been active in school cheer, varsity volunteerism and Knowledge Bowl. Outside of school she likes to be outdoors, ski, hike and be out on the family boat. She is passionate about music, movies and art. Hadley was valedictorian of her graduating class. She will be attending Western Washington University this fall. She has not determined...
La Conner Schools administrator Andy Wheeler has quietly tended to his heavy workload here for the past nine years. But now, as he transitions to retirement, Wheeler will finally be able to toot his own horn. Never one to boast, the soft-spoken Wheeler – an enthusiastic trombonist – is headed next month to the Humboldt State College Brass Chamber Music Workshop in northern California. It's a fitting sendoff for Wheeler, who has been something of a one-man band during his tenure here, han...
The first day of summer vacation was a time of reflection for La Conner School board members, who while grappling with difficult budget issues going forward, found time at their June 12 study session to honor the achievements of student leaders and athletes and middle school science teacher Maddie Huscher. Huscher was recognized as a Regional Teacher of the Year, one of nine finalists for top state teacher accolades. “It’s a really big deal,” La Conner Superintendent of Schools Will Nelson said of Huscher’s selection. “She’s getting a l...
Change has defined the La Conner Schools Transportation Department the past year. But one thing hasn’t changed. The department continues to earn high grades from the Washington State Patrol and Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. State schools chief Chris Reykdal’s June 15 letter states the district “has again completed the inspection of school buses with exceptional results. For the past two years the results in your district have been outstanding.” La Conner Schools Director of Operations and Planning Bobby Vaughn, over...
A class that weathered a slew of obstacles, in particular the COVID-19 pandemic, was blessed with warm, sunny conditions and a clear view of snow-capped Mount Baker for La Conner High School's 129th annual commencement exercises Thursday evening at Whittaker Field. That scenario of emerging from clouds of uncertainty into the bright sunshine of hope and optimism was emphasized in remarks by Class of 2023 Valedictorian Hadley Shears, among a handful of graduating seniors speaking at the...
A good idea never goes out of style. Thirty-four years after its inception, the concept of an inclusive scholarship program supporting La Conner High School graduates still remains a perfect fit for a community that values education. The La Conner Community Scholarship Foundation, which evolved from a 1989 Dollars for Scholars campaign launched by then-school administrators Ken Winkes and Norm Hoffman, the local Parent-Teacher-Student Association and civic leaders, including Gail Thulen, Maureen Harlan, John Hastings, Maude Misner and Melphine...
Gwyneth Nelson graduated with highest honors, from Montana State University May 12. The greater La Conner resident earned a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.7. Source: Montana State University...
A La Conner High School senior class that was separated and isolated for parts of two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic will join together for the school's 129th annual commencement exercises tomorrow (Thursday) at 5 p.m. at Whittaker Field. The class, which adapted to remote learning during the early portion of its high school sojourn, features 10 National Honor Society members, including valedictorian Hadley Shears and salutatorian Josie Harper. "We continue to be proud of these students for...
The La Conner Middle School Rock Climbing Club sponsor is also rock solid in the classroom. Madison Huscher, whose carefully crafted science lesson plans take students beyond the traditional boundaries of textbooks and lectures, has been named the Northwest Educational Service District 189 regional teacher of the year. The award recognizes Huscher's outstanding commitment to teaching and her many contributions to the educational community. As a regional winner, Huscher will compete against...
The La Conner Community Scholarship Foundation is undertaking a six-month fundraising drive that will provide scholarship aid to the high school’s graduates seeking support. The foundation’s goal is to raise $100,000 between June 1 and Nov. 30. A downturn in bond yields has had a negative impact on the foundation’s investment income, necessitating a bolstering of its portfolio. The Foundation grew from a 1989 Dollars for Scholars campaign launched here by then-school administrators Ken Winkes and Norm Hoffman, the local Paren...
The newest members of the oldest active high school alumni association in Washington state were welcomed into the fold Saturday night in La Conner. Members of the Class of 2023 were feted during the 109th annual La Conner Alumni Banquet and Program at the middle school, just hours prior to departing on their senior trip to Knott's Berry Farm. "La Conner is just so special," said 2022-23 high school student body president Rachel Haley, speaking on behalf of her classmates. "We're proud to graduat...
Tommy Murdock had a leg up on the competition throughout the high school track and field campaign this spring. And a big reason the La Conner High School junior was head and shoulders above all comers was his mental toughness, Braves' head coach Peter Voorhees told the Weekly News after Murdock swept the state 2B boys' 110 and 300-meter hurdles contests at Yakima in May. A case in point, Voorhees noted, was how Murdock handled a late start time for his preliminary heat in the 110s. "In the heat...
Change and continuity were celebrated simultaneously at La Conner Schools last week. School district retirees and those not returning in the fall as well as the volunteers who invest hours of their time on campus were honored May 23 during a 75-minute open house reception in the middle school gymnasium. Six retirees who have served for a combined total of 124 years were formally recognized. So, too, were over 100 volunteers who assist with tutoring chaperoning, monitoring, speaking, reading and...
Lightning struck twice at the Washington state 2B track and field championships on Saturday. First, an actual lightning storm delayed the final round of action. Then, La Conner High School junior Tommy Murdock repeated as a state hurdles champion. Murdock, who captured one state hurdles title in 2022, swept the 110 and 300-meter hurdles in lightning fast fashion this time around, leading the team at Yakima. Murdock ran a personal best 15.01 in the 110s, which he needed to edge Raymond senior Mor...
Help the La Conner School District in its application for a 21st Century Community Learning Center grant by participating in a planning meeting for shaping the proposal Monday, June 5, 6:30 p.m. at the Braves Club. The district’s application will emphasize implementing school-based and community-based activities that lead to measurable student growth in reading and math, increased engagement, increased well-being and stronger family-school partnerships. This program was established by Congress to award grants to rural and inner-city public s...
La Conner Schools, which is considering installation of a campus garden, knows it cannot plant a money tree to solve the district’s present fiscal crunch. But sometimes unexpected financial windfalls appear seemingly out of nowhere without anyone having gone out on a limb to shake loose the funds. The district has received such a surprise, receiving $258,000 in federal impact aid monies, designed to assist districts with tax-exempt federal property such as military bases or Indian trust lands. The allocation wasn’t anticipated at this tim...
