34 school boards across the state recognized

Redmond, Wash. – The Lake Washington School District (LWSD) Board of Directors was one of 34 school boards in Washington state to be named a “Board of Distinction” by the Washington State School Directors’ Association (WSSDA), and one of 14 in the “Large School Districts (9,001+ students FTE)” category.

“Despite historic challenges this year, school boards displayed tremendous leadership in bringing students back to in-person learning safely and creatively,” said WSSDA Director of Leadership Development Tricia Lubach. “Given the obstacles districts have had to face, I think being able to recognize so many boards this year is a testament to the dedication and professionalism of our school directors. The boards that are being honored developed unique approaches that reflected the needs of their students and families and relied on careful analysis of data that indicated those needs.”

The annual Boards of Distinction program honors school boards that demonstrate effective use of the Washington School Board Standards. These standards promote research-based governance practices that lead to high levels of student and district achievement and help close gaps that impact student success. LWSD Superintendent Dr. Holmen stated, “Each School Board in Washington state faced historic challenges last year. The LWSD Board continued to keep their focus on student success throughout the pandemic and the 2020-21 school year.”
Award applicants were asked to illustrate how their actions exemplified visionary leadership and helped their school districts close opportunity gaps. The applications were evaluated by an independent review panel.

The boards will be honored on November 19 during the 2021 WSSDA Annual Conference. WSSDA will also announce 2021 Boards of the Year winners in the coming days, which will be selected among the 34 districts named as Boards of Distinction. Three boards will be recognized for particularly strong performance within their respective category of small, medium, and large school districts.

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About Lake Washington: Lake Washington School District is a high-performing public school district serving Kirkland, Redmond, and Sammamish, Washington. It is the second-largest district in the state of Washington, with over 30,500 students in 57 schools.