This is a message from SJISD Superintendent Rick Thompson –

Hello Stakeholders:

Here is an update on the principal search at Friday Harbor Elementary School.

On March 12th and 13th the FHES principal search committee interviewed 9 semi-finalist candidates. Each candidate was given an hour to answer 20 questions which directly relate to their ability to perform in the elementary position. Each search committee member scored and ranked all 9 candidates, and after discussion, the committee decided to ask three candidates to return to a full day visit as a finalist. The committee is made up of FHES staff, district administrators, and community representation.

Next week we will call back three finalists. The full day interviews will consist of a writing exercise, conversations with district staff, and several hours at the FHES site to meet with students and staff.

Continue Reading

The banner is out in Sidney, welcoming visiting Americans this weekend…

The ferry to Sidney, British Columbia gets going this weekend after a three-month break, with ceremonies on Sunday’s opening run to Sidney with town-criers, the Sidney welcoming crew & cookies, Anacortes officials joined by Friday Harbor folks & WSF people…and the opening of the gate so Canadians can easily come visit San Juan Island. (Here’s last year’s story & pix.)

Over half a million books at Russell’s….

Why go that way? I’ve been in Victoria (mostly) since New Year’s, just so I could tell you. Here are some ideas for your visit:

• Sure, you want to tour Parliament & go to Butchart Gardens, and walk through the Empress Hotel (maybe have tea there), and walk around downtown Victoria, from the Inner Harbour to Chinatown. Then, explore & explore & explore.

For starters, Victoria is a very walkable town, so just go up & down the streets & look for what you’re into….lots of bookstores (Russell Books is my current favourite – you’ll get the idea from this writeup in the local paper, on their website).

There are tonnes of yarn shops, as well as chocolate shops, including Rogers Chocolates, which has been in the same spot since the 1800s, and has fed presidents & queens & kings.

Looking for clothes? Check. Got ’em.

Looking for souvenir stores so you have something to wear that says “Canada” on it, for next year’s Winter Olympics? Got ’em.

The bridge over the water in Beacon Hill Park – an easy walk next to downtown – earlier this week as the park shakes off its winter coat & flowers & grass re-emerge. Be sure exploring this amazing urban greenspace (since the 1850s!) is in your plans when you visit.

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• It’s easy to get where you want to go.

That’s not in Victoria, but the point is clear – Canadian buses are unfailingly polite.

One of the things we like here in Victoria is getting around – and there’s a good bus system for that. If you go to Sidney, it’s easy – you get picked up by the bus & it takes you right into downtown Victoria 17 miles away….for under $3. So, no, you don’t have to bring a car.

And since you gotta pay for parking nearly anywhere you’ll want to go, that’s just one more buck you’ll save.

The buses have their route in lights on the front (like US buses), and also have the lights say “not in service” or sometimes “sorry” if the bus isn’t picking people up, or if it’s full.

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• You can watch March Madness basketball on TV here at any pub, as long as hockey’s not on. (Local hockey team to cheer for: The Canucks. I’m telling you so you’re welcomed in….)

Also, Gonzaga has two starters who are Canadian (including BC’s Kelly Olynyk, right), and they’re ranked #1 in the country.

Baseball starts soon (the Mariners’ Michael Saunders is from Victoria), pro basketball is on TV, too (the Lakers’ Steve Nash is from these parts), soccer is pretty much all year, and then there’s curling. Pretty much any sport you want.

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• A great Canadian hero is memorialized in Victoria – at Mile Zero of the TransCanada Highway (which starts on the other side of the country & comes all the way here), there’s a statue of Terry Fox.…here’s a bit for you to read about one of the great inspirational people of the last half century.

That’s the Strait of Juan de Fuca behind Terry Fox at Mile 0, at the south end of Beacon Hill Park.

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There’s lots more to see & do in Victoria – hope you get a chance to come soon!

Travel correspondent Ian Byington’s special reports to the Update are posted whenever the prose is clear, the photos crisp, and the weather nice enough to go out & play in. He & Josie currently live in Victoria, BC after nearly two decades on San Juan Island.

It’s that time again, next Monday, the 25th. Here’s Rob with this month’s feature:

Our next screening is part of a brand-new film series looking at the who, what, and how’s that are contaminating our food, water, and air.

The film is called What’s in the Water? and is Part One of a 3-part series called “The Great Culling.”

The film looks at many details vaguely familiar to us, but by lining up the facts all at once, it is really quite eye-opening.
Yes…it is another film not to be missed. And we’ll have a great discussion afterward.
AND I am hoping to arrange a SKYPE Q&A with the filmmakers to follow the screening.

Hope to see you next week.

Rob

Just got this note in from Julie Packard down at Island Wools – You know the place down there behind the Golden Triangle and Pelindaba where they sell local and national brands of yarn and knitting supplies… WOW! Julie’s been there whole year already! Here she is with more:

I wanted to let your readers know about our First Anniversary Sale!  We’ve owned Island Wools for a full year now and are celebrating.  We have 15% off all Cascade, Crystal Palace, Plymouth, and Brown Sheep yarns.  10% off all Mountain Colors, Manos, Malabrigo and Frog Tree Yarns.  10% off all knitting needles and crochet hooks (including sets!) and an additional 10% off all of our products in the Sale section.

The sale starts today and goes through Sunday!

Check out her website for more information.

Know Your Island Walk of June 2011 – John Dustrude photo

It’s this Saturday – March 23. 1:00 – 4:00 pm. – Come for an afternoon to share the San Juan Island Conservation Corps’ showcase of their timber and rock retaining wall projects on the Land Bank property adjacent to Lime Kiln State Park.

Middle-schoolers and SJICC members Eric Sable and Jessie Pachuta will lead us through their project and crew experience. SJI Conservation Corps program manager and leader Sarah Hanson plus SJC Land Bank Steward, Doug McCutchen, will be on-site as well, to answer questions and give background. Continue Reading

Far in the future, the world revolves UNDERGROUND—at “The Great Mall of Nemotex.” There is only talk of the SURFACE, a place where there used to be trees and animals and fresh air.

The Friday Harbor Middle School Players present Escape from Nemotex THIS Friday and Saturday, March 22 and 23 at 7:30 pm and Sunday, March 24 at 2:00 pm at San Juan Community Theatre.

Written by Paul Lavrakas and directed by Jane Maxwell Campbell, the sci-fi fantasy shares an environmental message with humor and a wildly inventive plot as the “REBELS” head up to the SURFACE to see for themselves what is left.

Jane says she’s been very impressed with the commitment and maturity levels of the student actors. “They’ve shown real interest in the topic of the play and questioning what did happen to the earth?”

In addition to a futuristic set and costumes, the play also features the music of Jimi Hendrix to help create the ambiance of the new world.

Escape from Nemotex CAST:

Diego Anderson
Macalister Arendt
Erich Atwell
Isabella Brown
Chloe Cunningham
Connor Dederich
Patricia Deitz
Brian Fleming
Beatrice Grauman-Boss
Journey Howden
Madrona Jameson
Mirren Kilpatrick-Boe
Quinn LaCrampe
Hayden Mayer
Ryanne Pluff
Eric Sable
Jillian Urbach
Emma Wickman
Cady Wilson

Amanda Brast volunteering at Marketplace

If you popped in to Marketplace yesterday afternoon you may have seen this young lady registering people to vote. This is San Juan Island League of Women Voters’ youngest member, Amanda Brast holding down the fort at Marketplace on Wednesday from 3:00 and 4:00 pm.

San Juan Island School District Teams with Safe Schools for New Bullying Incident Reporting and Tracking System

Recent U.S. education statistics show that children are often bullied at school. This can have negative results for students and their education. It can also be very difficult for families. Many students have shared that they would report an incident if they could do so anonymously. This is why the San Juan Island School District has teamed up with Safeschools Alert, a new online incident reporting and tracking system that allows students, staff, and parents to confidentially report safety concerns to administrators 24/7/365.

Report tips on:

• Bullying
• Intimidation
• Harassment
• Weapons
• Drugs
• Other

Here’s how it works. If you need to report an incident, you have four avenues for reporting: by text, by web, by email, and by phone. The District will track the report and respond to concerns in a timely way. Please see the information provided at www.safeschools.com for general information. To access the system please go to our website for the Safeschools Alert link on our homepage at www.sjisd.wednet.edu (under Announcements) or go directly to https://1151.alert1.us

Working together we can ensure all students have the opportunity to be highly educated in a safe environment.

For More Information Contact Rick Thompson at 378-4133

Welcome to Wednesday! Here’s a beautiful sunrise photo by Aaron Shepard. Can you name all those islands? (Click to enlarge) Thanks Aaron!

San Juan Islands Sunrise – Aaron Shepard photo

Got some time on Sunday to help out Doug, the Land Bank and the local Garry Oak population? Doug has this to say:

The Garry oak woodland on the south slope of Young Hill. Mike Vouri photo

Calling all members of the Acorn Army!

I am hoping to do a last minute Garry Oak Restoration work party on Cady Mountain this Sunday, March 24th from Noon to 4:00 pm

Meet at the base of Cady Mountain to carpool up. Turn off of West Valley Road onto Cady Mountain Road and meet up at the intersection approximately 100 yards in.
Bring drinking water, gloves, and a handsaw if you have one. Watch the forecast for weather conditions and wear appropriate clothing layers/rain gear.

This will be the first of what will be more or less monthly work parties on Cady. We are trying to be a little more strategic in our approach and would like to engage volunteers to visit and work on a regular basis to keep up momentum on the project as well as experience the changes through the seasons. Additional dates are:

Sunday, April 28th
Sunday, May 26th
Thursday, June 27th
Saturday, July 20th
No work party in August
Sunday, Sept. 29th
Sunday, Oct 27th

If possible please let Doug know if you will be able to join them this Sunday.

Doug McCutchen dougm [@] rockisland.com
www.sjclandbank.org

Here’s some stuff for your calendar…

Mike Vouri with the National Park Service announced this handy collection of things the Park Service has planned, so get your calendar out and click this link for their 2013 Program Guide (pdf)

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But wait – Don’t put that calendar away just yet – Lori Stokes says “Let’s all help give San Juan Island’s roads and beaches a good spring cleaning! Mark your calendar now to participate in the Great Island Clean-Up on Saturday morning, April 20.”

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And for all you contractors wanting to efficiently navigate the local land use permitting process among other things, check out the Free Training for Excavating, Building and Landscaping Professionals

A workshop for local contractors entitled “Land Development Permits and Practices – the Good, the Bad and the Ugly” will be held Friday April 26, at the Grange.

This unique training opportunity is designed to help professional land development contractors including excavators, septic installers, builders, landscapers, owners and operators of heavy machinery and other interested land use professionals improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their businesses. Attendees will learn about new regulations, how to navigate the permit process and best practices to help save time and money and achieve resource protection standards. Continue Reading

Community Health Organizations Collaborate to Provide Workshops on Advance Directives, End-of-Life Planning

PeaceHealth Peace Island Medical Center (PIMC) will offer two workshops on Advance Directives later this month, led by Julianne Dickelman, MA, of the Whatcom Alliance for Health Advancement (WAHA) and PeaceHealth ethicist Ross Fewing, MA.
The workshops, which are free and open to the public, will be 1:30 – 3:00 p.m. and 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, March 27, in the Emergency Medical Services building adjacent to PIMC, at 1079 Spring Street in Friday Harbor.
Due to their experience in health care, Dickelman and Fewing believe strongly in the need for conversations about end-of-life wishes and planning to ensure those wishes are honored.
“We like to think that we will always be healthy and able to make decisions for ourselves,” said Dickelman. “However, it’s possible we could develop a sudden illness or be involved in a serious accident. We might not be able to make decisions for ourselves.”
Dickelman and Fewing said that participants in the workshop will learn:

• Why an Advance Directives, especially a Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care, are critical for every adult, regardless of age
• How to choose someone to be your Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care (your Health Care Agent)
• How to talk to loved ones and physicians about your preferences for end-of-life care
• How to complete the Advance Directive paperwork

Continue Reading

Webb property acquired by English Camp – Click for larger view

The public will have an opportunity to comment on best uses of National Park Service’s new land acquisition at English Camp during an open house scheduled from 5 to 7 p.m., Wednesday March 20, at the Mullis Senior Center.

Old cabins on Webb property – Click for larger view

The meeting will identify some of the challenges and opportunities associated with the March 1 addition of 34 acres of the Westcott Bay property, located on the northeast boundary of English Camp, to San Juan Island National Historical Park. Park staff also will facilitate initial public scoping comments for the development of the Westcott Bay Developmental Concept Plan.

The 30-day formal comment period is from March 18 to April 18, 2013.

“Protecting and conserving the island ecosystem, while allowing for public enjoyment, is integral to the purpose of San Juan Island NHP and the National Park Service, said park superintendent Lee Taylor. “We welcome individuals and organizations to come and provide feedback on the future management of the property and actions that you would like to see considered as we move through the planning process.”

Citizens may also submit comments by writing to the superintendent at the park address above, or emailing lee_taylor [@] nps.gov. For more information about the planning process, please contact Jerald Weaver at 360-378-2240 ext 2224.

Webb Cove and cabins – Click for larger view

Vic Woodward sends this note:

We are presenting our Marriage Mosaic conference for couples at the Earthbox Motel on Friday, March 22nd and Saturday, March 23rd.

This conference will help pre-married and married couples embrace their differences, truly understand one another and communicate honestly and openly with one another.

For more information and online registration, go to: www.marriagemosaic.org There is a pre-conference tool called the Flag Page, so we need couples to contact us so that we can connect them with this tool, which we will unpack on Friday night.

Debbi Fincher over at the Prevention Coalition is looking for those of you with new or established youth programs for summer activities to contact her with your info. Here’s Debbi:

Hello Everyone!

Here we are preparing for yet another amazing summer, filled with activities to engage our youth and families! The San Juan Island Prevention Coalition has sponsored this free calendar for over 6 years now! Local families and visitors alike have found this calendar to be a very useful tool. Our goal is to help keep our youth connected with their community and engaged in fun, exciting and interesting activities over the summer.

Please pass this on to anyone you know that would like to add their activities for our youth and families this summer, 2013! This is a FREE service we are providing to our community. As you know, this calendar is only as good as the information on it. Thank you for your time and help to get all the activities listed for this coming summer:) Continue Reading

Here’s a quick note from Roger deRoos:

The local Friends of the Constitution Coalition are pleased to sponsor a free, educational forum of importance to all in San Juan County, by Ms. Nadia Kayyali, Legal Fellow, of the national Bill of Rights Defense Committee, titled, “Are you Aware of the Secure Communities Program?”  The talk, followed by a town hall discussion, will be presented at the Skagit Valley College on March 21, 2013, from 7:00 to 9:00 pm.

Secure Communities is a federal immigration enforcement program created as a voluntary program in 2008 by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) within the Department of Homeland Security and Cabinet Secretary Janet Napolitano.   Continue Reading