On behalf of the Board of Directors, I want to welcome you to the Naselle-Grays River Valley School District, and in particular, the 2022-23 school year. I am proud to serve as your Superintendent, and this marks my 10^th year in the position.

COVID-19 forced us to think differently about how we educate our young people – and that is not necessarily a bad thing. As we begin the school year, we have a great opportunity to reignite our students’ passion for learning and refocus on student achievement by restoring a sense of normalcy for our students and staff. We will continue to embrace the lessons we have learned over the last few years and move forward with robust learning opportunities for our students.

This last summer saw the closure of the Naselle Youth Camp. That facility has been a strong presence in our community since 1966. However, due to that occurrence, we have additional staff members this year in the K-12 building and we are looking forward to bolstering our student opportunities for learning.

Once again, we will be able to offer a small engines and welding program. In conjunction with of our local 4H program and a significant STEM grant, we will now have an ongoing robotics program after the inception of the program last year, in which our students placed in the National competition.

Two goals I have for this year are to continue the implementation of STEM and vocational programs, as well as ensure that each student reaches his/her full potential through a variety of learning challenges and opportunities.

As a graduate of the Naselle-Grays River Valley School District, I appreciate the opportunities and close-knit relationships that small school districts provide.

We take pride in what we have and are fortunate to be blessed with some of the most dedicated and committed staff who work with our children on a daily basis. Our students are our number one priority and it is our job to challenge them academically and help them grow into responsible young adults.

If we are not living up to your expectations as parents and citizens, please do not hesitate to contact us. We can only improve through thoughtful feedback and open dialogue.

It is an honor to be entrusted with the education of your children. I encourage you to be active, involved and present in our schools. If you have questions or would like to talk, please do not hesitate to visit me at the school, at a community event, or through email or telephone.

Email lnelson@naselleschools.org

Phone (360) 484-7121 Ext. 2