Kent School District -

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

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

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

🌈 Happy Pride Month! 🌈 This June, we proudly celebrate Pride Month and honor the strength, resilience, and contributions of our LGBTQ+ students, staff, families, and community members. As a district committed to equity, inclusion, and belonging, we believe every student deserves to feel safe, seen, and supported—exactly as they are. 🏳️‍🌈💛 Together, we continue to create learning environments where everyone can thrive. #OneKSD #OneCommunity

Congratulations to our upcoming 2025 graduates! Graduations for our academies and high schools will take place on Friday, June 13 and Saturday, June 14. For more information about locations, times, and live stream links, please visit our website: https://bit.ly/4mGQCjm . We have also added a Graduation icon beneath the photo on the homepage of each high school and academy for easy access. #OneKSD #OneClass #OneCommunity

Every child faces tough moments — big and small. How can we help them manage stress, handle setbacks and build emotional strength? Join ParentMap and the Kent School District on June 5 for a live ParentEd Talk with mental health counselor Janine Halloran. She’ll share expert strategies to help kids navigate challenges with confidence.💡 Don’t miss it! Sign up for the live Q&A webinar and video replay using promo code KENTSCHDIST to attend for free (a $10 value). Register here: ParentMap.com/coping

Congratulations to our 2024-2025 Employees of the Year! Across all categories, these employees were commended for their hard work, dedication, and commitment to the mission of KSD. Below is a list of winners. To read more about each winner, click here: https://bit.ly/4dBWAhi #OneKSD #OneTeam AFSCME Cathy Gingras, Application Analyst III, Data Services AFT Torri Herman, Head Custodian, Meridian Elementary Kent Association of Coaches & Extracurricular Employees/WEA Honey Sychtysz, Unified Sports Advisor, Kentwood High School KAEOP Michelle Moreno, Office Manager, Horizon Elementary KAP Nicole Rodriguez, Paraeducator, Kentridge High School KEA (Classroom) Marisabel Curtis, Teacher, Scenic Hill Elementary KEA (Non-Classroom) Vaudery Brown, Counselor, Mill Creek Middle School KPA Harjeet Sandhu-Fuller, Principal, Scenic Hill Elementary KSFSA Zhanna Cheban, Lead Packaging Line, Nutrition Services Non-rep, Central Office James Alyson, Assistant Director, Teaching & Learning Non-rep Guillermina Torres, Student Achievement Specialist, Kent-Meridian High School Teamsters Carmen Norton, Bus Driver, Transportation

Reminder: tomorrow is the last day to submit the Family Climate Survey! Your feedback is important in helping us understand what we're doing well and where we can improve—at your child’s school and across the district. Please share your experience by Friday, May 30. The survey is anonymous and will take about 15 minutes to complete. Families check your email for a link to the survey. #OneKSD #OneCommunity 

On May 14, Daniel Elementary hosted its vibrant Multicultural Night, themed "Beneath the Surface." This meaningful event reflected the school’s commitment to understanding and celebrating the diverse identities of its students, families, and community. Students proudly showcased their heritage by wearing traditional attire and performing cultural songs that highlighted what makes their backgrounds unique. It was a joyful and enriching celebration of the many cultures that come together to form the Daniel Elementary family! #OneKSD #OneCommunity

Last week, Lucia Flores-Wiseman placed fourth overall on this season's "The Voice." Lucia is the daughter of Aimee Wiseman, a second grade teacher at Sawyer Woods elementary who has taught in the KSD for the past 18 years. Aimee's class had been following Lucia's progress and had even been a part of an earlier segment on the Voice. Congratulations to the incredibly talented Lucia for her journey this season! #OneKSD #OneClass

🛠️ Help your child build resilience! 💪 Join ParentMap and the Kent School District on June 5 for a live ParentEd Talk with mental health counselor Janine Halloran. Learn how to nurture your child’s emotional strength and equip them with the tools to face life’s challenges with confidence — while strengthening your own parenting toolkit, too. Register for the live ParentEd Talk using promo code KENTSCHDIST to attend for free (a $10 value). You'll also gain access to the replay video so you can watch it anytime, anywhere. Sign up here: ParentMap.com/coping

Kent-Merdian's Dr. Marissa Winmill was recently honored with the prestigious National Education Association's Mary Hatwood Futrell Human and Civil Rights Award. An educator, advocate, and mentor, Dr. Winmill has dedicated the past 30 years of her life to ensuring all students, especially young women of color, have the tools and support they need to thrive. "We're here to cultivate strengths, to recognize the assets students already bring, especially multilingual and immigrant students." Click on the following link to read more: https://bit.ly/3ShQwRi #OneKSD #OneTeam

As we conclude the KSD Connected highlights this week, here is an update on critical infrastructure and capital projects completed through generous voter approval of the 2016 Bond, along with the 2018 Levy. To learn more about our current and upcoming projects, click on the following link: https://bit.ly/3Ha8kLP #OneKSD #OneCommunity

Reminder: the 2025 Family Climate Survey is now available. Your feedback is important in helping us understand what we're doing well and where we can improve—at your child’s school and across the district. Please share your experience by Friday, May 30. The survey is anonymous and will take about 15 minutes to complete. Families check your email for a link to the survey. #OneKSD #OneCommunity 

Another highlight from our Spring 2025 issue of KSD Connected includes our amazing staff and retention statistics. Employee retention is one of the key goals within our district's strategic plan. To learn more about how we are progressing towards meeting that goal, click here: https://bit.ly/3YSRgAc #OneKSD #OneTeam

Earlier this month, students from all four KSD high schools submitted photos to the Washington State High School Photography Competition. The competition received nearly 4,900 entries from 57 schools and 1,591 students across the state. Kentridge High School took first place overall in the competition for the second year in a row. We are thrilled to feature a selection of photos from all the KSD students who placed in the competition's various categories. Many other KSD students were finalists in the categories as well. #OneKSD #OneClass List of Photos Shea, Kentridge:  1st, Abstract 1st, Portrait 3rd, Architecture Riley, Kentridge: 3rd, Black and White Tyler, Kentridge: 3rd, Documentary Brian, Kent-Meridian: 6th, Documentary Yoshua, Kentridge: 5th, Portrait Darius, Kentwood: 2nd, Architecture Paige, Kentridge: 2nd, People Izzy, Kentwood: 7th, People