Meeting with Lake Washington district superintendent candidate rescheduled
January 26, 2012
New: Jan. 26, 2:56 p.m.
A snowed-out meet-and-greet with the preferred candidate for the Lake Washington School District superintendent position has been rescheduled for Feb. 7.
Dr. Traci Pierce will be at Sammamish City Hall before the Feb. 7 council meeting, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Pierce has worked as a teacher, principal and central administrator for 17 years in Lake Washington schools. The district’s board of directors recommended her as Kimball’s replacement at its Dec. 5 meeting in part because she will bring familiarity with district systems and vision to maintain continuity while executing the district’s numerous current initiatives, the district said.
Pierce is currently the Lake Washington district’s deputy superintendent of instructional services.
Snow falling, storm not as bad as first predicted
January 18, 2012
New: Jan. 18, 11:59 a.m.
Snow continues to fall in the Puget Sound region, but some forecasts expect the majority of the snow to stop by about 1 p.m.
In Sammamish, snow continues to fall and a few inches are on the ground. While snow amounts are enough to be annoying, they are far less than the 6-14 inches predicted a few days ago. Read more
Lake Washington School District choice school application deadline is coming up
January 9, 2012
Lake Washington district parents and students will get a chance to apply to attend the new STEM School (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) at an information night Jan. 19.
Parents of students in Lake Washington schools heading into ninth or 10th grade this coming fall may learn more about the district’s newest choice school at the meeting at 7 p.m., Jan. 19 at the LWSD Resource Center. The meeting gives families the opportunity to learn about the application process for the district’s numerous choice schools, as well as stay up-to-date on deadlines and admissions processes. Read more
Renaissance to stay at Eastlake
January 4, 2012
The 91 students currently attending Renaissance School of Art and Reasoning will get to stay at the Eastlake High School campus in fall of 2012.
As the district reconfigures the grades — bringing in a whole freshman class to Eastlake next fall — administrators had considered moving the choice school for junior high-age students. But instead, Renaissance will move from its roost on the second floor of the high school building outside to a mini-campus of portables. The classrooms, just like those to be used at BEST High School for Northstar Middle School, will have plumbing and water. Renaissance students will continue to use the Eastlake gyms and library, the district said. Read more
Community invited to meet Lake Washington School District superintendent candidate
December 31, 2011
New: Dec. 31, 10:17 a.m.
Residents in north Sammamish will get a chance to meet and chat with the Lake Washington School District’s preferred candidate for district superintendent at two seperate events.
Traci Pierce, of Sammamish, will be introducing herself to the community from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Jan. 10 in the Bytes Café in Redmond City Hall and from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Jan. 17 at Sammamish City Hall. She is slated to replace outgoing superintendent Chip Kimball, who took a school superintendent job in Singapore. Read more
Local teachers go above and beyond for board certification
December 21, 2011
A small group of teachers at schools across Sammamish are celebrating reaching a milestone.
After about a year of conducting self-evaluations, writing papers and compiling lesson plans and in-class video, 23 teachers representing all grade levels received National Board Certification, the National Board for Teaching Standards announced Dec. 7. They are among the 6,200 teachers around the country who earned the certification — considered the highest level of certification for a teacher — in 2011. Read more
Sammamish neighborhoods unlikely to change school districts
December 16, 2011
New: Dec. 16, 2:47 p.m.
The outlook is not favorable for residents for a handful of Sammamish neighborhoods who want their children to attend the Lake Washington School District, instead of the Snoqualmie Valley School District.
At its meeting Dec. 15, the Snoqualmie Valley School Board voted to oppose the transfer. The residents, who filed a petition in September to change districts, now wait on the Lake Washington School Board, which will make a decision Jan. 9.
The Lake Washington board weighed its options during its special meeting Dec. 12. Read more
LWSD School Board recommends former Inglewood teacher and principal, Traci Pierce, for superintendent
December 6, 2011
New: Dec. 6, 9:59 p.m.
Traci Pierce is the Lake Washington School Board’s preferred candidate to replace outgoing superintendent Chip Kimball, it announced at its Dec. 5 meeting.
The board unanimously voted to approve Pierce, who began her career as a teacher at Inglewood Junior High School in Sammamish as its choice for the next Lake Washington School District superintendent. They cited interest among district leaders and community members in having continuity in major initiatives the district has underway including the grade reconfiguration and building a new Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics high school. Read more
New grading system motivates students
November 30, 2011
At first, Caitlin McIlwain got a little nervous when she saw a lower-than-desired grade on her first world studies paper as a freshman at Skyline High School.
She knew she did better than the “B-” reflected in the rundown on the online grade book. But she quickly realized that “B-” was one of six grades she received for the assignment from teacher Sarah Rainwater.
“I didn’t like seeing that in the grade book,” said McIlwain, now a sophomore. Read more
New grading system hopes to motivate students
November 29, 2011
New: Nov. 29. 10:09 a.m.
At first, Caitlin McIlwain got a little nervous when she saw a lower-than-desired grade on her first world studies paper as a freshman at Skyline High School.
She knew she did better than the “B-” reflected in the rundown on the online grade book. But she quickly realized that “B-” was one of six grades she received for the assignment from teacher Sarah Rainwater.
“I didn’t like seeing that in the grade book,” said McIlwain, now a sophomore. Read more
