Family News

Moving Forward Together: Our K–5 Elementary Transition

This week marked an important milestone for Granite Falls School District! At Wednesday evening's School Board meeting, our Board of Directors voted to move forward with planning for the transition to two K–5 elementary schools beginning in the 2027–2028 school year.

This decision follows conversations that began during the 2024–2025 school year, public Board study sessions, discussions with our labor partners, and a careful examination of how we can best serve our students and families.

Currently, our elementary students attend Mountain Way Elementary (K–2) and Monte Cristo Elementary (3–5). While this model has served our district for many years, we believe transitioning to two K–5 schools will provide meaningful benefits for students, families, and staff.

Why make this change?

• Stronger relationships: Students will have the opportunity to remain in one elementary school community for six years, building lasting connections with teachers, staff, and peers.

• Older and younger student mentoring: Fifth graders can serve as role models for younger students, creating opportunities for reading buddies, leadership, and meaningful relationships across grade levels.

• Keeping siblings together: Families with multiple elementary-aged children will have the opportunity to attend the same school, simplifying schedules, school events, and family engagement.

• Simplified transportation: Buses will no longer need to serve both elementary schools on the same routes, reducing bus traffic at each school and eliminating the need for student shuttles between buildings.

• Stronger instructional alignment: Bringing kindergarten through fifth grade together will support collaboration among teachers and greater continuity in student learning.

One of the most meaningful parts of this conversation has been hearing from our students. We recently asked students who are now in high school to reflect on their elementary experiences. Several shared how much they valued opportunities to connect with older students, including fifth graders who came to read with them. They remembered looking up to those older students and wanting to be like them. Others expressed excitement about creating more mentoring opportunities for younger students.

We also heard about the challenges families can experience when elementary-aged siblings attend different schools, particularly when families are new to our community. These perspectives remind us how important a sense of belonging and connection is for both students and families.

What happens next?

We recognize that this is a significant change, and there is important work ahead. Our district will be reviewing enrollment projections, building capacities, demographic information, transportation routes, staffing, and school boundaries.

For families wondering whether siblings currently attending Mountain Way and Monte Cristo will be together next year, the answer is yes, provided both children will still be in elementary school. School assignments will be determined by home address, and we will communicate boundary information as soon as it is available.

We have also created a K–5 Transition Questions and Answers (Q&A) resource on our district website to help families better understand the transition and what to expect in the coming months. We encourage families to review this information as we continue moving forward.

Your voice matters! We welcome questions, feedback, and additional considerations from our families and community members. Please reach out to us at communications@gfalls.wednet.edu. Your input will help inform our planning and ensure we are considering the needs of our students, families, and staff.

We are committed to keeping families informed throughout this process. Our goal is to make this transition thoughtful, organized, and centered on what is best for students.

Celebrating Career and Technical Education: Preparing Students for Their Futures!

There are exciting things happening in Career and Technical Education (CTE) in the Granite Falls School District! Our commitment to preparing students for life beyond graduation continues to grow through hands-on learning, industry partnerships, and opportunities to explore future careers.

Fire Science Students in Action!

One of our newest CTE programs, Fire Science, is off to an incredible start! Students are now fully outfitted in firefighter bunker gear and spend three days each week training at the Granite Falls Fire Station, with two additional days of instruction at Granite Falls High School.

Under the leadership of instructor Erik Gochnour, who is also an active firefighter, students are gaining firsthand experience and learning from someone who brings industry expertise directly into the classroom.

Our partnership with the Granite Falls Fire Department has made this opportunity possible, and we are incredibly grateful for their investment in our students. Looking ahead, we anticipate transitioning the program to five days per week at the fire station during the 2027–2028 school year once the dedicated classroom space is completed.

Connecting Students with Career Opportunities

Granite Falls High School recently hosted its first fall College and Career Fair, welcoming 15 representatives from colleges, trades, businesses, and service organizations. Students had opportunities to connect with representatives from organizations including Boeing, the Sheet Metal Union, KeyBank, Snohomish County PUD, law enforcement, fire services, colleges, and the armed forces.

These conversations help students understand the many pathways available after graduation, including apprenticeships, technical training, college, military service, and direct entry into the workforce.

Industry Partnerships and CTE Advisory Committees

Our CTE programs are strengthened by the professionals and community partners who share their time and expertise with our schools.

We recently brought together 15 industry advisors to help guide and strengthen our programs, ensuring students are developing skills that align with real-world career opportunities. We were also pleased to include student voice in these conversations, with student representative Pim participating in the advisory process.

We look forward to creating additional opportunities for students to present their work, share their learning, and celebrate their accomplishments with our industry partners.

Building Skills Through Construction and Skilled Trades

Our construction and skilled-trades pathways are another important part of our CTE offerings. These programs provide opportunities for students to develop practical skills, learn about industry expectations, and explore careers in high-demand fields.

Hands-on experiences help students connect what they learn in school with the skills needed in the workplace, while building confidence, teamwork, and problem-solving abilities. These are the kinds of experiences that make learning meaningful. Whether students are exploring firefighting, construction, skilled trades, college, or another career pathway, our goal is to ensure they graduate with options, confidence, and a vision for their future.

A special thank-you to our CTE educators, Granite Falls Fire Department, industry advisors, and community partners for helping create these opportunities for our students!

Mountain Way Elementary Harvest Bash – Tonight!

Calling all K–5 families! Don't forget about the Harvest Bash happening tonight, Friday, October 30, at Mountain Way Elementary! This event is open to all kindergarten through fifth-grade students and families from both Mountain Way Elementary and Monte Cristo Elementary!

Friday, October 30 | 5:00–6:30 PM
Mountain Way Elementary – Indoor Event

We hope families from both of our elementary schools will join us for an evening of fun, connection, and fall festivities!

As we look ahead to our transition to two K–5 elementary schools, opportunities like these are especially meaningful. Bringing our elementary families together helps strengthen relationships, build community, and celebrate the connections that make Granite Falls such a special place. Thank you to everyone helping make this event possible! We look forward to seeing our K–5 families tonight!

As we move forward with important changes and continue celebrating the incredible opportunities happening throughout our district, I am grateful for the partnership of our families, staff, students, and community. Our work is grounded in a simple commitment: creating school environments where every student feels connected, supported, challenged, and prepared for the future.

Thank you for being part of the Granite Falls School District community!

Dr. Dana Geaslen

Sunday, November 1, 2026

• Remember to FALL BACK!

Monday, November 2, 2026

• Happy Monday and Happy November!

Tuesday, November 3, 2026

• Happy Tuesday!
• Remember to Vote!

Wednesday, November 4, 2026

• Happy Wednesday!
• 80-Minute Early Release

Thursday, November 5, 2026

• Happy Thursday!

Friday, November 6, 2026

• Happy Friday!
• 8:45am Veterans Day Assembly @ GFMS
• 9:00am Veterans Day Assembly @ MCE
• 9:30am Veterans Day Assembly @ MWE

Nominate your Bridge Builder by clicking this link:

https://forms.gle/vUmoH9jLR93ehR176

🏆 Honorees will be recognized at the School Board Meeting on Tuesday, November 17, 2026 at 6:00 PM in the Granite Falls High School Performing Arts Center (PAC) — alongside our “Success in Education” student award recipients. It will be a truly special night of celebration, and we hope you’ll join us to honor those who continue to build bridges every day!

What a way to close out the season! Our Granite Falls Middle School Cross Country team took to the starting line on our toughest course of the year at South Whidbey for the Conference District Championships—and they absolutely crushed it!

🥉 GIRLS TEAM TAKES 3RD IN CONFERENCE!

Getting out to a blistering pace, the girls fought hard to earn a 3rd-place team finish on the podium!

• Emma Hansen turned on the juice in the final 200 meters, passing two runners right at the line to take 3rd place overall in the Conference!

• Jazmin Amaral, Camilia Perkins, and Charlee Hansen all placed in the top 20 with brand-new personal best times!

• Arya Glenn set an incredible 3-year personal best time!

🏃‍♂️ BOYS TEAM SHOWS STRONG FINISHES!

• Quinton Nieman capped off a dominant season by blazing the course, passing multiple runners at the finish, and setting a personal best to earn a top 20 spot!

• Drew Laycock and Levi Arnold both turned in outstanding performances, setting personal best times of their own! 📈

📜 HISTORIC SEASON: By the end of this season, our runners set seven new school records in the top 10 all-time at each distance!

Congratulations to the team and coaches for such an amazing season!

GRATITUDE IN ACTION AT GFMS!

On Thursday, our Granite Falls Middle School Leadership Academy came together for their second session! This week, our student leaders focused on exploring what gratitude truly means to them and how they can spread that spirit of thankfulness throughout our school and community. Now, these inspiring Tigers are taking those discussions and using them to spark ideas for their end-of-year service project! We can't wait to see how their vision and leadership bring meaningful change to Granite Falls.

SPOOKY THEATER AT MONTE CRISTO ELEMENTARY! 🎭👻🍎

Today, Ms. Fouts’ 5th-grade class put on a fantastic (and spooky!) performance during their annual Spooky Theater! Groups of creative student storytellers took the stage to share spine-tingling tales of ghosts, goblins, and Halloween trick-or-treating adventures. It was amazing watching our Tigers step confidently into their theatrical roles, bring their characters to life, and show off their public speaking and creative skills! After taking their final bows, the talented cast celebrated a job well done with delicious caramel apples and sweet autumn treats!

Menus for Lunch can be found by clicking this link:

https://menus.healthepro.com/organizations/1254

AUTUMN IS HERE—LET’S KEEP OUR TIGERS SAFE! 🍂🍁🐅

As the leaves turn and the morning air turns crisp, we’re asking our whole community to team up for a safe fall season!

🌟 5 Quick Fall Safety Rules:

1️⃣ BE SEEN: Bright/reflective gear for dark bus stop mornings!

2️⃣ WATCH YOUR STEP: Wet leaves = slippery sidewalks. Walk, don't run!

3️⃣ SLOW DOWN: Extra caution in active school zones.

4️⃣ STOP FOR BUSES: Red flashing lights mean STOP in both directions.

5️⃣ LAYER UP: Keep students warm during chilly morning drop-offs!

❄️🌧️ Be the first to know about weather updates! Make sure you have the GFSD app downloaded with notifications turned ON for instant schedule and weather alerts.

Need more help with Rooms? Click the link below for support:

https://info.apptegy.com/for-parents-and-guardians

Need more support? Email communications@gfalls.wednet.edu