A message from the new LWSD Superintendent, Dr. Jane Stavem

July 16, 2018

Lake Washington Families and Community Members,

I am so pleased to serve as the next superintendent of Lake Washington School District. As I began reviewing the qualities of the district, and throughout the entire transition process, it has been evident that quality teaching and learning is a hallmark of the district as great teams of people work together to provide excellent facilities, programs and systems to support students.

I am honored to be part of the community and look forward to the work that will continue and the new possibilities that are ahead. I’m eager to visit schools and programs and learn about the things that make Lake Washington such a special school district.

I will begin my official duties on Wednesday, August 1 and look forward to meeting you as I begin touring the community, attending events, and experiencing the many interesting places that are part of the Lake Washington School District.

Enjoy the remaining days of summer as we anticipate a great start to the new school year!

Dr. Stavem

Three Finalist Candidates Named in Superintendent Search

June 25, 2018

Meet the Candidates at Town Hall – June 28 from 5:30-8:30 at LWSD Resource Center
Redmond, Wash. - The Lake Washington School District Board of Directors interviewed five semifinalists in the Superintendent Search process on Friday, June 22. As a result, the Board has selected the following three finalists to advance in the process. Listed alphabetically below, click on their names for a photo and biography of each candidate provided by Ray & Associates:

• Dr. Paul Gordon, Superintendent of Glen Ellyn School District 41 in Glen Ellyn, Illinois
• Dr. Erin Prince, Former Vice President of Education Policy, Chalkboard Project in Portland, Oregon
• Dr. Jane Stavem, Associate Superintendent for Instruction at Lincoln Public Schools in Lincoln, Nebraska

Next Steps:

The public is invited to attend a Town Hall with each of the finalists on Thursday, June 28 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at the LWSD Resource Center (16250 NE 74th Street, Redmond, WA 98052) in the Board Room. The Town Hall will also be streamed live from the Superintendent Search section of the LWSD website. There will be an opportunity for community members to provide feedback on each candidate to the School Board via the “Candidate Impression Form” that will be available on the website as well.

The finalists will have a final interview with the School Board next Friday, June 29. Later that evening, the School Board plans to take action to name the next superintendent for Lake Washington School District, during a public School Board special meeting, starting at 6 p.m. at the District Office. The new superintendent hired will be announced on the district website that evening.

"The Board was very impressed with the quantity of applicants for this opportunity, and the quality of the semifinalists we interviewed today,” said LWSD Board of Directors President Siri Bliesner. “We look forward to continuing our conversations with the finalists on June 29, and considering the feedback from others who meet them at the Town Hall meetings.”

Consultants Ray & Associates, who are facilitating the national search, reported the firm had contacted over 1,110 individuals in 48 states since the process began. As a result, 58 candidates applied for the LWSD superintendent position, from which the School Board interviewed five semi-finalists before narrowing the selection to these three finalists.

Timeline for Selecting LWSD Superintendent

May 24, 2018

• May 11-June 4 – Position Open
• June 14 – School Board Executive Session with Ray & Associates to review applications and evaluate merits of candidates for first-round interviews
• June 22 – School Board Special Board Meeting (Executive Session - not open to the public) to interview candidates (first round)
• June 22 – Special School Board Meeting (open to the public) for School Board to take action to select finalists, 7 p.m.; location: LWSD Resource Center Board Room
• June 25 – Post announcement of superintendent candidates selected for finalist (second-round) interviews
• June 28** – Town Hall meetings, 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. at the LWSD Resource Center. The public is invited to meet finalists and provide feedback to the Board.
• June 29 – Special School Board Meeting (Executive Session - not open to the public) to interview final candidates.
• June 29 – Special School Board Meeting (open to the public) for School Board to take action to select superintendent, 6 p.m.; location: LWSD Resource Center Board Room
• June 30 – Post announcement of superintendent choice

NOTE: Executive Sessions are not open to the public, as defined by law.

**Time of Town Hall updated 6/4/18.

We value your input – Engage with us in the LWSD superintendent search process

April 26, 2018

Community Engagement: Over the next few weeks, there will be opportunities for staff, students, parents and community members to have input into the important Lake Washington School District (LWSD) superintendent search process. At the beginning of the process, input gathered through surveys (see below), focus groups, and community meetings will be used to help define the position profile and desired selection criteria for an ideal candidate. It will also inform the board of the issues and overall climate of the school district. Ultimately, the School Board makes the final decision on hiring the next superintendent of LWSD.

Surveys*: Two surveys will help us gather input from our community. The “30 Qualities of a Superintendent Survey” asks you to share what leadership qualities, expertise and experiences matter most to you in a superintendent. The “District Review Survey” asks you to talk about the strengths and challenges Lake Washington School District currently faces.

To participate, please click on the survey links below in your desired language:

30 Qualities of a Superintendent Survey*:
English | Arabic | Chinese | Japanese | Korean | Portuguese | Russian | Spanish

District Review Survey*:
English | Arabic | Chinese | Japanese | Korean | Portuguese | Russian | Spanish

Surveys will close on Monday, May 7, 2018 at 8 a.m.

Meetings: Four public meetings are scheduled to gather input from parents and community members.

• Tuesday, May 1 from 6-7 p.m. in the Lake Washington High School Commons (12033 NE 80th Street, Kirkland, WA 98033)
• Wednesday, May 2 from 5-6 p.m. at Lake Washington School District Resource Center (16250 NE 74th Street, Redmond, WA 98074)
• Thursday, May 3 from 10-11 a.m. at Redmond Public Library (15990 NE 85th Street, Redmond, WA 98052)
• Thursday, May 3 from 6-7 p.m. at Sammamish Public Library (825 228th Avenue SE, Sammamish, WA 98075)
• Tuesday, May 8 from 6-7 p.m. in the Kamiakin Middle School Cafeteria (14111 132nd Avenue NE, Kirkland, WA 98034)

* Surveys provided by Ray & Associates.

Lake Washington School District Board of Directors Shares First Steps in Selecting New Superintendent

April 11, 2018

Lake Washington School District’s (LWSD’s) Board of Directors will be initiating a national, open search for LWSD’s next superintendent with the support of a consulting firm experienced in identifying and recruiting leaders for high-performing school districts like LWSD. The same process and search firm will be used for considering internal and external applicants.

“The Board has already started researching options and is working to determine the next steps in identifying Lake Washington School District’s new superintendent,” said LWSD Board President Siri Bliesner.

Read more about the first steps in selecting a new superintendent.