Facility Advisory Committee – Opportunity for Community Feedback  

We need your input!

Community survey open from January 30, 2020 - February 12, 2020.
We need your input on planning for future facilities to accommodate growth in our district to share with our Facility Advisory Committee (FAC), so we can learn what’s most important to everyone before we move ahead together in planning for future facility needs in Lake Washington School District.

The FAC will be using your thoughts to create a new facility strategy that will align with the district’s Strategic Plan. The FAC will make recommendations to help accommodate our rapid enrollment growth and continue to provide quality learning environments. The Superintendent and School Board will consider these recommendations as it plans for future ballot measures to fund construction.

FAC is using Thoughtexchange to gather community input around this question: What are the most important perspectives to consider as we plan for future facilities to accommodate growth in our district?

Check out the FAC Community Input page for more details and to participate in the Exchange.

 

Lake Washington Tuition Preschool Program (3- and 4-year-old students) now accepting Interest Statements for 2020-21 school year

The tuition-based Lake Washington Preschool Program is now accepting Preschool Interest Statements for the 2020-21 school year. For families with students currently attending the LWSD Preschool program, please complete this form by February 10, 2020. For new families interested in securing a seat for their child for the 2020-21 school year, please complete this form by March 5, 2020 (if your child is on an IEP, you do not need to fill out this form). 

Program locations for 2020-21 are below (subject to change prior to school starting in September):
•     Kirkland: Bell Elementary, Juanita Elementary, Muir Elementary, Sandburg Elementary
•     Redmond: Old Redmond Schoolhouse, Wilder Elementary
•     Sammamish: Carson Elementary

For new families, Preschool Interest Statements received by March 5, 2020 will be entered into a lottery for available seats in the LWSD preschool program. The lottery will be held the week of March 9, 2020 and families will be notified by March 20, 2020. Students not securing a seat through the lottery will be placed on the waitlist. 

Visit the Lake Washington Preschool Program website for more information and to submit a Preschool Interest Statement.

 

Lake Washington School District Budget Earns Meritorious Budget Award for Third-Straight Year

Award reflects District’s goal of fiscal responsibility
Lake Washington School District’s (LWSD’s) 2019-20 Budget has earned the Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO) Meritorious Budget Award (MBA). This award promotes and recognizes excellence in budget presentation in school districts. LWSD has received this award three years in a row. LWSD is the only district in the state of Washington to receive this award.

“We want our budget documents to be understandable, accessible, and easy to read.” noted Dr. Jane Stavem, Superintendent. “Our staff works hard to make this happen, and we’re proud to receive this award for a third year as we continue to focus on effective ways to communicate with our community.” 

Read more about this year’s Meritorious Budget Award here. 

 

Lake Washington School District Selected as a Model District for State Inclusionary Practices Professional Development Project

Lake Washington School District (LWSD) was recently selected to serve as the model district for the state Inclusionary Practices Professional Development Project. The project is a result of Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1109 passed by the state Legislature which provided $25,000,000 to the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to implement professional development in support of inclusionary practices in schools and districts. The state Legislature, OSPI and LWSD have made it a priority to provide more students with disabilities access to learn in general education settings with their non-disabled peers.
 
When students with disabilities are included in the general education classroom with their peers, they (and their nondisabled peers) have more positive academic and social outcomes. In comparison to other states, Washington lags in inclusivity. In Washington, only 56 percent of students with disabilities are included in general education classes for the majority of the school day. Across the nation, the average is 63 percent.

Learn more about the State Inclusionary Practices Professional Development Project.

 

New high school graduation pathway options

In 2019, the Washington State Legislature provided students in the class of 2020 and beyond with multiple pathways to graduation by passing House Bill (HB) 1599. HB 1599 expands the ways Washington students show readiness for their next steps after high school. 

In order to graduate, Lake Washington students are required to earn 24 credits in specific courses and complete a High School and Beyond Plan. Before HB 1599, students were also required to pass state assessments in English Language Arts and math. Student may still use these assessments to satisfy graduation requirements, but now have additional “pathway options.” 

Learn more about the different graduation pathway options in Lake Washington School District. 

 

Protect online privacy with these tips from Common Sense Media

LWSD is preparing students to become 21st-century learners. For its digital citizenship curriculum, the district has adopted Common Sense Media. January 28 was Data Privacy Day. Here are some data privacy tips for families from Common Sense Media:

Grades K-5

1. Have a conversation about personal versus private information to be shared online.
2. Use privacy settings when accessing online resources or tools.
3. Avoid location tracking.
4. Power up passwords.
5. Skip clickbait quizzes and "special offers."

Grades 6-12

1. Use privacy settings.
2. Read the fine print.
3. Discuss online scams, clickbait and "special offers."
4. Understand how tech companies make money.

Other topics addressed in Common Sense Media’s curriculum include media balance and well-being, digital footprint and identity, relationships and communication, cyberbullying, digital drama and hate speech, and news and media literacy.

 

Reminder: Credit requirements for high school students available in Family Access  

Students and families can now monitor progress toward high school graduation requirements. There is a tab called “Graduation Requirements” on the left menu in Student and Family Access. After opening this menu, you will see a list of the coursework requirements. Questions about how to interpret the information can be found on our Skyward Family Access Support page.  

 

Reminder: Is your child too sick for school?  

While school attendance is important, so is the health of all students and staff. If your child experiences any of the following symptoms, please keep him/her at home or make appropriate child care arrangements: fever, vomiting, lice/scabies, diarrhea, chronic cough and/or runny nose, sore throat, rash, ear infection (with fever), or eye infection. If he/she experiences any of these symptoms at school, the school nurse or office staff may ask you to pick your student up as soon as possible. Read more about when to keep your child home from school.  

 

Provide feedback on ELA curriculum materials for grades 6-12

The grades 6-12 English Language Arts (ELA) Adoption Committee has selected middle school and high school curriculum to pilot through the end of March. The committee will evaluate how the different programs operate in a daily classroom environment for both teachers and students. It will debrief the results of the pilot in late March and give a recommendation for the adoption of materials to our Instructional Materials Committee to review in the spring. A recommendation to the School Board will be made by April 28.

The middle school curricula selected for piloting are Expeditionary Learning (Open Educational Resource) and Amplify ELA. The high school curricula selected for piloting are Engage NY (Open Educational Resource) and MyPerspectives, published by Pearson.

The materials for all four curricula are available for parent/public preview until March 27. They are located outside of the Curriculum Library on the first floor of the LWSD Resource Center. Access to the digital materials will be provided to parents and community members, along with a link to a survey to gather input. We appreciate your feedback using the survey forms located with the materials and/or the online link. If you have further questions, please contact Alice Humphres or Jen Rose. 

Reminder: Juniors and seniors can take Fitness Knowledge Assessment February 19
High school students can meet the Physical Education graduation requirement by taking PE classes, taking the Fitness Knowledge Assessment or submitting a Fitness Plan. The Fitness Knowledge Assessment is offered to 11th and 12th graders three times a year. The final session for this school year is February 19. Submit the required form and register for the test at your high school. The deadline for 11th and 12th graders who wish to submit a Fitness Plan this year is February 19. Learn more about physical education credit options.

 

Reminder: Juniors and seniors can take Fitness Knowledge Assessment February 19

High school students can meet the Physical Education graduation requirement by taking PE classes, taking the Fitness Knowledge Assessment or submitting a Fitness Plan. The Fitness Knowledge Assessment is offered to 11th and 12th graders three times a year. The final session for this school year is February 19. Submit the required form and register for the test at your high school. The deadline for 11th and 12th graders who wish to submit a Fitness Plan this year is February 19. Learn more about physical education credit options.

 

Reminder: Kindergarten Registration: Schools will stay open until 7 p.m. on February 20

If you live in Lake Washington School District (LWSD) and your child will be 5 years old on or before August 31, 2020, it is time to register them for kindergarten. Registration takes place at your neighborhood school, beginning February 20 from 1–7 p.m. and continuing during regular school hours through the end of the school year. We will also have summer registration available at the LWSD Resource Center. 

While registration will continue throughout the school year and summer, parents are highly encouraged to register students as soon as possible. Doing so helps ensure class sizes are balanced and adequate staff are hired in time for the new school year. 

Visit the Kindergarten Information webpage for more information. 

 

Reminder: Lake Washington Schools Open Enrollment Is February 3-28

Most schools closed to those outside their area
Lake Washington School District holds an open enrollment period once each year for parents who want their children to attend a school other than their neighborhood school. Parents may apply between February 3-28 for a change to the school assignment for the 2020-21 school year for their student in grades 1-12. This option is also known as an In-District Variance.

This open enrollment option only applies to neighborhood schools that have space available. The list of schools that are closed to students outside their neighborhood will be available on the district website by February 1. Schools are closed if current and projected enrollment shows that students who live within their attendance boundary will fill the school’s capacity. District enrollment has increased rapidly over the last seven years. Learn more on the In-District Variance webpage.

 

Reminder: Use the My Stop app to estimate your bus arrival during winter weather 

The My Stop app that allows you to view the estimated time of arrival for your student’s bus can now be used to monitor changes to arrival times during winter weather events. Download the Versatrans My Stop app for Apple or Android. GPS technology allows families to view estimated times of arrival for buses at bus stops. (Data on the app is updated every 5 minutes.) 

Visit the My Stop App page for information on how to download and register to use the app. Families with students who ride the bus should have received a postcard in November with information about their school bus snow route.

When emergency conditions such as snow and ice or windstorms result in school schedule changes, the district will notify families directly through our SchoolMessenger automated phone system. You can learn more about school delay or closure decisions on the School Closures and Late Starts page of the district website.

 

Reminder: Share one hour a week with our students: AVID, Lunch Buddy seek mentors 

Lake Washington School District (LWSD) recognizes the importance of providing opportunities for students to meet with and learn from community members. We are currently looking for mentors for two different mentoring opportunities: AVID and the LINKS Lunch Buddy program.

AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) is an elective offered in four LWSD middle schools and all LWSD comprehensive high schools. Mentors meet with a small group of students in the classroom at least once a week for one class period and lead inquiry-based discussions to help students learn to problem solve.

LWSD will offer a one-hour information session to learn more about the AVID program. For specific dates and times please visit the AVID Information Sessions and Orientations calendar. For those who would like to become mentors, training is provided, and the dates are also listed on the calendar.

In the LINKS Lunch Buddy Program (Looking Into the Needs of Kids in Schools), mentors provide social-emotional support to elementary students who need a little extra one-on-one attention. Mentors are matched with a student and meet once a week during the school year for lunch, games, crafts and conversation. All Lunch Buddy mentors attend a two-hour orientation session to learn about tips and resources for a successful mentoring experience.

To learn more about Mentor Programs, please visit the Volunteer Programs page on the LWSD website at: www.lwsd.org/volunteers. For more information please contact Chris Robison at crobison@lwsd.org or call 425 936-1270.

 

Reminder: World Language Proficiency Testing 

District World Language Proficiency Testing is open to all high school students who speak/read/write a language other than English and register for the test. Students can take the test once free of cost and earn up to 4 high school credits. Tests will be offered on the following dates:  

• February 26, 2020, 1:30 p.m. at Redmond High School 
• April 29, 2020, 1:30 p.m. at Juanita High School  

Registration will close 2 weeks before each test date. Registration and further information about assessments can be found on the LWSD website: World Language Credit Options. 

For additional information please contact Theresa Vasquez, World Language Teaching and Learning Specialist. 

 

Building on Success is Lake Washington School District's long-term plan to reduce overcrowding, accommodate growing enrollment and continue to provide quality learning environments and experiences for our students. 

Information session at Lake Washington High School on February 5

Join us to hear about the addition of a new auxiliary gym and commons space at Lake Washington High School (LWHS). A community event is scheduled for February 5 at 6 p.m. in the LWHS Commons. Construction on the auxiliary spaces is scheduled to begin this summer. 

 

 

Schools celebrate Martin Luther King’s pursuit of peace and justice

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” —Martin Luther King Jr. 

In his pursuit of freedom, Martin Luther King Jr. never lost sight of his commitment toward nonviolence. During an assembly honoring the civil rights leader, students at Juanita Elementary School learned how their PRIDE characteristics (Problem solving, Respect, Integrity, Diligence and Empathy) applied to King. The school’s Associate Principal Edith Brumant sang part of "Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing," which is often called "The Black National Anthem."

Students at Redmond High School learned about the life of King and the history of the civil rights movement. Keynote speaker James Layman, program director at Association of Washington Student Leaders, told students that whatever they choose to do, they should strive to do their best. Layman is a former band teacher from Spokane. See more photos. 

 

Wilder Elementary celebrates International Night with history, food and fun

As the sun sets over Laura Ingalls Wilder Elementary, the school awakens to a vibrant International Night. In early November, students and families filled the school to mingle and explore the school’s diverse community. The event showcased an array of cultural displays as students and parents dished out popular cuisines and desserts. Performances and demonstrations were another highlight from the evening. For the grand finale, students paraded to the stage dressed in traditional clothes from around the world. 

Lake Washington School District (LWSD) recognizes it is essential to achieve an environment where all students feel welcomed with opportunities to succeed and grow. To achieve this, LWSD is committed to broadening students’ multicultural awareness. To learn how you can get involved, contact your local school. See more photos.

We’re hiring!

LWSD needs paraeducators, instructional assistants, bus drivers, mechanics, custodians, plumbers and electricians. Job descriptions are available on the district website, under "Employment" then "Classified Employees." Bus drivers earn $25.57 per hour. Learn more about why driving a bus for LWSD is a great job. Please share this information with your friends and neighbors. 

 

Sodexo/Nutrition Services is hiring

Are you looking for a way to get involved in LWSD? Would you like a part-time job that gives you the flexibility to be with your kids before and after school? Shifts that range from two hours to eight hours are available, helping serve students breakfast and lunch. Starting pay depends on experience. If interested, contact Nutrition Services at 425-936-1385. 

 

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