Welcome to Skagit County

October 22, 2020

Skagit County Commissioners award CARES funding to Skagit schools to help with safe reopening during the COVID-19 pandemic.

**Correction: Due to an editing error, the previous version of this press release had the Anacortes School District Superintendent's name wrong. Anacortes' Superintendent is Dr. Justin Irish.

The Board of Skagit County Commissioners will award a total of $989,000 to schools and districts serving Skagit County students to assist with costs of distance learning and safe reopening during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act passed by Congress earlier this year provided funding to the County to assist with COVID-19 related concerns and expenses in the community.

The County has awarded funding to public and private schools serving Skagit County students based on student headcounts. In total, the awards are:

School or District	2019-2020 Headcount	Award
Anacortes School District	2,683	$134,150
Burlington-Edison School District	3.503	$175,150
Concrete School District	508	$25,400
Conway school District	460	$23,000
Darrington School District	50 (Skagit County Residents)	$2,500
La Conner School District	619	$30,950
Mount Vernon School District	6,928	$346,400
Sedro-Woolley School District	4,422	$221,100
Immaculate Conception Regional School	184	$9,200
Mount Vernon Christian High School	298	$14,900
Skagit Adventist Academy	125	$6,250

“Our school districts have worked very closely with Public Health on their plans for safe reopening, and many of the provisions are not cheap,” said Skagit County Commissioner Ron Wesen. “This funding won’t cover all the costs associated with reopening a school during a pandemic, but it will help schools create a safe learning environment for kids of all ages.”

Commissioner Lisa Janicki said, “Schools are helping families with the technology they need for distance learning. This CARES money will go a long way to provide equitable educational opportunities for Skagit students.”

Commissioner Ken Dahlstedt said, “Using CARES money to help schools serve students and reopen during a pandemic recognizes how important schools are to the development and safety of kids, and the function of our community as a whole.”

“We have been so appreciative of our partnership with Skagit Public Health and the Commissioner’s office over the past few months,” said Sedro Woolley School District Superintendent Phil Brockman. “The County’s help getting kids safely back to school has been tremendous. We’re so thankful to have partners on the same page about how important it is to support students.”

Anacortes School District Superintendent Dr. Justin Irish said, “In order to adapt to remote learning, we have purchased a number of subscriptions to online programs to support our students. The CARES funding will be tremendously helpful as we continue to offer high quality learning in a remote world. We are incredibly grateful to Skagit County for this support.”

If you need additional information about the programs, or have questions, call the Skagit County Commissioners office at 360-416-1300.