Northshore’s new superintendent visits all of the district’s classrooms in first year

Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid has a brought a personal touch to the Northshore School District (NSD) in her first year on the job.

She has visited all 1,031 K-12 classrooms in the district as of press time, and on Thursday (after the Reporter’s deadline), she planned to cap off the visits with a trip to the 10 classrooms at the Sorenson Early Childhood Center in Bothell.

“How will I know what’s going on if I don’t visit?” Reid said, adding she hasn’t learned anything too surprising in her visits.

As part of her visits to all of the NSD schools, Reid also had “breakfast club” sessions with a random group of students from each school.

“The teachers work together to select students from each grade level,” Reid said.

The Reporter tagged along on her visit to Crystal Springs Elementary School in Bothell, where she started her day by sharing breakfast with nine students, principal May Pelto and assistant principal Mark Robb.

“Dr. Reid hears about our school, but this is her opportunity to see what happens at the school,” Pelto said.

Reid asked the students what they like most and least about school, in addition to asking the older kids if they’re ready for junior high next year. She also asked them for any advice they had for her in her first year with Northshore, and one kid simply told her to “enjoy” it.

The new superintendent seems to get a lot of enjoyment out of her job, even though her first year has been full of preparing for major changes in the district, including the opening of the new North Creek High School, later start times and shifting the elementary, middle and high school structure from a K-6, 7-9 and 10-12 model, to K-5, 6-8 and 9-12, respectively.

As those changes are implemented in the 2017-18 school year, Reid said she will repeat her whirlwind tour of the district, adding on the new high school.

“I think it’s really important (to do this),” she said. “I plan to do it every year.”

Editor’s note: An earlier version of this article stated the start times would be earlier for the next school year. They will be later. The Reporter regrets this error and strives for accuracy in all coverage.

Northshore School District Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid (center) visits with students and administrators at Crystal Springs Elementary School in Bothell. CATHERINE KRUMMEY, Bothell-Kenmore Reporter