|
Dear Kang Families,
LW is preparing to welcome our newest students during Future Freshman Night on Thursday, February 6th and the following week we will also host parents for learning walks. Now that our second semester has begun, our sights are set on spring and the celebrations it brings.
As we begin registration for the 2025-26 school year, we want to partner with parents in guiding students toward a well-rounded and sustainable high school experience. With the transition from a seven-period to a six-period day, this is an opportunity to take a step back and consider the high school journey holistically.
We know our students are incredibly driven. Many challenge themselves with advanced coursework while also balancing extracurricular activities, part-time jobs, community service, and personal commitments. However, we often see students struggling to manage it all. At semester, a significant number request schedule changes, hoping to drop advanced courses due to stress or concerns about grades.
In college, students do not typically take more than four or five classes at a time. It is neither necessary nor beneficial for high school students to overload their schedules with the maximum number of advanced courses available. Academic rigor is important, but so is maintaining a balanced, healthy lifestyle. High levels of anxiety and burnout are often the result of sleep deprivation, poor nutrition, and a lack of physical activity—factors we see more and more often in our students.
During registration, counselors will meet one-on-one with each student to ensure their course selections align with graduation requirements while also taking into account their workload. However, we need your help as parents to reinforce this message at home. Please encourage your student to be ambitious but also realistic, prioritizing both academic success and well-being.
Our goal is to prepare students not just for college admission, but for long-term success. Balance is key, and together, we can help our students thrive.
Thank you for your partnership and support!
Christine Bell, Ed.D
Principal, Lake Washington High School
| 
