Mission
To expect, encourage and facilitate the pursuit of excellence in our students, preparing them for a world in which life-long learning is critical to their success and happiness.
A Vision for Methow Valley Schools
Working in partnership with our families and community, we develop curious, creative, compassionate, competent, action-oriented citizens prepared to change the world.
When is your child too sick for school?
Please take a look at this graphic from Washington State OSPI for guidelines on when to say home.
Air Quality Monitoring and Protective Procedures
The Methow Valley School District is committed to protecting the health and well-being of all students and staff. Just as we monitor road conditions to ensure safe travel, we also closely monitor air quality to provide a safe and healthy learning environment.
Below is a rundown of Methow Valley School District (MVSD) procedures for optimizing student and staff well being through air quality monitoring and associated practices, followed by a more detailed explanation of some of the considerations informing the adoption of these procedures.
MVSD procedures:
Air quality monitoring. Outdoor and indoor air quality monitoring is conducted on an ongoing basis through the consultation of reliable monitors located in Winthrop and Twisp and maintained by the WA Department of Ecology. When values from these monitors are significantly different, or if conditions are rapidly changing (as is common during wildfire smoke episodes) the Purple Air sensor on campus and/or a handheld Kaiterra sensor may be used as additional reference points. The network of Purple Air monitors offer an accessible and time-sensitive tool for evaluating air quality, but are less reliable than Department of Ecology monitors and require a conversion in order to be interpreted according to the scale outlined below. Follow these directions in order to apply that conversion if referencing Purple Air network data.
The principals, Athletic Director, superintendent and others may be involved in looking at air quality information and making determinations concerning acceptable activity levels and communicating these expectations to staff, students and families. The school will work to accommodate any parent who has health concerns and specific directives about their child’s need to remain indoors if they are concerned about air quality.
Outdoor air quality.
Athletic Practices and Competition: Athletic practices and events will follow the WA DOH guidelines. The athletic director will monitor air quality and make determinations about adjustments to scheduled practices or competitions. Due to sometimes rapidly changing weather conditions and associated air quality measures, this may involve “day of” adjustments to schedules, but every effort will be made to reach a determination no later than the end of lunch each day.
Indoor air quality. Our school is committed to maximizing the quality of indoor air for our students. During episodes of poor air quality, purifiers with HEPA filtration are operated in every classroom and activity space throughout the school. Monitoring of indoor air quality is conducted throughout the day to ensure student safety. We additionally follow the recommendations of the Washington State DOH “Improving Ventilation and Indoor Air Quality during Wildfire Smoke Events.” This includes:
● Giving staff guidance on the optimal use of air purifiers
● Closing windows and doors and minimizing traffic flow in and out of the building
● Closing fresh air intake on HVAC system
● Using the highest MERV rated filter possible on the HVAC system and running the system at full capacity to filter air
● Following maintenance steps for HVAC systems and classroom air purifiers to ensure filters are routinely replaced
For more information please visit
Methow Valley School District Board of Directors Seeks Applicants for Board Vacancy
Dear Methow Valley Community,
The Methow Valley School District Board of Directors is announcing the pending vacancy of an "at-large" board seat, which is scheduled to be vacated by long-serving board member Frank Kline, effective September 1, 2025. In accordance with District Policy 1114, Board Member Resignation and Vacancy, the school board is now seeking applications from qualified individuals who wish to be considered to fill this position.
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Interested candidates are invited to submit the following materials:
Completed applications may be submitted in person at the District Office, located at 18 Twin Lakes Rd, Winthrop, WA 98862 or via email to: HR@methow.org. The deadline for submission is Wednesday, September 10, 2025, by 4:00 PM.
The Board will review all completed applications submitted on or before the deadline. They will invite up to five candidates for interviews. Interviews will take place during an open public meeting scheduled to take place on Thursday, September 25, 2025, at 5:30 PM during a portion of the Methow Valley School District Board of Directors regularly scheduled school board meeting. In an effort to promote transparency, fairness, and equal opportunity, the screening and interview process will be facilitated by Michelle Price, Superintendent of the NCESD or Linda McKay, Deputy Superintendent of the NCESD. Following the candidate interviews, the board will appoint the new member based on a majority vote of the remaining board members, The selected candidate will be expected to serve until the next regularly scheduled school board election, at which time, a school board director will be elected.
To be eligible, candidates must:
For more information on the roles and responsibilities of a school district board member, we encourage you to reach out to current school board directors, the superintendent, and/or review the WSSDA School Board Standards at: https://wssda.org/member-services/governance-resources/washington-school-board-standards/.
Thank you for your interest in supporting the continued growth and development of the Methow Valley School District!
Sincerely,
Dana Stromberger, Methow Valley School District Board Chair
Bus stop registration
Please be sure to contact Leanna at the bus garage to verify your student’s bus stop for the new year if you have not already. As families move, change plans etc, your bus stop info won’t be carried over automatically to the new year. Please contact us asap @ ljensen@methow.org or 509.997.2113
You can also stop by my station at LBHS during BACK TO SCHOOL DAYS/Registration, August 20th-21st.
Bus stop times
Bus stop times are approximate. Please allow 5+ minutes before or after the published time as weather, traffic, wildlife, road conditions, etc can affect the schedule. Times may change slightly during the beginning of the school year as updates are made.
Contact information
Please make sure your physical address, phone number(s), and email address is always up to date with your building secretary. We use this info to contact you in case of emergency or route issues.
Kinders
Kinders are assigned only one bus stop, any additional stops must be accompanied by a bus note with each occurrence.
All kinders MUST have a parent or other designated adult present and in sight of the bus driver at drop off every time. Older siblings will be considered, depending on age (12 plus) and level of responsibility. Families will receive more info on this during the kindergarten conferences, August 26th-29th.
Food Service Prices and information for the 2025-2026 School Year
Under House Bill 1238, Methow Valley Elementary has qualified for FREE breakfast and lunch for all K-5 students for the 2025-26 school year!
The cost of a “single milk only” (aka an extra milk, second milk, cold lunch milk) is $.50 cents for all students K-12.
Breakfast is $2.30 for 6-12 grade students.
Lunch is $3.55 for 6-12 grade students.
Payments can be made with check or cash to the MVES and LBHS offices.
We ask that families continue to fill out Food Service Applications to see if you may qualify for free or reduced priced meals. You can fill out an electronic version in Skyward Family Access or there are hard copies at the MVES and LBHS offices. House Bill 1238 eligibility is determined on an annual basis and it is therefore critical that families continue to fill out F/R applications so that information can be used to help ALL Methow Valley Elementary students qualify for free meals the following year. Additionally, F/R lunch applications are also used to determine student eligibility and automatic enrollment for certain state financial aid and college (4 year, 2 year, and technical) grant programs.
If you have already received an emailed letter stating your student qualifies for free or reduced priced meals you won’t need to fill out an additional application.
Please note that each student has their own MVSD food service account with their own lunch number. Their individual account stays with them for the duration of their school career, building to building. Balances carry over year to year.
MVSD Clubs & Aftercare Info
AfterCare Program- In order to provide elementary-age children with access to high quality, affordable after-school childcare, we created the After School Childcare program in September 2016. Our AfterCare program is available for MVE students Monday through Thursday from 3:10-5pm, and Fridays from 1:20-3pm for grades K-5. Aftercare is a free childcare program offered for families who need care after the school day. Snacks and activities are provided, alongside bus transportation to the Winthrop Barn and the Twisp Community Center.
AfterCare begins on Tuesday, August 26th. Registration is required, and space is limited. More information can be found on our school website or you can Register For AfterCare Here
Clubs: MVSD has partnered with the Public School Funding Alliance (PSFA) to significantly expand student access to enriching after-school activities, at no cost to families.
Last year, the MVSD hosted over 120 clubs! Clubs are led by community members and parents who want to offer an enriching activity for students after school. Art, Jiu Jitsu, Running, Dungeons & Dragons, Chess, Trashion Fashion, and Yoga are just a few examples of some of the activities that you might see offered at various points throughout the school year.
Generally speaking, clubs run in 6-7 week sessions, and have separate registration periods. We strive to give each student an opportunity to participate in after school clubs.
Fall Clubs will begin Monday, September 8th. Registration for fall clubs will begin the week of August 26th. Look for an email with registration info, or check our school website.
Any questions can be directed to our Family & Community Engagement Coordinator, Laurel Carlton at lcarlton@methow.org
Register for Liberty Bell Athletics
Fall sports registration is open! Here's the link to get your student-athlete signed up:
https://methowvalley-wa.finalforms.com/
We have a new registration platform this year--Final Forms. Here is a guide to getting started:
Sports schedules can be found on our district website.
Questions? Reach out to Liberty Bell Athletic Director Michael Wilbur (mwilbur@methow.org).
Go Mountain Lions!
Meeting Notice: Special Meeting MVSD Board of Directors Planning Retreat
METHOW VALLEY SCHOOL
DISTRICT NO. 350
OKANOGAN COUNTY, WASHINGTON
Notice of special meeting for Board of Director training and planning retreat; No final actions will be taken.
Notice is hereby given, pursuant RCW 42.30.080 and board policy 1400 and 1810, that the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Methow School District No. 350, Okanogan, County, Washington (the “District”) will hold a special meeting on August 6, 2025, commencing at 9:00 AM at the upstairs meeting room at the Methow Conservancy located at 414 Riverside Ave Winthrop WA 98862. The meeting is called for the purpose of board and superintendent training in communications, relations, and responsibilities. This meeting is open to the public to observe and listen. There will be no public comment or action taken by the board at this meeting. Meeting Agenda and meeting materials are available on the District website methow.org or may be obtained by contacting the district office at 509-996-9205.
METHOW VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 350
OKANOGAN COUNTY, WASHINGTON
/s/ Dr. Grant Storey
Superintendent and Secretary to the Board of Directors
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