Change in Length of Student Day & Common High School Schedules – 2025-26

Dear Lake Washington School District Families and Students, 

On October 1, 2024, I announced that high schools would shift from a 7-period to a 6-period high school day beginning next school year. This announcement included changing to have common schedules at Eastlake, Juanita, Lake Washington and Redmond High Schools.  

After a process that included community, student, and staff feedback, we have finalized the common high school schedule, and it includes the following: 

• Increased instructional time for each class, increasing the total class time per credit from 135 to 152 hours annually.  
• A block schedule where each class meets 4 times per week with two block periods of 80 minutes and two shorter periods of 45 minutes. 
• 10-minute passing periods for students M-Th and 7-minute passing periods on Fridays. 
• Homeroom period one time per week. 

After an analysis of state-required instructional hours as part of this process, the following changes are also being implemented:  

• The high school student day will be reduced by 10 minutes.  
• The elementary and middle school student day will be increased by 5 minutes.  
• Preschool and Transition Academy programs will start and end 10 minutes earlier. 

These changes allow us to continue to meet our annual required 1027 instructional hour average for grades 1-12.  

In addition, to further align educator planning time across all three levels, the following change is also being implemented:  

• Starting in the 2025-26 school year, high school and middle school students will be released 105 minutes before the regular end of the school day on Wednesdays. These changes provide additional weekly planning time for our secondary educators. There is no change to the elementary Wednesday early release. 

Please watch this video for additional information: 

In addition, Deputy Superintendent Scott Beebe created another video to further explain the details of these changes. This video can be found here.  

Click here to view the high school schedule for Eastlake, Juanita, Lake Washington and Redmond High Schools.
 

Again, I appreciate your partnership as we continue to work through the elements of these changes.  

Sincerely, 
Jon 

Dr. Jon Holmen, Superintendent 
Lake Washington School District