LISD Superintendent Ed Murray
Hello,
This message is long overdue, but I am happy that I have finally reached a point where I have a moment to consider a general message to the community. First, I must acknowledge the members of the School Board and the broader community for allowing me the opportunity to serve the Lopez Island and Decatur Island communities as the new superintendent of the Lopez Island School District (LISD). I know the process and the decisions were not easy. I am grateful that the community entrusted me with such a tremendous responsibility.
I am also grateful for the opportunity to live in such a beautiful place with a supportive and friendly community. Finding a place to live was challenging. My wife, Joey, and I (along with our four-legged daughter, Riley) spent two and a half months in a hotel before finally closing on our new home on Lopez Island. We are still settling into the new house and adjusting to an exceptional style of living.
Despite the new living arrangements, my focus is on the recent work on our campuses each day. The new school year has begun, and our students and staff have returned to a full-time face-to-face educational environment. Despite mask mandates and other safety protocols still in place, everyone seems to have adapted well to a modest return to normalcy. Athletics, Homecoming dances, and other extracurricular activities are all on the agenda for the new year.
As a new superintendent, many of the elements of the new school year (e.g., budgets, staffing, etc.) were already in place when I took the helm on July 1, 2021. I intend to be a good steward of those plans while keeping a watchful eye out for opportunities to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
An area where I can have an immediate impact is communications. I want to increase our social media presence, create a more robust website with regular updates, enhance existing platforms, and explore other ways of sharing information with the community.
Because of COVID-19, we have not conducted the usual meet-and-greet sessions with the new superintendent. Still, I have become acquainted with people through meetings, in the market, in restaurants, on the ferry, and other ways. I invite you to introduce yourself if you see me in the school's halls or on the streets of Lopez Island. If I may be of service to your work in the community, please let me know. I am sure we have many common interests and concerns.
I look forward to working on behalf of our students, staff, and the broader community for many years. I am committed to service and solutions in my work. In the weeks and months ahead, and with your help, we will clarify and enhance the mission and vision of LISD.
Thank you,
Ed Murray
Superintendent