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Everett Public Schools credits leadership training, new systems for strong 2025–26 launch
Summary
District leaders told the school board that investments in leadership development, new curriculum, and a modern student information system helped deliver a “strong launch” to the 2025–26 school year, while noting slightly lower enrollment and targeted classroom shifts.
Everett Public Schools officials told the school board on Sept. 30 that a coordinated set of summer professional development, curriculum rollouts and an upgraded student information system produced a successful start to the 2025–26 school year, while the district continues to monitor a modest enrollment decline.
District staff described multiple summer leadership institutes and trainings that they said prepared principals and teachers for the opening weeks. "These are our success criteria right here. It's people right starting with our students. It's the smiles, it's the hugs," said Scott (presenter), describing the district's focus on a coordinated launch.
District presenters outlined several operational and instructional highlights: the cutover to a new student information system in July (including parent and student apps), the rollout of a new elementary science curriculum and 450 elementary science kits assembled over the summer, refreshed elementary music materials, and a dual-language academy attended by educators from 10 districts.
The district reported nearly 14,000 parents had signed up for the new parent portal within the first days of school, and staff said the system has supported attendance reporting and schedule access. The district also reported 77 new teachers took part in new-teacher orientation and that curriculum-related professional development continued into September.
On operations and facilities, the district detailed dozens of summer projects funded in part by the 2022 capital levy: boiler and HVAC upgrades at multiple schools, resurfaced tennis courts at Jackson High School, a new playground at Emerson Elementary, gym recodings across multiple schools, reroofing at the North Transportation Facility and courtyard restoration at Cascade High School.
Transportation updates included installation of seatbelts on 27 of 75 large buses and completion of seatbelts on the district’s small-bus fleet. "We will be receiving an additional 6 throughout this year. Grant funded," said Larry Fleckenstein, the district’s chief operating officer, referring to another tranche of electric buses the district expects this year.
Presenters said the district is seeing a slight enrollment dip, with kindergarten projections most affected. District staff said they were monitoring first-eight-day counts and adjusted staffing by holding or shifting a small number of classrooms, and that the changes will not impact the current semester’s instruction. When asked how many classrooms shifted, a superintendent-level presenter said the adjustment affected three classrooms and that further shifts were possible later in the year as registrations continue.
Instructional leaders described the district’s approach to monitoring learning: regular "instructional walks" by leadership teams, short-cycle mini-assessments, and instructional reviews that generate action plans to guide reteaching, extended-day supports, and enrichment for students who have already met standards.
Board members praised the breadth of summer preparation and communications staff for expanding the district’s social-media outreach. The district said its community-facing campaign and launch-day materials drew thousands of views, with Instagram engagement up substantially from the prior year.
District leaders concluded the presentation by inviting board questions and said they would continue to provide updates on enrollment and implementation of new systems.
