In February 2009, Dr. Kimball announced that Lake Washington School District would move to four year high schools and a grades 6-8 middle school model in the fall of 2012. The district's administrators, including all junior high and high school principals, have been working on plans to make that change smooth and to ensure the best quality learning environment for students.

Administrators first researched best practices in school grade configurations as well as learning from other districts that have made a shift from three-year to four-year high schools. The next step has been to develop a shared set of beliefs both for the middle school level and for high schools in our district. These statements have been posted on the district website in a section devoted to this change. Further information will be posted in that section as we get closer to the changes in the fall of 2012.

In addition, junior high principals developed a basic framework for middle schools  to guide the middle school educational program. Each school is developing a schedule and plan that best meets the framework requirements in a way that works for their community. More information will be coming from schools directly to their parent community.

As planning work continues, this newsletter will include information on all the aspects of this shift, including academic, athletic and school culture changes, over the next year.

Have an upcoming field trip or school event where you plan to volunteer? Please check to make sure that your volunteer application is still valid in the system. Volunteer approvals are good for two years, so it may be time to renew. (The volunteer office does send out volunteer renewal notices via email and/or postcards to people about a month prior to their renewal date.) You can verify your status with your school office or by contacting the volunteer office at 425-936-1300. It can take up to two weeks to process your application, so be sure to complete yours early to be ready for that next event.

Parents are encouraged to apply online through the Parent Access system. This is the fastest way to renew your application because it is immediately received by the volunteer office and can be processed more quickly. If you do not have a scanner to make an electronic version of your driver's license, it may be easier to take a digital photo of your license instead. This (readable) copy of your license can then be uploaded to your application. Or, if you prefer, you can drop your license copy off at the district office (16250 NE 74^th Street, Redmond, WA 98052 - in Redmond Town Center) Monday through Friday between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. The last option is to send a copy of your license to your child's school. They will then forward the license copy to the volunteer office. 

If you have any questions about volunteering, email Shannon Parthemer or call her at 425-936-1300.

National School Nurse Day is Wednesday, May 11. School nurses are professional nurses who advance the well-being, academic success, and life-long achievements of all students by providing a critical safety net for our nation's most fragile children. Be sure to thank your school's nurse on May 11.

LWSD's Online Academy will add two new classes for fall 2011: Online AP Calculus BC and Online PE. These two classes add to the existing lineup of Online Health, Online World History 1, Online Washington History, Online U.S. Government and Online English 9. For more information about the Online Academy, or to take a quiz to determine if online learning is right for your student, visit the Student Online Academy section of the district website.