The Lake Washington School District is made up of students and families from many different cultures. In celebration of this, Lake Washington PTSA Council in partnership with LWSD hosts a New and International Families Welcome event each year.
Fall 2023 Welcome Event
Lake Washington PTSA Council, in coordination with Lake Washington School District, is looking forward to hosting our 7th annual Welcome Event for New and International Families on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023, from 9 to 11 am at the LWSD Resource Center (16250 NE 74th Street, Redmond WA 98052).
2023 Event Flyer (PDF)
Our welcome events are a great opportunity for families to learn about the school district, 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 event, between 9 am and 11 am only. Children must be toilet-trained. A parent or guardian must remain in the building. This is not a drop-off service.
2023 Event Agenda
- Welcome to LWSD — Dr. Jon Holmen, LWSD Superintendent
- PTSA Introduction — Kristen Dorwin, LWPTSA Council President
- LWSF Introduction — Irene Neumann, LWSF Board President
**SHORT BREAK** - LWSD Schools — Dr. Matthew Livingston, Secondary Level Director; Dale Cote, Associate Superintendent; Savannah Milford, Keller Elementary Principal
- Accelerated Programs for Families — Stephanie Kesterson, Accelerated Programs
- College and Career Readiness Programs — Kate Atvars, College & Career Readiness
- Special Services — Dr. Shannon Hitch, Executive Director of Special Services
- Basics of the U.S. School System — Pablo Ortega, Director of Equity & Family Engagement
- Social-Emotional Learning & Supports — Johnny Phu, Director of Student Services
- Questions & Answers
- Communications in LWSD — Shannon Parthemer, Director of Communications
Previous Welcome Events
View the slides from our Sept. 30, 2022, Welcome Event in partnership with LWSD.
On Sept. 29, 2021, the Lake Washington School District (LWSD) and Lake Washington PTSA Council provided 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 Videos and Resources
- 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.