No School: Mid-Winter Break – February 16-17 & Presidents Day – February 20
Just a reminder that Mid-Winter Break is February 16-17 and all schools will be closed. District offices will remain open during the break. Schools and district offices will be closed on Monday, February 20 for Presidents Day.
Work with us
We're hiring! Consider a career in LWSD
LWSD is always seeking great talent for positions throughout our district. In addition to other positions available throughout the district, we are looking for applicants for the following positions:
- Paraeducators
- Nurses
- Instructional Assistants (IA’s)
- Custodians
- Bus Drivers
- Substitutes
These positions are also available in a substitute role. Check out the LWSD website for job descriptions and postings.
Learning Focused
Celebrating Our Schools With Dr. Jon Holmen
Old Redmond Schoolhouse grand opening
For the month of February, Celebrating Our Schools With Dr. Holmen takes us to Old Redmond Schoolhouse. In 2016, Lake Washington School District received a bond approval to begin renovating the original schoolhouse to be the district’s first early learning center. It technically opened in September of 2020, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we were unable to celebrate its opening. Instead, a crowd gathered on February 1, 2023 to mark the delayed opening with a presentation, ribbon cutting and a community open house.
Visit the Celebrating Our Schools With Dr. Holmen video series page on the LWSD website to see this video and the others.
Lake Washington schools open enrollment is February 1-28
Some schools open to LWSD students residing outside their attendance area
Lake Washington School District (LWSD) holds an open enrollment period each year for parents who want their children to attend a school other than their neighborhood school. Parents may apply between February 1-28 for a change to their school assignment for the 2023-24 school year for their students in grades K-12. This option is also known as an In-District Variance.
This open enrollment option only applies to neighborhood schools that have space available (and are designated as “open” or “limited”). The list of schools that are open or limited to students outside their neighborhood is available on the district website: https://www.lwsd.org/students-families/transfer-options/open-schools-list.
Read more about this on the district website.
Register now for Kindergarten for 2023-24 school year
If you live in Lake Washington School District (LWSD) and your child will be five years old on or before August 31, 2023, it is time to register your child for kindergarten for the 2023-24 school year! Registration is open now.
While K-12 student registration will continue throughout the school year and summer, parents are highly encouraged to register students as soon as possible. Doing so helps LWSD to ensure that class sizes are balanced and that adequate staff are hired in time for the new school year. It also enables our schools to build relationships with families and students prior to the start of the new school year.
How to register:
Registration for all K-12 LWSD students is online. All necessary documents can be accessed on the LWSD website and completed documents can be uploaded securely. Parents may access all necessary documents online and upload completed documents. Parents who are unable to upload documents may send them by U.S. mail or drop them off at their neighborhood school.
Visit the Kindergarten Information page of the LWSD website to learn more about the registration process.
To determine your neighborhood school, check the district school and bus finder, or call the district’s transportation office at 425-936-1120.
Welcome to Kindergarten events scheduled at elementary schools on February 23, 2023
Schools in the Eastlake, Juanita and Redmond high school feeder patterns will hold a Kindergarten welcome event on Thursday, February 23 from 1-7 p.m.
Each school will be hosting their Kindergarten event differently. Stay tuned for more details about the Kindergarten event from your school, or feel free to contact the school directly.
Due to potential changes to attendance boundaries, schools in the Lake Washington High School feeder pattern will hold their Kindergarten events in April.
Learn more about feeder patterns here.
February is Black History Month
Since 1976, each president of the United States has designated February as Black History Month. The origin can be traced even further back to 1915, when an organization called the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), led by Harvard-educated historian Carter G. Woodson, was formed. The ASALH dedicated its time to researching the achievements of Black Americans and other people of African descent. The goal was to inspire schools and communities across the United States to organize local celebrations, activities and lectures in an effort to teach Black history as it had never been taught before. Today, Black History Month is also celebrated in other countries around the world, including Canada (who also celebrate in February) and the UK (who celebrate in October). For a guide on how to celebrate Black History Month in the Seattle area, please visit https://visitseattle.org/press/press-releases/honoring-black-history-month-in-seattle/.
Fifty-four Lake Washington teachers achieve, renew National Board Certification
Highest certification a teacher can achieve
Fifty-four Lake Washington School District teachers achieved or renewed their National Board Certification®, as announced by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). Six teachers were certified for the first time and 48 teachers renewed their certification this year; certifications must be renewed every ten years. Teachers from around the district completed the process and will be recognized at an upcoming School Board Meeting.
According to NBPTS, 292 teachers working in Lake Washington Schools have earned their certification. National Board certification is considered the highest professional credential a teacher can obtain.
“We are incredibly proud of our National Board Certified Teachers and the work they have put in,” noted Dr. Jon Holmen, Superintendent. “National Board Certification shows a strong commitment to pursuing a high standard of excellence as an education professional. I want to offer my heartfelt congratulations to the teachers who achieved this certification for their demonstration of commitment to complete this process.”
Read more about this on the LWSD website.
Lake Washington School District budget earns Meritorious Budget Award for sixth-straight year
Award reflects district’s goal of fiscal responsibility
Lake Washington School District’s (LWSD’s) 2022-23 budget has earned the Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO) Meritorious Budget Award (MBA). This award promotes and recognizes excellence in budget presentation in school districts. LWSD has received this award six years in a row. LWSD is the only district in the state of Washington to receive this award.
Read more about this on the LWSD website.
National School Counseling Week February 6-10, 2023
This week is National School Counseling Week. Lake Washington School District’s 87 school counselors help students reach their full potential and LWSD would like to recognize these efforts. Earlier this week, the LWSD Board signed a proclamation declaring February 6-10, 2023 as National School Counseling Week. School counselors are actively committed to helping students explore their abilities, strengths, interests and talents as these traits relate to career awareness and development. Thank you to all of our counselors for this incredibly important work.
Read the full proclamation here.
Prepared for the global workplace
February is Career & Technical Education Month
Did you know that LWSD has approximately 18,799 students participating in 102 different Career & Technical Education (CTE) course options taught by 149 CTE teachers? The School Board proclaimed the month of February as Career & Technical Education month in LWSD.
Read the full proclamation here.
Reminder: LWSD announces calendar changes: May 30 is now a regular school day
Last day of school remains Friday, June 23
Lake Washington School District (LWSD) has finalized plans to make up for the one day missed due to the November 30 snow day. The 2022-23 calendar has been modified to reflect this change:
- Tuesday, May 30: Change from a non-school day to a full day for students.
May 30 was built-in as a snow make-up day, meaning that if we had snow days this school year, we would make them up by changing this day from a non-student day to a regular school day.
View printable school calendar.
Reminder: Early Entrance to Kindergarten applications
Applications for LWSD's Early Entrance to Kindergarten (EEK) program will open on February 13 and close on March 31, 2023.
The EEK program screens students whose families believe are exceptionally qualified to enter kindergarten at an early age.
More information can be found on the LWSD EEK site: Early Entrance to Kindergarten - Lake Washington School District (lwsd.org)
Please note that student applicants must turn age 5 before November 30, 2023.
Reminder: New to LWSD? Plan ahead – Register your child now for the 2023-24 school year!
New family registration for the 2023-24 school year opened earlier this month. Currently enrolled students do not need to re-register to continue attendance in LWSD.
While you can enroll any time, we are asking families to please enroll early so we can make sure the right staff are in place for fall 2023.
Registration for all new K-12 LWSD students is done through our website (www.lwsd.org/Registration). Enrolling online is fast and easy!
All required documents can be accessed on the website and uploaded securely.
Parents/guardians who are unable to upload documents may send them to the school by U.S. mail or can bring the documents to the school during regular school hours.
Staff are available to help answer registration-related questions at registrar@lwsd.org, or by calling your school office.
Reminder: Advanced Placement exam registration information for 2022-23 school year
LWSD is offering a LATE AP Exam Registration window from February 1 - March 3, 2023. Students who register during the late AP Registration window will incur a $50 per exam late fee in addition to the $99 per exam fee.
Read for more information about AP Exam registration deadlines and fees.
District Announcements
Registration is open for LWSF's Be the Bridge Spring benefit
The Lake Washington Schools Foundation (LWSF) is thrilled to bring back their first in-person luncheon since 2019! Join LWSF on March 23 to see their programs at work, hear stories of growth and change, and witness how your contributions make a difference to the students in our community.
Learn more and register at www.lwsf.org/bethebridge.
Passionate about our students and schools? Drop by our Table Captain Information Meeting on February 10 to learn about how you can play a part in the success of this event!
Kids Coming Together February events
Kids Coming Together community service events are great opportunities for children grades 3-8 to meet new friends and connect with their community. Teens in grades 9 through 12 can also volunteer as event leaders. To learn more and to register for upcoming events, visit www.kidscomingtogether.org.
- Feb 14 – Valentine's Day for YWCA
- Feb 22 – Make Dog Toys for the Humane Society
- Feb 27 – Painting Kindness Rocks
Kids Coming Together is a program of Lake Washington Schools Foundation.
Body Confidence: How to Talk to Your Teen About Body Image and Eating Habits
It's hard to know how to talk to your teen about body image and eating habits, especially because many of us struggle with it as adults! On March 1 at 7 p.m., Abby Erickson will share some pointers about how to talk to your teen about these issues, so you can help them develop a more peaceful relationship with food and body.
Register at www.lwsf.org/parentchat
Balance In Mind is a program of Lake Washington Schools Foundation.
Student & Staff Success
LWSD middle school students share the joy of music
Middle school students across the district who excel in instrumental and vocal performance had a night to remember on January 31. These students were selected by their teachers to perform at a concert at Evergreen Middle School. The first-rate performances by the honors band, choir and orchestra entertained a full gym of family and friends. Each ensemble was led by a guest conductor.
View pictures of the event on the LWSD website.
