Superintendent Message - June 2024 - Lake Washington School District (2024)

Superintendent Message - June 2024 - Lake Washington School District (1)

As we close the chapter on the 2023-24 academic year, I want to take a moment to honor and applaud our graduating students. The message I’ve penned for our graduates this year shines a light on the distinctive hurdles faced by this senior class. Confronted with formidable challenges, these remarkable young individuals have shown grit, resolve and compassion. Their list of achievements is equally impressive. It is with great pride that I present my letter to the graduating class of 2024. Well done and congratulations to all our graduates!

To the Graduates of the Class of 2024:

Congratulations Lake Washington School District, Class of 2024! You've officially made it to the end of your high school journey. Like you, I stepped into something that was a bit of an unknown four years ago as well, that was my first year as superintendent. It's been an honor to watch you navigate the past four years. None of us could have anticipated the journey you would have and each one of you have added to our collective story.

Think back to freshman year. You had anticipated walking through the doors of your high school, wide-eyed and curious, perhaps a bit nervous about finding your way. Then, it was announced, yes by me (I’m sorry), that you would start the school year from the comfort of your home in remote learning. Now, if I pause here, I actually have some questions for you:

  1. Why didn’t you turn your camera on?
  2. What percentage of class did you actively engage in?
  3. Did you really have to be lying in bed during class?
  4. Which was your favorite pandemic term/phrase: pivot, resilient, “we are all in this together,”“two weeks to slow the curve,”remote learning, social distancing, vaxed, other?

All questions thatyou know exactly what I’m talking about, even if you won’t admit it.

Now, think back to 2011, the year you started your school journey as kindergarten students. Many of you in Lake Washington, and a number of you from across the country and from across the globe. 2011 almost feels like preparation for the 2020’s. Think about the following elements of 2011:

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 was released and if you don’t remember this series, it was about vampires. For adults, the Walking Dead was rapidly becoming very popular, yes, a TV series about zombies. And, to top it off, somehow, Katy Perry tied Michael Jackson’s record with five number-one singles from one album, an impossibility and glitch in the matrix. But the thing that probably had the biggest impact on your upcoming formative years, Apple, for the first time, required that the Siri app be integrated into all iPhones, starting with the iPhone 4s. Yes, the 4th generation iPhone – and yes, you were witness to it! I think the world was trying to subtly tell us something: Vampires, Zombies, Katy Perry and Siri. I will let you create your own conspiracy theory, welcome to adulthood!

But truly, while I poke fun at some of the lighter things in life, I hope you know that I am tremendously proud of what an amazing and remarkable group of young people you are. All the things you have navigated: world-wide pandemic, racial tensions across the country, and geo-political conflicts. You have had the opportunity to watch these things play out and how many chose to respond. You may have engaged in the response. I hope you learned from watching and participating. I also hope you learned that, at the end of the day, we are all part of a global community. People, individuals, groups; all wanting similar outcomes for themselves and their loved ones; to live, thrive and be happy. I hope more than anything that you leave the comfort of K-12 schools committed to humanity, life and, what the Declaration of Independence references, the pursuit of happiness.

So much of our world drives us to selfish motivation. What I know is that acts of kindness, service and community participation create a sense of belonging, personal wellness, and satisfaction. True success will never be an individual effort, it will always be made up of parts and those parts are people and relationships. I leave you with this quote as you take on the journey of your dreams.

"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others."

Mahatma GandhiPursue your dreams with passion and purpose. Know that you have the skills, the heart, and the spirit to make a difference. And always, always believe in yourself. Because we will always believe in you.

Congratulations, Class of 2024! The future is yours for the taking, and I have no doubt you’ll make it extraordinary.

Go out and change the world!

Sincerely, 
Jon

Superintendent Message - June 2024 - Lake Washington School District (2)

Dr. Jon Holmen, Superintendent
Lake Washington School District

Superintendent Message - June 2024 -  Lake Washington School District (2024)

FAQs

How many teachers are in Lake Washington School District? ›

Teachers (FTE)
Total:1,758.46
Prekindergarten:19.71
Kindergarten:142.35
Elementary:863.78
5 more rows

How many kids are in Lake Washington School District? ›

Lake Washington School District is a top rated, public school district located in REDMOND, WA. It has 30,991 students in grades PK, K-12 with a student-teacher ratio of 18 to 1.

What school district is Redmond, WA in? ›

The Lake Washington School District #414 or LWSD is a public school district in King County, Washington, in suburbs east of Seattle. Its headquarters is in Redmond.

What school district is Sammamish, Washington? ›

Sammamish, Washington, offers diverse and top-rated schools, including public schools within both the Lake Washington and Issaquah School Districts, as well as excellent private school options.

What is the best paying school district in Washington state? ›

Top Paying Companies
1Lynden School District$88,822
2Mead School District$88,699
3Centralia School District$88,046
4Edmonds School District$88,019
5Riverview School District$87,663
5 more rows

What is the largest school district in Washington state? ›

Seattle Public Schools, the largest K-12 school system in Washington state, has a deep commitment to every student's journey—to ensure that each student will graduate ready for college, career and life.

How much does Lake Washington School District spend per student? ›

Finances at Lake Washington School District

Lake Washington School District spends $13,941 per student each year. It has an annual revenue of $583,245,000.

What is the largest elementary school in Washington? ›

Largest Elementary Schools in Washington
  • Enlightium Academy. Spokane, WA· ...
  • Insight School of Washington. Online School· ...
  • Spokane Virtual Learning. Online School· ...
  • Add to List. Sponsored Jewish School. ...
  • Goldendale School District #404. Online School· ...
  • Washington Virtual Academies at Omak. ...
  • King's Schools. ...
  • Lynden Christian School.

What school district has the most kids? ›

List of the largest school districts in the United States by enrollment
2019School district
1New York City
2Los Angeles Unified
3City of Chicago (SD 299)
4Miami-Dade County
53 more rows

How deep is Lake Washington? ›

Maximum depth of the lake is 214 feet, mean depth is 108 feet, and the lake is shal- lowest at its north and south ends. The lake has a mean width of 1.5 miles and drains to Puget Sound through Seattle via the Lake Washington Ship Canal, an 8.6 mile long artificial waterway.

Is Lake Washington manmade? ›

Lake Washington is the largest of the three major lakes in King County, and the second largest natural lake in the State of Washington.

What cities are in Lake Washington School District? ›

Covering 76 square miles, LWSD is the public school district for the cities of Kirkland and Redmond, as well as about half of Sammamish. On the north end of the district, some Bothell and Woodinville residents also attend our schools.

What is the mascot of the Lake Washington School District? ›

The rare character born at LWHS in 1930—a clever kangaroo called Lizzie—still delights us as our school mascot.

How big is Lake Washington School District? ›

The district is east of Seattle and covers 76 square miles. LWSD is the public school district for the cities of Kirkland, Redmond and about half of Sammamish.

What rank is Sammamish High School Washington? ›

Overview of Sammamish Senior High School

Sammamish Senior High School is ranked 55th within Washington. Students have the opportunity to take Advanced Placement® coursework and exams. The AP® participation rate at Sammamish Senior High School is 62%.

How many students are in Lake Washington High School? ›

How many students are in Lake Local School District? ›

Lake Local School District (Uniontown) is a highly rated, public school district located in UNIONTOWN, OH. It has 3,371 students in grades K-12 with a student-teacher ratio of 18 to 1.

How big is Lake Stevens School District? ›

Overview of Lake Stevens School District

Lake Stevens School District contains 15 schools and 9,551 students.

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