Connections - December 19, 2024
Winter Break
Winter Break begins Monday, December 23, and extends through January 3. Learning will resume on Monday, January 6, 2025. Until then, enjoy your break and happy holidays!
Resource Center Winter Break hours:
- Monday, December 23 - Open 7 a.m. - 4 p.m. (closed from 12-1 p.m.)
- Tuesday, December 24 - Closed: Christmas Eve
- Wednesday, December 25 - Closed: Christmas Day
- Thursday, December 26 - Open 7 a.m. - 4 p.m. (closed from 12-1 p.m.)
- Friday, December 27 - Open 7 a.m. - 4 p.m. (closed from 12-1 p.m.)
- Monday, December 30 - Open 7 a.m. - 4 p.m. (closed from 12-1 p.m.)
- Tuesday, December 31 - Closed: New Year’s Eve
- Wednesday, January 1 - Closed: New Year’s Day
- Thursday, January 2 - Open 7 a.m. - 4 p.m. (closed from 12-1 p.m.)
- Friday, January 3 - Open 7 a.m. - 4 p.m. (closed from 12-1 p.m.)
Reminder: Season of Giving 'Tis the Season of Giving in Lake Washington School District (LWSD). Each year schools and district buildings across LWSD think of ways to benefit those most in need during the holiday season. They do so by holding food or clothing drives, or collecting items to donate to others in the community. The items collected are distributed to families and non-profit organizations throughout the area. |
Work with us
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.
Learning Focused
Excellence in Action – December award winner
Below is a message from Superintendent Dr. Jon Holmen about this month’s Excellence in Action award winner:
This month, our Excellence in Action recipient is Amy Sullivan, Humanities teacher at Lake Washington High School. Spending time at Lake Washington, and all its Kang pride, it was remarkable to spend a few minutes in Amy’s class, share with her students that she was being recognized and to hear the stories from her colleagues, administration and, of course, the students who think the world of Amy. It was also inspiring to hear Amy speak about why she teaches, her family’s history as teachers and how she wants students to feel as they leave her classroom each day.
Please join me in congratulating Amy Sullivan as our December, Excellence in Action recipient!
You can view this month’s award winner and the previous winners on the LWSD website.
Hour of Code a big success in LWSD schools
Hour of Code took place last week (December 9-15). This is an annual, worldwide opportunity that occurs every December to inspire K-12 educators and students to engage in computer science to solve problems, advocate for equity in computer science education, celebrate the contributions of students, teachers, and partners to the field, and underscore the critical role of computing in all careers. This year’s theme was “Make the Invisible Visible.”
Help spread the word! 2024-25 Future Chefs competition
We’re thrilled to announce the fifteenth Future Chefs National Challenge! This year, we’re accepting entries from grades 1 through 5.
This event aims to educate kids on healthy eating habits. Too often, we hear about kids not making the right decisions regarding their eating habits. Plus, eating healthy food should be fun! We want students to submit recipes to complete the plate with their favorite main dish!
Judging will be based on the following criteria:
- Originality
- Kid friendly
- Ease of preparation
- Healthy attributes
- Plate presentation
- Taste
- Student chef presentation to judges
Visit the website for additional information, including the link to submit your recipe: Future Chefs Culinary Competition - Lake Washington School District
Timeline of the event:
- The student recipe submission portal will close on January 3, 2025.
- Five Lake Washington School District students will be notified that they are finalists on January 10, 2025.
- The five finalists will participate in a Culinary Competition "Cook-Off" on February 6, 2025, @ Timberline Middle School, tentatively scheduled for 4:30 p.m.
All finalists will receive a framed plaque, recipe book of all finalists’ recipes, chef coat, apron and hat.
Local media will be invited to take pictures of the kids' creations, and parents and teachers can view (and taste!) the final product during the reception portion of the event.
Transportation will not be provided on February 6, 2025, for the competition. The kids will need to be dropped off and picked up at Timberline Middle School.
Each group of kids will have a kitchen staff member assigned to help them ensure that there are no safety issues. This will ensure that safe food and preparation practices are followed and that no one gets harmed.
District announcements
Reminder: 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.
Curious how school schedule change decisions are made? You can learn how to be updated when school is delayed or canceled on the School Closures and Late Starts page of the district website.
Lake Washington School Foundation
Navigating Neurodiversity: Strength-Based Support for ADHD Kids | ParentEd Talk
ADHD kids: Unique brains, amazing power. At the next ParentEd Talk with groundbreaking ADHD psychiatrist, researcher and best-selling author Ned Hallowell, M.D., learn to navigate neurodiversity with the strengths-based approach necessary to help your kid (and family) finally thrive.
When: Thursday, January 16, 12:00–1:00 p.m.
Sign up for the live Q&A webinar for FREE! You'll also gain access to the event recording so you can watch it anytime, anywhere. Details and registration: www.lwsf.org/our-work/ParentEd-Talks.
Save the date for the LWSF annual Spring Benefit
Please SAVE THE DATE for LWSF’s annual Be the Bridge Spring Benefit on Thursday, March 27, 2025, at the Seattle Marriott Redmond!
This year marks the 20th anniversary, and LWSF can’t wait to celebrate this milestone with you in a special evening of connection and inspiration. Stay tuned for more details!
Lake Washington Schools Foundation is hiring!
Are you passionate about making a difference in your community? Lake Washington Schools Foundation is seeking dedicated individuals to contribute to their mission of supporting students, families and educators in Lake Washington School District.
Explore our current opportunities and find out how you can be part of our dynamic team.
Building Excellence
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.
Building Excellence projects: Year in review through pictures
Lake Washington School District was busy this year with construction projects that add space and much needed updates to our existing campuses for our students and staff.
Take a look at this slideshow to see our 2024 Building Excellence projects in review.
Student & Staff Success
Tesla STEM junior selected as local organization’s Seattle Youth Poet Laureate
Tesla STEM High School junior Janae Lu has been making waves outside her classroom this year. She was recently announced as this year’s Seattle Youth Poet Laureate from the local organization Seattle Arts & Lectures (SAL). Janae presented an original poem "Too Good" on Sunday, November 24, at the SAL event at Benaroya Hall. It was an impactful performance, and she received a standing ovation from the audience.
According to the SAL website, the Youth Poetry Fellowship (YPF) serves a cohort of young writers committed to poetry, performance, civic and community engagement, education, and equity across the Puget Sound region. Over the course of the school year, Fellows meet regularly for workshops with the Youth Poetry Fellowship mentors. Fellows also have numerous public opportunities to share their voices, leadership, and love of Seattle throughout the course of the year. Janae is one of 10 fellows chosen for this program and was selected as the lone Seattle Youth Poet Laureate.
Juanita High School Japanese language teacher received national award for her work with students
The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) recently named Juanita High School teacher Kei Tsukamaki as the 2025 National Language Teacher of the Year. The award presentation was held during the 2024 ACTFL Convention & World Languages Expo on Friday, November 22, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, Pa. The Language Teacher of the Year is a program managed by the Language Connects Foundation (LCF), the charitable and public education affiliate of ACTFL.