Cascade School Board earns 2025 School Board of Distinction

LEAVENWORTH — Cascade School District's Board of Directors has been recognized as a School Board of Distinction for 2025 by the Washington State School Directors’ Association (WSSDA).

WSSDA’s Board of Distinction program recognizes a board’s commitment to visionary leadership, effective governance, and strategic advocacy for students.

“We were impressed with your board’s focus on inclusion as a strategic initiative. The strategic framework you developed around core values of every student, quality education, and inclusive diversity shows thoughtful governance aligned with student needs,” WSSDA Director of Leadership Development Dr. Heather Curl told the board.

The CSD Board was also recognized in 2023 and 2024, and was honored as Small District Board of the Year in 2022. The Cascade School Board was the only Board of Distinction in North Central Washington in 2025.

According to WSSDA, the Boards of Distinction program is an evidence-based program where applicants are screened based on rigorous criteria. Boards must demonstrate how they fostered successful student outcomes in the district.

WSSDA is made up of the 1,477 locally elected school board members across the state, who elect their own WSSDA Board of Directors and members of WSSDA standing committees. It describes itself as “a school director’s professional association, though it is also a state agency (without regulatory authority).”

The non-partisan staff of WSSDA provides three types of research-based services, resources and support to school boards in Washington State: leadership development, policy and legal services, and strategic advocacy.

The Cascade School Board includes Trey Ising (Chair), Cyndi Garza (Vice Chair), Judy Derpack, Zachary Miller, and Dr. Mike Worden. The board was recognized by WSSDA on Nov. 20.

Taylor Caldwell: 509-433-7276 or taylor@ward.media