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.

 

Students and staff wear orange on October 19 to show we’re united against bullying

Unity Day Celebration
Make it ORANGE and make it end! What are your true colors when it comes to bullying? LWSD staff and students showed they cared about safe and supportive schools by making their color ORANGE for Unity Day on October 19. That’s the day everyone came together – in schools, communities and online – to send one large ORANGE message of support, hope and unity. 

Check out more photos from Unity Day on our Facebook page. 

Read more about how you can stand against bullying and come together for kindness, acceptance and inclusion.

 

LWSD to fly Pride Flag in June, Juneteenth flag on June 19

This June, schools across the Lake Washington School District will fly rainbow flags in recognition of Pride month and on June 19, they will fly the Juneteenth flag in recognition of this federal holiday honoring the end of slavery.

Last spring, student and staff members shared with the district the importance of flying the Pride flag as a symbol of the district’s commitment to an inclusive and safe school environment. In response, the district developed a policy regarding the exhibition of flags at district facilities which specifically authorized the flying of the two ceremonial flags in alignment with action taken at the state level to authorize the flying of these flags at state facilities. Policy 6980 was adopted on September 27, 2022.

The district will share additional information in the Spring regarding Pride month and Juneteenth.

 

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month and Disability History Month 

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) and 2022 marks 77 years of the United States recognizing workers with disabilities. According to the Washington State Department of Social & Health Services, NDEAM is “a time to celebrate the importance of a diverse workforce and the value individuals with disabilities bring to the workplace. This year’s theme is "Disability: Part of the Equity Equation."

To get involved see the below links:

• Read about the history of disability rights in the USA
• Learn about adaptive technologies available in the workplace and beyond
• Read Disability Inclusion Network's Inclusive Virtual Meeting Planning Guide for all workplace meetings and events

Washington state passed a law in 2008 asking schools to use the month of October to increase awareness, respect and acceptance for people with disabilities, and to bring a greater sense of pride to people with disabilities. The following state law was created by the Washington state legislature to help bring this awareness to schools:

“The legislature finds that annually recognizing disability history throughout our entire public educational system, from kindergarten through grade twelve and at our colleges and universities, during the month of October will help to increase awareness and understanding of the contributions that people with disabilities in our state, nation, and the world have made to our society. The legislature further finds that recognizing disability history will increase respect and promote acceptance and inclusion of people with disabilities. The legislature further finds that recognizing disability history will inspire students with disabilities to feel a greater sense of pride, reduce harassment and bullying, and help keep students with disabilities in school.” 

October is Dyslexia Awareness Month 

Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.” (Lyon, Shaywitz & Shaywitz, 2003).

In Lake Washington, we screen students for indications of dyslexia using screening tools that exemplify best practices as identified by Washington’s Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. We then provide interventions to students who have areas of need associated with dyslexia. In addition, we provide training and support for our teachers in the areas of evidence-based literacy instruction, and dyslexia.

Additional information about dyslexia, including tools and resources that districts may use can be found on the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction website and by visiting the links below. 

• The Dyslexia Foundation
• International Dyslexia Association
• Learning Disabilities by Jack Fletcher 

 

October is Energy Awareness Month

Small steps make large impact during Energy Awareness Month 
We can do more together than we can apart. This is especially true in the quest for sustainable schools and communities.

Learn how Lake Washington School District (LWSD) students, staff, parents and community members worked together in October for Energy Awareness Month: 

Green by Design
LWSD has experienced uncommon growth in the last decade. With growth comes responsibility and we are "Building on Success." LWSD is building new schools and additions while reducing our environmental footprint. 

With a combination of smart design and technology, LWSD’s new schools are up to 20% more efficient than the latest energy codes. High-performance features of new schools include: 

• Light-colored roofs help to mitigate the urban heat island effect. A lighter roof color results in significantly less absorption of solar radiation, which helps to reduce energy consumption. 
• High-efficiency LED lighting inside and outside. 
• Geothermal heat pumps use heat captured naturally from deep wells.
• Occupancy sensors turn lights off and on automatically.
• Extra insulation throughout most walls and roofs.
• Plentiful natural light, allowing artificial lighting to automatically dim.
• Landscaping includes native, drought-tolerant plants.
• High-efficiency plumbing fixtures and low-water cleaning procedures help conserve water.
• Convenient water-bottle filling stations. By encouraging students to fill durable water bottles throughout the day, schools reduce use of single-use plastic bottles.

Learn more about LWSD’s commitment to resource conservation.
 

Reminder: We want to hear from you! Panorama survey extended until 11/7

Families, students and schools all play important roles in helping students do their best in school. To help LWSD learn how to make your child's schooling experience as positive and beneficial as possible, families are asked to take the Panorama survey. The topics covered in this fall family survey will be cultural awareness/action, family engagement and barriers to engagement.

The Panorama family survey can be accessed here:  https://surveys.panoramaed.com/lwsd/familyfall22.

For families who have students at different schools, we encourage you to take the survey multiple times – one time per school.

We’ve updated the survey deadline to Sunday, November 7 at 5 p.m.

Thank you in advance for completing this year’s Family Panorama survey!

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.

 

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: 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.
 

Skyward downtime – November 5 

Due to software updates, our vendor is requiring a Skyward downtime on Saturday, November 5 from 12:01 a.m. to 9 p.m. The following will not be available during this time: Family Access, Employee Access, RDS (Payroll), Educator Access Plus, TrueTime, Web Student, Web Finance and Student Access.

 

Are you ready for inclement weather? 

When emergency conditions such as snow and ice or windstorms result in school schedule changes, the district will notify families directly through ParentSquare. 

• Here are some other ways to find out about school schedule changes: Pop-up alert on https://www.lwsd.org/ and school webpages. 
• Flashalert.net – this website allows you to sign up for text messages as well. 
• Local TV/radio stations – they get a feed from Flashalert.net of all school schedule change decisions. 

If you are curious how school schedule change decisions are made please visit the School Closures and Late Starts page of the district website.

 

For High School Seniors: College Essay Feedback Sessions on November 12

LWSF's Find Your Fit Program is offering free, one-on-one, virtual 15-minute college essay feedback sessions on November 12 from noon to 2pm. You will receive feedback from one of two independent college counselors on your draft essay. Spaces are limited so register now at www.lwsf.org/our-work/find-your-fit/

 

Parent Chat Webinar on November 2: Growing Empathy 

Some of our most difficult personal conflicts are rooted in a lack of empathy. At the next Parent Chat on November 2, get the answers to the following questions: What is empathy and what gets in the way of our ability to empathize with others? How can we grow this vital skill in ourselves, and raise empathetic kids? Guest speaker: Bonnie McDaniel, Ph.D. 

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

 

Reminder: 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.

 

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. 

Remaining date/location

• 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. 

 

Juanita High Japanese language teacher wins national award

It is one thing to be nominated at the state level. It is a whole other thing to win on the national level. That is exactly what happened to Juanita High School teacher Kei Tsukamaki in September. Tsukamaki was nominated by the Washington Association of Teachers of Japanese (WATJ) board in both 2021 and 2022. She was selected from the national pool of nominees this year. That makes her the recipient of the American Association of Teachers of Japanese (AATJ) 2022 Teacher Award in the K-12 category. Tsukamaki will be presented with the award at a convention in November. She will also be featured in the AATJ newsletter and on the website. Read more on the LWSD website. 

 

Let’s get physical – Juanita Elementary PE teacher wins state award

Lynn Kohlwes has been teaching in Lake Washington School District (LWSD) for 39 years. This year, her hard work has paid off as she is recognized as Elementary PE Teacher of the year for Washington. Kohlwes received her award at the SHAPE Washington Fall Conference at Highline High School on October 15. Read more 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.