LISD Superintendent Ed Murray
March 3, 2023
We continue to deal with significant issues regarding planning for the school district’s future.
We want to be clear that decisions have yet to be made regarding our organizational structure for
the 2023-2024 school year. We are still exploring options and expect to have more clarity around
this issue by the end of March.
One thing that has been misrepresented is the status of our elementary principal and special education director, Mary Fordham. Principal Fordham will remain a critical component of our admin team, but she has requested that she be reduced to a 0.5 FTE employee next year while continuing to serve as our special education director. With the extra time this will provide, Principal Fordham will be working toward completing her Ph.D., which has been on the back burner for the past two-plus years. We genuinely value Principal Fordham’s work on behalf of students and staff, and we are excited to work together to help her achieve her personal goals.
A Calendar Committee and Budget Advisory Committee (B.A.C.) will begin their work this
month. The Calendar Committee had an organizational meeting on Wednesday, March 1, 2023,
to review the committee’s purpose and select a chairperson. The committee will be reviewing a
proposed calendar for the 2023-2024 school year (expected to be similar to years past) and
considering modified-balanced school year options for the future. The Calendar Committee is
scheduled to meet again on Tuesday, March 7, 2023, in the library/media center. The B.A.C. will have its first meeting on Saturday, March 4, 2023, from 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. in the multi-purpose room. Anyone interested in participating on the budget committee in this critical time is welcome to attend. A second meeting is scheduled for March 18, 2023, from 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. The focus of the March meetings will be the development of enrollment and staffing projections for the 2023-2024 school year. Subsequent meetings in April will focus on revenue projections, and the May meetings will concentrate on expense projections. The B.A.C. will meet twice each month from March through May.
If any community member has specific questions about what we are doing as a district, please
email me at [email protected] or the school board at
[email protected]. We are stronger as a team working together and moving in a
common direction in service to our mission and vision.
Ed Murray
Superintendent
Lopez Island School District
86 School Road
Lopez Island, WA 98261
Office: (360) 468-2202
Cell: (360) 421-6377
Email: [email protected]lopezislandschool.org
February 14, 2023
The LIPTSA Executive Board met with Superintendent Murray to gain clarity and factual information about the ongoing conversation at the school district regarding the potential changes to the education model at our school. As an organization that represents parents, teachers, staff and students, We are trying to understand these potential changes from the perspective of all sides involved.
In an effort to dispel some of the rumors that are circulating in the community about the potential changes at the school, and to prepare our community for a productive public comment session, the LIPTSA board would like to share this conversation with Superintendent Murray that may address some of the questions you and others may have.
Links to the Superintendent Response
English
Spanish
Previous Superintendent messages
February 10, 2023
May 23, 2022
March 23
Superintendent's Report to the Board
March 11, 2022
January 14, 2022
January 7, 2022
12/17/2021
12/10/2021
12/8/21 School Threat Followup
12/3/2021
Fall 2021