Citizens are welcome to bring a topic or issue to the attention of the school board. There are three primary ways to do so:
- write to the school board,
- telephone individual board members,
- testify at a regular school board meeting
The board also regularly convenes focus groups to learn more about community experiences with the school district.
Write to the school board
You can write a letter or an e-mail to the board to raise a particular topic or bring an issue to their attention. You may address the letter to individual board members or send one letter to the board as a whole. Copies will be forwarded to all members.
Use this mailing address:
Lake Washington School District
PO Box 97039
Redmond, WA 98073-9739
If you would like to correspond with board members via e-mail, here are their e-mail addresses:
Telephone board members
You may want to call a board member directly to leave a short message. Here are their telephone numbers:
| Jackie Pendergrass, President |
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(425) 821-1157 |
| Ravi Shahani, Vice President |
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(425) 558-0789 |
| Nancy Bernard |
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(425) 820-2007 |
| Christopher Carlson |
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(425) 702-3403 |
| Douglas Eglington |
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(425) 868-7218 |
Testify at a board meeting
The board generally meets on Monday twice a month, except for the month of July. The meeting calendar is provided to local newspapers. They are held at the Resource Center, 16250 NE 74th Street, in Redmond Town Center. Public comment periods are held only during the first meeting of each month. That meeting begins at 7:00 p.m.
Tips on preparing to testify
Your goal for testifying should be to raise a specific topic or issue with the school board. Their goal is to listen and learn from the community. They will not respond to testimony that evening. If you would like to testify before the school board, please follow these guidelines:
- Try to resolve any issues with teachers, school principals, or other district personnel before bringing the issue to the board.
- Recognize that the board does not discuss personnel matters at board meetings. Issues or concerns about individual staff members can be addressed with the board through letters or phone calls.
- Do your homework and understand the basic facts of the issue before addressing the board.
- Prepare an outline of your testimony so that it is well organized and avoids repetition.
- Plan to keep your remarks to three minutes. The board has limited time to hear all of those who sign up to speak.
Process at the meeting
- Members of the community who wish to testify before the board should sign up before the meeting starts. A sign-up sheet is available at the front-left of the boardroom, usually by 6:45 p.m.
- Please print your name and complete address legibly on the sign-up sheet.
- Pick up an agenda to learn when the public comment period will take place. Listen for any changes in the agenda announced by the board president.
- When the board is ready to take testimony, the president will refer to the sign-up sheet and call out the names in the order that they appear.
- If a number of people are signed up to speak on the same topic, the board reserves the right to limit the number of speakers on that topic.
Addressing the board
- When your name is called, approach the podium. Speak into the microphone, giving your full name and address for the record.
- Please limit your testimony to three minutes.
- Be respectful of the board when giving your testimony.
- Be ready to respond to questions from the board if asked.
- Address your testimony to the board members, not the audience.
- Do not address questions to the board. The board’s goal for the public comment period is to hear your concerns, comments and opinions. Questions can be answered through calls or letters to board members.
Board conducts focus groups regularly
After the second board meeting of the month, the board conducts focus groups with constituents, called linkages. These meetings are designed to promote direct conversation among community members and their board members about the future of students in the district. Personal invitations are sent to small representative groups to meet and provide feedback. If you are interested in taking part in a future linkage session, you may provide your name and contact information to the Superintendent’s office, along with your connection to the district (student, former student, parent, staff member, community member). There is no guarantee that you will be selected for a linkage but we appreciate your willingness to volunteer your time.
For more information, contact the Public Information Office at Lake Washington School District, (425) 702-3200.