Olympia School District

Every three years school districts throughout the state are required to survey middle and high school students in order to determine their interest in sports. The results of this survey are used to assist the district in offering and planning programs aligned to student interest.

As preparation for the upcoming school year, the Superintendent and Board of Directors seek input from parents, students, staff and the community on the Olympia School District 2018-19 school year budget. This survey has three parts: A) A series of forced choice questions (by forcing respondents to choose between two valuable investments, a natural ranking emerges), 2) An open-ended narrative section; what does each respondent value about our school district and what efficiencies do you suggest? And, 3) A tool to capture how you would spend an extra 1% in resources.

Mark your calendars for the 4th annual OSD Technology Fair on Saturday, January 20 at Capital High School. This year’s theme is “Connect, Collaborate, Create.”

On our Back to School page, families will find links to resources like school supplies, bus routes, new student registration and more!

Several Capital High School ninth- and tenth-grade students recently participated in “Boeing Manufacturing Day” in at the Boeing Co. Renton facility.

The Capital High School turf field, which was temporarily closed due to a broken gate locking system, has re-opened and is available for public use. We apologize for the inconvenience while repairs to the gate were made.

Congratulations to Capital High School junior Chris Penner! He recently received the South Sound Conference (SSC) Scholar Athlete Award. This award is given to one male and one female athlete at the end of the fall, winter and spring sports seasons.

Thurston County residents may register to vote online, by mail or in-person at the Thurston County Auditor’s Office for the November 6, 2018 General Election.

We are pleased to announce that the Olympia School District Board of Directors has approved the school year calendar for the 2018-2019 school year.

The community is invited to view and comment on initial sketches of a proposed new Capital High School Performing Arts Center, as well as learn about other school building improvements.

The district recently announced this year’s Classified School Employees of the Year. Congratulations to Marilyn Dye, Michell Orwig and Carolyn Poage.

Congratulations to seven newly certified Olympia School District National Board Certified Teachers, as well as to six educators who renewed their certification this year.

Lisa Estcourt, reading intervention specialist at Madison Elementary, is this year’s OSD Elementary Teacher of the Year. Blue Peetz, an instructor at the Freedom Farm, is this year’s OSD Secondary Teacher of the Year. These two outstanding educators will be honored at the Monday, March 26 Olympia School Board meeting. The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. at Washington Middle School, 3100 Cain Rd. S.E., Olympia.

The school board invites students, employees and the community to share feedback, including questions or comments, about policies undergoing review.

The Olympia School Board unanimously agreed on June 11 to declare June 2018 as Pride Month.

Did you know the Olympia School District offers a variety of Early Childhood programs? Educational and family support services are available to children from infancy to kindergarten age, through several of our elementary schools and in cooperation with other community early learning providers.

The Olympia School District Communications department was honored this past week with two “Best in Category” awards by the Washington School Public Relations Association (WSPRA). This award goes to the highest scoring district in Washington state.

Congratulations to the Class of 2018! If you are unable to attend graduations in person, then you can cheer on your graduate online.

The Olympia School District is joining the state this week in recognizing Education Support Professionals Week.

In cooperation with Olympia Orthopedic Associates and local health-care providers, the district offers standard sports physicals at no cost (these physical examinations do not replace recommended “well-child” checks conducted by your family health-care provider). You are strongly encouraged to visit your family health care provider annually.

The newly constructed two-story Hansen Elementary mini-building will open its doors to students on March 19 and be the site of a dedication ceremony on Thursday, March 22.

Olympia High School Head Custodian Carolyn Poage has been named the Capital Region Educational Service District (ESD) 113 Classified School Employee of the Year.

Every January school districts across the state and nation honor their board of directors during School Board Recognition Month.

Thurgood Marshall Middle School joins an elite group of only 20 middle/junior high schools statewide that have been named a School of Distinction for being among the top 5 percent of highest improving schools.

Joined by family and friends in the audience, the three newest school board directors elected in November took their official oath of office at the December 11 Olympia School Board meeting.

The Olympia School District is accepting nominations through Thursday, February 15, for one or more staff members to be honored as OSD Teacher of the Year.

Olympia School Board President Eileen Thomson read a proclamation at the September 25 school board meeting designating October 2017 as Walk to School Month in the Olympia School District.

Join us for a community forum to see plans for the new classroom addition and site improvements at Olympia High School. This will also serve as an opportunity for the public to chat with architects about the project.

Congratulations to Olympia High School senior Imani Mabwa-Childress! He was recently awarded a $1,000 Thurston Group of Washington State Scholarship during the organization’s annual Martin Luther King, Jr. banquet at South Puget Sound Community College.

Congratulations to Olympia High School choir teacher Dan Schwartz on being named a 2018 Chinook Region Outstanding Music Educator by the Washington Music Educators Association (WMEA! Schwartz teaches Chamber Choir, Concert Choir, Men’s Ensemble, Women’s Ensemble and Symphonic Choir. Honorees are selected based on the outstanding work they do each day to bring music to life for students. In a WMEA award letter, Schwartz is commended for his “dedication, pursuit of excellence and belief in the value of music education.” He is also recognized for “making a difference every day that inspires others.” Schwartz will be recognized at the WMEA State Conference in Yakima on February 16.

The Olympia Police Department will conduct a training exercise on Wednesday, November 22 at the old John Rogers School building.

The Olympia School Board has unanimously approved a resolution calling for common sense gun safety legislation, increased mental health education and services, opposition to efforts to arm educators and staff in schools, and support of a March for Our Lives on March 24 in Olympia.

January 15 is the deadline to register online to vote or to update existing voter registration information for the February 13, 2018 Special Election.

Olympia School District’s 5-year Strategic Plan expires at the end of 2018. Later this month, nearly 150 people representing a cross-section of the community -- students, staff, family members and community members -- will come together for an intensive two-day Educational Summit. This Summit will mark the beginning of our exciting work to develop an educational road map for the next five years and beyond.

The newly constructed two-story Pioneer Elementary mini-building will open its doors to students on Wednesday, January 17 and be the site of a dedication ceremony later the same day.

The community is invited to a reception on Monday, November 20 to recognize three outgoing Olympia School District Board of Directors.

The Olympia School District has one measure on the February 13, 2018 Special Election ballot: a proposed four-year technology and safety replacement levy.

The Olympia School District has three school board seats on the November 7, 2017 General Election ballot. The following candidates are vying for one of the three board seats: Director District 3: Katie Bridges and Leslie Huff Director District 4: Ann Heitkemper and Hilary Seidel Director District 5: Mark Campeau and Scott Clifthorne

The newly constructed two-story Roosevelt Elementary classroom mini-building opened its doors to students on Friday, April 20 and will be the site of a dedication ceremony on Monday, April 30.

Skyward is operating normally today, November 10, after several days of intermittent access and slowness. Families should once again be able to access the Student Information System. Thank you for your patience.

Skyward Family Access is currently down due to a significant network outage that is affecting access to the system state-wide. Vendors are working to get the system back online.

In this most recent edition of Spotlight on Success; Madison Science Expo draws record participation, Capital High teacher instrumental in passage of new IB law, Student’s video entry wins $10,000 top prize, Reeves Middle School hosts interactive STEAM Night and much more!

In this most recent edition of Spotlight on Success; Pioneer Elementary students tune-in for ‘Hour of Code’, Marshall MS honored as a School of Distinction, Olympia High School hosts Small Claims Court, Polar Express event delights LP Brown students and much more!

In this most recent edition of Spotlight on Success; Capital HS students receive top honor at Puget Sound All Girls Film Festival, Centennial Elementary has a heart for veterans and first responders, Jefferson Middle School REACH students create monstrous new production and much more!

In this most recent edition of Spotlight on Success; “A Moment in Time” celebrates the history and future of Garfield Elementary, Meet Ainsley Austin - the 2017-18 Board of Directors Student Representative, Countdown to Kindergarten set for February 10 and much more!

In this most recent edition of Spotlight on Success; Jefferson student and teacher work together to open doors to possibility, District announces this year's Teachers of the Year, Jeanette’s Joy ‘The Richard & Jeanette Levesque Memorial Music Fund’, Capital High teacher named DECA Adviser of the Year and much more!

In this most recent edition of Spotlight on Success; Camp sparks STEM interest among middle school girls, Olympia High Economics team students win trip to New York, Lincoln Elementary celebrates two-decade partnership with Ruben Dario, Capital High student attends first-ever Washington STEM Signing Day and much more!

Olympia School District Superintendent Patrick Murphy and seven other area school district leaders have made an urgent plea to lawmakers asking them to fix state education funding by the end of this current legislative session.

Teacher Appreciation Week is being celebrated throughout the Olympia School District Monday, May 7 through Friday, May 11.

The Olympia School Board has unanimously agreed to place a technology and safety replacement levy before voters in February to help pay for increased student access to technology, as well as safety projects districtwide.

Olympia School District voters have approved a four-year technology and safety replacement levy, according to unofficial February 13 Special Election results.

The Olympia School District welcomed Washington State First Lady Trudi Inslee on October 4 for Taste Washington Day, which is celebrated each year statewide.

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