The next "Coffee with Christine" will be online October 13 at 6:30 pm. Login information is available on the LWHS calendar. Come join other LWHS parents and community members for an open Q&A discussion with LWHS Principal Christine Bell. This online meeting will last about an hour and we are looking forward to seeing you!

Please be sure to read Principal Bell's letter in the "School" section below.

Support LWHS students while shopping with Amazon or Fred Meyer at no extra cost!

Some LWHS PTSA programs operate solely on volunteer time and talent, but others are fueled by financial donations. By selecting LWHS PTSA as your designated charity when you shop with Amazon or Fred Meyer, your purchases help fund programs for students, staff, and the community. It’s easy to set up! Visit our website for step-by-step instructions.

Doing some comparison shopping?

Join Microsoft Rewards and your Bing searches will earn Rewards points that are automatically donated directly to LWHS PTSA.

Questions? Contact Janet Smith, LWHS PTSA VP, Ways and Means

LWHS PTSA is excited to support the Kang community by providing grants to LWHS teachers/staff and ASB Clubs to foster connection and learning. Available grants include:

• Teacher/staff enrichment grants to fund programs, equipment, or other activities that will help enrich the educational experience at LWHS.
• ASB Club grants can support activities by funding equipment and participation at events.

Additional information and grant applications are on the PTSA website under Teacher/Staff and ASB Club Grant Info. Application deadline for Fall grant requests is Friday, October 28. Applicants will be notified about funding in mid November.

Questions? Contact Christine Woskett, Grants Committee Chair

Each year, the LWPTSA Council annual basket auction raises funds for the Council’s scholarship fund, providing scholarships to graduating seniors and staff across the Lake Washington School District. Last year, LWPTSA Council was able to award academic scholarships to 15 graduating LWSD seniors.

This year, they are pleased to be hosting their 2022 auction in person! Community members are invited to come help support the next class of scholarship recipients by visiting Lake Washington School District’s Resource Center lobby during business hours to view gift baskets and place bids on them. Everyone is invited to join the auction reception pajama party on November 3 as the bidding is closed and they host a raffle with refreshments.

• Silent Bidding: Open now until Thursday, November 3 at the LWSD Resource Center (16250 NE 74th St., Redmond WA 98052). LWSD’s business hours are Monday through Friday from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm.
• Auction Reception & Raffle: Bidding will close on Thursday, November 3 from 7:30 to 8:30 pm at the LWSD Resource Center. Bring a friend and wear pajamas while enjoying cocoa and cookies! In addition to the gift baskets, you'll be able to support the program by making donations, purchasing raffle tickets for prizes, and purchasing gift cards from local businesses.

Questions? Please email auction@lwptsa.net

If your student loves art, here is an opportunity for them to create a piece of art and participate in the Reflections program!

Reflections is a national arts competition offered through the LWHS PTSA. Students enter a piece of art that goes through a judging process at the high school level with the potential to advance to the Council, State and National levels. There are six categories including visual arts (2D only), literature, music composition, film production, dance choreography, and photography. There is also a special artist division for students with disabilities. Students will submit a digital version of their completed works in one or more categories.

The 2022-2023 Reflections theme is “Show Your Voice!” You can find category rules and guidelines at https://www.lwptsa.net/reflections/.

Submissions are due November 1 before 5:00 pm. Click here for an entry form. 

Questions? Contact Rachel Pai, LWHS PTSA Reflections Chair

LWPTSA Council's Special Education Group (SEG) is excited to invite you to our first meeting of the 2022-23 school year, in person at the LWSD Resource Center! The meeting will kick off with family networking and refreshments from 6:30 to 7:00 pm. At 7:00 pm, we will begin with SEG and school district introductions, followed by time for families to connect in groups based on school communities. Finally, we are excited to have Ms. Melanie Miller, counselor at Peter Kirk Elementary, back to speak about strategies for navigating stress and anxiety at the beginning of the school year.

When: Tuesday, October 18 from 6:30–8:30 pm

Where: LWSD Resource Center (16250 NE 74th St., Redmond WA)

Please send questions to the SEG co-chairs at specialeducation@lwptsa.net. We look forward to seeing you!

LWPTSA's Special Education Group aims to connect and support families with students who receive special services in LWSD through an Individualized Education Plan, 504 Plan or Individualized Health Plan. 

Connect with SEG: Website | Facebook | SEG newsletter sign-up

Dear Kang Families, 

It finally feels like fall and we are settling in to the 2022-23 school year. Thank you to all of our families who donated snacks for teachers and students. LWHS feels very supported and equipped to focus on learning as we move forward into the last few weeks of our first quarter. Now is a good time to check in on your student's grades and attendance in Skyward. Staying on top of your student's progress is the best way to be proactive and to keep everyone on track.

Tomorrow we will have PSAT/SAT testing, and the following week we will survey students in Roo Time on their thoughts about how we are doing as a system in supporting their learning. I am excited to see the results of the survey and I am so proud of our staff and students for having a strong start to the year. 

The City of Kirkland and Lake Washington High School are communities of diverse families. Each student brings with them individual backgrounds and in many cases shared cultural experiences. One of our goals this year is to highlight the qualities that make us unique. To that end, our administrative interns Jennifer Quillen and Dongni Hu are working with our affinity groups to plan family nights. These will be events where we can highlight student voices, build connections between families, and offer opportunities to learn about clubs, classes and colleges. I am excited to partner with the PTSA and staff to bring our community together. Stay tuned for information about these events. 

Feedback from our families is critical to our success as a school. Please join us for Coffee with Christine this week or reach out in any format (Parent Square, email, phone) and let us know how we can best meet the needs of you and your family. We are here to help.

Thank you for your support and Go Kangs!

Christine Bell  

LWHS Principal

Wednesday, October 12, will be a bit different from our typical schedule. We will be hosting the PSAT and SAT on campus. Students not participating in these tests will be at home engaging in asynchronous work. An updated bell schedule can be found here.

Grade Level Expectations: 

• Freshmen will stay home and work asynchronously. Our counseling department will share asynchronous work with students today. Students are also encouraged to use this time to work on projects and other homework pieces for their classes. No freshman should be on campus on Wednesday.  
• Sophomores will be on campus taking the PSAT. Look for a separate email from school administration with logistical details. Starting today, testing room assignments will be posted in the Commons, outside the Library, and in the North Building walkway.
• Juniors who have registered for the PSAT will report to campus (look for a separate email from school administration with logistical details). Starting today, testing room assignments will be posted in the Commons, outside the Library, and in the North Building walkway. Juniors not testing will stay home and work asynchronously. Our counseling department will share asynchronous work with students. Students are also encouraged to use this time to work on projects and other homework pieces for their classes. 
• Seniors who have registered for the SAT will report to campus (look for a separate email from school administration with logistical details). Check in will occur in the gym. Seniors not testing will stay home and work asynchronously. Our counseling department will share asynchronous work with students. Students are also encouraged to use this time to work on projects and other homework pieces for their classes.    

Attendance: 

• Students testing on campus should arrive by 7:50 am. Students must be prompt as they cannot enter the testing room once the proctor has started instructions. We anticipate most tests to be completed by 12:45 pm. Lunch will be available.
• Sophomores will be counted present when they arrive for the PSAT test.  
• Freshmen, Juniors and Seniors should communicate with the attendance office if they are absent this day due to travel or illness.

College Fair

Our first in-person College Fair will be taking place on October 26 from 5:30-7:30 pm. We have several great schools in attendance including UW, WWU, Gonzaga, U of Oregon, Cornish College of the Arts and more. Several two-year colleges will also be there. Students and parents are welcome to attend this event which will be hosted in the LWHS Commons. Join us to hear more about these great schools directly from their admissions representatives.

College Visits are in full swing! 

Upcoming visits include:

• Pacific Lutheran: Today, October 11 at 3:00 pm
• San Diego State University: Fri, October 14 at 10:20 am
• Gonzaga: Tues, October 18 at 3:00 pm
• Washington State University: Wed, October 19 at 1:00 pm

Subscribe to the College & Career Center Calendar or follow our Instagram account (@lwhscollegecareer) to learn about college visits and other events.

Financial Aid Information:

In September, the College & Career center hosted a Financial Aid evening. The event was recorded and is available to watch on the LWSD College & Career Readiness site. 

The Washington Student Achievement Council hosts live financial aid completion events to help students and parents complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). The next virtual event will be held on October 19 at 5:30 pm via Zoom. There are both English and Spanish sessions available. Links to the events will be posted on the College & Career calendar.

Questions? Contact Nichole Swanger, LWHS College and Career Specialist

October 28 and 29, 7:00 pm

Please join us for LWHS Theatre’s next production, Boy Gets Girl.  It is a play that was chosen for its important statements about how people can protect themselves and protect each other from uncomfortable situations.

Theresa Bedell agrees to go on a blind date with a friend of a friend. Tony is attractive and funny, but after a second date she sees no point in continuing with the relationship. Tony, though, thinks otherwise as his persistence turns to obsession, and Theresa's annoyance turns to terror. 

This show is not for younger audiences as it confronts issues of stalking, sexism, relationship dynamics, limitations of law enforcement, and more. It speaks to the challenge of the justice system and how helpless victims can feel. But most importantly, it asks audiences to consider how they perceive others, why they perceive them that way, and asks if it’s the right way.

When: October 28 and 29, 7:00 pm

Tickets: Available in advance through Brown Paper Tickets or at the door (Cash/Check Only). General Admission $10, Students with ASB $8.

Questions? Contact Morgan Heetbrink, LWHS Drama Teacher

Show your support for LWHS Theatre by having lunch or dinner at MOD Pizza in Kirkland’s Totem Lake on Tuesday, October 25! A portion of the proceeds will go to the Theatre Boosters in support of costumes, props and more for our 2022-23 theatre season. Click the button below to print the flyer to show at the restaurant or order online and enter this fundraiser code: MODF13139.

Print the flyer

Questions? Contact fundraising@theatre.lwhsboosters.org.

NEW ways to help your senior with essay support!

Students can now sign up via Signup Genius for reservations on Wednesdays. They can also sign up in person at the College and Career Center. And don’t worry, first come/first served tutors are always available.

We're also offering additional sessions during Friday ROO A and B, piggybacking with the College and Career Center’s College visits. These occasional Friday sessions are by reservation only.

Sign up HERE to reserve a spot NOW!

When: We meet every Wednesdays at 12:55, and the occasional Friday ROO A and B

Where: Outside the College and Career Center

Questions? Email collegeapp@lwhsptsa.org

Hello Senior Kang parents and guardians!

The seniors are so excited for their last year at Lake Washington High School! We started off the year with a beautiful senior sunrise that brought the whole class together. That was just beginning! We had a fabulous Homecoming week where the students were able to finish the celebration off with the Homecoming dance.

The events that have happened so far and the events to come are what make a senior's last year so memorable and important before they begin the next phase of their life beyond the Kang community. These events include football tailgates, tolo, prom, commitment day, senior breakfast, senior party, senior sunset, and last but not least – graduation!

Over the past few years, due to setbacks with the pandemic and online school, our senior class has struggled to raise the money needed to put on the events listed above. We are working tirelessly to create more fundraisers this year to enable us to keep everything on the calendar. If you would like to donate to the class of 2023 to help us fund these incredible events, please use the link below. These memories will last a lifetime and we need help making sure they turn out great! 

To make a donation:

1. Go to https://wa-lakewashington.intouchreceipting.com/.
2. Next, sign in (there are directions for new users and returning users).
3. Once you are logged in, find the LWHS Class of 2023 donation link to make your donation. 

Questions? Contact Kelly Conroy, Class of 2023 Advisor 

Lock in price now guaranteed through December 1!

Do you have a student who LOVES to travel? Do they enjoy seeing things from a scientific perspective? Then they should join us on our trip to Greece and Italy for Spring Break 2023 (April 6-17)!

Here are just some of the things your student will see on this amazing Trip:

• Tour Athens
• The Acropolis
• Temple of Apollo
• Mozzarella making
• Pompeii
• Tour Rome
• Colosseum
• The Accademia
• The Galileo Museum

If your student is interested in joining us but didn't get the chance to attend our informational meeting, go to acis.com/findmytrip and enter:

• Group Leader: Ryan Palmer
• Trip ID: 15905

For questions, please contact us at palmersciencetravel@gmail.com

Ryan Palmer, Ronica Wilson, and Ashley Zydel

LWHS Science Teachers who love travel! 

Parent Chat with Balance in Mind

The Balance in Mind team is back with a new season of Parent Chats! Parent Chat hosts experts in youth mental wellness with interactive discussions. This season Parent Chat will be covering topics such as resurfacing from the pandemic to stresses on student athletes and developing key social and emotional skills in yourself and your children. Sessions occur twice a month on Wednesdays at 7:00 pm.

Register for our fall Parent Chat series

Pantry Packs Fall Food Drive

The Pantry Packs Program is hosting its annual Fall Food Drive! You can help feed hungry students in our community through one of two ways:

• Donate food directly through our Amazon Wish List.
• Drop off your food donations on November 16 or 19, from 10:00 am-2:00 pm at our Pantry Packs warehouse located at 14816 NE 95th St - Bldg 6, Redmond, WA. 

Click here for more information