A message from your Superintendent 

Dear Colleagues,

Last night our School Start Time Committee met to review the feedback we received from our November survey of staff, families and secondary students. This Committee, made up of elementary and secondary parents, staff members and administrators, has been meeting since Winter 2019 to discuss school start times. Their work has included researching school start times and their impact on students at various ages; and examining other districts and how altered start times have impacted their schools. We are continuing to work with our Transportation Department to ensure that any changes to school start times will be feasible for student transportation to and from school. Information will be presented to the Board of Directors at the March 11 meeting to gather their feedback and to determine next steps. Our goal is to make a decision by the end of April to provide ample time to communicate with staff, families and students. If you have feedback you would like to share that you did not include in the November survey, please send your thoughts to [email protected] . 

Please join me on Thursday, Feb. 27 from 4 to 6 p.m. for the Lake Stevens High School Open House & Ribbon Cutting. This special event celebrates the completion of the first phase of modernization and expansion of the school. There will be a short program, followed by self-guided tours and refreshments. This is an exciting time for our entire district and community!  

Looking ahead to March, our printed district calendar lists Classified Employee Appreciation Week as the first week of March. This important celebration happens at different times depending on region and employee association. We are going to celebrate our wonderful classified employees March 9-13. This is the official week that the Public School Employees of Washington hosts its recognition. Look for more information about this important recognition in early March. 

The best part about my job is spending time in our schools and classrooms. I love the opportunity to drop in and observe teaching and learning. However, if you have a special event happening in your school or classroom, please let me know. If my schedule allows, I will always do my absolute best to attend. 

Thank you for all you do for our students, district and community!

Warm regards,





Amy Beth Cook, Ed.D.
Superintendent
Apple Award winners for January
Congratulations to our January Apple Award winners! From left: Deb Wrobel, librarian, Stevens Creek Elementary School; Jackie Williams, office professional, and Tim Carson, custodian, North Lake Middle School; and Erika Burt, teacher, Skyline Elementary School. Not pictured: Dani Hottendorf, health room paraeducator, Lake Stevens High School. These employees were honored by the Board of Directors at the Feb. 12 meeting.

Nominating a colleague for an Apple Award is quick and easy.  Simply fill out this Google Form and you're all set! (You may have to sign in to access it.)  A committee of district employees (one representative from each school or department) reviews the nominations and selects up to five winners. The Apple Award winners are honored during the first board meeting of each month. 

For more information, contact Jayme Taylor at ext. 1501 or Tiffini Schlosser at ext. 1668 or via email. 
ALICE refresher course available for staff members
Need a refresher about ALICE, the district's emergency response protocol? Remember that ALICE stands for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter and Evacuate. The five steps of ALICE are not linear. As an emergency situation develops, it is possible that one or more options will be needed in varying order. The goal of ALICE is to keep students and staff members safe and away from harm.

If you would like to refresh your ALICE knowledge, please complete the optional refresher course in SafeSchools. It will take about 25 minutes. 

If you have trouble logging into SafeSchools, click the "Forgot Login" link and follow the prompts.

For more information about ALICE or school safety, please contact Randy Celori via email or at ext. 1566.
2019-20 Annual Report now available
The 2019-20 Annual Report is now available. The Annual Report provides information about our school district, schools, staff members and our students. The report is designed to provide families and community members with important demographic, budget, facility and student achievement data. 
Innovative Teaching and Learning Grant window open
The Lake Stevens Education Foundation (LSEF) is once again awarding Innovative Teaching and Learning Grants. Grants can support school year projects, summer program projects, or be targeted for use in the following school year. Grant awards will be based on merit. Individual teachers, teams/departments, or schools may submit grants.

 Grant applications are due Thursday, April 30. For more information, visit the LSEF website.
STEM hours required for renewal of teaching certificates
Is it time to renew your teaching  certificate? If so, remember that teachers of the following subjects/grade levels need at least 15 STEM clock hours in their renewal application:
  • Agriculture
  • Business and Marketing
  • Computer Science
  • CTE (all areas)
  • Designated Sciences: Biology, Chemistry, Earth and Space Science, Physics
  • Early Childhood Education
  • Elementary Education
  • Family and Consumer Sciences 
  • General Science
  • Instructional Technology
  • Mathematics
  • Middle level mathematics and science
  • Technology Education 

More information is available on the OSPI website.
Lake Stevens School District | [email protected] |
425-335-1501 |   www.lkstevens.wednet.edu