We're hiring! Consider a career in LWSD

LWSD is always seeking great talent for positions throughout our district. In addition to other positions available throughout the district, we are looking for applicants for the following positions:

• Paraeducators
• Nurses
• Instructional Assistants (IA’s)
• Custodians
• Bus Drivers
• Substitutes

These positions are also available in a substitute role. Check out the LWSD website for job descriptions and postings.

 

Share your thoughts with the LWSD Start Times Committee

The LWSD Start Times Committee wants to hear from you! The Committee is using ThoughtExchange to gather thoughts and suggestions from families, students, staff and community members across the district. The ThoughtExchange launches today. It will be open until 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, October 26. That will allow the Start Times Committee to review the feedback at their next meeting on Thursday, October 27. 

This ThoughtExchange is an opportunity to share your potential impacts with this committee. The question is: What potential impacts of a change in school start times do you want to share with the committee to consider in this process? 

Click here to join the exchange: https://tejoin.com/scroll/312692262 

About the Committee 
The LWSD Start Times Committee will make a proposal to the superintendent for all high schools to start no earlier than 8:00 a.m. The committee will also recommend an earlier start and end time for preschool. No changes would happen before the start of the 2023-24 school year. The committee meets seven times between September and January. The committee includes parents and staff from across different high school feeder areas.  

In November and December, the committee will ask for input from parents, staff and students on specific options.  

Visit this webpage for information about this work: https://www.lwsd.org/get-involved/task-forces/previous/school-start-time-advisory 

About ThoughtExchange 
An exchange has three simple steps: Share Thoughts, Rate Thoughts, and View Results. 

• Share Thoughts - share your thoughts, questions, or comments in response to open-ended questions, independently and confidentially 
• Rate Thoughts - read thoughts shared by you and other participants, and rate each one out of 5 stars 
• View Results - learn what matters to the group by exploring the thoughts and how they were rated.  

These three steps together bring structure to the conversation. People share their thoughts, rate the thoughts of others, and learn what matters to the group. 

Thoughts and ratings are public, but whose thoughts and ratings are whose? That remains confidential! 

Upcoming Calendar Items 

Half Days for Elementary Conferences – October 17, 18, 20 
LEAP Day – October 21 (No School) 
October 17, 18 and 20 are half days for elementary students for conferences. Visit our half-day dismissal times webpage for exact end times for schools. Preschool students will also have conferences on these dates so there will be no preschool programs. 

October 21 is a Learning Enhancement and Academic Planning (LEAP) Day. That means no school for students so that teachers and staff members can focus on professional development. 

Panorama survey to help determine student needs 

As you may already be aware, growing our students’ social-emotional (“SEL”) skills is an important goal for our students. As part of these activities, we survey students (grades 3-12) and ask them to reflect on their own mindsets and approaches to learning. The data we get back helps us continue to identify opportunities for growth and development with our students. 

We partner with a national leader in educational surveys, Panorama Education. Panorama develops tools to empower schools and districts to learn about students’ self-perceptions, better understand student experiences in their learning environment and identify opportunities to enhance support of teachers and counselors as they implement SEL programs. 

Panorama’s SEL survey is grouped into three categories: 

• Student competencies 
• Student supports and environment 
• Teacher skills and perspectives  

These surveys will help shape the districts’ and schools’ well-being work in service of the whole student. 

Helping students do their best in school requires a team effort. Parents, students and schools all play important roles in this process. To help all of us learn how to make your child's schooling experience as positive and beneficial as possible, parents/guardians will also be asked to take the survey. 

The survey will take place between October 17-28, 2022.  

Families will also take a Panorama survey during this survey window. The topics covered in this fall family survey will be cultural awareness/action, family engagement and barriers to engagement. 

A copy of the questions will be posted to: https://www.lwsd.org/programs-and-services/student-services/panorama-education-survey.  The family survey will be sent via ParentSquare. 

Data privacy and security 
The information collected through this survey is private and secure. LWSD has a data-sharing agreement (DSA) with Panorama that prohibits them from selling or using our student data for their benefit.  

Unity Day on October 19 

October 19 is Unity Day this year. Several schools and district buildings throughout LWSD will participate in events to come together against bullying, be united for kindness, acceptance and inclusion. Remember to wear orange on October 19!

Reminder: Advanced Placement exam registration information for 2022-23 school year

LWSD students will register for AP exams from September 9 to October 31, 2022. 

The payment window for all exams will be October 14 through October 31, 2022. 

We encourage all students wanting to take May 2023 AP exams to complete the registration on time and pay for their exams during this registration period. There will be a $45 exam cancellation fee for the 2022-23 school year. 

Exam registration and exam payment are separate required processes.

Students register for exam(s) via AP Central. AP teachers and the school’s AP coordinator will have the codes that students will use to register for each exam. 

Students pay via Online Payments or directly to school bookkeeper. Students can pay for their exam(s) from October 14 to October 31.

An AP Late Registration window will be offered in February. Students who register during this late window will pay an additional $50 per exam late fee in addition to the regular exam fee. 

Questions? Please contact your school’s main office.

 

Reminder: Application now open for Highly Capable Programs

The application for LWSD's Highly Capable Program is now open and closes on October 20, 2022, at 11:59 p.m. The application can be found on the Accelerated Programs section of the LWSD website, on the Application Process Page. We have linked the application page here for your convenience. No applications will be accepted after the October 20 deadline.

Reminder: New webpage for Assessments and Surveys 

Information about assessments and surveys common across LWSD can now be found on the LWSD website under “Programs and Services” and then “Assessments and Surveys.” For each assessment and survey, the new webpage contains details about the relevant student group, the purpose of the assessment/survey, the assessment and results window, accommodations and supports, translation information, and additional links and contact information.  

Visit the Assessment and Surveys page on the LWSD website. 

Reminder: World Language proficiency testing

LWSD offers in-person, world language testing for high school students. These tests help students meet the “world languages” graduation requirement. They can earn up to four high school credits. They can also earn the Washington state “Seal of Biliteracy” on their transcript and diploma. 

• All high school students can take one language test for free. 
• Students can take the test at any location (see list below).
• Tests are available in any language that is both written and spoken.

See below for test dates and locations.

Date	Time	Location
Wednesday, November 9	1:30 p.m.	EHS, JHS
Wednesday, January 18	1:30 p.m.	LWHS, RHS

Register and find more information here.

Questions? Contact the Assessment Team at assessmenthelp@lwsd.org.
 

Reminder: K-5 Social Studies Adoption Committee forming

In Lake Washington School District, we arrange committees of stakeholders to review our adopted curriculum on a regular basis. These committees consist of teachers, administrators, specialists and community members. The committees usually meet 1-2 times a month but may also have additional sessions as needed. Committee members engage in learning about current research, standards and effective instructional practices. They then apply that learning in evaluating resources for potential adoption. The process of reviewing and/or adopting new curricular materials will be a two-year commitment. It will entail independent work outside of the meeting times. We are starting this process in K-5 social studies this fall. If you are interested in applying to be part of this committee, please fill out the application for the committee below. For any additional information, please contact Dr. Jen Rose, Associate Superintendent for Instructional Services.

K-5 Social Studies Adoption Committee: Community Member Recruitment

National School Bus Safety Week – October 17-21 

National School Bus Safety Week is a public education program that addresses the importance of school bus safety. School districts throughout the country observe School Bus Safety Week the third week in October each year. This year’s theme is “Red lights mean STOP!” 

October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month  
October is National Cyber Security Awareness month co-founded and co-led by the Department of Homeland Security and the National Cyber Security Alliance.  

Program materials from the Stop.Think.Connect. Toolkit provide information and activities to help students, staff, and parents learn more about and practice safe computing. Cyber criminals target vulnerable computer systems or users of technology in large and small businesses, schools and at home. Cybersecurity is a shared responsibility in which we all have a role. Click on the links to access tools for Students and Parents and Educators.  

National Custodian Day 

October 2 was National Custodian Day. Custodians are an important part of the team working behind the scenes to keep our buildings clean and safe. Custodians have played a role in keeping our buildings safe all throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Thank you to our custodial staff for all the important work they are doing for our students and staff. 

Earthquake preparedness in LWSD  

Disasters cause anxiety precisely because they can occur without warning and without regard for other, existing emergencies. Practicing emergency plans helps us develop unity in our preparation and response and increases confidence in our safety and security resulting in a more resilient community. Lake Washington School District (LWSD) works with all its schools to ensure that earthquake response plans are in place. Our buildings are built to seismic codes, and older buildings have been retrofitted. All natural gas lines have seismic shut-off valves. The district has a Safety Advisory Committee that meets monthly to discuss emergency planning and safety. As part of those plans, the district follows guidance from the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction and currently recommends “drop, cover and hold” as the state-approved response to earthquakes. Staff and students will practice earthquake response and think about how they would respond to an earthquake. Resources to prepare for and practice earthquake safety can be found at Great Washington ShakeOut. Great Washington ShakeOut will occur on October 20 at 10:20 a.m. This is a state-wide earthquake drill. 

Will you go ALL IN FOR KIDS?  

If you care about students, schools, and families, then supporting Lake Washington Schools Foundation (LWSF) is a great way to make a big, positive difference in the lives of kids in our district. Last year, thanks to funding raised from the community, LWSF:  

• Distributed 25,000 weekend meals to food-insecure students.  

• Added 1,100 diverse books to help build inclusive library collections  

• Trained 160 students in Teen Mental Health First Aid   

• Supported 1,600 students and parents with the college application process  

• Provided 1,300 hours of mentoring to local students  

• and much more!  

With your help, LWSF will do even more this year. Please go ALL IN FOR KIDS and make a donation today: www.lwsf.org/all-in-for-kids  

Parent Chat Webinar on October 19: Teaching Emotional Regulation 

The next Parent Chat topic is Teaching Emotional Regulation. Marcelle Waldman, Founder of FeelLinks, joins us to share how to best support your child in understanding, labeling, expressing and managing emotions. This webinar is geared towards elementary kids.  

Register for the Fall Parent Chat series at www.lwsf.org/parentchat  

 
Kids Coming Together October events  

Kids Coming Together community service events are great opportunities for children grades 3-8 to meet new friends and connect with their community. Teens in grades 9 through 12 can also volunteer as event leaders. To learn more and to register for upcoming events, visit www.kidscomingtogether.org  

• October 17: Litter Pickup at Lake Sammamish  

• October 26: Pumpkin Painting  

 
Pantry Packs Fall Food Drive  

The Pantry Packs Program is hosting its annual Fall Food Drive! You can help feed hungry students in our community through one of two ways:  

• Donate food directly through our Amazon Wish List; or 

• Drop off your food donations on November 16 or 19, from 10am to 2pm, at our Pantry Packs warehouse located at 14816 NE 95th St - Bldg 6, Redmond, WA.   
   

Virtual college planning events   

The LWSF Find Your Fit Program is offering free virtual events in October and November to support high school seniors with their college applications. Learn more and register at www.lwsf.org/our-work/find-your-fit.   

• The Counselor Is In - Essay Feedback: October 23 and November 12   

• The Counselor Is In - Office Hours: October 26  

Reminder: LWSD partners with Seattle Visiting Nurse Association (SVNA) to offer flu shot clinics in October

LWSD is partnering with Seattle Visiting Nurse Association (SVNA) to offer flu shot clinics in our four comprehensive high schools throughout October. The exact products available will be Flucelvax Quadrivalent Flu Vaccine and the Flucelvax Quadrivalent Preservative-Free Flu Vaccine. Everyone age 4+ is eligible. 

Dates/Locations 

• Monday, October 24, 3-7 p.m. at Juanita H.S. (10601 NE 132nd Street, Kirkland)
• Thursday, October 27, 2:30-8 p.m. at Eastlake H.S. (400 228th Ave NE, Sammamish)
• Friday, October 28, 3-7 p.m. at Redmond H.S. (17272 NE 104th St, Redmond)

Register here: https://schedule.seattlevna.com/home/b2e67bfb-a83a-ed11-9db1-6045bd0054d4

Important Information
Each patient needs their own individual appointment registration, in their legal name, completed with their individual information. For records reporting purposes, please ensure the accuracy of your demographic information, including your name and date of birth.

Please have your confirmation code ready. The confirmation code will be included in your confirmation text message and email.

If you have an approved insurance plan, including Medicare and Medicaid, you must provide this information during registration, and we will bill your insurance. You will not be charged a co-pay or deductible. 

Questions? Email info@seattlevna.com. 

 

Dance, dance, dance – Tesla STEM student is champion in ice dancing competition  

A student from Nikola Tesla STEM High School stayed cool this summer by winning gold on the ice. Sophomore Anugraha Pillai competed at the National Solo Dance Skating Competition. The event took place in Santa Clarita, Calif. from September 7-10. Anugraha danced past her competition by taking home first place in the pre-gold solo dance event. She also won the pewter medal (fourth place) in the junior combined dance event.   

Read more about this on the LWSD website.  

This newsletter is just one way to stay in touch with what is happening in the district. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube for up-to-date news and information.