Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

A letter to our community 

Dear Lake Stevens School District Community,

As a school community, Lake Stevens School District is working to develop our capacity to effectively respond to racism and race-based aggression in our schools. This has been especially challenging during the 2021-22 academic year, as we faced an overwhelming uptick in reported hate speech directed towards students of color in our schools. We want school to be a place where our students feel safe and where they belong. We also want to ensure all students graduate with an understanding of how to treat others and be treated with dignity in an increasingly diverse world.

We are working hard to establish systems that build belonging and self-efficacy for each student and adult in our system. We work on these systems knowing that trusting partnerships with minoritized communities in our district are essential for our success. We are in the process of developing a proactive and transparent process for reporting, accountability, and follow-through with incidents of hate speech in our schools. We are also in the process of developing systems to teach and support anti-racism, fostering inclusivity and values, and honoring the dignity of each member of our community.

We held a series of listening sessions with families of students of color, students of color, and staff of color in May. This Executive Summary is an account of themes and recommendations from our sessions. Our conversations reinforced the need for community gatherings and spaces where students, staff, and families of color can support each other.

We look forward to sharing these resources and processes with you. During the 2022-23 academic year, there will be quarterly review meetings where we will share and gather feedback on trainings and initiatives. Training materials created by the Department of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion will be posted here. We hope to hold regular listening sessions in the coming school year.