Southside School District #42

 

Tuesday, August 25– 2:00 pm – Board Meeting

Monday, August 31 – 5:00 – 6:30 pm Open House

Wednesday, September 2 – First Day of School

 

SOUTHSIDE SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 42

REPLACEMENT EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND OPERATIONS LEVY

The Board of Directors of Southside School District No. 42 adopted Resolution No. 7-25-26, concerning the replacement of an expiring school support levy.  If approved, this proposition would provide funding for educational programs and operations not funded by the State by authorizing the District to levy the following excess taxes upon all taxable property within the District, all as provided in Resolution No. 7-25-26.

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Southside School District is seeking citizens interested in being appointed to a committee to write the “for/against statements” for the Mason County Local Voters’ Pamphlets related to the District’s Replacement Educational Programs and Operation Levy ballot measure to be considered at the November 3, 2026 election.  Those interested should send their name, address, phone number and which position they represent to Greg Woods, Superintendent, Southside District, at 161 SE Collier Rd, Shelton, WA 98584 or via email at gwoods@southsideschool.org.

Please note that the District is not involved in preparing any “for/against statements” or rebuttals. The sole duty of the Board is to appoint committee members and to provide a copy of the Mason County Local Voter Pamphlet Rules to the committee members in order for them to prepare the statements and rebuttals.  Committee members may need to check with the Mason County Auditor website to confirm the deadlines for submissions.  Southside District has 200 students that attend school each day knowing their community provides the kind of support necessary to educate their children in the best way possible within district means. Southside is an amazing district because of the amount of support provided by our community, parents, staff, and students. Voters in the Southside community have earned a reputation for providing the funding required to offer excellent educational programs and support an outstanding facility used for school and for a variety of community events. Southside is a selected site for emergency housing purposes and has the fields available for emergency air lifts for our community members.

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An Educational Programs and Operations levy would not be a new tax for voters, rather continuing support for existing educational programs and day-to-day operations at Southside that afford enrichment opportunities to maximize learning for our students.

The current levy represents 18 percent of the district’s operating budget for the 2025-26 school year and will expire in 2026.

EP&O Levy dollars are not used to build new schools or for capital projects. They are part of the district’s operating budget. The levy supports educational programs; day-to-day operations; maintains basic health, safety, and security; and on-going facility maintenance of Southside School.

– K-12 educational program support;
– Arts, Music and Afterschool Opportunities;
– Classroom teachers, Educational assistants, nurse;
– Classroom instructional materials and technology
support;
– Reasonable class sizes;
– Basic operations of school buildings and grounds;
– Transportation;
– On-going maintenance of heating, ventilation,
plumbing, lighting and electrical systems,
playgrounds and playfields, alarm and sprinkler
systems; and
– Emergency preparedness

This levy would allow key programs and necessary facility maintenance and operations to continue for the next four years. As homeowners maintain their house over time, school districts must do the same.

Feel free to contact Greg Woods, Superintendent, if you should have questions regarding this Educational Programs and Operations Levy.

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Summer Hours

June 10-18 

8:30am – 2 :00pm

June 22 – August 23

Closed for Summer Cleaning

August 24 – 28

8:30am – 2:00pm

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Please view our:  Southside Overview Video

Good things are happening at Southside! We continue to provide outstanding educational programs and facilities thanks to federal, state, and local funding. We rely on all three funding sources to support the student success we currently enjoy in our district.

• textbooks
• school supplies
• utilities
• building maintenance 
• educational support staff

 Levy funding reflects the priorities of the local community. We are grateful for our local funding and are fully accountable to local taxpayers to keep our school functioning and our students learning. 

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Please click the link to view our strategic plan: Southside Five Year Strategic Plan 2025-2030

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We now communicate with our school families using ParentSquare. We are increasing our communications efforts with our community neighbors by mailing them our quarterly school newsletter. We want everyone to know that their school is a great place to learn, with outstanding students and dedicated, caring adults.

Thank you for your partnership!

Paul Wieneke, Superintendent

Welcome to Southside School District- Best School Around. Celebrating 120 Years This Year!

“The mission statement of the Southside School District, as a small, community-centered school, is to inspire lifelong learning and to empower students of all ages to become knowledgeable, contributing citizens by meeting the diverse needs of the whole person in a safe and nurturing environment. “All students are capable of success, no exceptions.”