February 9, 2016Like us on Facebook  Follow us on Twitter  View our videos on YouTube
A message from Dr. Traci Pierce, superintendent
We want to provide our students with the best learning environments possible, and this means responding to our ever-growing student population.
 
Throughout the months of February, March, and April, I will be spending a significant amount of time talking with community members about the upcoming April 26 bond measure.
 
People often ask why the state doesn't pay the full cost for school buildings for local school districts, or why local communities have to fund schools. These are good questions, and I can't tell you why this is the case. I can only tell that this is the case. This is how it works in Washington State. Local communities must determine how to respond to the need for more classroom space for students. Read more.
 
District, police response to recent threats
Over the last week, threatening notes were found in bathrooms in district schools. The threatening notes found at Juanita and Redmond High Schools resulted in the closure of those schools last Friday. Making threats against a school is a serious matter. A letter to Juanita high school staff and parents from Chief Hamilton of the Kirkland Police Department demonstrates the seriousness of these situations and how our police partners are responding. Police have not found any of the threats to be credible.
 
Threats and behavior that disrupts the orderly operation of a school are included in the district's serious misconduct and discipline code. Individual students who are found to have made make such threats may face serious school discipline and legal consequences. Both Juanita and Redmond High School students and staff will be making up the missed school day later in the year.  
 
As a community, we can all work together to keep students safe and prevent disruption of schools by talking to students about why this kind of behavior is unacceptable and has serious consequences.
 
Lake Washington School Board seeks funding for more schools, classrooms
Lake Washington School district is growing rapidly. In fact, it has grown from the sixth largest district to the fourth largest district in the state since last year. The district has grown by over 3200 students in the last five years. That's an average of over 625 students per year for the last five years, which is equivalent to five large elementary schools. Growth is projected to continue, reaching over 30,000 students by 2020-21 and over 32,000 students by 2029-30.
 
To meet these growing needs for classroom space, the district's board of directors voted on January 25 to place a bond measure on the April 26 ballot. This measure, for $398 million in 20-year bonds, would fund the most immediate, high priority needs. The total tax rate will be maintained at the 2015 rate. Read more.
 
To learn more, visit the 2016 Bond Web page. 
Click on image to enlarge.
 
Reminder: Open enrollment is February 1-26
Lake Washington School District holds an open enrollment period once each year for parents who want their children to attend a school other than their neighborhood school. To take advantage of open enrollment for students in grades one through 12, parents may apply for a change to that school assignment, also known as an in-district transfer or variance, between February 1 and February 26. For kindergarten students, parents must request the variance at the time of registration. This open enrollment option only applies to those schools that have space available. Read more.
 
Prepared for the global workplace: February is Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month
By proclamation of the School Board, February 1-29 is Career and Technical Education month in LWSD. Approximately 6,308 students participate in 118 different career and technical education course options taught by 73 CTE teachers in the district. If your students are in elementary school, they will begin to experience CTE courses in middle and high school.

School News
Cultural exchange brings 34 Beijing students to Rockwell Elementary
 
Just one day after arriving in the United States from Beijing, China, 11-year-old Lily Wei Lai was reading with Julian Cortes' fifth-grade class and acting out the American folktale, "Paul Bunyan." In total, 34 students from schools in Beijing visited fourth- and fifth-grade classes at Rockwell Elementary School on Jan. 22. The exchange was organized by the American Education Federation. Read more.
 
Watch out Iron Chef - LWSD Culinary Competition - 2:29
Watch out Iron Chef - LWSD Culinary Competition - 2:29

Watch out Iron Chef: Students cook up tasty assignments for third annual culinary arts competition
Culinary arts students from middle and high schools around the District sliced pork tenderloin, saut�ed shallots, and blended legumes, among other ingredients, as part of the third annual culinary arts competition on Saturday, January 9 at Lake Washington High School. Read more.

 

Quick Links

 
The Lake Washington School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, gender, marital status, creed, religion, honorably discharged veteran, military status, sexual orientation including gender expression or identity, the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability, or the use of a trained guide dog or service animal by a person with a disability, in its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies: Director of Human Resources, 16250 NE 74th Street, Redmond Washington, 98052 or 425-936-1266.