Value of Many Voices

Lake Washington School District (LWSD) recently conducted a series of four Community Engagement Forums. Group members included students, parents, staff and community members. 

The goal of the forums was to have structured conversations focused on six main areas related to the current Strategic Plan:

• Achievement
• Technology and Innovation
• Safety and Security
• Recruit, Hire, and Retain
• Facilities and Finance
• Communication and Engagement

The feedback from the groups was then summarized in the format of Findings and Recommendations and presented to the Board of Directors at the March 4 meeting. The document is available online and can be found here.

The next step is for the Board of Directors and District Staff to review the information and begin drafting new goals for the revised Strategic Plan that will continue to move our district forward. 

The value of this type of process can’t be underestimated and leads us to future conversations about the things that make LWSD an exceptional place for students to learn and grow. When diverse groups of “voices” join together we have rich conversations that produce new and fresh ideas, provide feedback for where we can improve and help us to understand the different points of view and experiences people bring to our District.

Most importantly, our students had a voice and shared that they loved being part of the conversation and felt like their feedback mattered. That’s also an area where we will continue to grow in the future through opportunities for more students to share ideas and perspectives on things that affect them every day in our schools.

We are grateful to our participants and look forward to more opportunities for people to be involved in the conversations that make us the best school district in the world!

Jane Stavem, Superintendent

#414-ALL
Four Learning Communities………One District………For All Kids