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Let's Honor Our School Principals on School Principals' Day
School Principals' Day

School leadership matters. And as the most tireless leaders in our schools, school principals must successfully navigate constant challenges, spending their days overseeing schools while also working to support students and teachers alike. That’s why we should celebrate all they do on School Principals’ Day, May 1!

Too often, public perception is that principals are only focused on disciplining students or teachers, but the reality is that school principals are actually focused much more about the positive, and they impact the success and well-being of their schools each and every day.

The best school principals and leaders set the tone, create and shape the school culture, inspire and manage students and teachers, and work to meet critical educational milestones. The lasting legacy of the best schools is also the legacy of those great principals who guided and shaped their successes.

This School Principals’ Day, take a moment to salute school principals as the hard-working leaders they are! It’s a superb chance to celebrate our school principals and leaders, while also advocating those who work to make their jobs easier.

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A smiling teacher in a burka assists two child students with a painting project in class.

Family engagement is one of the central tenets of Educare Seattle's work. It's one of the things that sets the program apart—a “whole child” approach that allows learning to extend beyond the classroom, bringing families and staff together to build community.

That approach was on full display earlier this month at Educare Seattle's first STEAM Night, which took place on March 26th, 2026. STEAM learning stands for science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics, and is designed to foster creativity and problem-solving skills in young learners.

Read More about Educare Seattle's STEAM Night Brings Families Together Around Learning
Young students sit at keyboards in class

Each year, the Washington State Board of Education's Washington School Recognition Program highlights schools that demonstrate exceptional progress in key areas of student success. 

They have now announced those schools that are being recognized by the Washington School Recognition Program for performance during the 2024-2025 school year, and this year, 163 schools in the PSESD school districts were recognized, out of a total of 379 public schools recognized in 150 school districts across the state of Washington. 

Read More about PSESD Celebrates 28 School Districts Recognized for Growth by Washington State!
A visual group of student art pieces including a painted portrait, an abstract, a textile dress with flowers, and a surreal painting

Here at PSESD, we're excited to celebrate the incredible talent of our young artists participating in the 2026 Regional Superintendent High School Art Show!

Each year, this show reminds us of the depth and power of student creativity. Through both their artwork and their personal reflections, these students share stories filled with emotion, insight, and courage.

As the 2026 Art Show unfolds, we invite you to recognize and honor these remarkable students for generously sharing their creativity and vision with us.
 

Read More about Announcing the Winners of the 2026 Regional Superintendent High School Art Show!
A smiling woman with flowers stands among a smiling group.

The PSESD Board of Directors was delighted to meet Maryan Abdow, the 2025 Classified School Employee of the Year, who visited the Board on April 22, 2026. Maryan was introduced to the Board by Amber McCulloch, the Senior Director of Learning, Teaching, and Family Support at PSESD, and who runs the Teacher of the Year and Classified School Employee of the Year programs.
 

Read More about Maryan Abdow Honored by PSESD Board of Directors
Smiling schoolchildren next to a school bus

When districts need to understand their financial health but can’t afford expensive data visualization tools, they’re at a disadvantage. Joli Valentino, PSESD’s executive director of business and operations, envisioned a fiscal dashboard that would serve all districts. Under her leadership and the direction of Justin Lanting, director of school finance, a team spanning four educational service districts — PSESD, ESD 113, ESD 114, and ESD 171 — built a free, interactive fiscal dashboard using data from OSPI.

Read More about Making School Finance Data Work for Everyone
A smiling woman holds flowers in the middle of three people posing for an award photo.

Puyallup School District has announced their 2026 Celebrating Excellence Award recipients.

Now in its fourth year, the Celebrating Excellence awards program honors and recognizes staff, volunteers, and community partners for their outstanding work and unwavering commitment to excellence in supporting the success of students and schools within the Puyallup School District. This annual program serves as a testament to the remarkable dedication and contributions of those who go above and beyond in fostering a thriving educational community.

Read More about Puyallup School District Announces the 2026 Celebrating Excellence Award Recipients