Editor,

This past school year was literally like no other.

I would like to thank the South Whidbey School District for its dedication to our students and community in working through the extremely difficult circumstances of the past year.

Thank you, Dr. Jo Moccia, for your steady, forward-looking pursuit of goals and leadership to provide our students with best practices in education preparing them for entering a fast changing world.

Our district has leadership that will continually search for best practices and curriculum that will be the right fit for our school district.

Thank you to the school board for its conscientious research on new or changing policies and curriculum affecting the school district.

And I thank you for your openness in listening to all perspectives of public comment regarding all the situations you have faced this past year, even when comments were not based upon actual facts. Your leadership has also provided an environment for student preparedness in becoming healthy, educated adults.

A huge thank you to our teachers who dedicated themselves to creative out-of-the-box solutions for their students over the past year to ensure that learning moved forward amid a once-in-a-century pandemic.

Every teacher should be awarded Teacher of the Year.

And thank you to all the school district support staff who have stepped up to make sure that this year ran as smoothly as possible given the circumstances the district faced.

Thank you to the student leaders of USL. You have made a positive impact moving the district forward in helping your fellow students prepare for the next step in your lives.

Thank you, to all the students of SWSD for rolling with all the weird changes you have worked through to keep learning. This has been a school year you will remember the rest of your lives.

A special thank you to Harolynne Bobis and Michael King. Please keep sharing your life experiences and insight with all of Whidbey Island.

It is only when we listen to, read and teach BIPOC histories, stories, and experiences that we all learn different views about our changing world.

And this will help all of our students prepare for their future.

Charlene Davenport

Clinton