Sequim school has new structure

Published 1:30 am Monday, March 16, 2026

SEQUIM — Five Acre School, an independent nonprofit operation in Dungeness, plans to restructure its leadership team as the organization readies a capital campaign to purchase the school’s site.

The school, at 515 Lotzgesell Road, has created a new development director position to oversee campaign strategy and long-term development efforts. The school’s board has hired Merissa Koller of Mission Consulting, LLC for the role on an interim basis.

“Purchasing our site represents a transformative opportunity for Five Acre School and the families we serve,” board president Susan Craig said.

“Adding dedicated development leadership ensures we approach this campaign with strategic focus, strong stewardship and a foundation for lasting success.”

The new position will be responsible for leading the school’s capital campaign, managing fundraising initiatives, strengthening donor stewardship, pursuing grant opportunities and coordinating community events.

The school’s leadership team said the new role reflects Five Acre School’s commitment to building sustainable systems that will support both the immediate campaign goal and the school’s long-term financial health.

They said Koller brings extensive experience in nonprofit fundraising strategy and organizational development, and in the interim role, she will establish development systems and infrastructure, launch the capital campaign and support the recruitment, hiring and training of the school’s long-term development director.

School director Sarah Bones said the school is moving toward a dual director model with the development director focused on tasks such as fundraising and strategic planning and the program director focused on school culture continuity, curriculum, mentoring teachers, programming and more.

“The restructuring underscores the school’s proactive approach to meeting its campaign goals and securing a permanent home for generations of students to come,” board members wrote in a news release.

Updates about the capital campaign and leadership transition are available at fiveacreschool.org/blog.

History and sale

Five Acre School was established in 1996 by William “Bill” Jevne and Juanita Ramsey-Jevne with a dedication to foster curiosity, resilience and a love of learning in children through a whole-child approach.

The one-room school serves preschool through sixth grade and educates 85-100 students through the academic year with 24 staff members.

Bones said the school became a 501(c)(3) organization in 2019, and as part of that effort, there was a plan to purchase the property in the future.

Last summer, Ramsey-Jevne and her son William Jevne decided they were ready to sell, Bones said, and Five Acre’s school board began actively discussing and working toward the property purchase.

Bill Jevne died in 2017 after a long battle with prostate cancer.

Five Acre School’s approximate 6,400-square-foot building sits on 5 acres of land next to the Dungeness Wildlife Refuge.

Bones said the price to purchase the building and property has yet to be determined.

School leaders would like to raise $300,000 while they seek grants and donations from foundations, she said.

They’ve set a goal to purchase the property by the end of June.

Bones said the school’s strategic plan is set to help the school achieve long-term stability through financial planning and the development of more summer programming, which may eventually lead to school additions or other buildings.

The campaign has been soft-launched and donations are accepted at fiveacreschool.org/donations.

Campaign and fundraising questions can be directed to Koller at fundraising@fiveacreschool.org or by calling 507-456-7631.

Spring play

Five Acre School will host its kindergarten through sixth-grade spring play performance “Tricksters in Limbo” with shows at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. March 27 at Sequim Community Church, 950 N. Fifth Ave.

Entry is free.

The show is written by Jennifer Dice and Juanita Ramsey-Jevne and directed by Rosie Sharpe.

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Matthew Nash is a reporter with the Olympic Peninsula News Group, which is composed of Sound Publishing newspapers Peninsula Daily News, Sequim Gazette and Forks Forum. He can be reached by email at matthew.nash@sequimgazette.com.