News

Wenatchee, Wash. – The North Central Educational Service District (NCESD) announced the selection of Carolyn Griffin-Bugert as the Classified School Employee of the Year for 2017.  Griffin-Bugert has served as the Grant Coordinator for the Wenatchee School District since 1998 and currently manages two 21st Century grants as well as private foundation grants. She has been in the field of education for 33 years.

The nine Educational Service Districts (ESDs) throughout the state participate in the Classified School Employee of the Year program by selecting one winner from each region’s nominees to serve as the regional school employee of the year.  Each regional winner completes the state application and then competes with the other eight winners for Washington State School Employee of the Year.

In the application, Bill Eagle, the Director of State and Federal Programs for the Wenatchee School District stated: “During my many years in education, I have rarely encountered the level of organizational skill, professionalism and dedication to quality programs for children that I have seen from Mrs. Griffin-Bugert. It has been a privilege to work with her on grant funded programming for students at both the elementary and middle schools.  She has repeatedly demonstrated the positive leadership skills, organization, insight, and supervision required to sustain impactful 21^st Century and Gear Up opportunities.”

Griffin-Bugert wrote: “In 1998 the Wenatchee School District hired me for three weeks as a contract grant writer.  When that grant was funded, I was hired to implement that project.  Since 1998, I have continued to write grants, securing $12 million to bring innovative programming to our district’s students.  For several years, I managed five separate grants (three federal grants and two private foundation grants) with an annual budget of $2 million, 18 salaried staff and 35 hourly staff.  My own salary has been entirely grant-funded since 1998.  I have been able to continuously bring funding to the district, creating and enhancing student programs, ultimately benefiting thousands of students, the district, and the entire community. I write grants because I see students with needs.”

“As a 30-year educator and leader of a school district for the past 17, I am very blessed and fortunate to have had a person of Carolyn’s talent and leadership in our school district.  It is hard to describe in just qualitative and quantitative terms the impact that Carolyn has had on the culture, program support, and success of our students and schools over the years.  The noticeable impact started between 1999-2000 when Carolyn was able to secure close to $2 million in funding through the Department of Education for after school programs and improving low-income student success in college. Since then, she has managed two federal GEAR UP grants, four 21^st Century Community Learning Center grants, and over 40 state and private foundation grants. The programs that Carolyn has initiated in our school district serve over 2,500 students yearly.  In nearly 20 years of service, Carolyn’s impact is far reaching for our students and has provided them with opportunities and dreams that will last a lifetime,” explained Wenatchee School District Superintendent Brian Flones.

The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction is expected to announce the statewide winner in April.

NCESD is a resource to the 29 districts within the four-county service area, providing professional and timely tools to meet the needs of individual schools and districts, and a reliable point of education-related information for the communities in which we serve. The NCESD is a respected resource to other ESDs throughout Washington State.