At-risk students get to attend summer school thanks to your generosity.

Kids that fall behind all too often stay behind. Some fail to graduate at all. Summer school gives these kids a critical opportunity to stay with their peers, learn essential materials and skills, and graduate on time, prepared for college, career, and life.

Lake Washington School District offers a summer school program for elementary students but parents have to pay tuition for their students to attend. A grant of $63,000 from the Lake Washington Schools Foundation will enable 115 elementary students who are academically at risk and in financial need to attend Core Academic Summer School at no charge. This grant is the largest the Lake Washington Schools Foundation has given to a single program in Lake Washington School District.

“Because of our generous community, the Foundation is able to provide funding to allow the District to expand the opportunity for at risk students to participate in academic summer school,” noted Sherry Wartelle, LWSF Co-President, "at a time when school districts around the country are cutting summer school due to budget issues.”

To date, Lake Washington Schools Foundation has focused primarily on grants awarded at the classroom or school level to fund innovative new approaches to teaching that engage and inspire students. Funding summer school is a first step for the Foundation in funding educational programs that are provided by the District. These programs may be implemented district-wide, or across all students in a grade, or in a targeted area of academic focus, or other identified student groups.

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REDMOND,WA.  June 14, 2010—The Lake Washington Schools Foundation, is happy to announce the appointment of its new executive director, Doug Seto.

Doug has extensive leadership and fundraising experience, with more than 25 years in the private sector in marketing and sales, starting his own company, as well as a key manager and director in national companies.  Throughout, Doug is known for a strong commitment to serving the community through active leadership and involvement on the boards of major academic, health care and youth organizations.  He has led several non-profit organizations, serving as President for the Northwest Kidney Centers Foundation and in other Board positions for over 8 years, on the Board of Trustees of Puget Sound Blood Center for 9 years, and on the Executive Board of Boy Scouts of America.  Seto brings a mix of executive business development and non-profit operations experience to Lake Washington Schools Foundation as it continues to grow and significantly support public education in the school district.

“I now have been given an opportunity to help make our community a better place by promoting academic excellence in the Lake Washington School District.  I am excited by the many opportunities to help provide the students with enhanced learning opportunities, the staff with increased professional development –in sum, to provide the community with youth that are motivated and inspired to be successful in college and the global workplace.”, said Seto.

"The Foundation is doing exciting, new work to support the District's thinking to make sure that “Every Student is Future Ready.”  Doug will be terrific at leading the district-wide programs funded through the Foundation, helping the District ensure students are prepared for college, the global market place, and the personal challenges they will face.  I look forward to working with Doug." said Lake Washington Superintendent Chip Kimball.

“We are delighted and eager to have Doug join us.  As Executive Director, Doug will position the Foundation to better serve our generous community’s direct and efficient investment in student learning, and to better involve the broader community in the outstanding successes the District delivers back to us all”, say the 2009-10 Board Co-Presidents Byron Shutz and Sherry Wartelle.

Please join us in welcoming Doug Seto to our Lake Washington Schools Foundation community.

The Lake Washington Schools Foundation looks for new and innovative ways to engage kids in learning. The Shadow Puppets grant made to Rosa Parks is an example of a program that teaches reading and writing skills through theater and storytelling.

Ms. VanAken’s 2nd grade class at Rosa Parks Elementary studied Paul Bunyon, Pecos Bill, and Davy Crockett in order to write a script, create puppets, narrate, design sound effects, and act in their shadow puppet theatre. Along the way, they learned about english language structures such as hyperbole, similes, personification, and metaphors. 

Their outstanding puppet show reveals what a small grant and a lot of creativity can do to enhance classroom learning. 

Rosa Parks Elementary has families representing many different countries of origin.  In Ms. Van Aken’s class, over half of her students come from 11 different countries and speak over 9 different languages. 

Studying African Folklore is next for these budding writers and puppeteers.

Dear Foundation,

Thank you for the shadow screen and puppets.  It was fun.  I was scared, too.  I was so scared my body was shaking.  But I did it and it was fun!  I learned about hyperbole, metaphors, similes and personification.  I love hyperbole.  Here is an example:  I am soooo hungry I could eat a whale.  Thanks again.

Logan (Rosa Parks 2nd Grader)