Last night, Wednesday, May 20th, the Strategic Planning Committee held its third of four meetings and continued building the district’s proposed strategic plan.

One focus of the meeting was establishing common language for the proposed strategic plan. The committee reached agreement that:

• Foundations will represent the district’s Core Values
• Pillars will represent the broad categories or strategic priority areas of the plan

The committee also dedicated significant time to discussing, refining, advocating for, and building support around four proposed Foundations while developing draft mission and vision statements.

The next phase of committee work will focus on identifying and reaching agreement on the Pillars (3–5 strategic priority areas) and developing descriptive statements to support each Foundation.

By the conclusion of the committee process, the proposed strategic plan presented to the School Board will include:

• Proposed Vision
• Proposed Mission
• Proposed Foundations (Core Values)
• Proposed Pillars (Strategic Priority Areas)

The proposed strategic plan will be presented to the School Board at:

• Board Workshop — Tuesday, June 16 at 6:00 p.m.
• Board Meeting — Thursday, June 18 at 6:00 p.m.

Once approved, district administrators and staff will build upon that work over the summer by developing goals, objectives, action steps, timelines, measures of success, and resource allocation aligned to the approved Pillars. The completed strategic plan is anticipated to be ready by the beginning of the school year and will guide the district’s work over the coming years.

The fourth and final Strategic Planning Committee meeting will be held: Wednesday, June 3 5:00–8:00 p.m. High School Commons

Community members are welcome to observe. Community members are also encouraged to attend the June 16 Board Workshop to see the Strategic Plan presentation to the Board.

Community members interested in following the process may access:

• Listening session summaries
• Meeting agendas
• Slide presentations
• Committee homework assignments
• Summaries of committee input and decisions
• Supporting planning resources

👉 District Strategic Planning webpage (overview) 👉 Strategic Planning Resource Hub (materials)

In observance of Memorial Day, all Concrete School District offices and schools will be closed on Monday, May 25, 2026.

United General District 304 was recognized on Friday, May 15, 2026, at the Washington Association of School Administrators (WASA) regional awards luncheon with the Community Leadership Award in recognition of its ongoing support of students, families, and the greater east Skagit County community.

Through its support of the Concrete Resource Coalition and Farm to School program, United General helps provide evidence-based prevention programs, healthy eating initiatives, and early learning experiences that promote healthy behaviors beginning in preschool. Leaders such as Stephanie Morgareidge, Rachel Muia, Margo Heffron, and Carol Hawke help connect schools, families, and community partners to expand access to resources, build trusted relationships, and create meaningful opportunities for students. United General’s long-standing partnership has had a direct and lasting impact on student well-being and success.

Pictured left to right:

• Rachel Muia, Healthy Eating Supervisor and Concrete Farm to School Coordinator, United General
• Margo Heffron, Healthy Eating Program Coordinator, United General
• Stephanie Morgareidge, Community and Professional Education Supervisor and Concrete Resource Coalition Coordinator
• Carrie Crickmore, Concrete School District Superintendent

Concrete School District appreciates United General’s continued partnership and commitment to supporting youth and families throughout east Skagit County.

On Wednesday evening, the Strategic Planning Committee held its second meeting from 5:00–8:00 p.m. The evening focused on identifying district core values and the beliefs and principles committee members feel best represent the district and should guide our work moving forward.

Throughout the evening, committee members engaged in productive discussion and reflection around the district’s core values. Our facilitator, Mary Fertakis, who has decades of experience leading strategic planning work across Washington, shared that the process is moving forward as expected.

By the conclusion of the four committee meetings, the Strategic Planning Committee will have developed proposed district core values, mission and vision statements, and the broad strategic priority areas that will guide the district’s work over the coming years.

Over the summer, district administrators and staff will build upon that work by developing proposed goals, objectives, action steps, timelines, and measures of success aligned to each strategic priority area.

The resources available to the committee are also available to the public.

👉District Strategic Planning webpage (overview) Strategic Plannin 👉Resource Hub (materials)

Upcoming committee meetings: • May 20 • June 3

All meetings are held from 5:00–8:00 p.m. in the High School Commons. Staff, students, parents/guardians, and community members are welcome to attend as observers.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the listening sessions and to those serving on the committee. We appreciate the time, thought, and collaboration that continue to shape this work.

Concrete Elementary School has been recognized by the Washington School Recognition Program for its performance during the 2024–2025 school year.

Concrete Elementary received recognition for Growth for: Students in one or more racial or ethnic groups.

The Washington School Recognition Program honors schools in the areas of closing gaps, growth, and achievement based on performance data from the Washington School Improvement Framework (WSIF). Schools may be recognized in multiple categories each year.

Schools recognized for growth demonstrate some of the largest gains in the state among one or more student groups across multiple measures such as English Language Arts and Math performance, attendance, graduation rates, and other indicators between the 2023–2024 and 2024–2025 school years.

According to the Washington State Board of Education, only 16% of schools statewide received recognition this year, making this an outstanding accomplishment for our students, staff, and families.

The Washington School Recognition Program is operated collaboratively by the State Board of Education, the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the Educational Opportunity Gap Oversight and Accountability Committee as required by state law (RCW 28A.657.110).

This recognition reflects the collective work of the CES team during the 2024–2025 school year. Thank you to Jaci Gallagher, who served as principal during her final year before retirement, Jennifer Henderson, our staff, students, and families who all contributed to student growth and success.

Spring Sports Senior Night

Thursday, 7 May 2026 - Begins at 6 PM

Concrete High School 7830 S Superior Ave, Concrete, WA 98237

Alex Olson, Karley Suit, Pamela Huntley, Alexa Dalton, Ayden Jolley, and Caleb Moon

Congratulations to the Concrete Lions Fastpitch Softball team on making it to Districts!

Join us for the game versus Redeemer Christian.

📅 Friday, May 8th ⏰ 4:00 PM 📍 Concrete High School

Come out and support the Lions! 🦁💛

The 3rd Annual Concrete High School Student Art Show Open House will be held tonight (5/1/2026) from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. at the Act One Gallery, located inside the Concrete Theater & Act One Ice Cream Parlor.

Community members are invited to stop by and view student artwork showcasing a variety of styles and mediums created throughout the year. Admission is free.

The exhibit will remain on display throughout the month of May.