The Lake Washington School District (LWSD) is made up of students and families from many different cultures. In celebration of this, Lake Washington PTSA Council (LWPTSA Council), in partnership with LWSD, hosts a Welcome Event for New and International Families each year.
Fall 2024 Welcome Event
Lake Washington PTSA Council, in coordination with Lake Washington School District, is looking forward to co-hosting our 8th annual Welcome Event for New and International Families on Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024, from 4 to 7 pm at the LWSD Resource Center (16250 NE 74th Street, Redmond WA 98052).
Our welcome events are a great opportunity for families to learn about the school district and LWSD community, ask questions, and meet other LWSD families. Whether you’ve moved from a different county or from a different country, this event is for you!
Translation & Child Care Available
To request a translator for the welcome event, please email Shannon Parthemer at sparthemer@LWSD.org.
On-site child care will be available during the speakers’ presentations. Children must be toilet-trained. A parent or guardian must remain in the building. This is not a drop-off service.
2024 Event Agenda
4 to 5 pm: Community resource fair (Lobby)
5 to 6:30 pm: LWSD, PTSA and LWSF speakers (Board room)
- Welcome to LWSD — Dr. Jon Holmen, LWSD Superintendent
- PTSA Council Introduction — Kristen Dorwin, LWPTSA Council President
- LWSF Introduction — Katy Philips, Lake Washington Schools Foundation Executive Director
- More About Our Schools — Dale Cote, LWSD Associate Superintendent of School Support Services
- Accelerated Programs for Families — Myra Arnone, LWSD Director of Accelerated Programs
- College & Career Readiness Programs — Nyla Fritz, LWSD Director of Secondary Teaching & Learning / College & Career Readiness
- Special Services — Dr. Shannon Hitch, LWSD Special Services
- Equity & Family Engagement — Pablo Ortega, LWSD Equity & Family Engagement
- Social Emotional Learning & Supports — Johnny Phu, LWSD Student Services
- Question & Answer Session With Presenters
Videos and Resources
Previous Welcome Events
- View the slide presentation from our Oct. 14, 2023, Welcome Event.
- View the slide presentation from our Sept. 30, 2022, Welcome Event.
On Sept. 29, 2021, the Lake Washington School District and Lake Washington PTSA Council hosted an online event for New and International Families via Microsoft Teams. Live captions were available in Chinese (simplified), Hindi, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Vietnamese.
This event focused on “Social, Emotional & Community Support for Students & Families” and provided valuable information about “Navigating the School System: Academics in LWSD.” (view the recording)
- Welcome in Many Languages Poster — Additional “welcome” photos in multiple languages
- Welcome Event Videos — YouTube playlist of videos from welcome events and related activities
In 2019, the district teamed up with the LWPTSA Council to create an International Families Welcome – World Video so that we may learn from the unique perspectives of our parents in how they and their children view the school experience. This sharing of information helps to inform our school district as to needs of the growing international community. Finally, international families new to the district can learn from these parents about what to expect from LWSD schools and how to get involved.
Questions? Contact the Council VP of Family and Community Engagement (FACE) at FACE {at} LWPTSA.net.