Dear Students, Families, Staff, and Community,

The 2025–26 school year is off to an incredible start at Orcas Island School District! This past week, our faculty and staff returned to campus for three-plus days of professional learning, and the energy, engagement, and collaboration across our district were truly inspiring. It was a powerful reminder of the dedication our educators bring to our students every single day.

We were honored to host three outstanding presenters who enriched our learning and sparked meaningful conversations:

Aaron Norikane – Equitable and Inclusive School Environments Facilitator

Erin Jones – Nationally Recognized Educator & Equity Leader

Jeff Utecht – Technology & Innovation Expert

Each speaker brought a unique lens of expertise and insight, keeping our staff deeply engaged throughout the sessions. The feedback we’ve received has been overwhelmingly positive, with many staff members sharing that this was one of the most impactful professional learning experiences of their careers at OISD.

As we reflect and plan for the future, evaluation and feedback forms will be shared next week to capture the voices of all staff. In the meantime, we invite you to enjoy this short 90-second video capturing some of the highlights from these memorable days of professional learning.

We are excited to build on this momentum as we welcome students back to campus and launch another year of learning, growth, and community. Here’s to an amazing school year ahead for Orcas Island!

Eric Webb

OISD Superintendent