To escape the rain and gray skies, my husband and I recently attended the Seattle Boat Show. We are not in the market for a boat, but we thought it would maybe create the illusion of being somewhere warm and sunny. 

I know very little about boats and my main objective has always been to secure the front seat, so I won’t get sick. I do know that every boat has a wake once it is in motion and it is different from boat to boat, with the design and purpose of the boat dictating how the water flows as it moves forward. 

I learned a lot about the wake as a young teenager while water skiing behind the boat my brother was driving. The wake seemed to be the safest place to ski, free from waves, straight behind the boat, and predictable with the direction ahead. I was told if I moved outside of the wake it might be smoother and faster, but that involved going up and over that rim of water just next to me, and that seemed like a bigger risk than I was willing to take.

Eventually, my driver (older brother) forced me to go outside of the wake as he took a turn rather fast. While I was flipping through the air, losing my skis, and swallowing a gallon of fishy water, I decided I was going to need more practice and a better driver to get outside of the wake and enjoy skiing.

As we help kids swim through the waters of life, we try to create conditions that lead to a smooth path, free of waves and wipeouts. Inevitably, they experience rough waters and need some help to see their way forward.  

This month, we recognize our school counselors as part of National School Counseling Week (Feb. 3-7). February is also National Career and Technical Education Month. Our school counselors play a huge role in supporting our students’ well-being, and work collaboratively with other staff members, families, and our community to help our students as they try new things, consider their future career options, and deal with the ups and downs of traversing through school. 

As the water hopefully begins to subside, we’ll keep the LWSD ship steady as we continue to navigate our journey through the school year. We need all hands on deck to make sure our students have a successful voyage!

Sincerely, 

Dr. Jane Stavem, Superintendent