Connections - August 29, 2024

Welcome to the 2024-25 school year! As the first day of school approaches, the Lake Washington School District team is looking forward to welcoming our students to another exciting year of learning! 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.

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:

• Nurses
• Instructional assistants (IAs)
• Paraeducators
• Custodians
• Bus Drivers
• Substitutes

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

 

View the 2024-25 school year calendar

The 2024-25 LWSD school calendar is available on the district website. Here is a direct link to the PDF of the calendar from the site. 

Building Excellence Capital Construction Levy – November 2024

A capital construction levy will be on the ballot in the November 5 election. This levy continues our Building Excellence Plan by rebuilding our four oldest facilities, which no longer meet the health, safety and learning standards of the 21st century. The levy would address:

• Four aging schools that have not been updated in the last 40 years:
  • Alcott Elementary (Redmond),
  • Evergreen Middle School (Redmond),
  • Kamiakin Middle School (Kirkland) &
  • Smith Elementary (Sammamish)
• Upgrades to the fieldhouse and community pool at Juanita High School. This facility was not included as part of the 2016 bond to rebuild and enlarge Juanita High School.

SAVE THE DATE: Lake Washington School District will host virtual Town Halls and Question-and-Answer sessions about the levy throughout the fall. Specific dates are below:  

• Tuesday, September 24, 2024, 6-7 p.m.
• Wednesday, October 16, 2024, 7-8 p.m.
• Thursday, October 24, 2024, 12-1 p.m.
• Tuesday, October 29, 2024, 6-7 p.m.

Watch for links to these events in future editions of Connections.

Learn more about the levy.

New teachers welcomed at 2024 Educator Introduction Academy

Last week, about 155 new teachers and specialists learned about the district at Educator Introduction Academy. Some of the topics teachers explored included cultivating relationships with families, culturally responsive and inclusive instructional practices, and technologies for teaching. Welcome to all our new teachers!

Student health plans, medications and immunization records

Lake Washington School District is committed to the health and wellness of our students. Each school has a registered nurse available to provide a range of services. At the beginning of each school year, nurses collect student health information to plan for needs during the school day. As we plan for the 2024-25 school year, we want to remind everyone of a couple important health-related items.
 
Individual Health Plans & Medication Authorizations: If your student has a life-threatening health condition, the following requirements must be met before your student can attend school. You must supply:

• The required emergency medication to the school,
• Health care provider orders,
• An individual health plan, and
• Any necessary supplies on or before the first day of school.

These documents should be submitted directly to the School Nurse and NOT through FinalForms. Until these requirements are met, your student will not be able to attend school. 

For more information, visit: https://www.lwsd.org/services/health-services.

Immunizations: Immunization records must be turned into the school on or before the first day of attendance. Your student cannot attend school until you provide these records. 

Tdap: For the 2024-25 school year, all students attending grades 7 through 12th must have had one booster dose of Tdap vaccine. All students in seventh through tenth grade must have received their Tdap vaccine dose on or after age 10 to be accepted for school entry. Students in eleventh through twelfth grades must have received their Tdap dose on or after age seven to be accepted for school entry.
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Medically Verified Records: Medically verified records include one or more of the following:

• A completed Certificate of Immunization Status (CIS) signed by a health care provider. Find the CIS form by visiting https://www.doh.wa.gov/SCCI and clicking on “Certificate of Immunization Status.”
• A CIS filled out by you or another parent/guardian with medical records attached.
• A CIS printed by a health care provider or school from the Washington State Immunization Information System.
• A CIS printed from MyIR which is a free Department of Health online tool that allows families to view and print their official immunization records themselves. Go to https://myirmobile.com/ to begin the sign-up process.

LWSD is transitioning to the Washington Immunization Information System (WAIIS) School Module which requires parent consent for nurses to upload immunization records. Please sign the WAIIS consent form in Skyward Family Access to allow the School Nurse to manage your student’s immunization records.

For more information, visit: https://www.lwsd.org/services/health-services/immunizations.
 
Questions about immunizations? Please contact your School Nurse.

Sports physicals required for middle school/high school sports participation
As a reminder, sports physicals are required for participation in middle school and high school sports. High School sports seasons start in August, so it is important to have your paperwork on file in the school office prior to the start of the sports season. Health Care Provider offices in our area are expecting more appointment requests for physicals in August, so it is a good idea to schedule your appointment early. For middle school students, sports begin in September. Families will receive messaging from FinalForms with reminders about the required forms to complete.
 
For more information, visit: https://www.lwsd.org/programs/athletics.

 

Nutrislice – A new platform for school menus and nutritional information from LWSD Nutrition Services

LWSD Nutrition Services is implementing an online website and mobile app called Nutrislice that is designed to provide parents and students with information about our school menus and nutritional information. Users may view menus specific to their school(s), as well as important information about each item that is offered. Benefits of Nutrislice include:  

• Menu is available on demand via the web or smart phone app.
• Parents and students have detailed access to menu ingredients.
• Compliant with updated Americans with Disabilities Act.
• Language translations in 50+ language platforms.
• Last minute menu or product changes can be reflected. 
• Menu can be filtered making it easier on those with special dietary and allergen considerations.

A link to Nutrislice menus is posted on the district’s Nutrition Services webpage or the direct link to school menus is available here: Nutrislice | Lake Washington School District.

Getting to/from school

Riding the bus: As part of the Student Information Verification process, families who qualify for transportation can request transportation services. The district provides transportation only to those students living outside a one-mile radius, unless the district has reviewed walk routes and determined no safe walk routes are available. Within that boundary, our practice allows for elementary students to walk up to one and a half miles to school and middle and high school students to walk up to two miles. Students with walk distances that exceed these limits are eligible for bus service. These guidelines are used to establish all walk boundaries for Lake Washington School District. It is important that you sign up for transportation services through the Student Information Verification process.

Instructions for viewing student busing information in Skyward Family Access: 

1. Log in to Skyward Family Access
2. Select “Busing” to open the student’s transportation information.
3. The student’s AM and PM route number, stop location and times will be shown. 

Students who receive special education and preschool services should have received communication by phone from your child’s bus driver by August 29. If you have not received a phone call by August 30, please contact our dispatch office at 425-936-1120. Please remember this is a busy time of year and they will get back to you as soon as possible.

Questions about buses? Visit the transportation page. 

Walking or Bicycling: Walking and bicycling are healthy ways for students to get to school. Suggested walk route maps for elementary schools are available on the district website. A subcommittee of the district’s Safety Advisory Committee, along with traffic and pedestrian safety experts, worked with a consultant to develop these safe walking/biking routes.

LWSD hosts safety forum and reunification drill over summer, strengthening student and staff security

On August 1, 2024, Lake Washington School District (LWSD) hosted a comprehensive safety forum at Overlake Christian Church, organized by Risk and Safety Services. LWSD has partnered with Overlake due to its proximity to the district and because its campus meets or exceeds all the requirements necessary for a reunification site. This all-day event brought together 75 district leaders for a series of workshops and discussions aimed at enhancing school safety and resiliency.

The forum kicked off with a keynote speech by Susie Kroll, King County Sheriff, titled “The Safety of Resiliency.” Her address focused on the importance of wellness for school staff, particularly those who act as first responders in emergency situations.

Participants engaged in various workshops throughout the day, covering critical topics such as threat assessment, school investigation support and building level safety committees. These sessions provided valuable insights and practical strategies for improving safety protocols within the district.

Read more about this on the LWSD website.

Your tax dollars at work! Security cameras added to school buses this fall

Lake Washington School District (LWSD) is dedicated to fostering safe and supportive environments for all students and staff. The primary goal of LWSD’s Transportation Department is to safely transport all student bus riders to and from school each day. This goal can only be achieved with the cooperation of the entire community. Positive student behavior is a key factor in ensuring safe transportation, as it allows drivers to focus on the road and other drivers. We expect all student bus riders to act responsibly and respectfully, contributing to the safety of everyone on board. 

Starting this fall, all LWSD school buses will have video cameras. No audio will be recorded on these cameras. As such, riders are subject to video surveillance. These cameras provide an important additional tool to assist the driver and administrators in managing student conduct on school buses, an important safety consideration that benefits all. Adding security cameras to school buses is a significant step towards enhancing the safety of students and staff. These cameras provide an additional layer of security, ensuring a safe and secure environment for all.

Additional Resources:

• Policy 6610: Security Camera Systems
• Procedure 6610: Procedure Security
• Camera System
• Safety Webpage

Peachjar to deliver community electronic flyers

LWSD will continue using the Peachjar eflyer service this school year. Peachjar distributes eflyers from nonprofit organizations as well as from schools and school-related organizations directly to parent email inboxes. If you are new to LWSD, you will receive a welcome email from Peachjar that gives instructions on how to manage flyer delivery preferences. Learn more about Peachjar on the district website.

Who is Lake Washington Schools Foundation?

Discover the heart and soul of the Lake Washington Schools Foundation in just a few minutes. Watch their short video and learn how LWSF works together with the community to make a difference in the lives of LWSD students.

Don’t miss out on inspiring stories and impactful opportunities! Sign up today to receive exclusive emails from LWSF featuring heartwarming stories, behind-the-scenes insights and opportunities to transform student lives! Stay informed, stay inspired and be part of a community that cares. Visit www.lwsf.org/subscribe to join us today.

Help kids get back-to-school ready!

If you weren't able to drop off school supplies and backpacks for LWSD’s School Supply Drive, you can still make a difference! A monetary donation helps ensure every student has the supplies they need for a successful start to the school year. Contribute now at www.lwsf.org/school-supply-drive.

Summer school success: Your support made it happen!

LWSF is thrilled to announce that, thanks to their incredible donors, LWSF raised over $10,000 to support this year's summer school program! These funds directly impacted LWSD’s most vulnerable students by covering transportation, snacks, STEM activities and grade recovery courses.

Your generosity has provided these students with the resources they need to thrive. Thank you for making a difference!

Call for ambassadors

Join the Foundation Family! LWSF Ambassadors are adult volunteers who represent their school community and champion LWSF programs that help every student in our school district thrive. 

At the heart of our mission are dedicated individuals like LWSF Ambassador Zahra Eslami, who is committed to empowering students and building an inclusive community where every child's voice is heard. Hear her story and see how you can make a difference, too.

To learn more and/or to apply, visit the LWSF website or contact june@lwsf.org. 

Building Excellence is Lake Washington School District's long-term plan to provide permanent classrooms for students and address aging facilities and reduce reliance on portables through 2034. The Building Excellence Plan identifies the specific projects needed and a long-term funding plan that allows all required projects to be completed by 2034.

Thank you, voters! New middle school classrooms will open this fall!           

Finn Hill Middle School, Kirkland Middle School and Redmond Middle School will each open with eight additional classrooms this fall. will each open with eight additional classrooms this fall. The 2022 Building Excellence Capital Construction Levy funded these additions which will help to relieve capacity constraints at the middle school level. Check out photo slideshows of each addition as teachers moved in this week and preparations are made to welcome students next week.

OSPI recognizes 35 LWSD schools through the Washington School Recognition Program

27 schools recognized in 2021-22 and 18 schools recognized in 2022-23

The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) has announced that 35 different LWSD schools have been recognized through the Washington School Recognition Program between the 2021-22 and 2022-23 school year. Twenty-seven schools were recognized in the 2021-22 school year. 18 schools were recognized in the 2022-23 school year. Ten schools were recognized both years.

Statewide, 571 public K-12 schools received state recognition for outstanding achievement in 178 school districts. Of those, 104 public schools earned recognition both years.

Read more on the LWSD website.

Share a picture with us! #LWSDFirstDay

Welcome back! The first day of school is coming up for LWSD students. Please send us a message through Facebook, Twitter or Instagram of your photos and videos of your students returning to school for a chance to be featured on our social media channels! Or, email your photos to us at communications@lwsd.org. Let's celebrate learning together!