Season's Greetings Methow Valley Students, Parents, and Community Members,

As we embrace the holiday season, I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude and deep appreciation for this place and the people who call the Methow Valley home. Recently, I’ve had the privilege of attending several community gatherings, festive events, and activities—each one showcasing a strong sense of purpose, joy, and a deep connection to one another. Whether through celebration or through acts of kindness and support for others, I’m continually reminded of the many strengths that define us as a community.

For my family, the holiday season symbolizes a time of much-needed reflection, connection, and rejuvenation. As a spouse and as a parent, it serves as a joyful time spent reconnecting with family and friends, and enjoying the festivities of the season. As community members, it also serves as a time of outreach in support of those who find themselves faced with significant hardship and unmet needs. Balancing these interests, this period of time has typically included some variation of time spent building puzzles with family members, skiing, visiting family, and volunteering in support of others.

While these activities vary from year to year as our children grow older (us too), there is one tradition that remains constant in our family - the stringing of lights. Over the years, I have come to realize that the lights strung about our home, each one, connected to another, are symbolic of the kindness, care, and loving relationships displayed within our schools and throughout our community - each light shining a bright ray of hope into the darkness – ensuring every student feels valued, dignified, and supported as they find their path forward, regardless of the challenges they may face.

With this thought in mind, it’s my hope that this year’s holiday season, inclusive of you and your family's history, traditions, and cultures, provides each of you with time to relax, reflect, reconnect, and recharge, knowing that each of you serves as a bright light, cultivating a sense of hope in others, especially those who may find themselves surrounded by darkness, illuminating the limitless possibilities that await them.

Winter Break Schedule:

Winter break officially begins Monday, December 23, and continues through Friday, January 3. All schools and the district office will be closed to the public during this period of time, with classes resuming on Monday, January 6, 2025.

Happy holidays,

Tom Venable

Superintendent, Methow Valley School District

Dear Methow Valley School District Students, Parents, and Community Members,

As part of the ongoing Superintendent Search and Selection process, we invite you to participate in a Community Focus Group listening session, which will be facilitated by Superintendent Search Consultant Andy Wolf from Northwest Leadership Associates. The session is scheduled for Thursday, January 9th, 2025, from 6:00 to 7:00 pm in the LBHS Cafeteria.

The primary goal of this session is to gather valuable input from our community (all interested stakeholders) that will help inform the next steps in the selection process. During the meeting, Mr. Wolf will lead a discussion centered around the following key questions:

1. What are the strengths of the community and district?
2. What are the challenges and opportunities faced by the district?
3. What professional qualifications should we prioritize in the next Superintendent?
4. What personal characteristics would you like to see in the next Superintendent?

We encourage you to join us and share your insights as we work together to shape the future leadership of the Methow Valley School District.

We look forward to your participation.

Sincerely,

Dana Stromberger

MVSD School Board Chair

Dear Methow Valley Students, Parents, and Community Members,

Due to inclement weather and adverse driving conditions, the MVSD is closed today. When our schools are closed, all after-school athletic programs, events, and activities are cancelled. This includes the cancellation of tonight’s Poetry Out Loud event. 

As a result, we will be rescheduling the Poetry Out Loud event. We will work to identify a new date and will share that information as soon as possible. 

In the meantime, stay safe and we’ll see you again soon.

Best wishes,

Kelly Grayum

Teacher

Liberty Bell Junior-Senior High

Elyse Darwood

Principal

Liberty Bell Junior-Senior High

Sara Mounsey

Principal

ILC Principal

Wednesday, December 18, 2024: MVSD Schools and District Office Closed, All After-School Athletics and Activities Cancelled

Dear Methow Valley Students, Parents, and Community Members,

After assessing the road conditions, coupled with a variety of factors contributing to the challenge of safely operating our schools, we will be closing our schools today. When schools are closed, all after-school athletic events, practices, and activities are cancelled.

Be safe,

Tom

Dear Methow Valley Students, Parents, and Community Members,
We hope each of you made it home safely this evening.
With several inches of snow accumulating throughout the afternoon and into the early evening, and forecasts predicting continued snowfall into the early morning, followed by a wintery mix, resulting in potentially hazardous driving conditions, the Methow Valley School District will be operating on a two-hour delayed start schedule on Wednesday, December 18th, with Emergency Bus Routes in effect.
We hope that by delaying the start of school, we will provide state and county road crews the additional time necessary to clear roads, ensuring safe travel for students, parents, staff, and community members.
We will reassess the situation in the morning. If road conditions should worsen, making travel unsafe and requiring us to close our schools, we will notify you no later than 8:00 am.
Be safe,
Tom

Due to heavy snow fall and expected poor road conditions, all MVSD activities, MV Nordic, AAU Basketball and Winthrop Rink Hockey will be cancelled for December 17th..

Dear Methow Valley Community,

The Methow Valley School District Board of Directors is announcing the pending vacancy of an "at-large" board seat. Long-standing board member Gary Marchbank has announced his resignation, effective December 31,2024. In accordance with District Policy 1114, Board Member Resignation and Vacancy, the school board is now seeking applications from qualified individuals for this position.

Interested candidates are invited to submit the following materials:

● A completed application and questionnaire

● A brief letter of interest

● A current resume

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, January 8, 2025, by 4:00 PM.

Thank you for your interest in supporting the continued growth and development of the Methow Valley School District!

For more info please see our School Board Opening Page: LINK

Sincerely,

Dana Stromberger

Chair, Methow Valley School District Board of Directors

The MVSD Board of Directors have begun the search for a new Superintendent to take over for the retiring Tom Venable. The Board has selected Northwest Leadership Associates to assist in our search. They would like to hear from you about the challenges and opportunities as well as the qualities you wish to see in the next Superintendent. The Superintendent Search Community Stakeholder Survey closes at the end of the day on December 13, 2024.

Please share your feedback by clicking on the Superintendent Search Community Stakeholder Survey at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/​r/METHOW25