Equity & Family Engagement
For Lake Washington Schools, fostering equity within our school district has become an imperative mission. Our commitment to continuous equity work transcends the boundaries of the classroom, reflecting a broader organizational shift towards inclusivity and justice. As we continue on this journey, we recognize the importance of honoring and celebrating the diversity of our community along the way. This is why, among other initiatives, we have proudly raised the Juneteenth flag and the Pride flag in our schools. These symbols serve as reminders of the historical struggles and triumphs that have shaped our nation and as symbols of our unwavering commitment to creating safe and welcoming spaces for all students, staff and families.
The work of ensuring equitable outcomes for all students, but especially those furthest from educational justice will continue. We appreciate the guidance offered to us by parents, community partners, staff, and of course our students. We hope that this inaugural report serves as a baseline of your expectations for us. We look forward to another school year of legacy work.
Sincerely,
Pablo Ortega
Director Equity and Family Engagement
Vision
The LWSD Equity & Family Engagement department is committed to the legacy work of racial, gender and ability equity for all and the intersectionality therein, and the power this work has to disrupt the status quo. We are a community of unified and unrelenting abolitionists working to intentionally achieve educational and social justice to ensure that all students have freedom to choose their paths in the world.
Mission
Together we will engage in intentional, strengths-based legacy work by pushing boundaries through storytelling and abolitionist teaching as we unite to disrupt the systems that threaten the educational freedoms of our community. We will work to harness and include the power and wisdom of historically marginalized and traditionally non-dominate communities. It will take the action of pushing boundaries and decolonizing our policies, processes, curriculum, and mindsets so that we can achieve ultimate freedom from the shackles of a variety of injustices that we, our students, our families, and our communities face daily.
This webpage provides information on many of the activities related to diversity and outreach to close opportunity gaps for students of color, for students with disabilities; and for traditionally underserved student groups.
Curriculum & equity efforts
- Our curricula & processes: Snapshots of the past, present and future
- Curriculum work in progress
- Weaving our work together
- Equity work belongs to everyone
- Equity-centered professional learning
Our curricula & processes: Snapshots of the past, present and future
Curriculum work in progress
Weaving our work together
Equity work belongs to everyone
Equity-centered professional learning
Equity and anti-racism resources
- Equity and anti-racism reading lists
- Suggested resources to support learning and talking about about race for adults and kids
- Juneteenth
- Black History Month
Equity and anti-racism reading lists
Suggested resources to support learning and talking about about race for adults and kids
Juneteenth
Black History Month
LGBTQIA+ resources
Related links
Contact us
Pablo Ortega
Director of Equity & Family Engagement
425-936-1398