Last year, we partnered with more than 1,000 parents, staff, students and community members to build five goals we will reach by 2025. These five goals are the North Star that will guide our work so that we can help our students have even more success in school and life.

I am excited to introduce you to Tahoma CARES:

There is no limit to what we can accomplish when we put students at the center of our work and stay committed to supporting their success. With your help, we are excited to make our 2025 goals a reality and continue to show how much Tahoma CARES.

In partnership,

Mike Hanson

Superintendent

On Wednesday, Tahoma staff were ecstatic to welcome students in grades 1-12 to our buildings, and we can't wait for our newest Tahoma students to join us in kindergarten on Sept. 7. Thank you to our students, staff and families for helping us to start off this new school year the same way we made it through the past 18 months -- together, and with grace, understanding and resilience.

For additional photos from the first day, head over to Facebook or Instagram. In the next few days, we'll also be updating building websites with new photos. Did you capture a favorite first-day photo that you would like to share with us? Tag us on social media, or send us a copy at TSDMessages@tahomasd.us.

Editor's note: If you missed Superintendent Hanson's welcome message on Tuesday evening, please click here.

Our newest School Board Director Michael Wiggins says that he looks forward to connecting with Tahoma families and helping to strengthen the partnerships throughout the district. “I think the relationships have always been a great thing about our district,” Wiggins said, noting that’s why he and his family moved here 18 years ago.

The Tahoma School Board last week voted 4-0 to select Michael Wiggins to fill the Director District 2 position. That board seat was vacant due to the resignation of Katrina Montgomery, whose family relocated out of state this summer. Wiggins lives in Maple Valley with his wife and five children who attend Tahoma schools, and he works as a lawyer.

“I’m looking forward to working with the other directors, Superintendent Hanson, and the entire community of Tahoma staff and families to ensure that we continue to provide the best education and opportunities possible for all of our students,” said Wiggins, who took the oath of office in a public meeting on Aug. 27.

Asked what he wants the community to know about him, he noted that many issues have become very politicized recently. Wiggins emphasized that he isn’t entering his role on the School Board with any political agenda, and promised to be a critical thinker and consider policies on a case-by-case basis. “The role is to work with the community and establish policy that works (for Tahoma),” he said. Wiggins reiterated that he's not in this new position to trumpet his position on issues.

Wiggins grew up in Texas and attended high school and college in Washington state, earning his bachelor’s degree in molecular biology from the University of Washington and a law degree from Seattle University School of Law. He is the chief legal officer and general counsel for a technology company. Wiggins said he’s still a huge fan of science, but determined that law was a better fit for him.

The current board members interviewed Wiggins and the three other community members who applied in a public meeting on Aug. 24, then discussed the qualifications of the applicants in executive session before voting in a second public meeting Thursday night. The other three applicants were Jaya Mallik, Carol Lake and Ben Hayman. The directors asked the same 12 questions of each candidate.

“We are thrilled to welcome Michael onto the Board. As a parent in our district, he shares our deep commitment to helping all Tahoma students thrive, and his legal expertise will add great value to our discussions and decision making,” Board President Malia Hollowell said.

Among the skills Wiggins said he would bring to the board are a critical eye and an understanding of how to analyze complicated data and situations. Asked about the role that the district plays in supporting students’ mental health, academics and social-emotional learning, he said, “This is at the heart of the board’s duties.” Wiggins continued to list policy-setting, approving curriculum, helping to establish goals in areas such as student assessment, securing physical facilities to meet student needs and also staying attuned to the environment (culture and climate) inside the schools.

For fun, he and his family love to travel and have new adventures, and “pretty much anything outdoors.” Wiggins said he also loves woodworking and fly fishing, and recently enjoyed reading the book “Tiny Habits” by B.J. Fogg.

In his application, Wiggins said “The district faces complex challenges. The solutions to those challenges can only come about by being willing to listen to all sides and relying on empirical data, sound reasoning and empathy for the students and families in this district; innovate and collaborate toward approaches that truly address … where those problems lie.” He continued: “The Tahoma School District is the only district my children have ever known, and I want it to remain the kind of district that drew us to Maple Valley in the first place, nearly 18 years ago. I believe that it can be, but only if it addresses its current issues and challenges in an informed, thoughtful, diligent and reasoned manner. … I want to be part of the effort and team that keeps us on that course.”

When there is a vacancy on the School Board in a position that is mid-term, the board appoints someone to fill that vacancy. In this case, former board director Katrina Montgomery resigned from her position in June because her family moved out of state. Wiggins will serve until November of 2023, at which time the position will be up for election for a four-year term. He is eligible to run for election at that time, along with any other qualified candidates. In general, School Board directors each represent a geographic area, with each Director District drawn to include about one-fifth of the people who reside in the School District. The Director Districts are adjusted following each Census. School Director elections are voted on by all registered voters in the School District, regardless of where the voter lives within the district.

The Tahoma School Board on July 27 approved the district’s 2021-22 operating budget.

“The district’s responsibility is to provide an exemplary learning experience for every student at Tahoma, and guide them to develop the skills for a valuable future,” said School Board Director Pete Miller. “This budget, which uses a portion of our fund balance reserve, was carefully informed by our five-year goals, and contemplates the costs associated with achieving those goals for the district. Our vote intends that the funds we’ve received from our students’ families and other tax-paying community members are being used responsibly to make Tahoma the best it can be for our students.”

This school-year budget allocates dollars to the General Fund, Transportation Vehicle Fund, Capital Projects Fund, Debt Service Fund and Associated Student Body fund. Following a Public Hearing on July 20, Assistant Superintendent Lori Cloud presented the final budget to the School Board. The budget was adopted 3-1, with Board Director Val Paganelli voting against the resolution.

The budget includes a forecast through 2024-25, and shows the district reducing its fund balance reserve each year. The fund balance reserve, which is currently 26.6 percent of the operating budget, would be depleted by the 2024-25 school year without local levy funding, which is eligible for renewal in 2024. The district is using its fund balance reserve with the goal of reducing the balance to 10-12 percent of the budget over the next two fiscal years.

Here is a breakdown of the operating budget and highlights for how funds will be used:

General Fund: $149,942,125

Accounts for the largest portion of the budget 

An increase from the 2020-2021 budget of about $142 million

The increase is mostly attributed to salaries and benefits, and includes additional teaching staff due to anticipated enrollment increases

Revenue is expected to be $140,145,242, which is $9,796,882 less than expenditures. The district’s fund balance reserve will be used to cover the difference.

Transportation Vehicle Fund: $700,100

Capital Projects Fund: $22,261,305

Associated Student Body Fund: $1,815,135

Budget documents are available for review here in BoardDocs. The budget process started in March, when the board reviewed demographic information including enrollment trends and population projections. The board continued to review budget information throughout April, May and June before the public hearing and final adoption in July. Throughout the year, the board receives regular finance and enrollment reports during its meetings.

We are asking students and staff members to stay home when sick, especially this school year. To protect our students, staff members, and our Tahoma family, we need to work together to limit the spread of COVID-19 in our buildings.

Here are some symptoms that you and your student should be aware of (per the CDC and Washington State Dept. of Health). If you or your student are experiencing these symptoms, please don’t send your child to school, and find a COVID-19 testing site near you: headache, fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, new loss of taste or new loss of smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea.

If a staff member recognizes that a student is showing these symptoms, they will be sent to the nurse’s office. If the student cannot provide a doctor’s note explaining an alternate reason for their symptoms, they will be sent home to quarantine. Other students and staff who were exposed to COVID-19 may also get sick and be forced to quarantine, affecting families throughout the district.

To keep each other safe and to prevent these disruptive steps for your student and our Tahoma family, we strongly encourage you and your student to stay home when sick.

Families looking for information about the district’s COVID-19 protocols and procedures can review the Tahoma Return-to-School Guidebook, or the COVID-specific FAQs.

Other answers to general questions are available in our General back-to-school FAQs.

If you have a question or concern that isn’t addressed in these documents, please reach out to us at 425-413-3409 or TSDMessages@tahomasd.us.

The district's COVID-19 test site is temporarily closed due to a change in testing partners. The change is being made in order to offer quicker test results for students, staff and families. We hope to reopen the test site in late September.

To find a free COVID-19 test site, click here.

Wondering how best to keep in touch with Tahoma, and find out the latest news? We post updates and information to a variety of tools and platforms. Here’s a look at some of the methods we use to stay in communication with Tahoma students, families and staff:

The Backpack Buddies of Maple Valley is turning 5 this year. The nonprofit organization offers food to help Tahoma students during the weekends. The program is available for any family that opts their student in (there is no criteria to meet). Volunteers with Backpack Buddies pack bags of food weekly for students enrolled in the program each week of the year.  

To sign up for the program, please visit the Backpack Buddies website at www.backpackbuddiesofmaplevalley.org, fill out the form that comes from the schools (students in pre-K through eighth grade will bring home a paper copy of the form) or talk with your school counselor.  

Information about volunteering or donating to the organization is also available on their website.

Tahoma High School’s robotics team Bear Metal hosted a weeklong summer camp for students in August. Students had the chance to build and program the “Vex V5” robots for a mini-competition at the end of the camp.

“This event marked the beginning of this year's outreach. We have hopes of getting back into our youth-targeted activities such as this one in the near future,” said Bear Metal President Lily Oliphant, a senior at THS. “For the 2021-2022 school year, we plan on competing again this upcoming winter. Additionally, we are planning on even attending a non-competitive event with a couple of teams in October.”

The team is actively recruiting new members, and encourages any 8th-12th grade students to attend their first meeting of the year from 2:20-5 p.m. on Sept. 21 at THS in room C-101 (the robotics classroom).

Help is needed at Elk Run Farm, a nonprofit organization and farm that grows produce for food banks throughout South King County, including the Maple Valley Food Bank & Emergency Services. Elk Run has a goal of growing 12,500 pounds of food, and has made great progress toward that target, farm staff report.

Harvesting is underway and will continue three days per week into the fall. Staff and volunteers are also planting additional crops for “shoulder season” production.

“We really need your help to stay on top of harvests, as well as other farm tasks such as planting, building and weeding,” staff said in a recent update. 

Volunteers are needed from 10 a.m. to noon on Tuesdays and Thursdays for harvests; and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays for harvests and farm work. Work parties are held rain or shine. Registration is required (no drop-ins). Masks are required for all volunteers regardless of vaccination status. All volunteers 12 years and younger must be accompanied by an adult. To sign up, click here: Tuesdays; Thursdays; Saturdays.

Varsity Football, 7 p.m. at Bonney Lake HS

NO SCHOOL, districtwide, in observance of Labor Day

Boys varsity golf at Auburn Mountainview, 3 p.m.

Girls varsity volleyball at Rogers HS, 7:15 p.m.

Boys and girls varsity cross country at Kentlake, 4 p.m.

Tahoma School Board Meeting, 6:30 p.m., audio Zoom meeting

Tahoma Elementary Open House, 6-7:30 p.m.

Tahoma School Board Special Meeting, 6:30 p.m.Central Services Board Room

All sporting event details are available at Tahoma Athletics.

Meals are being served free to all Tahoma students this year.

To check out what's on the menu this month, click here.

(If you're on a mobile device, click the "+" button to expand the menu).