Kent School District -

From the city of Kent: Summer fun is on the way! Check out some of the hottest things to do in Kent this summer at KentWA.gov/Summer!

This spring, the Kiwanis Club of Kent hosted the 53rd Annual Middle School Essay Contest, an inspiring celebration of student voice, creativity, and the power of words. Twelve students across grades six through eight were honored with First, Second, and Third place finishes, along with honorable mentions. Pictured here are our winners from Mill Creek: Salaf, Gabrielle, and Lia-Angelique. Read more about Kiwanis Club's longtime partnership with KSD here: https://bit.ly/4lnoUXx #OneKSD #OneClass

🎉 This June, we celebrated the incredible careers of our Kent School District retirees at a special board meeting and campus celebration! 🥳 Thank you for your years of service, dedication, and impact on generations of students. Your legacy lives on in every classroom, hallway, and heart you've touched. 💙 Enjoy your well-earned retirement—you'll always be part of the #OneKSD family! #OneTeam #OneCommunity

Kent School District is offering free summer meals for children ages 0–18 from June 23 through August 8, 2025, at 30 locations across the district. Meals are served only on weekdays, with no service on July 3 and 4 in observance of the holiday. See our summer meals page for more information: https://bit.ly/4dQDdBf #OneKSD #OneCommunity

Earlier this week, the city of Covington, in partnership with Kentwood High School, held a ribbon cutting ceremony for Kentwood's newly renamed street, "Conqueror Avenue."  Led by the Kentwood ASB team, students voted on the name for the street. "We are so excited that this project was able to be completed before our seniors graduated. We are so proud of them," said ASB advisor Kayla Hanus. Read more about the project here: https://bit.ly/4leFzfN #OneKSD #OneClass #OneCommunity

Reminder: All KSD buildings and the Administration Center will be closed today, Thursday, June 19, in observation of Juneteenth. Today we recognize Juneteenth, a powerful reminder of resilience, justice, and freedom. On this day in 1865, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation, enslaved African Americans in Texas finally learned they were free. As a school district, we are committed to teaching the full story of our nation’s history and creating inclusive spaces where every student feels seen, valued, and empowered. Let us honor this day by continuing to learn, reflect, and work toward equity and liberation for all. #OneKSD #OneCommunity

🎨🏆 Congratulations to our five talented OneKSD Art Contest winners! These incredible student and staff artists captured the heart of what it means to be united as #OneKSD through their creativity and vision. We’re proud to showcase their work as a celebration of diversity, community, and student and staff voice across the district. 👏✨ #OneKSD #OneClass #OneCommunity

📸☀️ Smiles, hugs, and high-fives — our last day of school was full of joy and unforgettable moments! Thank you to our students, families, and staff for a fantastic year of learning and growth. Have a safe and relaxing summer! 🌴😎 📅 Mark your calendars: The first day of school for the 2025–26 school year is Wednesday, August 27. See you in the fall! 🍎✏️ #OneKSD #OneClass #OneTeam #OneCommunity

As we wrap up another incredible school year, Superintendent Vela shares a heartfelt message of gratitude and celebration. Together, we are #OneKSD -- OneClass, OneTeam, OneCommunity. Thank you to our students, families, staff, and community partners for making this year one to remember! #OneClass #OneTeam #OneCommunity Watch the video here: https://bit.ly/3G1guGa

It all begins in kindergarten 💙 Help your child build confidence, make friends, and grow through curiosity and play. Kindergarten registration for the 2025–2026 school year is open now! 📅 Don’t wait—join the #OneKSD family today: https://bit.ly/3EQ0jes #OneClass #OneCommunity 

🎓✨ Class of 2025, You Did It! ✨🎓 This past weekend, we proudly celebrated the graduation of our incredible seniors from our high schools and academies! Each ceremony was filled with joyful memories, heartfelt speeches, and well-deserved recognition of our students' hard work, resilience, and growth. We are so proud of everything they’ve accomplished and excited to see where their journeys take them next. Be sure to like and follow us on Facebook and check out our photo albums uploaded there for more photos. 🎉 Congratulations, graduates — the future is yours! #KSDClassof2025 #OneKSD #OneClass

The city of Covington and its youth council recently partnered with Kentwood High School to change the name of the street leading into the school off of 164th Avenue to "Conqueror Avenue." Members of the community are invited to attend a ribbon cutting ceremony for the sign on Tuesday, June 17, at 5:00 p.m. We hope to see you there! #OneKSD #OneCommunity

We are pleased to report the Washington School Recognition Program honored three of our elementary schools, Daniel, Meridian, and Panther Lake, for demonstrating exceptional progress in student growth in one or more racial or ethnic groups. Only 16 percent of schools in Washington State received this recognition. On Wednesday night, the three schools were recognized by the KSD board for their accomplishments. Congratulations! Read more here: https://bit.ly/3FTGDqr #OneKSD #OneClass

Earlier this week, KSD held its annual guest employee celebration on the Administration Campus. Guest employees enjoyed food, drink, and the opportunity to bond with their fellow co-workers. "We are so grateful for our team of guest employees, who play a pivotal role in keeping KSD running smoothly each and every day. Their flexibility, professionalism and support helps our students grow and succeed. We couldn't fulfill the mission of KSD without them," said HR Assistant of Substitute Services Chris Croce. Read more about how guest employees support the mission of KSD here: https://bit.ly/45l7dmD #OneKSD #OneTeam

Reminder: All KSD buildings and the Administration Center will be closed next Thursday, June 19, in observation of Juneteenth. Also known as Freedom Day, Juneteenth honors the end of slavery in the U.S. and marks the day federal troops arrived in Texas in 1865, a full two and a half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. Juneteenth is not just a history lesson—it’s a celebration of resilience and liberation. Let us take this day to reflect, learn, and continue the work toward a more just future. #OneKSD

On June 10, Dr. Marissa Winmill and her students at Kent-Meridian High School celebrated the release of We Are America: Kent 2, an inspiring collection of personal stories from 25 students. The book is part of the national We Are America project, which amplifies the voices of immigrant and refugee students, sharing their stories of hope, resilience, and diverse lived experiences. Superintendent Vela and Associate Superintendent of Teaching & Learning Dr. Rebekah Kim spoke at the event, sharing stories about their personal backgrounds as well. Thank you to our community for coming to support our student authors and learning more about their stories. Read more here: https://bit.ly/3FNOlm0 #OneKSD #OneClass

The districtwide literacy contest Battle of the Books held its finale this past Friday. Teams of students in elementary and middle school each read a series of books and then had to answer trivia questions about them. Thank you to the Millennium Elementary school team for letting us photograph them in action. Finally, congratulations to Meeker Middle School for taking first place at the middle school level and Sunrise Elementary school for taking first place in the elementary competition! Thanks to our community partners Papa Murphy's, McDonalds, and House of Ribbons and Trophies2Go for sponsoring the event this year. Congratulations to our winners and to everyone who participated for cultivating a love of reading! #OneKSD #OneTeam

We were amazed and honored to have received over 400 submissions to the OneKSD Art Contest from students and staff in the district. From elementary to secondary to academies and staff, you shared your vision of unity, acceptance, and community with us. Though we have just a selection of submissions here, we encourage you to check out our albums on Facebook that proudly showcase all the entries. Art contest winners in each category will be announced in the coming weeks. Thank you again for showing us the power of #OneKSD #OneClass #OneCommunity

Horizon Elementary recently created a community garden for their students to enjoy. Many of the materials and labor to make the garden were donated by local community partners. Each class tends to a garden bed and students are growing flowers, herbs, and vegetables. Cheers to our budding gardeners at Horizon! #OneKSD #OneCommunity #OneClass

On May 28, KSD honored all the teachers in the district who became nationally board certified in December 2024. National Board Certification is the most respected certification in education, and teachers must submit four core components of accomplished practice: content knowledge, differentiation, teaching practice and learning, and reflection over the course of the 1-3 year process. Congratulations to these teachers listed below! To learn more, visit https://bit.ly/442X9gY #OneKSD #OneTeam 2024 NBCT Teachers Neeraj Agnihotri Science, Meeker Middle School Virginia Barkley Multilingual Education Teacher, Kent-Meridian High School Heena Bedi Dual Language Teacher, Scenic Hill Elementary School Taylor Halland 1st Grade Teacher, Horizon Elementary Amber Liddell Counselor, Kent-Meridian High School Tri Nguyen Math, Cedar Heights Middle School Carley Parsons Dual Language Teacher, Scenic Hill Elementary Tanna Tingstad Academic Intervention Teacher, East Hill Elementary  Marianne Yahyaoui Math, Kent-Meridian High School