Lake Washington School District honored for featuring culturally-inclusive school meals

Redmond, WA — Lake Washington School District (LWSD) has been honored by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction’s (OSPI) Child Nutrition Services as a recipient of the “Rooted in Excellence Culturally Inclusive Meals” award. The award program highlights the creativity, dedication and impact of school nutrition teams across Washington state. LWSD partners with Sodexo to provide meal services to students.

This award celebrates schools that honor and reflect the diverse cultural backgrounds of their students through inclusive and representative menu offerings. LWSD was selected for its outstanding efforts to create a more inclusive dining experience by adding culturally inclusive meals.

The LWSD Nutrition Services Department offered meal accommodations on school days for students observing Ramadan in 2026. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) approved a waiver allowing schools in Washington to provide takeaway meals to students fasting during Ramadan. These waivers allowed students to receive breakfast and lunch in a manner that aligned with their religious observance. Meals were available for students to pick up and take home from February 17-March 19.

We celebrate our team’s commitment to honoring diverse food traditions and creating meaningful connections through school meals. This initiative reflected a strong commitment to equity, student engagement and cultural celebration through food.

“We’re honored to be recognized for offering meal options that reflect the cultures and traditions of our students and families,” said Ralph Peschek, LWSD Director of Nutrition Services. “Offering take-home meals during Ramadan was one way we could remove barriers and ensure students who are fasting still had access to nutritious, high-quality food on their schedule. I’m proud of our Nutrition Services team and our school partners for leading with care, inclusion and respect.”

The Culturally Inclusive Meals Award is one of several categories in the Culinary Excellence track, which also includes Breakfast Excellence, Farm to School and Scratch Cooking. The Rooted in Excellence program also recognizes schools demonstrating leadership within Nutrition Education, Marketing and Promotion, and Partnerships and Engagement.

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About OSPI Award: To learn more about the Rooted in Excellence recognition program, including award criteria and how to apply next year, please contact CNStraining@k12.wa.us.

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 30,100 students in 55 schools.

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

This project has been funded at least in part with Federal funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The contents of this publication do not necessarily reflect the view or policies of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.