Barb Nigretto – District office general support
We have a new person in the Orcas Island School District business office – Barb Nigretto; yes, of course, she is related by marriage to the island family of the same name! Barb is responsible for our accounts payable and receivables and provides general support for the business office. Barb and husband Ron have returned to the PNW after many years in Nashville Tennessee. Barb recently retired from a 30-year career with the Ford Motor Co., having worked in various financial management positions while there. Barb and Ron have two children – daughter Natalie in Atlanta and newlywed son Anthony still resides in Tennessee. Barb and Ron love their new life on Orcas with their dog, Lucy. They are also enjoying time on their boat and spending time with their large extended family! We’re happy to have her here!
John Pacasum – Maintenance
OISD welcomes John Pacasum! John was hired just before the end of the school year to work in OISD Maintenance, and just in time to help ready our campus for our largest event of the year – OHS graduation. John migrated to the US (West Los Angeles) from The Philippines when he was a teenager. After attending college at UC Santa Cruz he managed to live in Hawaii for a while until finally landing in the Northwest where he met his wife, Lisa Jenkins. John and Lisa moved to Orcas from Tacoma just last year when Lisa was hired as one of our elementary school teachers. John has years of working in the construction trade. Prior to moving to Orcas, he was a roofing contractor. John and Lisa have three children – all students at OISD – David (16), Joseph (12) and Khloe (9). John describes his marriage to Lisa as “still blissful after 12 years.”
Ryan Kennedy – High school math
Meet our new Orcas Island High School math teacher, Ryan Kennedy. Ryan “has always wanted to teach,” however, life and careers took him in other directions first. This latest career choice has been a great transition for him and his young family. He is 27 years young and credits his love of math to an amazing high school teacher of his back in Atlanta GA, where he is originally from. In addition to teaching here, Ryan is also working on obtaining his masters in Education (Instruction design and technology) from Western Governors University. He also has 9 years of experience cooking in restaurants from a farm/restaurant in France (where he learned to cook), to Corsica, Spain and California. Ryan moved to Orcas in 2012 where he went to work at Doe Bay Café and then onto work as Sous Chef at Hogstone’s Wood Oven. He did his student teaching for his certification here at OIHS with Vicki Clancy. He and his wife, Stephanie have two children – 3-year-old daughter, Charlie, and a 1-year-old boy, Teddy (pictured here with his dad while on vacation this summer). They are proud owners of an OPAL home and love living on Orcas Island. Ryan is thrilled to be starting his teaching career here!
Kristee Rajczi – Special education
Orcas Island School District welcomes another new teacher to our Special Education staff this year – Kristee Rajczi – she has 10 years overall teaching experience in Friday Harbor and Las Vegas, Nevada. For the last five years, Special Education has held a special place in her heart. In addition to her teaching duties, Kristee is also pursuing a National Board Certificate. This school year she will be working with our teachers and families in grades pre-kindergarten through second. She and her family, including her husband and daughter, Janna, will continue to live on San Juan Island where they maintain a small business. They love living and working in an island community!
