Community use of school facilities
School buildings are built with taxpayer dollars. Lake Washington School District believes those buildings belong to the community and should be available for community use when it does not conflict with the district’s mission of educating children. In fact, the district’s administrative policies outline the basic philosophy and understandings around community use of school facilities. Fees are charged for the use of facilities so that district funds intended for the education of children are not used to support other activities.
Building use applies to one-time facility use or regular use for up to one year. Building users can re-apply each year to continue their use for the subsequent year. Long-term leases must be made by special arrangement with the district business office. In order to ensure that school buildings are always available for school programs, long-term leases are unusual.
Buildings may be used by non-profit organizations. For-profit or commercial groups are not permitted without the prior approval of the Board of Directors. Building users are divided into six classifications, and fees for the classifications differ.
User group classifications
- Group I: District or school-oriented groups
- Group II: City-sponsored youth activities via cities / school district interlocal agreements
- Group III: Non-profit youth organizations with members residing within the Lake Washington School District
- Group IV: Non-profit adult organizations with members residing within the Lake Washington School District; other city and state agencies
- Group V: Other non-profit organizations
- Group VI: Other adult organizations
Group I: District or school-oriented groups
Group II: City-sponsored youth activities via cities / school district interlocal agreements
Group III: Non-profit youth organizations with members residing within the Lake Washington School District
Group IV: Non-profit adult organizations with members residing within the Lake Washington School District; other city and state agencies
Group V: Other non-profit organizations
Group VI: Other adult organizations
Apply to the specific school or other district location
Determine first what school or district building your group would like to use. The district map is a good starting point to determine where all district buildings are located. If your group is large, you may want to concentrate on middle schools or high schools or the district resource center. Smaller groups will have more flexibility in which buildings to use.
| Library, gymnasium, cafeteria/commons | Contact the school |
| Theater | Contact the school |
| High school stadium | Contact the school |
| Athletic fields | Contact: City of Kirkland, City of Redmond, City of Sammamish or unincorporated King County |
| Resource Center conference rooms | Contact the Resource Center |
For more information on building use please visit Frequently Asked Questions.
Playground and field use
All LWSD playgrounds, tracks and tennis courts are closed to the public during the school day from 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. and open for weekend and evening use. School campuses are closed during the school day. As a reminder, large, organized activities are not allowed. The public is also not allowed to be on a field when an outside organization is renting the field.